ESPN have announced they are officially going to start covering E-Sports.
This is probably a lose lose situation for e-sports. ESPN seem to be losing subscribers from all other formats. And are known for having very questionable integrity. Not sure if this is a great combination to bring into a just growing trying to find its feet industry.
Lets also hope this doesn't somehow completely fuck over tournament coverage like ESPN has traditionally done with other sports.
This is probably a lose lose situation for e-sports. ESPN seem to be losing subscribers from all other formats. And are known for having very questionable integrity. Not sure if this is a great combination to bring into a just growing trying to find its feet industry.
Lets also hope this doesn't somehow completely fuck over tournament coverage like ESPN has traditionally done with other sports.
By Fenderputty Go To PostI take issue with calling video game competitions sports. I always will.When many of them practice harder than most traditional sports players, it's hard to take your argument seriously.
Regardless, Just in Dota2 tournaments run by valve, they will have given away more than $25,000,000 US. It's getting harder and harder for large organisations to ignore the raw popularity of e-sports and massive amounts of people that are otherwise untouched by advertising in traditional media.
By Dark PhaZe Go To Postall MOBA'sCS:GO is massive in the west, Sudden Attack is massive in Korea, and I can't remember the name of the FPS in china. I mean, Suddent Attack and the China one are CS clones, but yeah. It's not all MOBA's. But certainly a significant portion.
don't get it tbh
By Fenderputty Go To PostI take issue with calling video game competitions sports. I always will.kinda the same way
its like when people call chess a sport
I don't see e-sports or whatever you want to call it having a broad enough spectrum of spectators, especially shit like Dota. With any other sport you can tell people "they need to get that ball/puck/whatever into that net/hoop/zone/goal" and that's all people really need to know, if they want to go deeper they can. Video games you actually need to be versed in what's going on in order to even understand the stakes or how crazy something is that happened.
By giririsss Go To PostWhen many of them practice harder than most traditional sports players, it's hard to take your argument seriously.
Regardless, Just in Dota2 tournaments run by valve, they will have given away more than $25,000,000 US. It's getting harder and harder for large organisations to ignore the raw popularity of e-sports and massive amounts of people that are otherwise untouched by advertising in traditional media.
I'm not knocking the amount of practice or skill involved. I'm also not knocking the popularity or money potential now and in the future.
I don't consider competitive chess a sport either though. It's semantics, but I cringe when I hear e-sports.
By DY_nasty Go To Postkinda the same way
its like when people call chess a sport
Right.
I know I'm clinging to semantics too, but they're important occasionally. lol
It's a competition but I don't see the athleticism involved. The closest anyone came to impressing me with that was Daigo parrying Chun Li's kicks.
By 33MillionDollarMen Go To PostIt's a competition but I don't see the athleticism involved. The closest anyone came to impressing me with that was Daigo parrying Chun Li's kicks.i don't see the athleticism in golf either but that's a sport too.
By 33MillionDollarMen Go To PostI don't see e-sports or whatever you want to call it having a broad enough spectrum of spectators, especially shit like Dota. With any other sport you can tell people "they need to get that ball/puck/whatever into that net/hoop/zone/goal" and that's all people really need to know, if they want to go deeper they can. Video games you actually need to be versed in what's going on in order to even understand the stakes or how crazy something is that happened.I can sum DOTA up just as easily "You need to destroy their ancient".
And e-sports has turned into a near billion dollar industry around the world. Viewership numbers are regularly growing. the LoL finals gets more viewership than the Stanley Cup. TI4 was watched by more than 20 million people.
I think the biggest thing for advertisers is that a lot of people watching are people that they wouldn't get to through advertising during an NFL match. And a lot of them are in core demographics of young people with disposable income.
