ESPN Says eSports Isn't a Sport

Can you imagine if ESPN's The Body Issue featured gamers.
 
Consulting "the book of knowledge" shows that ABC's Wide World of SPORTS..

included many types not previously seen on American television, such as hurling, rodeo, curling, jai-alai, firefighter's competitions, wrist wrestling, powerlifting, surfing, logger sports, demolition derby, slow pitch softball, barrel jumping, and badminton. NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup racing was a Wide World of Sports staple until the late 1980s,
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I think we are getting too hung up on nomenclature ... eSports are not a Sport but they are their own class of activity ... email is different in many ways than regular mail ... both serve a useful purpose ... I think it is possible for sports and esports to coexist without either interfering with the other (the same as email and mail coexist and have found their own particular niches to be successful in) :cool:
 
I would tend to agree with them.

My definition of sports is that it involves a primarily physical challenge. Along these lines I would include motor"sports" hunting or fishing in the "sport" category either.
 
pcjunkie said:
Not sure what your point is ESPN has been showing competition on their channels as well for a long time, i.e., poker, etc...doesn't have anything to do with being a sport or not. So many people butt hurt over their favorite "whatever" not being called a real sport.
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Don`t know how a simple business rule is considered being "butthurt", but do enlighten us oh great one :)
 
NickJames said:
Ask Webster, I didn't write the book. My guess is the amount of physical exertion is much less playing a PC game than anything else. Basically if you're not hooked up to a treadmill while playing world of warcraft. It's not a sport to them.
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Definitions change all the time. I think it's hilarious the amount of nerd rage every time someone says E-sports.

Like it or not it's going nowhere and they will change the definition before the term is dropped.
 
Disposed said:
Definitions change all the time. I think it's hilarious the amount of nerd rage every time someone says E-sports.

Like it or not it's going nowhere and they will change the definition before the term is dropped.
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Or it becomes its own unique term distinct from the other ... mail for the most part still refers to the physical delivery of postal good (packages, letters, etc) ... email has become a distinct term referring to the electronic communication process ... sports could still refer to the traditional physical activities (and any new activities we choose to add ... like Rollerball or something :p ) while esports can become its own distinct term (just like email) referring to the electronic competitive gaming activity ;)
 
Of course an eSport isn't a sport... that's why they call it an "e" sport... all other arguments by using the definition of sport, athleticism, etc... who cares that shouldn't be part of the discussion. Not sure why anyone on either side should be getting their panties in a twist over whether or not it's a sport.

That said, I don't consider poker to be a sport, but ESPN shows the World Series of Poker every year. I also put things like golf, bowling and race car driving into questionable sport category, something like golf and bowling, is akin to a 3 point shooting competition they have during the NBA All-star game, race car driving, while yeah it takes stamina and strength you're driving a car, a more athletic person isn't going to make the car go faster regardless of that mysterious "extra gear" or what not they have in movies about driving :)
 
it can only be a sport if steroids can give the user an advantage
 
The definition involves some kind of physical activity, so they are right technically, but don't they also consider bowling, cheerleading, and fishing to be sports? At what level of physical dexterity or exertion is an activity a sport and not a "competition"? I think the broadcasters just feel threatened by the growth in gaming as a spectator "sport" and are worried about their jobs.

if anything, this reminds me of the whole "are games art?" "debate".
 
I think the real question here is who really cares.

Honestly it blows my mind that we as gamers even care whether or not a game like LOL is labeled a sport or a competition. my god we are all grown men (many of us 30+ years old) and we are still trying to get our parents (or more specifically our parents generation's) approval .

John Skipper saying e-sports are note sports is just like roger Ebert saying video games are not art. they are the hollow words of an aging man struggling to stay relevant the faint echo of the old present as it moves into the past. What people like skipper say about our pastime is not relevant and we only lend it false legitimacy by worrying about it.

So stand up and stop worrying about what a bunch of old men think they are arrogant short sited and soon to be gone our generation will be the one in control soon it's time to start acting like it.
 
pcjunkie said:
They are 100% correct.
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For once I think I can agree with ESPN. Just because you're willing to put the time into a game and a lot of people are willing to watch and money is thrown around, doesn't make it a sport.
 
I'll agree 100%, with the caveat that the argument loses a little water when it's spoken the president of a channel that airs the National Spelling Bee.
 
It's all semantics. I don't see why some get upset if it isn't called a sport. I guess they fear they won't get the respect (or money) of proper athletes if they aren't seen as taking part in a "sport".
 
Darunion said:
it can only be a sport if steroids can give the user an advantage
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Is it just steroids? Or any type of drug? From what I gather drugs are quite prevalent in eSports, not steroids mind you, but prescription drugs that allow you to focus better (e.g. Ritalin)
 
Smashing Young Man said:
It's all semantics. I don't see why some get upset if it isn't called a sport. I guess they fear they won't get the respect (or money) of proper athletes if they aren't seen as taking part in a "sport".
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Actually I've never came across any organizer or participant who are calming that esport should be an official sport, it should be in the Olympics or anything like that. People are more than happy to continue calling it esport.Critics kept chanting that esport is not a sport, but well, why did you think they called it esport to begin with rather than just sport?

It's the outsiders who are making a big fuss about it, it's like people are getting mad just because these gamers and organizers are taking esports as serious as others take their favorite professional sports.
 
Darunion said:
it can only be a sport if steroids can give the user an advantage
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in competitive sports there are many desirable performance enhancing drugs ... only a few of them are steroids ... in sports that rely on long time performance drugs that increase red blood cell count are useful ... and of course adrenaline would benefit any sport that relied on physical ability ... many esports would benefit from drugs that enhance mental capabilities or reflexes :cool:
 
what would Foosball be considered? I played it professionally for many years back in the 90's.
 
Comparing sports and esports makes me think activities like Darts, Golf & Ski Jumping should be considered Quick Time Events. :)
 
Tak Ne said:
Comparing sports and esports makes me think activities like Darts, Golf & Ski Jumping should be considered Quick Time Events. :)
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Imagining the Mario Golf HUD on top of TV overlays is the only way to watch pro Golf :cool:. Piranha Plants and Chain Chomps would certainly make things more entertaining :D.
 
Oh come on. I've seen some guys sweat and get out of breath playing WoW.

BTW - who is arguing that they ARE a sport? It's not that big of a deal. They are competitions and things like that, but not a real "sport".
 
Sport=physicality. Pro gamers have amazing reflexes, speed, and decision making. That doesn't make them sportsmen.
 
Competitions doesn't mean its a sport, but who cares what its called.

I reference games as game and football as football.
 
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