League of Legends Recognized by U.S. as Legitimate Sport

[Archereus]

To be honest I am kind of sad about all the negativity towards this news. To me this should be a moment to celebrate. One thing I have never agreed with was that sports are purely physical. Sure as of right now the definition of sports does have physical activity in it, but it's far more than just limited to that. It's an event where people who have had training and are recognised for it, compete to accomplish a singular goal. And playing League of Legends fit that quota and despite it "just being a game" it does require a fair amount of training and skill to be really good or professional at it. I find if any game should be considered a real esport LoL is a great place to start and Riot has taken great steps to make the game very viewer friendly. As well one thing I would suggest to people is to watch this video on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWjTnukgSu8

And you will find that LoL matches a lot of the criteria that's stated in this video. To be honest I am mega happy that professional players of this game are being recognized, they deserve it and League is a great start for the esports movement.

 

[KOMega]

So asia get starcraft, usa get league of legends.

We europeans really need to get with the program, what online game can we choose to make OUR national e sport?

Cricket.

I don't like e-sports. I don't like the trend it has taken and the sports it has looked to for both format and inspiration. I don't like the people it attracts to both participate and watch. I don't like what it does to communities and I don't like what it does and will do to games.

BUT.

Games need recognition within the wider culture. It needs to be appreciated as a legitimate media format by the right people. This is a step in the right direction. I just hope they don't cock it up royally.

Also: Cricket.

Ya I don't like the culture around sports either, but games do need a bit of recognition and I don't think that it will be too bad.
I enjoy watching the tournaments and the community seems to be getting cleaned up a bit more every so often.

While this is now considered a sport, I'm sure the majority of people will differentiate between physical sports and e-sports enough that a different culture might develop. Lets just hope it's not a bad one.

 

[itaywex]

While I don't really like LoL (I prefer dota 2 and its name is funny), this is s very good thing for esports and video game culture in general, good job LoL. (lol)

 

[The Hungry Samurai]

So now all the fans of LoL can be called Athletic Supporters right?

 

[clippen05]

Some much passive-aggressive hate on competitive gaming on this site. I just don't get it. If your in the camp that say's sports need to be physical, than what is table-tennis and golf? They are hardly more "Physical" and yet they are considered "legitimate." I love sports, mainly European Football, and I love competitive gaming; like that one insurance commercial, "Why can't we have both?"

 

[Mid Boss]

I'm not 100% sure how I feel about this. On the one hand, cool for eSports. Nice to see them getting some recognition. On the other, the community surrounding a lot of eSports doesn't have a particularly sterling reputation. I suppose they're still better than football hooligans. At least I've never heard of eSport fans smashing things up when their team loses. Or wins.

Give it time.

Well, now that pizza is a vegetable and LoL is a sport I can finally call my mum and tell her I'm eating vegetables and joining a sport.

 

[Godhead]

Not quite sure why so many people are upset that League has become a sport. All this means more than anything else is it's easier on the players due to the work visas that they'll now have a much easier way to play on american teams (a lot like in hockey). So it's a sport. So is a lot of other stuff, dart throwing is a sport, and bowling is a sport.

Some much passive-aggressive hate on competitive gaming on this site. I just don't get it. If your in the camp that say's sports need to be physical, than what is table-tennis and golf? They are hardly more "Physical" and yet they are considered "legitimate." I love sports, mainly European Football, and I love competitive gaming; like that one insurance commercial, "Why can't we have both?"

Golf can be physically demanding, especially at professional level. It's absurd at how much they rotate their core and need flexibility. Even with proper stretching there's a chance that you can throw your back out. It also doesn't hurt that you have to walk around with 30 pounds being lugged around on your back for at least three miles if you're playing the full 18.

 

[Crazie_Guy]

As a person who has always identified as 'not being into sports', I feel a sudden compulsion to lose all interest in LoL. How strange.

 

[KoudelkaMorgan]

As someone that has never, nor will ever, play LoL I gotta say this is queer news indeed. On the one hand cool for esports, on the other I'm a little ashamed of my government. Not for the first time.

Why are you ashamed of the government? I'm no fan of the US government, nor of the people behind LoL, but I can recognize that both of them (whether intentionally or not) just did the entire eSports community a solid.