By 33MillionDollarMen Go To PostI don't see e-sports or whatever you want to call it having a broad enough spectrum of spectators, especially shit like Dota. With any other sport you can tell people "they need to get that ball/puck/whatever into that net/hoop/zone/goal" and that's all people really need to know, if they want to go deeper they can. Video games you actually need to be versed in what's going on in order to even understand the stakes or how crazy something is that happened.the money they pull now is definitely worth talking about. i mean shit, if you go by numbers they're doing better than slamball and xfl considering everything....
its worth it. don't think there will ever be a big enough game that pulls everyone from all corners though. something new and exciting dropping every 2 years or so that happens to hit a market that's shown that its more than willing to spend in ways that no one ever expected before?
still free money
By 33MillionDollarMen Go To PostIt's a competition but I don't see the athleticism involved.
Hand Eye coordination is the best argument for calling them a sport when compared to something like chess. There's grey area's here like competitive shooting. Is that a sport?
Either way I can't bring myself to call competitive Halo a sport.
By PSYCH! Go To Posti don't see the athleticism in golf either but that's a sport too.
It's not very athletic, but it's a fuck ton more athletic than video games. Competitive golf requires one walks the entire 4 mile course. The swinging motion is tiring and requires a ton of muscle memory too.
Eh destroying their ancient still means no real top down view of a game going on. You got a random asshole over here killing ads, another person having a tango with some opponents. You got different classes doing all kinds of magic that people haven't a fuckin' clue what that shit is. You got scores of other shit going on. I get that it's popular with young people but those not versed in it will not understand. And don't bother telling me there is stuff in team sports that people don't understand going on, it's still monumentally more easy to follow the action on a court/field than a MOBA.
By DY_nasty Go To Postthe money they pull now is definitely worth talking about. i mean shit, if you go by numbers they're doing better than slamball and xfl considering everything....Well yeah there's money in it and there are celebs in other countries even who simply won Starcraft tournies, I just don't see it on par with the current batch of sports. If anything I think it needs its own category and branding to make it more appealing.
its worth it. don't think there will ever be a big enough game that pulls everyone from all corners though. something new and exciting dropping every 2 years or so that happens to hit a market that's shown that its more than willing to spend in ways that no one ever expected before?
still free money
By Fenderputty Go To PostI'm not knocking the amount of practice or skill involved. I'm also not knocking the popularity or money potential now and in the future.But there are plenty of "skill" sports over raw athleticism. Golf, Bowling, Lawn Bowls, Shooting (of any kind).
I don't consider competitive chess a sport either though. It's semantics, but I cringe when I hear e-sports.
Right.
I know I'm clinging to semantics too, but they're important occasionally. lol
There are lots of sports that don't match up with the body builder stereotype. You just don't normally spend your Sunday watching them run around in tight lycra pants.
Are you seriously telling me bowling and golf don't take athleticism? Have you played them? Just because people aren't adonises playing them doesn't mean they're bereft of athleticism.
By giririsss Go To PostBut there are plenty of "skill" sports over raw athleticism. Golf, Bowling, Lawn Bowls, Shooting (of any kind).
There are lots of sports that don't match up with the body builder stereotype. You just don't normally spend your Sunday watching them run around in tight lycra pants.
Right, I later even admitted there's some grey like competitive shooting, which I honestly don't consider a sport. Golf is about the least athletic thing I'll call a sport. Bowling is a game too and is still more athletic than video games. lol
By 33MillionDollarMen Go To PostI don't see e-sports or whatever you want to call it having a broad enough spectrum of spectators, especially shit like Dota. With any other sport you can tell people "they need to get that ball/puck/whatever into that net/hoop/zone/goal" and that's all people really need to know, if they want to go deeper they can. Video games you actually need to be versed in what's going on in order to even understand the stakes or how crazy something is that happened.
I think MOBAS are the only one that would be difficult to spectate for people new to competitive gaming, but fighting games and shooters have the spectating issue on their favor seeing how easy it is to determine a winner.
