There’s no denying the popularity of the global, billion-dollar esports industry.

The number of frequent esports viewers is projected to reach 297 million in 2022, more than five times the number in 2012, according to Statista. The numbers are even higher when occasional viewers are factored in, bringing the total number of projected viewers to 644 million.

Compare that to this year’s Super Bowl, which had just over 102 million viewers. We’re now living in an age where actual sports are taking a backseat to the virtual version.

But that popularity doesn’t always erase skepticism over what place competitive video game programs should have in education. What value, if any, does esports bring to the classroom?

The answer to that question is taking shape both in the U.S. and internationally as sanctioned high school programs create solid pathways to college and careers. Globally, educators are intentionally leveraging students’ interest in gaming to boost engagement, forge relevant connections to emerging careers and reinforce lessons of digital citizenship as well as social-emotional learning.