If you didn’t already know, the future for esports is extremely bright, and it’s only going to get brighter.

Schools are seeing the opportunity to not just get kids excited about education in a different way, but they also see an entirely new opportunity to help get kids prepared for careers in a new way.

Lenovo is helping get schools set up and making strides from elementary to colleges, and today Jeff Palumbo, Lenovo’s Global Esports Solution Manager is talking to Rebecca on The Future of Marketing in Esports to discuss how schools can get their programs they started.

They also talk marketing, and what brands can do today to get in, and why staying on the sidelines is only costing them more money!

If you’re interested in connecting with Jeff, you can email him at: jpalumbo {at} lenovo.com

Full Episode Breakdown:

1:10 – Meeting Jeff, and his role in Lenovo.

3:32 – When it comes to implementing esports programs into school, Jeff breaks down the criteria they look for.

5:40 – How can you measure success of your esports program?

7:10 – What are the typical age groups for esports program being created, and how is gaming being used.

11:34 – What is being done to help create these programs and guides for kids so they have a path for esports like traditional sports have.

15:03 – Is there a difference between working with the elementary schools versus moving with the larger and higher up organizations.

17:03 – Can esports live with academics or are they two completely different buckets?

23:01 – How can streamers learn the right way to put themselves out there but remember they need to protect themselves.

27:47 – Rebecca and Jeff discuss the power of the community and their desire to share information.

30:23 – What are some of the most common misconceptions schools have about starting an esports program?

34:22 – How can you create more soft skills for some of these kids who haven’t had that experience in traditional sports.

39:40 – Why small schools may have an advantage over the larger schools when growing these programs.

41:10 – Why these next generation of students will be the first generation of hybrids, where they understand the business skills, but also know the gaming side.

45:10 – What do companies need to understand before jumping into the world of esports, and what are companies doing wrong.

48:50 – How companies can build the right departments to help do the correct media buying and campaigns to get involved into esports.

52:10 – How can brands think outside of just throwing a logo on something.

56:50 – What does the future look like for Lenovo? Jeff gives the inside scoop.