LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL FOR CHANGE IN NSAA RULES AND REGULATIONS
Title:

Addition of a new NSAA Championship Sport/Activity: eSports (via PlayVS)

Author:Dr. John Krogstrand
School:Omaha Public Schools
NSAA District:2
 
Proposal for:Constitution & Bylaws
 
Classes Affected:All
Activities Affected:None
This proposal:WILL increase costs to the school
WILL increase costs to the NSAA
WILL NOT increase travel for participating schools
WILL NOT decrease a student's or coach's instruction time
Implementation date:2024-08-01
Sections affected in Constitution & Bylaws:Page
42
Article
3
Section
1
Summary:We request your support for the addition of eSports on the PlayVS to the offerings of Championship events conducted by the NSAA beginning with the 2023-24 school year. At present, over 8,000 schools across the United States sponsor an official eSports team. Over 50% of State Associations (NFHS Members) now offer or have plans to offer eSports as a State Championship program. Similarly, over 200 Colleges and Universities across the nation offer competitive eSports teams. Locally, Bellevue University, Hastings College and Midland University not only offer eSports as a varsity program, but do so with performance-based scholarships as well. This proposal asks the NSAA to adopt the current eSports format of using PlayVS as the platform for competition. (More info: https://www.playvs.com/high-school). Game titles would be selected, safely monitored, and administered for Nebraska schools to compete against one another for State-Level recognition through a partnership with PlayVS. Over 30 schools While other options exist, including a current league within Nebraska, utilizing the Play VS model removes several liability risks for schools and administrators. PlayVS has a multi-year backing from the NFHS in creating rule code for eSports, handling all issues of licensing software for schools, regulating cost and program administration to very manageable levels while complying with issues of Privacy, FERPA and other regulatory concerns that other programming simply does not meet. Establishing the NSAA as the regulatory body for an eSports Championship allows for program expansion and promotion of one of the fastest-growing scholarship extra-curricular opportunities for students in Nebraska. In fact, during this past spring and present Fall season, over 20 teams from Nebraska High Schools are already utilizing the PlayVS platform in a regional league, including last year's National Champion in the game of "Hearthstone" - Westside HS.
Rationale:The rationale for this proposal are as follows: - Students across our state have identified to us that eSports is a rapidly-growing fixture for years to come. - In programs that have been developed in our state in recent years, several students participating in eSports do not participate in any other school activity. Inclusion and promotion of the positives of NSAA Activities for *All* of our students should remain a primary goal. eSports allows us to expand on that work. - Likewise, dozens of high school teams are currently participating, or looking to participate in the activity this fall. However, there is limited central authority to ensure that the programming is done in line with Student Data Protection, FERPA, Licensing, Liability and other regulatory issues - eSports Students in Nebraska have multiple local colleges and universities vying for their talents at the next level. Creating a State Championship Event allows us to assist our students with their progression to postsecondary plans. At present, it is challenging, at best, for collegiate coaches to identify students for potential scholarship opportunities. - Beginning a partnership with PlayVS makes sense: Over 25 other State Associations have done this exact move to determine the specific rules, regulations and game titles to fit their needs. - PlayVS offers the expertise of demonstrated program administration, and is directly backed by the NFHS. Their experts would coordinate with our schools and NSAA staff to develop a handbook and implement programming under the NSAA's umbrella for the 2023-24 school year. - Costs are flexible at the school and local level based on the decisions of levels in which to participate. Schools can participate for as little as a couple hundred dollars to a maximum of "unlimited participation" levels at a capped level of $1,500 for a single season (two season per year) -- perhaps one of the most cost-effective programs we could offer - PlayVS provides dedicated staff to states to assist member schools with the implementation of programs at your local level. Within OPS, for example, we were able to dual-purpose machines used for Graphic Design, CAD and other like purposes for eSports at little to no hardware cost. - COSTS: Again, a maximum program cost to schools of $1,500 per season, with a maximum of two seasons per year. Most schools will pay less than this total. Cost to the NSAA is minimal. Coaches Stipends and optional equipment are the lone additional expenditures. - TRAVEL: No travel is involved. Students both practice and compete virtually from their school. - NSAA ADMINISTRATION: As other states would readily share, PlayVS does the lion's share of the work in establishing a statewide program, and state office administrators are minimally impacted with the new programming. Costs for facilitating a championship would be minimal, as again, most States continue to offer a championship experience through remote competition -- or competition from each school's home site held virtually against one another. For any questions on how this can work, please visit the PlayVS website (playvs.com) or contact myself on how we've had a positive experience with our first season of PlayVS eSports in Omaha Public Schools. Truly - the opportunity to bring this solidified programming to our students statewide, and include them as part of the umbrella of all things Nebraska School Activities Association would be a wonderful addition to our work in extracurricular activities.
Pros:- Increased Student Participation for minimal budgetary impact - Ability for students to be identified and access collegiate scholarship opportunities - Involving and including a population that, in many cases, are not otherwise involved in other NSAA activities - Partnering with PlayVS will provide appropriate program administration and not require a significant additional administrative component to either the NSAA nor local schools - Partnering with PlayVS ensures a positive, monitored, and regulated avenue for participation that aligns with Student Privacy Law, Software Licensing and Copyright concerns - Allows the NSAA to join the majority of other State Associations in offering the programming to our students through an organization that has the backing of the NFHS
Cons:Potentially competes with other programming that presently exists in schools Potentially causes schools to look at upgrading technological equipment that may be dated or not as effective as that of other schools