By Austin Miller, GTM Lead, Esport Supply
The seven steps in an esports facility feasibility study are defining project goals, measuring student demand, evaluating available space, assessing technology requirements, estimating costs, planning operations, and making a final recommendation. Together, they help schools and universities determine whether a proposed esports facility is practical before committing to major purchases or construction.
There’s no universal seven-step formula every university follows, but this approach provides a useful framework. I’ve found that conversations about gaming PCs, arena layouts, and equipment become much more productive once everyone understands what the institution is trying to accomplish.
How Should Universities Approach an Esports Facility Feasibility Study?
A useful feasibility study moves from understanding the institution’s goals to evaluating whether the proposed facility can support them. Each stage builds on the previous one, helping administrators identify potential problems before they become expensive commitments. The following seven steps provide a practical way to organize that process.
Step 1: Define What the University Wants to Accomplish
Before counting gaming stations or considering layouts, the university needs to establish why it wants the facility. The priority might be varsity competition, student recreation, academic programming, community events, or some combination. A space intended primarily for competitive teams will have different requirements from one designed for everyday student use, so identifying those priorities early helps avoid conflicting expectations.
I’d also establish how the institution intends to evaluate success, whether that’s through student participation, facility usage, or the ability to accommodate specific activities. Those goals give the study a meaningful foundation and provide university leadership with something concrete to evaluate.
Step 2: Measure Student Demand
Gaming may be popular on campus, but that doesn’t automatically justify a dedicated esports arena. Universities need to understand how many students are likely to use the space, what activities interest them, and when demand will be greatest. Surveys, existing club participation, student organization interviews, and recreation usage patterns can help establish a realistic picture.
The Society for College and University Planning’s discussion of the University of Kentucky esports lounge describes how student feedback informed decisions about equipment, furniture, and space configuration. I’d also pay attention to scheduling. If varsity practices require exclusive access during the busiest evening hours, the university needs to understand how that affects recreational players and other student organizations.
Step 3: Evaluate the Available Space
Once the university understands its intended program, it can begin examining potential locations. Existing classrooms, student unions, recreation facilities, and underused campus spaces may offer possibilities, although each will have different limitations. The assessment should consider usable square footage, accessibility, circulation, building conditions, and the extent of any renovations required.
A room might accommodate the proposed number of computers but leave insufficient space for movement, spectators, or other activities. I’d resist choosing a location simply because it’s available or appears inexpensive, since electrical upgrades, cooling improvements, or accessibility modifications could make another location more practical.
Step 4: Assess Technology and Infrastructure
Gaming computers, displays, consoles, and broadcasting equipment depend on reliable electrical power, networking, cooling, and connectivity. A feasibility study should identify the infrastructure already available, determine whether it can support the proposed equipment, and estimate what improvements may be necessary. Universities planning tournaments or broadcasts should also consider whether multiple activities can operate simultaneously without compromising performance.
An EDUCAUSE report on implementing university esports programs emphasizes involving IT and facilities teams early. Those departments can help assess networking, electrical capacity, HVAC requirements, and ongoing technical support. Our guide to esports facility network and internet infrastructure explores those considerations in greater detail.
Step 5: Estimate the Full Financial Commitment
The financial assessment should account for equipment, furniture, installation, professional services, building modifications, and contingencies, along with recurring expenses such as staffing, maintenance, software, utilities, and eventual equipment replacement. I’d compare realistic alternatives rather than presenting a single proposed budget, since a modest gaming lab, a hybrid recreational and competitive facility, and a dedicated arena can require substantially different investments.
Early estimates should distinguish known costs from assumptions that require further design or contractor input. University leadership needs enough information to evaluate affordability without mistaking preliminary estimates for final construction prices.
Step 6: Develop an Operating Plan
One question deserves more attention than it often receives: who’s responsible for the facility after it opens? Someone needs to manage reservations, supervise activities, maintain equipment, coordinate events, and respond to technical problems. The study should identify the responsible department, staffing requirements, operating hours, and procedures for sharing access among different groups.
A university might discover that its proposed facility is affordable to equip but difficult to operate with existing staff. Understanding those responsibilities early allows administrators to evaluate whether additional personnel, training, or operational funding will be needed.
Step 7: Make a Recommendation the University Can Act On
The final step brings the findings together to determine whether the project supports the university’s goals, whether student demand justifies the investment, and whether the proposed location, costs, and operating responsibilities are realistic. The recommendation might be to proceed, reduce the scope, investigate another location, develop the facility in phases, or postpone the project until circumstances change.
For a practical illustration of how these findings come together, see our article on an esports facility feasibility study example, which examines a hypothetical university project alongside real campus planning examples.
I like to think of a feasibility study as the point where enthusiasm meets practical decision-making. There’s nothing wrong with getting excited about a new esports facility, but before approving the project, university leaders need to understand what they’re committing to and whether the institution can support it over time. These seven steps provide a way to make that decision with evidence, realistic expectations, and a clear understanding of the tradeoffs.