By Silky Go To PostI think MOBAS are the only one that would be difficult to spectate for people new to competitive gaming, but fighting games and shooters have the spectating issue on their favor seeing how easy it is to determine a winner.I just feel like gaming is doing itself a disservice by marketing themselves as just another sport, they're more complicated but that doesn't make it impossible to market and showcase.
By Silky Go To PostI think MOBAS are the only one that would be difficult to spectate for people new to competitive gaming, but fighting games and shooters have the spectating issue on their favor seeing how easy it is to determine a winner.Definitely. MOBAS would be the cricket of E-sports.
By Fenderputty Go To PostI take issue with calling video game competitions sports. I always will.well we call golf a sport..
Why are y'all shitting on golf as if you could just pick up a club and smack a ball properly over some ponds between trees near a tiny hole in the ground.
I just don't understand how MOBA's ever became the go to spectator e-sport. They don't have much going on visually that anyone would walk by and be particularly excited to see--the plays are really tough to be impressed by without having a deep knowledge of the game.
By 33MillionDollarMen Go To PostEh destroying their ancient still means no real top down view of a game going on. You got a random asshole over here killing ads, another person having a tango with some opponents. You got different classes doing all kinds of magic that people haven't a fuckin' clue what that shit is. You got scores of other shit going on. I get that it's popular with young people but those not versed in it will not understand. And don't bother telling me there is stuff in team sports that people don't understand going on, it's still monumentally more easy to follow the action on a court/field than a MOBA.I couldn't tell you what a line backer is. or a tight end.
Well yeah there's money in it and there are celebs in other countries even who simply won Starcraft tournies, I just don't see it on par with the current batch of sports. If anything I think it needs its own category and branding to make it more appealing.
nor could i tell you the real difference between a SF and PF if i didn't follow the NBA as much as i do.
By Fenderputty Go To PostHand Eye coordination is the best argument for calling them a sport when compared to something like chess. There's grey area's here like competitive shooting. Is that a sport?A lot of MOBA games go for an hour. And are played in 3 game sets. in a 210minute span, you will have to be concerntrating full on, for 180 minutes. You don't get to switch off. You switch off you die. And they play 3 x bo3's. So 540minutes (9 hours) of no break concerntration, with planning, reflexes, in game mechanical skill, and team co-ordination.
Either way I can't bring myself to call competitive Halo a sport.
It's not very athletic, but it's a fuck ton more athletic than video games. Competitive golf requires one walks the entire 4 mile course. The swinging motion is tiring and requires a ton of muscle memory too.
The ability to deal with that mental fatigue is a skill that is trained over hunders/thousands of hours. Most other sports have a downtime in between action that allows you to switch off.
Going for a 4 mile walk and swinging a club 82 times is probably less taxing on the body.
Less taxing? Uh golfers get real serious back problems. The fuck at this site making me defend golf.
Fighting games are the only E-Sport I can bare to watch. Person 1 is trying to attack Person 2 til their meter is empty and vice versa. It's pretty simple.
I don't even know the goal in dota is or if there's a meta game going on or whatever.
I don't even know the goal in dota is or if there's a meta game going on or whatever.
By Moris Go To PostFighting games are the only E-Sport I can bare to watch. Person 1 is trying to attack Person 2 til their meter is empty and vice versa. It's pretty simple.FPSs are pretty easy to follow too.
I don't even know the goal in dota is or if there's a meta game going on or whatever.
By 33MillionDollarMen Go To PostEh destroying their ancient still means no real top down view of a game going on. You got a random asshole over here killing ads, another person having a tango with some opponents. You got different classes doing all kinds of magic that people haven't a fuckin' clue what that shit is. You got scores of other shit going on. I get that it's popular with young people but those not versed in it will not understand. And don't bother telling me there is stuff in team sports that people don't understand going on, it's still monumentally more easy to follow the action on a court/field than a MOBA.It won't be for a long time, but its still worth more than most baseball games and mma events.
