Should gamers be treated as pro athletes?

[RohanV]

The problem is the word "athlete". We should be using "competitor". One who participates in competitions. Then it doesn't matter if it's an athletic competition or a gaming competition or any other kind.

From the point of view of the government, these types of people are pretty similar. They travel a lot, spending a short time at each destination. Their earnings are uneven, and come in the form of prize money or endorsements. So the government can treat them them the same for the most part, rather than making special rules for each type of competition.

But unfortunately the government calls them "athletes" because athletes were probably in mind when the laws and regulations were being drafted.

[Kickbuttmario]

Call it a competitive gamer or pro gamer but not an athlete.

[Vyxn]

Nope gaming doesn't fall under the definition of an Athlete

athlete
1.A person possessing the natural or acquired traits, such as strength, agility, and endurance, that are necessary for physical exercise or sports, especially those performed in competitive contexts.

[Dellis0991]

No because video gaming is not physical at all. Mostly just mental fun.

[Seegtease]

Until the definition of sport is addressed to include video games, this right here is why they're not athletes. I think that someones ability to be a world class video game player should be taken seriously, and that this guy certainly does deserve to be able to skip service if true athletes do...but this is not athleticism.

Who said anything about them being athletes?

[xezar]

Hell and no, if anything he should be looked down on as a loser for using it just to skirt his obligatory military service. Kinda BS how he says his e-sports career would be over, considering that other korean starcraft players have done it and still play after and that he do his service while still playing (iirc from a while back I thought I remembered reading their military has a team of sorts, akin to how you can play sports at a military school here and in some circumstances have your service obligation waylaid if you get drafted somehow in the NFL).

[warpath2k]

Yeah gamers are about as athletic as your average dart player. In no way shape or form should a PC gamer get compared to a real athlete.

[McNeil]

People (outside the internet mostly) will never accept gamers as athletes, and to be honest it sounds really silly to call it them....

While darts, golf and even chess may be considered sports, I don't call them athletes either.

[Seegtease]

Why do people keep saying they shouldn't be called athletes? Even if you read the topic and nothing else, there's no implication of this being suggested.

[warpath2k]

Why do people keep saying they shouldn't be called athletes? Even if you read the topic and nothing else, there's no implication of this being suggested.

Well as per the title, if they are considered to be treated and given the same respect as athletes, what do you suggest that they are called? An Iathlete?

[Deleted]

While the amount of mental activity in a real gamer is very close to physical activity on an athlete,gamers still shouldn't be called athletes.They need another name for recognition,that's certain,but not an "athlete".Kind of doesn't sound right.
A lot of people still associate the word "athlete" as someone who is physically very fit,etc.
("a person who is proficient in sports and other forms of physical exercise" -Oxford Dictionary).
Definitions are important when it comes to stuff like this,and gaming isn't that big globally (yet);some people still dislike the idea of video games in total.Saying you are a professional "athlete",being asked what is it that you do,and you answer "Perfecting my skills in League of Legends!" might not sound right to a lot of people that have zero or very little connection to gaming.

Its just my perspective.Professional gamers should be given a name by the law,but not athlete imo.

[tumppu]

Just like they call poker players of certain level poker pros, call these gaming guys pro gamers, but never athletes.

[Seegtease]

Well as per the title, if they are considered to be treated and given the same respect as athletes, what do you suggest that they are called? An Iathlete?

Professional gamers. Why would you need to call them something different? That's like saying if you want women to be treated the same as men, we need to start calling them men.

This topic isn't about what to call them but how to treat them. Why is this so hard for people to see?

[Deleted]

Just like they call poker players of certain level poker pros, call these gaming guys pro gamers, but never athletes.

Exactly my point. Athletes stay athletes.

[warpath2k]

Professional gamers. Why would you need to call them something different? That's like saying if you want women to be treated the same as men, we need to start calling them men.

This topic isn't about what to call them but how to treat them. Why is this so hard for people to see?

If they are called that great, I agree there should be such a thing. But they should not be treated or considered a pro athlete. I feel we agree on that.

[Souflikar]

Nope. Because 260 pound 13 y/o kids have to be called athletes.

lol..... It mostly water weight!

[Fullmetal89]

I think the context is completely different.

I'm with you. I don't think pro-athlete should be the correct terminology, they should be treated the same way as professional chess players. Not athletes.

[Deleted]

Not AS pro athletes, but on the same level as pro athletes.

[Jhaalu]

Why not? Care to elaborate as to why we should give great glory to a bunch of sweaty dudes smashing each other but not to guys competing in a non-physical game of reaction, planning, and dexterity?

The question is whether gamers should be considered athletes, not whether they should be given "great glory".

I'm gonna go with no...they're not athletes

The term "e-sports" annoys me. (Unless you're literally talking about a sports game like madden or something, then I guess that would technically be an "e-sport")

[McNeil]

They should make a worldwide poll for this.... imagine all the laughs