When you dream of becoming a sports star, what is it that comes to mind? Is it the adoring fans singing your name? Or the glory of being at the pinnacle of your game? Or maybe it’s the sweet sponsorship deals that’ll furnish your place with unlimited snacks?
The good news is that all of those things will come to you if you’re playing Esports or ‘traditional’ sports.
“Yeah, but, are Esports real sports?”
Yeah mate. They are. Maybe your online football routine of going 2-0 down, going to the menu and turning the difficulty down isn’t a sport – but if you’re a pro, it’s a sport. And if you don’t believe us then here are a few reasons why Esports is a sport.
No dead polo shirts or cycling shorts for you – you could compete in Esports in your pants if you wanted to
ESPORTS VS. SPORTS: THE BRAIN STUFF
Being an Esports star is more than just being good enough to make your mates do some outrageous forfeits when you slap them on FIFA. People have often wondered if Esports should be considered a sport – and one Esports team hired a sports psychologist who found that athletes from both groups face similar stresses about team communication and performance anxiety. That last one isn’t just reserved for gaming, but it does refer to performing in front of crowds. We won’t judge what you’re into when you put down the controller…
ESPORTS VS SPORTS: AND THE CROWD GOES WILD
If it’s the screaming fans you’re after, Esports is the sport for you. When we say screaming fans, we mean an audience, rather than your PC needing some more cooling power. If you asked ‘is Esport a sport?’ to a League of Legends’ championship crowd you’d get 58 MILLION yeses back. To compare, the UEFA Champions League final got 11 million viewers in 2019. Yep, Esports is kind of a big deal. OK – it’s a very big deal. Better get writing that chant…
ESPORTS VS SPORTS: MONEY TALK
Another reason why Esports is a sport is the $$$ (or ‘£££’ but that doesn’t have the same vibe for some reason). The Fortnite World Cup’s prize pool in 2018 was $30 million dollars – that’s more than global sports events like golf’s Masters or cycling’s Tour de France. No dead polo shirts or cycling shorts for you – you could compete in Esports in your pants if you wanted to. And do you know who else competes wearing only their pants? Professional wrestlers – you’re basically The Rock. There’s also sponsorship for Esports teams and players. We’re talking cars, energy drinks, phones. Oh, and snacks. Can’t forget the snacks.
So, should Esports be considered a sport? Of course! If you’ve ever taken a penalty on FIFA, you’ll know how stressful it is and you’ll definitely think you deserve a car and a celebration in the streets if you smash it into the top corner. We’re sure you’ve been doing plenty of practising so just keep at it and don’t worry if you mess up; it’s just a game.
A game that could change your life, but it’s still just a game.
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