Meh until Dota 2 becomes an official sport.

It'll probably be soon. This sets a nice precedent and it should be easier for other games to get registered now.

Its not that I have anything against the game, and perhaps shame is too strong a word. It just seems like a really bad message to send to the world that if you come to the country for a better life, but you do it illegally then you are demonized. But if you can dominate at LoL then you can get right in and help us prosper with your many talents that you are bringing to us. Just like a cardiologist, or a scientist or dancer that gets a work visa to stay here, only applied to someone who DOESN'T even need to be in the country to be able to perform their "profession" as its an online game.

I guess I just find it a bit silly that being good at a MOBA can now grant you legal admission to the country, whereas you used to be forced into a "greencard marriage" or excel at a highly specialized field of what many would call more legitimate professions. It kind of cheapens the achievements of generations of immigrants, both those who made it, and those who were turned away.

Guess parents had better start teaching LoL in 3rd world countries then, so that they can one day make it big in America. Which is not unlike Baseballers in some places. The difference of course being that its impossible to be on an American baseball team, unless you are actually IN America. By virtue of their being foreign LoL savants to recruit in the first place, tells me that you don't need to BE in America to play LoL extremely well.

It would be nice for other countries to poach some out OUR players for a change too. I don't mean for my view on the subject to sound like I'm screaming "BOOO USA, BOO LOL!" but it slightly irked me. I'm already over it though.

I was already familiar with the tournament scene of MLG, but when it crossed into equating gaming with the scholastic, athletic, and professional excellence of careers that have existed for centuries I just went "wait, what?"

 

[likalaruku]

Sport (Noun) An activity involving PHYSICAL EXERTION and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others.

Seems legit. P:

Okay, I guess you do exert hand muscles & joints to the point of getting Carpal Tunnel & early onset Arthritis.

 

[KOMega]

Sport (Noun) An activity involving PHYSICAL EXERTION and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others.

Seems legit. P:

Okay, I guess you do exert hand muscles & joints to the point of getting Carpal Tunnel & early onset Arthritis.

Good thing this is called e-sports ;P

besides the english language can be fickle sometimes and bends to popular opinion.
(example: the added definition of the word literally.)

 

[Racecarlock]

What the hell? It's really not that fun to watch. Haven't these guys seen mechwarrior online? Or hell, even a decent GTA IV free roam server. Fighting games are way more fun to watch.

 

[AuronFtw]

All we had to do was get a few professional athletes put in jail and they figured it was at least as legit a sport as handegg.

 

[breadsammich]

This just in, guys:

" 'Athlete' released on $500,000 bond after making 'terroristic' threats"

 

[Kahani]

I still don't consider video games a "sport" to be honest but that's my opinion.

If darts and snooker can count as sports, then I don't see why video games shouldn't. Personally I wouldn't really consider any of them to be sports, what the the whole "physical exertion" thing others have already mentioned, but until we come up with some other term to lump them all under I guess "sport" will have to do.

 

[KOMega]

What the hell? It's really not that fun to watch. Haven't these guys seen mechwarrior online? Or hell, even a decent GTA IV free roam server. Fighting games are way more fun to watch.

I think it's one of those things you have to know what to look for.

Like, I'm not really into sports at all, and if I'm dragged to watching something with people, sometimes they will get super excited over something that kinda just went past me.

Also, fighting games are pretty neat too, but again for some fighting games, it's especially helpful if you know what too look for, aside from health bar go down. (For example, someone pulls off a series of highly difficult parries.)

 

[Best of the 3]

I still don't consider video games a "sport" to be honest but that's my opinion.

If darts and snooker can count as sports, then I don't see why video games shouldn't. Personally I wouldn't really consider any of them to be sports, what the the whole "physical exertion" thing others have already mentioned, but until we come up with some other term to lump them all under I guess "sport" will have to do.

I didn't say I consider them sports either. For me they're pub games

 

[Griffolion]

It would be cool if eSports eventually made it to the Olympics. Long step from being "recognised" as a sport, I know, but it's always fun to think of these things.

 

[DSK-]

ROFL. Wow. Just.....wow. Meh. I know how popular DOTA in the days of WC3 was. Then again Shootmania is having regular tournaments and stuff...so :/