Sacramento hosts its first major electronic gaming tournament at Cal Expo
SACRAMENTO – For the first time, Sacramento is hosting a major electronic gaming tournament. Some of the country's top players are showing off their skills at Cal Expo on Saturday and Sunday.
With the clicks of a mouse and strokes on a keyboard, it's game on at the E-Sports Regional Championships.
Hundreds of gamers from across 12 western states competing in Sacramento this weekend.
Twenty-two different college teams are playing for five different titles.
"We have Rocket League, Valorant, Overwatch, Super Smash Bros Ultimate, Street Fighter," said Cali Chui, the event organizer.
Arman Razzaghi plays "Tank" in Overwatch 2 for UC San Diego.
"It's a 5 v. 5 team shooter, it's mixed with elements of FPS and team styles," Razzaghi said. "Everybody here is a competitive person and they want to win."
The popularity of e-sports is growing worldwide.
Video games now generate more annual revenue than the movie and music industries combined. Tournaments like this now have big corporate sponsorships.
"It's really getting the place that it deserves now in recognition among these blue chip brands," said Angela Bernhard Thomas, chief e-sports officer.
More and more colleges and high schools are forming teams that compete in leagues, just like any other sport.
"At Boise State, we have a 7,000 square foot dedicated e-sports facility, we offer somewhere in the neighborhood of $200,000 annually in scholarships alone," said Boise State head coach Doc Haskell.
"Sometimes you'll catch them playing 12 hours. So they mean it they want to be the best," Chui said.
And it's a competition that's getting a lot more attention as a new generation grows up with gaming.
"Hopefully, one day we can have it like college football, those places fill up stadiums and I hope we can get to that point," Razzaghi said.
Winners from this weekend's tournament will go on to play for the Commissioner's Cup National Championships in Texas next May.
There's also an open tournament this weekend that allows anyone to come in and play.
