Should Esports Be Considered Sports?

 

By Kyle Russell

 

There have been arguments that still go on today. This one is no exception. There are many ways this argument can go. Esports consist of many different games ranging from Call of Duty and Super Smash Brothers to League of Legends and Dota 2. These games have been around for many many years. Most Esports are hosted in these huge tournaments with huge cash prizes for

the grand champions. These tournaments are recorded then uploaded to Twitch.com a website being a place where gamers go to stream whatever game they are playing. There have been multiple cases of people complaining about how at one time ESPN2 took one hour of their schedule to dedicate to people playing Heroes of the Storm. Some common arguments to Esports being considered sports are as follows:

 

“I'm not even going to argue with it. People are just too lazy to go out and play real sports so they want video games to be considered sports. Nobody wants to do any physical movement anymore. They're all just a bunch of fat, lazy, losers who don't want to leave their houses.”

 

“Be considered a sport because it doesn't involve a physical activity of such that is beneficial for the body.Gaming is virtual and the only gaming console that could be considered of a type of sport is the wii.But Since majority of Gaming Console aren't like that i'm going to say no.”

 

“The definition of sport is: an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment. Note that it says PHYSICAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I play sports and you gamers with your heads in your screens need to realize that this is insulting to all real sports players. Video gaming is sitting in front of a screen. If you ever find a video game that fits the definition of sport then call me, but that is never going to happen! Yes I realize gaming requires some skill although it take very little to stare and tap on a screen. Did you know that staring at a screen for over 2 1/2h can damage brain cells and kill your eyesight? I hope you do. Video games are not a sport. Period.”

 

These are just some comments taken from a website called Debate.com. I can really see their point here. Sitting in front of a screen all day can kill your eyesight. Trust me, I learned this the hard way. Let’s just say that a lot of screen time is a quick way to nearsightedness. And yes it can kill brain cells. Sports are meant to be physical and gaming all day can really hurt you. The only problem I have with these arguments, especially the first one is that they assume that every Esports is some fat lazy gamer who sits in their house all day. If you look at some of these major teams you’ll find that most of them are the exact opposite of the stereotype of the fat gamer who sits in the room all day.

 

 

Team Liquid. League of Legends

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NRG League of Legends

 

 

Evil Geniuses Dota 2

 

 

Faze Clan. Call of Duty

 

The argument that every gamer is fat and has no friends is completely irrelevant. Saying this is like saying that every football player is a brainless jock. I agree that videogames shouldn’t be played constantly and only in moderation but that is no reason to exclude them as a kind of sport even if you’re not physically active. But Kyle, a sport should only be physical, not this “Esports” crap where nerds sit in their rooms all day in front of a screen. For sports you have to go outside and be active!!, you complain as I type the previous sentence. Here is the argument many have said over and over and is an argument I agree with. If things like chess poker and nascar can be sports why can’t video games. Seriously where is the hate on those? They’re shown on ESPN just like Esports. Is it that sports fanatics hate gamers that much or it could be that I’m reading way too deep into this. Either way,  Esports are getting more popular every year and may soon be as popular as actual sports. Esports should be considered a sport, as long as it’s done in moderation at least. And maybe, just maybe, these sports fanatics will look beneath all of the fat nerdy stereotypes and see what Esports really is.