Thread: Wait, what?

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  1. #1

    Wait, what?

    http://www.gamespot.com/news/us-gove...hletes-6411377

    I'm all for the progression of E-Sports, but I think it's ridiculous to call them professional athletes.

  2. #2
    Deleted
    Too bad it's LoL.

  3. #3
    Titan Kalyyn's Avatar
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    After lengthy discussions between Riot Games and US government,
    I realized Riot was getting really powerful, but this is some Haliburton-level stuff...

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Koraak View Post
    http://www.gamespot.com/news/us-gove...hletes-6411377

    I'm all for the progression of E-Sports, but I think it's ridiculous to call them professional athletes.
    if they train and practice why is it

    you should see koreans preparing for esports lol


    that being said maybe they coulda made an alternative visa with a new name, but do we need to waste more government money on a name issue?

    Edit: the rage comments are delicious
    Last edited by Resies; 2013-07-12 at 06:13 PM.

  5. #5
    If they do basically the same thing (join teams, travel, and train for competition) why not classify them the same? Less legislation, less hassle.

    Are people who paint digitally any less "artists" than those who use oil and canvas?

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Koraak View Post
    http://www.gamespot.com/news/us-gove...hletes-6411377

    I'm all for the progression of E-Sports, but I think it's ridiculous to call them professional athletes.
    'Athlete' is the modern Romanticization of the Greek word 'άθλητὴς' which means "one who participates in a contest".

    I see nothing wrong with this classification. Sure the modern definition doesn't match what they do, but modern definitions change all the time.

  7. #7
    I just recently this year found out about OL (or something like it) for construction workers, basicly people competing who can make a brick wall the fastest, or what do I know...

    If E-sports needs to this "label" onto it, then whatever...Abit odd, but okay.
    Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/djuntas ARPG - RTS - MMO

  8. #8
    Scarab Lord Naxere's Avatar
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    Next stop: Olympics.

  9. #9
    Someone used a word I wouldn't to describe e-sport contenders, better make a thread about it

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Chaosturn View Post
    Someone used a word I wouldn't to describe e-sport contenders, better make a thread about it
    You are totally missing the point. So is the OP.

    As legally designated professional athletes, an e-sports pro can now get a visa to enter the country for participating in a tournament or what have you. That is HUGE. It's a massive step forwards, and is the sort of thing that'll help finally begin to dispel a lot of the tired, stupid misconceptions about what it means to play games, because in a day and age where more people play video games than even go to the movie theater, those who play games still get maligned by the media in every respect.

  11. #11
    Titan Kalyyn's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Herecius View Post
    You are totally missing the point. So is the OP.

    As legally designated professional athletes, an e-sports pro can now get a visa to enter the country for participating in a tournament or what have you. That is HUGE. It's a massive step forwards, and is the sort of thing that'll help finally begin to dispel a lot of the tired, stupid misconceptions about what it means to play games, because in a day and age where more people play video games than even go to the movie theater, those who play games still get maligned by the media in every respect.
    Although we should note that (by my understanding of the article), this only applies to League of Legends.

    Kinda neat though. This means that League of Legends is the first video game legally recognized as a sport.

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Kalyyn View Post
    Although we should note that (by my understanding of the article), this only applies to League of Legends.

    Kinda neat though. This means that League of Legends is the first video game legally recognized as a sport.
    It's pretty much putting the foot in the door for other e-sports though. Once the first is recognized, others can follow much more quickly. Perhaps tournaments like EVO shall be next.

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Koraak View Post
    http://www.gamespot.com/news/us-gove...hletes-6411377

    I'm all for the progression of E-Sports, but I think it's ridiculous to call them professional athletes.
    What's the problem with calling them professional athletes?
    Quote Originally Posted by Nakura Chambers View Post
    Rejoining Britain would be a liberal's wet dream. They could get rid of the Bill of Rights, have nationalist healthcare, have open borders, guns would be banned, they'd have a weak foreign policy, etc.
    Gotta love MMOChampion's insightful and profound remarks on politics.

  14. #14
    Deleted
    I understand your issue with the word athlete, since it makes you think of intensive physical activities. However my question would be, does the government recognize chess players and checkers players as athletes? if yes, then this is not so surprising. Chess and checker players also get the visa to travel for tournaments and the likes. If not, then it is weird that they consider only LoL players as athletes.

  15. #15
    I'm just a realist, I really don't care if they are called athletes, and I'm sure most of the gaming community is happy for the recognition, but I believe the rest of the country (non-gamers) is going to have a hissy fit over the definitions of "athlete" and "sport".

  16. #16
    Deleted
    Quote Originally Posted by Resies View Post
    if they train and practice why is it
    Because it's not a physical activity, simple. Unless we go back to 15th century word definitions :P

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Whitey View Post
    Because it's not a physical activity, simple. Unless we go back to 15th century word definitions :P
    How come physical skills are still an important part of League of Legends? If you don't have the coordination and reaction times, you're not going to be successful on a professional level.
    Quote Originally Posted by Nakura Chambers View Post
    Rejoining Britain would be a liberal's wet dream. They could get rid of the Bill of Rights, have nationalist healthcare, have open borders, guns would be banned, they'd have a weak foreign policy, etc.
    Gotta love MMOChampion's insightful and profound remarks on politics.

  18. #18
    Deleted
    This is just ridiculous. Gaming, as a sport, is an intellectual sport. A fat neckbeard that plays LoL all day (pure fiction, any resemblance between anyone and the example is purely coincidence) is NOT an athlete.

    Quote Originally Posted by FTAzai View Post
    How come physical skills are still an important part of League of Legends? If you don't have the coordination and reaction times, you're not going to be successful on a professional level.
    You can have 10 layers of fat covering your body and still have lighting reflexes. Hand-eye coordination is not a physical skill.
    Last edited by mmoc1624a4632d; 2013-07-12 at 07:20 PM.

  19. #19
    Deleted
    Quote Originally Posted by FTAzai View Post
    How come physical skills are still an important part of League of Legends? If you don't have the coordination and reaction times, you're not going to be successful on a professional level.
    You're on to something, but even then group coordination and reaction times are up to neural pathways and not strength, agility or stamina.

  20. #20
    Deleted
    Chess is a proffesional sport, why not video games ?!

    What, because something has been designed for entertainment, then it can't be a sport ?! ALL sports were designed for entertainment. Or is it because a video game doesn't require physical training ?! Chess doesn't require physical training and I'm pretty sure Golf doesn't either, nor does Darts, and those players are athletes indeed. Unless ofcourse you think training your hand-eye coordination is actual physical training.
    Last edited by mmoc7f02ba85a4; 2013-07-12 at 07:30 PM.

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