Gaming a sport?

[iReV]

Gaming is a competitive activity, not a sport. The only reason you would want to label it a sport, is to legitimize it --to break the stereotype that gaming is only played by fat nerds whose only contact with women is through a computer/tv screen. Unfortunately, while this may be an incorrect stereotype, it is not enough to legitimize the use of the word for this sort of activity. I think this is something that everyone needs to realize. If your honestly so insecure that what other people think you do in your spare time bothers you, then you need to recheck some personal issues in your life. Don't just go around making up new words.

Yeah I realize that the IOC recognizes chess as a sport, and the poker is covered by ESPN. What you need to know is that IOC & ESPN would label masturbation a sport if there was a big enough audience for it. They do not define what a sport is.

The only thing gaming requires is thought (which is a common thing to almost anything), and hand eye coordination -- yet another basic requirement for a normal life.

However the most important factor why I say that gaming is NOT a sport is because of its constituency. There is no real physical gradient between pro and above average players, and given enough practice with the right people/practicing well you can coach an above average "good" player and turn them into a "pro player". Not only that pro (game) players are not necessarily 'pro' at gaming in general, they are pro at a specific game. A lot of pros are not so 'pro' at other games. If your argument is Fatal1ty, then you would still be wrong, because Fatal1ty has actually played many games that he has later gone onto quit because he just wasn't good at them.

I did not really read that many posts above me since it is somewhat late and i just finished all my homework, but I think i covered most of the usual arguments that are posed.

[iReV]

Lastly I'd like to say that pro players in other sports have such a GREAT amount of talent that you cannot play at a pro level (hell even college level) without a lot of things working for you. You need a perfect amount of genetics, hard work, and luck in order to become pro at a (real) sport. No amount of practice/hard work/discipline will get you there without the proper amount of anything else.

This runs very contradictory to how gaming is setup. There isn't a pro player out there who will tell you "you can't be pro no matter how hard you try." but this IS true in real sports.

[NtL doubledooky]

Originally Posted by iReV

The only thing gaming requires is thought (which is a common thing to almost anything), and hand eye coordination -- yet another basic requirement for a normal life.

.

exactly what i was trying to say. If you say gaming involves hand eye coordination everything you possibly do during the day with your hands involves hand eye coordination.

[iReV]

I honestly dont get why everyone gets all bent out of shape when you label gaming a fun competitive activity that requires a lot of teamwork and skill. No, they have to call it a sport, because they're afraid of what everyone will think of them.

[Armageddon91]

Originally Posted by SmeaGz

when was the last time you've seen a pro gamer in shape?

Karma. In one of the MLG episodes he did a physical training course with Ghandi and now hes BUFF!!! lol.

More to the point I agree with Legacy, gaming fits all of the technical definitions of "sport" the rest is just personal opinion.

[I HAJDUK I]

moving ur fingers isnt a sport

[IceMayne]

ok well i belive gaming is a sport and if you say gaming isnt a sport tell the same thing to pro chess/race car driver players and other type of mental sprot, asport is just not physical but mental if u disagree with that then i highy think you are stupid just based onyour mental awarenes while you play is prolly at the speed of a racer but thats my opinion and it wil not be changed

[ll Derive ll]

nascar= sport? I mean.... its considered a sport... but where is the physical prowess?

[IceMayne]

an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc.

well ok the definition of a spot well i see the word physical and skill meaning what ur good at so gaming in definition is consided a sport if u wan the link il give it to you just giving proof on my opinion and if you read this wrong fishing is in their so that sums up the def

[ll Derive ll]

sport /, spohrt] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
1. an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature

and skill-

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

A skill is an ability, usually learned and acquired through training, to perform actions which achieve desired outcome.

so a sport is using a skill in a competitive nature.......
by using your strafe to out BR someone, your using a skill that you have, and since its to get the kill and to win, its in a competitive nature.... so a sport right?
I wanna show you some "sports" that arent really sports

hunting- NO ATHLETICS INVOLVED!!! your usually sniping an animal that you have baited and doesnt detect you. where's the athletics in that?

nascar- no athletics in any way, shape or form. there is no physical nature in any part of it, and it doesnt require much skill. you drive around a track that goes in one direction. Hell, George Bush knows that you dont turn right..

there are sports that have less athletics than video games.

so video games IN A SENSE= sports.