Semester of Graduation
Spring 2026
Degree
Master of Mass Communication (MMC)
Department
Manship School
Document Type
Thesis
Abstract
This study explores the intersection between personal branding communications theories and college eSport athletes. The purpose of this study is to research the college eSports scene and see if the top athletes in it are using their personal brand for sponsorship opportunities, like how NCAA athletes are now using their personal brands for name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals. In addition to research into personal branding, this study also serves to explore what college eSports looks like as a pathway to professional play in the eyes of its participants. Through semistructured interviews with top Overwatch and Valorant players at the strongest eSports universities in North America, the researcher discovered that college eSport players value personal branding, both in terms of profiting off of it, similar to NIL, but also in terms of strengthening their reputations as they aspire to break through into the highest tier of professional play. Overall, this study can be used as a general indicator for players, universities, and eSport companies on how top players currently in the college eSports scene feel about personal branding, potential to rise to the highest professional tiers from college, and overall feelings about the state of collegiate eSports.
Date
3-27-2026
Recommended Citation
Quiroga, Robert M. Mr., "College eSports Athletes in the Modern College Climate" (2026). LSU Master's Theses. 6362.
https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_theses/6362
Committee Chair
Jackson, Joshua
LSU Acknowledgement
1
LSU Accessibility Acknowledgment
1
Included in
Public Relations and Advertising Commons, Social Media Commons, Sports Communication Commons