New eSports Room for High School
New eSports Room for High School
Hi All
The school where I work is considering launching an eSports club as a potential elective course. We currently have a somewhat outdated digital classroom setup, but we’re planning to upgrade with a good projector, a main console running Windows 10, audio equipment, and a screen. The 26 lab computers are being relocated, while 13 additional All in Ones will be added, though this won’t fully address our long-term aim of establishing a dedicated gaming hub. Our target is to have 10 to 12 gaming stations equipped with headsets, controllers, gaming mice/keyboards, and at least 24-inch displays, along with one Nintendo Switch and possibly a couple of PS4s. In the future, we also hope to set up a gaming server.
Since we operate on a limited budget, we’ll likely need sponsorships and donations from the local community. My questions are:
- What equipment should we prioritize? Is spending around $2000–$3000 per rig reasonable? Could it be too much, even though we want to future-proof?
- Have you experienced success with similar initiatives? What strategies worked best for starting them?
- Are there the best deals available for quality gear? I’m open to online options but prefer buying from retailers like Best Buy, Staples, Walmart, Target, PC Richards (CT), and GameStop.
- If we secure shirt sponsorships or room sponsors, have you had any success in getting them to participate? As a Catholic high school, grant opportunities are limited and there’s no state funding available for this kind of project.
Thanks in advance for your suggestions and support.
BenC
$2000 -
$3000 isn't out of the question, actually, you can create a solid system for $1500. It's best to purchase online, but the Best Buy here will match prices, so I'd check if the online price matches as well. I haven't started a club in HS before, but during a professional writing class at my college we worked on an assignment. We developed a business plan for a "gaming lounge" on campus for students to relax and unwind between classes.
A $1000 setup in USD or CAD can build a solid gaming PC, or at least one I’d really like to use. Keep the extra gear simple—there are cheap 10-key and 60% mechanical keyboards available, and a reasonably priced 1080p 144Hz monitor (under $200 USD) performs well for esports.
Contact PC distributors and system integrators in your area for bulk pricing offers. You may also reach out to retailers, though they are likely to provide less favorable terms. Review the quotes against typical online prices, then select the most affordable option with the best warranty and support. Consider reducing costs by providing free promotions to the winning party at a school for a limited time.
For esports you don't require that fancy setup. You're mainly concerned with frames per second, not aesthetics. A capable machine running a heavy esports game at low graphics settings—like 144fps (160fps or higher to prevent big drops)—is ideal. The most demanding titles are likely PUBG, BO3/4, and R6S. A rig around $1500, possibly including peripherals and a monitor, should suffice.