Esports Playbook

Design a Welcoming and Inclusive Space

Esports areas should be inviting and welcoming to all your Club or Youth Center’s members. Create a physical space using innovative decorations, state-of-the-art equipment and proper storage techniques. This will ensure all youth and teens can easily utilize the space. Consider players, spectators and streaming capabilities in your design. Use the following steps to create a plan to build a safe and inclusive space for all.

1. Choose a dedicated space for the gaming area. 

Esports will appeal most to your teen members, so consider putting the gaming area close to any existing teen spaces. The most effective esports areas function like any other program area, be it an art room, a tutoring center or a gym.

2. Provide youth choice and voice. 

Create a way for youth to share their thoughts on what the space should look like. You can do this through surveys, informal conversations, focus groups or ongoing design projects. Allow for voting where possible. Allow youth to weigh in on details like: 

Encourage YDPs and other staff to involve youth and teens. Focus on making this a community-led design process to help recruit members. 

3. Design a functional and fun space.

4. Build storage and organization options to keep equipment in working order. 

5. Plan for updates and replacements. 

Consoles, games and electronic accessories (including controllers and headsets) require regular checks for software updates. These updates can require several minutes to several hours to download and install. When determining your activity schedule, plan to check for necessary updates in advance so equipment is ready for play. Keep the most current technology in your Club or Youth Center so youth and teens stay engaged, especially those who cannot access that technology at home or elsewhere. 

Prepare Staff for Coordinating Esports Programs 

Offer training and certification opportunities to help prepare yourself and your staff for running an esports program. Below are some recommended resources and practices. BGCA strongly recommends that at least one esports program staff person completes the e-certifications listed below before the program launches. 

1. Review resources and complete trainings. 

Recommended trainings include: 

2. Apply what you learn to your overall planning process.  

3. Give staff appropriate time to complete training sessions. 

Form Esports Clubs and Leagues

It is up to your Club or Youth Center to choose which games to feature in your esports program. Research and select games that are appropriate for a Club setting, are interesting and appealing to youth and teens, and lend themselves to esports competitions. This section will help guide you in the decision-making process. 

For Clubs and Youth Centers just starting with esports games, Madden NFL, Minecraft and NBA 2K may be excellent starter choices. These games have E or E10 ratings, are very popular among gamers, and have established esports leagues. This set of games will appeal to a broad range of youth and teens. Since these games are popular, plenty of support is available when incorporating them into competitions. 

1. Consider game ratings. 

Game ratings are issued by the Electronic Software Rating Board (ESRB) and often include content descriptors. Find ratings on the back of the game box or the ESRB website (esrb.org). You can also consult websites such as Common Sense Media (commonsensemedia.org) for game rating guidance. Read content descriptions for additional insight into game content. For example: 

• Madden NFL 22 is rated “E for Everyone” (which is similar to a “G” rating on a movie) and has a content descriptor for mild lyrics in the in-game songs. 
• Minecraft is rated “E10” for everyone 10 and up (similar to a “PG” rating on a movie) and has a content descriptor for fantasy violence. 

The ages of your esports Club members may affect which game ratings you choose to allow. Esports Clubs with youth and tween members may only want to feature games with E or E10 ratings. Whereas the esports Clubs that serve older tweens and teens may be comfortable choosing games rated “T for Teen,” which is like a PG-13 rating on a movie. 

• An “M for Mature” rating is like an “R” rating on a movie. These games are intended for audiences ages 17+ and may include explicit language, sexual content, gun violence, blood and gore. At many retail stores, these games require an ID to purchase. BGCA does not recommend M-rated games for Clubs or Youth Centers. (Note: You can enable content controls on consoles to prevent these games from being downloaded or played.) 
• The other ESRB rating is “AO for Adults Only” and is like an “X” rating on a movie. These games are typically not available in retail stores in the U.S. and are not appropriate for any audience under age 18. These games should never be played in a Club or Youth Center. (Note: You can enable content controls on consoles to prevent these games from being downloaded or played.) 

2. Talk with youth, teens and staff about what games interest them. 

Give youth a choice and a voice in the game selection to help engage them in the program once it launches. 

