LoL's player officially recognized as "Athletes" in US

[Deleted]

seems the discussion is over for me

[Razorice]

Hey! I'm an athlete!

[Treno]

I don't really understand why people are so focused on syntax and semantic instead of simply recognizing that this is a huge cornerstone for gaming, and professional eSports in general and discuss about that instead of what word is used to define that. seems a bit like a petty argument to me

I wholeheartedly agree with you, this is a big thing. It's simply amazing to me to see the level of integration video games have made into society in spite of their relatively young age.

The same thing is happening on a lot of other fronts as well. Video games, as well as other recently sprouting mediums such as film and graphic novels are changing the way stories are told and literature is presented to the audience. The spoken word, visual details, even music are more a part of literature now than they have been for centuries.

[Xisa]

Rest assured, outside of a very small, vocal minority on the internet, nobody in the US considers people who play video games athletes.

[benadryl]

Are you kidding me? According to the OALD (Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary), which is one of the most reknown english dictionaries:

athlete NOUN
1
a person who competes in sports

How exactly does this not perfectly describe someone competing in eSports?

because esports aren't sports

sport

noun

an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment:
team sports such as baseball and soccer

they're e-athletes that play an e-sport
not athletes who play a sport.

[Ichifails]

Errr no Athlete means to take part in physical exercise.

The only issue with that is that there are disabled Athletes that don't really engage in physical exercise. What's wrong with taking the actual definition of the word? Should we change an entire word because people refuse to understand it doesn't mean what they want?

ath·lete [ath-leet]
noun
a person trained or gifted in exercises or contests involving physical agility, stamina, or strength; a participant in a sport, exercise, or game requiring physical skill.

Doesn't matter if you admit it or not, holding 300+APM (even 600+) over 20-30minute games are signs of agility and dexterity.

[benadryl]

The only issue with that is that there are disabled Athletes that don't really engage in physical exercise. What's wrong with taking the actual definition of the word? Should we change an entire word because people refuse to understand it doesn't mean what they want?

what disabled athlete doesn't take part in physical exercise? even if it's all upper body exertion, it's exertion.

[nightfalls]

As for the term 'athlete', I'd prefer the term 'competitor'. I view 'athletic' as related to physical activity, and competitor as a general term.

This, I don't believe athletics = sports/competition. Athletics specifically refers to physical activity, and "athletes" likewise.

[Ichifails]

Rest assured, outside of a very small, vocal minority on the internet, nobody in the US considers people who play video games athletes.

That's because they are morons and take what they consider a word to mean over it's actual definition.

[Xisa]

The only issue with that is that there are disabled Athletes that don't really engage in physical exercise. What's wrong with taking the actual definition of the word? Should we change an entire word because people refuse to understand it doesn't mean what they want?

Disabled athletes absolutely physically compete. You try to go Compete in the Special Olympics. Some things may not be right upstairs, some of them may be physical defects, but those people bust their asses to compete. Claiming otherwise is absurd and insulting.

Athleticism is a reference to physical prowess and performance. Video games are not that.

Video Games in the US might be considered "competitive" the way that chess, checkers, and some others games are, and that is just fine. There is no reason against that.

Calling them athletes is absurd.

[nightfalls]

what disabled athlete doesn't take part in physical exercise? even if it's all upper body exertion, it's exertion.

If by "disabled athlete" I assume you mean Paralympics or the like, then yes, they are still doing physical activity, just obviously some parts of their body are disabled and hence not being used.

[Ichifails]

what disabled athlete doesn't take part in physical exercise? even if it's all upper body exertion, it's exertion.

I didn't say they don't. They do and so do professional gamers.

[benadryl]

If by "disabled athlete" I assume you mean Paralympics or the like, then yes, they are still doing physical activity, just obviously some parts of their body are disabled and hence not being used.

i hate when people quote me and argumentatively agree just to boost their post count, don't you?

[Ichifails]

Can you give me an example of these disabled athletes? I dont know what you mean.

And no we dont need to change the word, the word is fine. We call them Pro Gamers, or MLG ect.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_Paralympic_Games

I trust you are able to click links in the Paralympic games page.

[benadryl]

I didn't say they don't. They do and so do professional gamers.

no professional gamers don't physically exert themselves. for comparison, they actually calculated it and playing a high level LoL game for 1 hours is like walking 10 yards, or from your bedroom to the kitchen and back. that's not exercise or physical exertion.

if it is then we're all fucking athletes and oxford needs to get on the ball with yet another redefinition of a word

[Ichifails]

Disabled athletes absolutely physically compete. You try to go Compete in the Special Olympics. Some things may not be right upstairs, some of them may be physical defects, but those people bust their asses to compete. Claiming otherwise is absurd and insulting.

Athleticism is a reference to physical prowess and performance. Video games are not that.

Video Games in the US might be considered "competitive" the way that chess, checkers, and some others games are, and that is just fine. There is no reason against that.

Calling them athletes is absurd.

Why is it no physical prowess and performance? You need agility and dexterity to play games at a professional level. And no, the ones on your char sheet won't do.

[nightfalls]

i hate when people quote me and argumentatively agree just to boost their post count, don't you?

I forget that unlike other forums this one doesn't nest quotes, the response was actually directed to Ichifails (who was quoted in your response).

[benadryl]

Why is it no physical prowess and performance? You need agility and dexterity to play games at a professional level. And no, the ones on your char sheet won't do.

accountants need that same "agility and dexterity"
accounting is a sport because accountants are athletes

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I forget that unlike other forums this one doesn't nest quotes, the response was actually directed to Ichifails (who was quoted in your response).

he's not worth quoting

[Ichifails]

accountants need that same "agility and dexterity"
accounting is a sport because accountants are athletes

- - - Updated - - -



he's not worth quoting

The thing is that in the end, your opinion on what the word SHOULD mean doesn't really matter as long as words are strictly defined. I couldn't care less if licking after your dog took a deuce made you an athlete as long as it is in the definition.

Also athlete implies that you take part in competitions, tell me when you watched the last accounting tournament.

[Deleted]

Look, I can search for a definition that fits my purposes and throw it into the discussion as well(obviously without adding sources, credibility is for mofos.)

sport [spɔːt]
n
1. (General Sporting Terms) an individual or group activity pursued for exercise or pleasure, often involving the testing of physical capabilities and taking the form of a competitive game such as football, tennis, etc.

SportAccord uses the following criteria, determining that a sport should:
have an element of competition
be in no way harmful to any living creature
not rely on equipment provided by a single supplier (excluding proprietary games such as arena football)
not rely on any "luck" element specifically designed into the sport

They also recognise that sport can be primarily physical (such as rugby or athletics), primarily mind (such as chess or go), predominantly motorised (such as Formula 1 or powerboating), primarily co-ordination (such as billiard sports), or primarily animal supported (such as equestrian sport).

Athlete(s) may refer to:
A person who is involved in Athletics (sport), which involves track and field events, long distance, cross-country and road running, and race walking
Sportsperson, a person who participates regularly in a sport

You are all ridiculously jealous. It is sad to watch people who should be happy eSports receive the recognition they deserve, who should be overjoyed with the ridiculous stereotype of a neckbeard, stinking, asocial nerd gamer going one step further away burn with envy and condemn the pro gamers instead of supporting them.