When we think of esports we think ‘oh its video games,’ and not an actual sport. So is esports actually a sport? The common counterpoint is that esports needs to involve physical work in order for it to be sport. One of the arguments is
Anyone can also be a professional gamer. A good internet connection and decent specs on your computer can make you the next big name in gaming, if there has ever been one. These pro gamers spend nearly 12 hours a day training for the next competition.
But can’t that be said about athletes as well. Anyone can also be a professional athelete, they just need some training and learn some techniques. A person who likes football can pick up a football and start throwing and practicing. To be a pro gamer it is much harder, for example in MOBA games there are constant changes to the game where players have to learn the new meta and strategies of the game.
Training in eSports is rather detrimental to your health. Aches and pains in your hands from tapping away at your keyboard could have prolonged effects on your health, and looking at a bright screen for too long can hurt your eyes. Yes, if you were practicing with a teammate for football and get hit in the head too hard you can get a concussion, and that too could have long term effects on your health. But new protective gear could one day erase these injuries. For eSports, however, glasses and gloves would only dull the pain for so long.
Like Gabianelli anyone can get hurt. He makes a remark about how new protective gear help avoid this, but that is also true for video games. We have features with monitors where the lightning is adjusted so it doesnt strain your eye. And with new keyboards with wrist support and other neat features these problems are resolved, you just need the proper equipment for esports; similar in the way you need proper equipment in sports.
In a similar way, while eSports has “sports” in the name, it is the furthest thing from any sport we watch or play today.
Hocket is not like foot; but we consider both of them sports, just because we changed how we watch and play, does not mean its not sports. There are several traditional sports like hockey, football, soccer etc… And there are several esport games like League of Legends, Smite, Overwatch. I’m sure we all watch sports and esports the same way, there are bars now that show esports instead of sports, just like a typical bar. People gather around to watch sports; eating food and getting really excited. We do this in esports too, we gather with our friends and watch esports and whenever something cool happens we get really excited. We may not be playing it exactly the same but we are watching it the same for sure.
Works Cited
Formoso, Anthony Gabianelli & Thomas, and The Montclarion. “Point/Counterpoint: Are ESports ‘Real’ Sports?” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 16 Apr. 2017, college.usatoday.com/2017/04/16/pointcounterpoint-are-esports-real-sports/.
Rowan Counterintuitive 