Is eSports a sport? No says British Esports Association

By
The Crew
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Is eSports a sport

The British eSports Association has made a statement saying eSports are not sports.

“Esports is not a sport, but a credible activity in its own right,” said the British eSports Association in a statement.

The statement comes after the BBC reported on eSports, which sparked a lot of debate about if it should be classed as a sport. As per usual this debate was more angry sports fans saying “this isn’t a sport,” and everyone involved with eSports going “we really don’t care if it is or isn’t.”

Is eSports a sport

This is eSports, dubbed by data analytics service Newzoo as the “biggest thing to hit (the tech) industry since the launch of the iPhone in 2007.” In South Korea, stadiums once used to host football matches at the 2002 FIFA World Cup are now frequently packed to capacity with eSports fans, looking on as a new generation of heroes wields keyboard and mouse.

After eSports were broadcast nationwide on ESPN at this year’s X-Games, the chances of eSports becoming Olympic sports increased. It’s theorized that eSports could be an Olympic Sport as early as the 2020 summer games.[12]

There are 5 main categories and 35 criteria used when evaluating whether the addition of a new sport will be added to the Olympics:

  • Olympic Proposal (Resources Needed)
  • Value Added to the Olympic Movement
  • Institutional Matters (Rules)
  • How Popular it is
  • The business model behind it

However this time there was enough attention to get the British eSports Association involved. With even its founder and CEO Chester King coming out and making a statement on the matter.

“I can see why there is a bit of confusion as millions of people play and watch esports; there are many professional teams, managers, coaches and tournaments,” said King. “There is no international standard classification either as in some countries such as Poland, esports, chess and bridge are classified as sports.”

“The ‘sport’ in esports may be misleading, but like traditional sports, competitive video gaming involves training, long-term dedication, determination, exceptional skills and reaction times, teamwork and coordination, and fun for all the spectators, casters, commentators and fans involved.”