Well yeah there's money in it and there are celebs in other countries even who simply won Starcraft tournies, I just don't see it on par with the current batch of sports. If anything I think it needs its own category and branding to make it more appealing.
It'll never knock off major sports or be in the category. Something like Evo will do more numbers than LLWS and other struggle pulls easily... ESPN does dumb shit but they know free money when they see it.
By Silky Go To PostI think MOBAS are the only one that would be difficult to spectate for people new to competitive gaming, but fighting games and shooters have the spectating issue on their favor seeing how easy it is to determine a winner.It's usually the other way around, actually. MOBA's "quiet period" allows replays of action, and the spectator to catch up with what happened.
Shooters quite regularly have an entire round end in a 10second burst of action.
Fighters are even more obscure. I've watched many fighting streams, and understanding the detail of exactly what happened (other than watching a life bar go down) is still beyond me. I mean, i've also played hundreds of hours of fighters, but each one is so specific.
I still maintain that the best viewing e-sport is actually RTS games. It's relatively clear what is going on, clearly delineated armies, resources, etc.
Really, they're not much different to other sports. you can know whats going on at a superficial level, but if you want to know more, you have to want to know more.
By PSYCH! Go To PostFPSs are pretty easy to follow too.
I can follow FPS matches, I Just don't find them entertaining.
No but seriously torque/power on driving a ball down the fairway will fuck you up. I can't believe I have to defend golf here or bowling, another sport where you have to master technique, torque, spin with parts of your own body.
By Moris Go To PostI can follow FPS matches, I Just don't find them entertaining.there aren't any entertaining ones at all right now
like... i love cs but you have to be big fan. cod competitive? lol not even once. halo is a maybe, destiny pvp is a beta, UT used to be awesome but that was a decade ago
MOBAs are a whole bunch of wut to anyone who's new
By 33MillionDollarMen Go To PostLess taxing? Uh golfers get real serious back problems. The fuck at this site making me defend golf.Not all. Most don't.
And "e-sports" players regularly get kneck/back/wrist problems too. It's ended several careers, of guys in their prime.
By Dark PhaZe Go To PostI just don't understand how MOBA's ever became the go to spectator e-sport. They don't have much going on visually that anyone would walk by and be particularly excited to see--the plays are really tough to be impressed by without having a deep knowledge of the game.
I didn't either. I mean, they're not even my favourite genre of game.
But playing them you see how they became that way. There's a lot that goes into it. Just look up articles on "How LoL became dominant" or some shit. A lot of it has to do with the social side after a lot of isolationist games prior to that.
By 33MillionDollarMen Go To PostNo but seriously torque/power on driving a ball down the fairway will fuck you up. I can't believe I have to defend golf here or bowling, another sport where you have to master technique, torque, spin with parts of your own body.we? its just giri and blackace
and golf is a sport. so is racing. if its anything less than that? competitive event lol
also, ESPN was trying to fill time slots with And1 re-runs, poker tourneys, and baseball tonight. this is still free money
Closest I got to watching Halo matches were Halo scrim footage by some dude who shat on theogres and crew with RATM playing. Damn forgot his name. Looked it up Walka.
By 33MillionDollarMen Go To PostWhy are y'all shitting on golf as if you could just pick up a club and smack a ball properly over some ponds between trees near a tiny hole in the ground.I can't play pool that well also... doesn't make it a sport...
And if we can call it a sport esports deserves the same treatment
By 33MillionDollarMen Go To PostWhy are y'all shitting on golf as if you could just pick up a club and smack a ball properly over some ponds between trees near a tiny hole in the ground.I actually play golf too.
And i'm not "shitting" on golf. There are just a lot of people in here trying to shit on "e-sports". And are offended when others are put in context.
You and others haven't elaborated at all how golf isn't a sport other than trite ignorant crap about how it's only walking on a grass field.
Might as well disqualify half the baseball team as playing a sport.
Might as well disqualify half the baseball team as playing a sport.
