Great Debate: Are eSports sports?

GuitarBizarre · 03-31-2012, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rubato

I'll take your word for it, either way when people typically ask you if you do sports they tend to mean anything pertaining to physical fitness, responding to the question with Chess, hunting, eating hot dogs or playing Starcraft will be met with a GTFO, regardless of the words origin to avoid confusion I'd typically put such things under "games". Words have known to change meaning throughout the evolution of language, sometimes it's best to just go along with it.

I think if someone asked you to name a sport and you said Snooker or Darts, you'd be met with a perfectly accepting response. Even Chess if I'm honest, although that might depend on the person asking. Its certainly respected as a sport by a large number of people and organisations.

~~Rubato~~ · 03-31-2012, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GuitarBizarre

I think if someone asked you to name a sport and you said Snooker or Darts, you'd be met with a perfectly accepting response. Even Chess if I'm honest, although that might depend on the person asking. Its certainly respected as a sport by a large number of people and organisations.

To be fair there's still a certain air of uncertainty with Snooker and Darts, the response would be less GTFO and more "do you do any....other sports" although I do see your point.

Dr_Rez · 03-31-2012, 06:51 PM

I think we are simply disagreeing on the requirement of athleticism it should take. You seem to think its more to do with the fact that its a competitive game, while we think its that AND a certain level of physicality.

Agree to Disagree.

GuitarBizarre · 03-31-2012, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rubato

To be fair there's still a certain air of uncertainty with Snooker and Darts, the response would be less GTFO and more "do you do any....other sports" although I do see your point.

Well its something of a leading question. The person asking "Do you do any sports?" is really implying a specific subset of sports, as far as I read that question.

I think a blank question of "Name a sport" would be open to more answers, and while I'm sure competitive eating would still raise eyebrows, I don't think chess, snooker, darts, or curling would present any issues.

midnight rain · 03-31-2012, 07:01 PM

What's funny is I've done both competitive eating (just one contest) and basketball before, and I found the eating far more physically grueling and demanding than b-ball. I'm always pretty in shape, but basketball doesn't wear me out much. And baseball not at all. People just have preconceived notions on what 'sports' are based on what they're familiar with.

Dr_Rez · 03-31-2012, 07:16 PM

So are All games sports? If chess is a sport than scrabble and monopoly is one as well.

GuitarBizarre · 03-31-2012, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Rez

So are All games sports? If chess is a sport than scrabble and monopoly is one as well.

I'm really not sure if you're just disregarding our answers here. Its been stated multiple times that the entire point is the existence of a competitive framework. Football is "the beautiful game", does that prevent it from being a sport? No. Snooker is a "pub game", does that prevent it from being a sport? No.

The thing that takes those activities from the level of "game" to "sport" is competition, and the frameworks within which those competitions are held. If you can provide your activity with a competitive framework, then you can begin the process of defining it as a sport rather than a leisure activity.

Paedantic Basterd · 03-31-2012, 07:30 PM

ScrabbleClub.com

GuitarBizarre · 03-31-2012, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pedestrian

ScrabbleClub.com

Seems legit.

Paedantic Basterd · 03-31-2012, 07:34 PM

It might be more fun to find competitions for everything under the sun than to have this debate. Like magic cards and cooking and kissing!

03-31-2012, 06:51 PM	#33 (permalink)
Dr_Rez Registered Jimmy Rustler Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: USA Posts: 5,360	I think we are simply disagreeing on the requirement of athleticism it should take. You seem to think its more to do with the fact that its a competitive game, while we think its that AND a certain level of physicality. Agree to Disagree. __________________ Best chance of losing virginity is in prison crew Always Checks Credentials Crew nba > nfl crew Shave one of my legs to pretend its a girl in my bed crew

03-31-2012, 07:16 PM	#36 (permalink)
Dr_Rez Registered Jimmy Rustler Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: USA Posts: 5,360	So are All games sports? If chess is a sport than scrabble and monopoly is one as well. __________________ Best chance of losing virginity is in prison crew Always Checks Credentials Crew nba > nfl crew Shave one of my legs to pretend its a girl in my bed crew

03-31-2012, 07:01 PM	#35 (permalink)
midnight rain Music Addict Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 1,711	What's funny is I've done both competitive eating (just one contest) and basketball before, and I found the eating far more physically grueling and demanding than b-ball. I'm always pretty in shape, but basketball doesn't wear me out much. And baseball not at all. People just have preconceived notions on what 'sports' are based on what they're familiar with.

03-31-2012, 07:30 PM	#38 (permalink)
Paedantic Basterd Music Addict Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 5,184	ScrabbleClub.com

03-31-2012, 07:34 PM	#40 (permalink)
Paedantic Basterd Music Addict Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 5,184	It might be more fun to find competitions for everything under the sun than to have this debate. Like magic cards and cooking and kissing!