Esports: Are They Considered Sports
The classification of esports as a sport has been a topic of debate for over three decades. While certain parts of the world have recognized esports as a sport, a consensus on whether competitive video gaming qualifies as a legitimate sport is yet to be reached. Interestingly, there has been an increase in both support and opposition to recognizing esports as a sport, making the current debate even more contentious. After all, you can already get Kenya free bets for esports and sports.
Tony Sloterman, the Product Owner at CasinoBonusesFinder, has long advocated for competitive gaming as a skill-based activity that demands fast reflexes, quick thinking, and exceptional hand-eye coordination. According to Sloterman, these skills are acquired through training and practice, rather than being innate.
The distinction between traditional sports and esports is evident. Physical sports involve interacting with elements and physical forces in the real world, while esports confine the competition to a digital and imaginative realm. However, this doesn't mean that either activity lacks demands or skill requirements. While an esports player may not possess the same physical abilities as a professional athlete, the reverse is also true.
In fact, a professional athlete may never attain the same level of expertise in a video game as a dedicated gamer does. Mastering a video game is an arduous task that requires years of training and commitment, akin to the dedication of athletes in their respective sports. Both athletes and video gamers who aspire to compete professionally understand the risks involved, as failure to achieve meaningful success can leave them questioning whether they've wasted their prime years.
While it is true that sports generally promote physical well-being, professional sports are not solely focused on health. They aim to extract maximum performance from athletes' bodies, often pushing them to the brink of physical breakdown. On the other hand, esports players, despite spending a significant amount of time indoors, are increasingly becoming salaried professionals with access to regular physical check-ups, specialized diets, and healthcare professionals. This emphasis on their well-being stems from the potential for substantial earnings, as some esports teams can win prize pools exceeding $20 million.
For comparison, top tennis players like Djokovic have amassed around $170 million in their careers, whereas an elite esports player competing at the highest level in games like Dota 2 can earn half of that amount within five to six years.
The recognition of esports as a sport carries significant importance beyond semantics. The ability to travel across borders to compete in video game tournaments is not a simple task with regular visas. Obtaining visas for esports competitions can be costly, time-consuming, and require thorough background checks, burdening players with excessive paperwork.
Esports has a global reach, with top teams from around the world participating in international events. Providing official recognition for esports would greatly assist players in gaining the respect they deserve. They have dedicated considerable time and effort to their craft, and being acknowledged as legitimate athletes would enhance their opportunities for growth and improvement.
Fortunately, many countries, particularly in Europe, are already recognizing esports as a legitimate sport discipline. Even the Olympics are exploring the inclusion of esports, although there are sceptics who question whether video gamers can be considered true athletes, despite regarding chess as a mental sport. It is clear that playing video games requires complex mental activity, just as chess does.
Players deserve the chance to fully embrace esports and to achieve this, authorities and officials must be open-minded and ensure they do not hinder people from pursuing their passion and serving as ambassadors for a discipline that is as much a sport as any other athletic endeavour. Simply put, the time has come for esports to be officially recognized as a sport, and while naysayers may present further arguments to delay this acknowledgement, they cannot postpone it indefinitely.
