Should gamers be treated as pro athletes?

[Deleted]

So you think that because they risk injury by playing games a lot they should be called athletes? If that's you criteria, then the list of athletic activities will be long, hell I might be an athlete now that I think about it.

Just correcting several peoples misconception that it involves no physical activity at all. Also, the risk of injury is from several hours of rigorous practicing every day over months/years, not simply "playing games".

On topic, it really doesn't matter what they are called, or what people believe what they should be called based on their opinions, what matters is that athlete visa's to the US at least, are available to them.
The government isn't going to create a separate visa category just to soothe some people's feelings. What matters to them, is the purpose of their stay, which is to compete against other people for money.

[Wildmoon]

Value is something human made up in the first place. There's no such a thing as sport having more value than Esport. Both athletes and progamers are making money from what they are doing so why prevent the latter from doing so comfortably?

I admire everyone who do what they love with strong dedication.

[Seegtease]

Not if the name implies something completely different.

Should we start calling hookers sex educators as well?

We will call them whatever we want, whether or not they demand to be called sex educators.

Though if given a choice, in the interest of making money, a name should be chosen by what profits the most, accuracy comes second.

[dapperedodo]

Wow the topic is not about calling pro gamers athletes but about should they be treated the same.
I love following sc2 tournaments as much as an hardcore football fan follows football, but I kinda understand that the world is not ready yet to accept pro-gamers as athletes so I think of them as e-athletes. Just like 100 years ago people calling a football player an athlete also got laughed at.(originally an athlete was someone performing athletics only)

People seem to think that someone earning money with playing games are fat gaming geeks that are behind the computer 15 hours a day. But with only practicing your game won't win you anything. You need a damn healthy body and that's why most SC2 pro's that win tournaments follow a diet and are in the gym 1-2 hours a day beside practicing 10+ hours behind the computer. So just with any other sport you need dedication, an healthy body and talent. So yeah I would see it as a sport cause it's at least in the same class as certain sports you see at the Olympics(For example curling shooting)

Now back on topic. Yes pro gamers(not the normal average gamers like most people on this forum)should be treated like pro-athletes. And that's because pro-gamers, need talent,dedication,an healthy body to perform and they entertain and earn money just like athletes. The people think that because athletes show much more physical activity during their televised games compared to pro gamers,athletes are a lot different then pro gamers and should be treated different are lil bit old fashioned and afraid of change.

[Morbownz]

Nope, and I have absolutely nowhere near the level of respect for pr0 gamers that I do for professional atheletes. I have no problem with them earning money from what they do, these tournements can be very lucrative thanks to the sponsors and I'd rather see some of that money end up in the gamers pockets.

[Zeek Daniels]

I depends on the market. Capitalism folks. If consumers are willing to pay to see these guys play at events and sponsers keep seeing the dollars rise then yea these guys should get salaries. Thing is right now i dont think its popular enough in every market. Some markets its huge, like korea with SC. Other markets its non existant like in America. So it depends where the market for it is and how much consumers are willing to consume of it and how much $ signs sponsors see.

[Eviscero]

Absolutely. Gamers should be subject to screenings for performance enhancing drugs, and discredited if they are found to have taken them.

[cherb]

They are no more athletes than a professional chess player, poker player, or billiard's player. None of those are sports, they are games. It has nothing to do with the amount of money they make, nothing to do with how difficult it is, it's just that they aren't actually playing a sport, they are playing a game.

[ddsad2212]

@cherb If I am not mistaken however snooker is considered a sport, if you consider that a sport I would put the highest end of some games to be on the same level of it

[Deleted]

If people who play chess, darts, snooker, billiard, golf, ... , are considered "athletes" then why not video-gamers ?

[Seegtease]

If people who play chess, darts, snooker, billiard, golf, ... , are considered "athletes" then why not video-gamers ?

They really aren't. They may be treated similar to them, but I've never heard the term athlete used for those fields. Maybe golf, but I can't personally recall for sure.

[Hraklea]

I don't see any relevant difference between calling someone an athlete or a gamer. This whole discussion is useless.

The important thing is that e-sports, or gaming, or however you want to call it, is growing and the visa laws should adapt to this new reality. It is really frustrating to see brazilian players winning classifiers to play world championships in US/EU and they don't get a visa because "playing videogames is not a good reason to enter in my country!!!". The world should respect professional videogamers just like they respect professional chess players and professional athletes.

[Zygersaf]

I don't understand why this is such an issue, what's wrong with the term "Gamers"?

[Omertocracy]

ath·lete
noun \ˈath-ˌlēt, ÷ˈa-thə-ˌlēt\

: a person who is trained in or good at sports, games, or exercises that require physical skill and strength

If e-sports are a thing, e-athletes are the people who play them.

[kail]

Thread ain't about what they are called...

It's about whether gamers should be treated as athletes. So pls stop derailing the thread ppls.

[Triptych]

I would never refer to a video game player as an "athlete", any more than I'd use that term for a golfer, or a snooker player, or a Formula One driver.

But these guys take part in all the same stuff that goes along with any sort of professional competitive activity (i.e. they earn salaries, win big prize purses and titles, spend a lot of time training, get sponsorship, etc etc).

So yeah, they shouldn't be treated any differently when it comes to official things like visas, or exemption from military duties, or whatever.

[iyamwhatiyam]

Lol @ the entire concept. No. Just....no.

[Seegtease]

Lol @ the entire concept. No. Just....no.

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?

[IIamaKing]

Because all football players are of sound mind. RIIIIIGHT!

"ummm, I just really wanted to give 110%, went out there tried my best gave 110% and ya know with out the team and the coach ya know 110%" - every after win speech ever.


Obvious sarcasm

[Flaks]

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?

Are chess champions considered pro athletes? No. Then case closed.