For those unaware, Esports, or competitive video gaming, has become a growing sport in many circles. Although not fully accepted by the public (and with good reason), companies like ESPN and TBS have bought Esports events and have been advertising them like “real” sports. Some people believe that video games on a competitive level should be considered sport, while other believe that a lack of physical activity makes gaming a hobby and nothing more. I agree with the former.

In my opinion, competitive gaming is a sport. First, a sport requires extensive training to become better than others, which is true with gaming. Also, a sport requires a player to be inherently better than other common/casual players. This is true in gaming as well.

I think the main issue with people accepting video gaming as a sport is the fact that there is an inherent disconnect between the human and the avatar which they control. Sports are about seeing the natural ability of humans and what we as a species can be capable of. The fact that in some video games the characters controlled aren’t even human creates a subconscious disconnect in the mind between the player and the character. Human talent is expressed, just in an unconventional way.

I don’t want this to become a rant, so I will digress. If you believe that a lack of physical ability aside from hand-eye coordination completely declassifies an activity as a, “sport” than I respect your opinion. I think the greater discussion is about what precedent Esports can set for the future of sport.

Think of the possibilities. If (and what seems to be becoming a question of when) Esports becomes a legitimate sport in the eyes of society, other hobbies such as singing, eating, etc. will also likely be labeled as sport. The sports realm is experiencing a huge shift, and, to me, it is exciting. Here’s a quick list of a few activities I see getting a sports following in the future:

• Singing (Already gaining ground as competitive with shows like The Voice).
• Eating (Also gaining ground as competitive sport).
• Board Games (Not huge, although something tells me this will be regarded as sport shortly).
• Drawing/Painting (i.e. best drawing in certain time limit).
• Cooking (Closest to becoming sport in my opinion with shows like Chopped).

Really, the options are limitless. The future of the term, “sport,” is on pace to have a diluted and controversial definition, akin to that of, “art.” Soon, our society may even see the two terms have similar meanings, with the only difference being that sports are competitive in nature, while art is not particularly competitive.

I am fully excited for the transformation of sports as a whole. I want to see what people consider to be a sport and what they consider to be a mere activity. Where is the line drawn, or is there even a line to draw?

Thanks for reading. Plan on posting at least three times a week. Have a wonderful rest of your day!

Song