Price Faculty Member Receives Nomination for Esports Award

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NORMAN, OKLA. – Price College of Business faculty member William Fisackerly is making a name within the world of esports.

Fisackerly, who joined the University of Oklahoma this summer, recently received a nomination for the National Association of Collegiate Esports Scholar of the Year Award. NACE is the largest member-run conference for collegiate esports, a form of competition utilizing video games, in the world. The organization has sanctioned varsity collegiate esports since 2016 to develop the structure and tools needed to advance the industry.

Fisackerly’s nomination was largely due to his esports pedagogy and research. He has penned a half-dozen publications on the field of esports and has made a name for himself as an esports athlete. Fisackerly earned his PhD in sport and entertainment management at the University of South Carolina, where he broadened his teaching skills within esports.

“The contributions from the nominees of this award aided in the development of future esports professionals in the classroom and advanced our understanding of esports in academia,” added Fisackerly.

During his final semester of undergraduate study at Florida Southern College in 2018, the director of the esports program approached him about joining the newly formed team. Since then, Fisackerly’s resumé within esports has few rivals.

“It ended up being the most impactful and rewarding decision I have made so far in my life,” said Fisackerly.

Now, his expertise will serve to advance OU’s growing esports program. In less than a decade, OU’s Sooner Esports has helped set the standard within the group of collegiate athletic conferences known as the Power 4: the Big 10, Big 12, ACC and SEC. As OU transitions into the SEC, the university’s esports program finds itself in a leadership position.

“The esports team at USC was fully student-run,” said Fisackerly. “The next three to five years could very well see esports competitions sanctioned by the SEC, and OU plays a large part in that becoming a reality.”

OU Esports & Co-Curricular Innovation credits its growth to leadership and a structure that mirrors most athletic programs. Mike “Moog” Aguilar, the OU's esports program director. During Aguilar’s time as director, there were less than 25 institutionally supported esports programs in higher education in 2016. That number has grown to over 250 during the 2020s.

“It speaks to the work Moog and everyone at Sooner Esports has already done to grow esports at OU since 2017,” added Fisackerly.

Esports is still in its infancy within the context of higher academics. While OU has been one of the institutions at the forefront of the industry thanks to leadership figures like Aguilar and talents like Fisackerly, the field's significant growth potential is obvious.

In addition to teaching sports business at Price, Fisackerly is also tasked with launching the new undergraduate certificate in esports business.

“The industry is going to need talented managers and leaders to help transition esports to its next developmental stage,” said Fisackerly. “I am incredibly excited to help shape the future of the esports industry in educating and training the working professionals of tomorrow through our college.”