By giririsss Go To PostI couldn't tell you what a line backer is. or a tight end.
nor could i tell you the real difference between a SF and PF if i didn't follow the NBA as much as i do.A lot of MOBA games go for an hour. And are played in 3 game sets. in a 210minute span, you will have to be concerntrating full on, for 180 minutes. You don't get to switch off. You switch off you die. And they play 3 x bo3's. So 540minutes (9 hours) of no break concerntration, with planning, reflexes, in game mechanical skill, and team co-ordination.
The ability to deal with that mental fatigue is a skill that is trained over hunders/thousands of hours. Most other sports have a downtime in between action that allows you to switch off.
Going for a 4 mile walk and swinging a club 82 times is probably less taxing on the body.
No ... no it's not. Chess is mentally grueling too. So is tournament poker.
By giririsss Go To PostNot all. Most don't.
And "e-sports" players regularly get kneck/back/wrist problems too. It's ended several careers, of guys in their prime.
I can get all sorts of problems sitting at my desk at work. Should I consider that a sport now too? Golf is infinitely more athletic that gaming. Jesus Christ.
By giririsss Go To PostI actually play golf too.
And i'm not "shitting" on golf. There are just a lot of people in here trying to shit on "e-sports". And are offended when others are put in context.
Saying competitive gaming isn't a sport isn't shitting on e-sports.
It's not mentally taxing to figure out which club you need to use and factor in the terrain, slope, physics/gravity etc on the ball. Nope.
By 33MillionDollarMen Go To PostNo but seriously torque/power on driving a ball down the fairway will fuck you up..
I don't really get your argument here. To be a sport it has to be physically crippling to its players long term?
I mean not only is that a stretch, but video games would also be included in that definition. I think a Smash player just retired from his position on a team as a result of arm and hand injuries from playing the game.
I can't believe I have to defend golf here or bowling, another sport where you have to master technique, torque, spin with parts of your own body
I guess this makes a little more sense. I'm just having trouble understanding where exactly the line is. (because, again, this is present in videogames to some extent)
By 33MillionDollarMen Go To PostIt's not mentally taxing to figure out which club you need to use and factor in the terrain, slope, physics/gravity etc on the ball. Nope.
but I mean "mentally taxing" is the essentially realm video games exist in though. I mean even Chess is that.
no one even posted a link? smh
http://espn.go.com/esports/
this was made by dudes in like 20 minutes and will make millions lol
http://espn.go.com/esports/
this was made by dudes in like 20 minutes and will make millions lol
By Fenderputty Go To PostNo ... no it's not. Chess is mentally grueling too. So is tournament poker.
Is break dance consider sport, some do it is also an art. At the end of the day a sport is a competition so it doesn't really matter.
What matters is the spirit of competition and how fun and heated it can be when people compete.
What matters is the spirit of competition and how fun and heated it can be when people compete.
By Retro Go To PostI don't really get your argument here. To be a sport it has to be physically crippling to its players long term?It was an argument against the idea that golf is just walking on a grass field. Hilarious from someone who claims to play the sport too.
By 33MillionDollarMen Go To PostIt was an argument against the idea that golf is just walking on a grass field. Hilarious from someone who claims to play the sport too.
Right, but that argument was made challenging the claim that video games can't be sports.
What I'm trying to point out is that it doesn't make sense to argue that golf is a sport, on the terms you've presented, while also maintaining the position that video games are not a sport.
By 33MillionDollarMen Go To PostYou and others haven't elaborated at all how golf isn't a sport other than trite ignorant crap about how it's only walking on a grass field.
Might as well disqualify half the baseball team as playing a sport.
I'm not actually trying to disqualify golf as a sport. That's your personal effrontery at it being compared to e-sports.
Golf is a sport. Sport shooting is a sport. Bowling is a sport. I think they're all sports. They all require large amounts of training and skill and take place inside competitive environments with very specifics rules of engagement.