I will be talking about a category of “sport” that some of you might not be entirely familiar with. I am, of course, referring to E-Sports, or the implementation of competitive gaming, as a new genre of “sport.”
The games used can vary from shooters to even other sports games. To preface what I am about to say, I am not bashing the sport; I am simply stating the obvious: E-Sports should not be considered a legitimate sport in regard to the sports industry. It is hardly anything more than surface-level entertainment.
You might be asking what criteria a sport is, and I’m glad you did so. In my humble opinion, a sport should be a widely recognized physical competition between two teams of players striving for physical prowess.
Esports lacks this key physical element in sports like Football, Baseball, or Basketball. There are no injuries (carpal tunnel syndrome withstanding) or physical challenges in E-Sports.
You sit there, and sweat vigorously, all while you move maybe 4 inches. There is no threat to the player, no real skill ceiling, and no notable personalities or “celebs” on the grand stage like in other sports. ESports should be categorized as what it is, glorified live streaming.