3. Network with other Clubs and Youth Centers for input. 

Talk to staff of other Clubs with established esports programs to see what their teens are playing. Look at content posted on Virtual Club, listen to others on the monthly esports staff calls, or reach out to BGCA national staff for help to make connections.

4. Choose one to three games to start with and share them with staff and youth. 

Choose the number of games that you can reasonably and effectively support. Each game title will need its own team and competition. Clubs and Youth Centers with newer programs may want to start with fewer games and add more as the program grows. 

5. Start recruiting members.

It’s time to hype up your new esports program and prepare youth and teens to begin! The initial interest may come mainly from male-identifying gamers, especially those who are white. Refer to Fundamental #6: Promote Diversity, Equality and Inclusion for specific strategies to engage diverse members. Below are some broad strategies to help you invite new participants to join your program.

Recruit more players through multiple advertising methods. Within the Club, you can use newsletters, posters and staff discussions to promote the esports program. For external advertising, use social media, Virtual Club, email blasts, or printed signage in front of your Club or Youth Center to get the word out. 

Keep Youth and Teens Safe While Online

With the increased online interaction that comes with esports programs, take steps to ensure youth are safe online. Create policies to monitor youth while they are online and train youth to be safe online.

1. Ensure all activities comply with your Club’s technology and acceptable use policies. 

This includes games, practices, competitions and other esports-related activities.

2. Create and enforce private server and match usage. 

This will allow you to control who can join and play with your participants online.

3. Implement parental controls for rating and content on all consoles. 

All Current Gen consoles include parental control options for game ratings and content. Some consoles, such as Nintendo Switch, let you set playtime limits to ensure turn-taking.

• M-rated games should not be played or viewed by anyone under age 17. These games are not recommended for use in any Club or Youth Center.
• T-rated games should not be played or viewed by youth under age 13. Use caution when selecting these games for a Club or Youth Center. These games are not recommended for use in a Club or Youth Center where youth under age 13 will be participating in esports.

4. Keep passwords and PINs private from youth and teens. 

This includes passwords and PINs for content controls, digital store purchases and in-game purchases.

5. Plan for ways to monitor voice and text chat.

6. Ensure staff are prepared to facilitate youth online safety training.

Encourage Being a Good Teammate

Like a traditional sports culture, the esports culture has written and unwritten rules for being a good sport. All players are expected to play fairly, respect opponents, care for equipment and support teammates. Staff should model these behaviors for youth and teens and enforce behavioral guidelines as needed. 

1. Develop clear behavioral guidelines. 

Work with staff, youth, and teens to draft behavior guidelines for your Club or Youth Center's program.

2. Encourage peer-to-peer mentorship. 

3. Enforce inclusive language and behaviors. 

Model and reinforce inclusive language and behaviors to ensure all youth and teens feel welcomed.

Promote Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

An inclusive esports environment for all gamers is essential. Pay particular attention to groups that are typically excluded and make a deliberate space for them. Evaluate your current and future member needs when creating a gaming area. For example, you may not currently have youth and teens with disabilities, but you should create your gaming area with them in mind. Planning for an unseen audience lets youth feel welcomed from the start, instead of feeling like a burden. Visit BGCA.net and search for “Disability Inclusion” to access more resources.

1. Plan for physical access.

2. Plan for social and emotional needs. 

Esports culture has historically been unwelcoming to gamers who are female-identifying, LGBTQ+, or from minorities or non-white races and cultures. Be aware of any systemic biases and act with deliberate inclusion in mind. 

3. Recruit diverse youth and teens with intention. 

In addition to the youth and teens who will be eager to join, ensure all Club members know they are welcome. This includes those youth and teens who are female-identifying, minorities, LGBTQ+, non-native English speakers or those with disabilities. Make a special effort at the start to welcome all gamers into your program and continue to make them feel welcome.

4. Plan to keep diverse youth and teens at the table. 

Work hard to keep diverse youth and teens returning to the esports area, especially in the program's early days. Amplify youths’ contributions to the team through recognition, model inclusive language (such as using “friends” vs. “guys”), and immediately address and correct micro-aggressions. This doesn’t mean heaping false praise on marginalized gamers. Instead, ensure you authentically and consistently recognize the value each player of every identity brings to your program.