You could pay a coach peanuts.

Finding players is easy, they are all already ranked in competition and those rankings are truly tested in peer competition so you are just looking for kids who have the eligibility to come to Cal as well as the background to succeed at Cal academically. Which is no easy feat, the top level e-sports guys spend a ton of time in game and video analysis.

Use of the term sport in e-sport.

Its not...hear me out.

- I think we should support this (not necessarily with scholarships if especially if it doesn't bring in money)
- I believe it can attract brainpower to the university and there will be a segment of smart kids who are into this

My qualm is why does the term "sport" have to be associated with it?

Is Chess a sport? most believe not.
Is Debate or any other academic competition a sport? No, they are competitions and yes there is a team....but they are not sports.

Sport(s) are defined as: noun

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1.
an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.

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I would argue that rapidly pushing buttons while requiring skill and dexterity and does require one to physically manipulate something does not rise to the level of "exertion" any more than a debate participant has to enunciate and therefore fails the test of the definition of "sport".

Sponsor teams absolutely, fund the space & equipment, sure, but should it fall under the preview of the department of Athletics?....no way. Maybe treat it like the Cal Debate team under the guise of the Lead Center https://lead.berkeley.edu

Just my $0.02