The eSports industry is gradually revolutionizing the sports world, as it was previously unthinkable to consider videogames as a sports discipline as important as the others, but thanks to the breakthrough that the eSports have achieved, its recognition throughout the world has increased, along with its influence in the sports world. However, considering eSports as a sporting discipline is still a topic debated by various organizations worldwide. That said, the facts that demonstrate the great discipline and dedication required by eSports along with the influence they have gained over time as an athletic activity will be explained below.
Professional electronic sports teams offer a wide variety of services to their players because they usually spend many hours a day sitting in front of the screen to train on their particular videogame, and such action can be quite exhausting for the body and mind (despite being a sedentary activity). Generally, training consists of a theoretical part and another practical part.
In the theoretical part of the training, the manager is responsible for playing videos of previous games, either games of their own players or rival players, to show them the faults they must correct and to be able to define to their players the strategies and tactics to follow in future games. While the practical part consists of the above, players must constantly train on their particular videogame to improve their performance. Although this training appears to be quite standard, it turns out that each eSports team coach uses his or her own personal methods. Some coaches even analyze the variations in the games that can be produced by the heartbeat of their players, through some medical devices.
During competition seasons, eSports players usually reside in so-called "gaming houses", residences where professional players can train and stay more comfortably. These residences can accommodate an entire team, so each of their members must live together. During their stay, players usually train approximately 10 hours a day, five days a week. But in addition to the above, the gaming house also have areas where players can train and clear their heads, so these residences usually have a gym, swimming pool, courts, among other traditional recreational areas.
The acceptance of eSports as an authentic sport discipline is still under discussion. However, many followers of eSports are sustained by the irrefutable definition of the word "sport", which states that all physical activity is exercised as a competition, is subject to certain rules and requires training to be able to improve in that activity. Taking into account this definition, it is valid to maintain the resolution that eSports can easily be considered as a genuine sport.
It should also be noted that the co-chairman of the Paris 2024 Organizing Committees for the Olympic Games, Tony Estanguet, remarked that the inclusion of eSports cannot fail to be a possibility given the great interest of young people.
Another important statement was made by the United States, which already recognizes eSports players as professional athletes. Thanks to this, opportunities like the one received by the Canadian professional player called "Danny Le” (Shiphtur), who managed to enter the U.S. in 2013 through a P-1A visa, which belongs to a category reserved for professional athletes. After this fact, it is already common to find in the world several eSports players who have this type of visa.
Having said all this, like the business that revolves around eSports, videogames can easily host a big number of others market types, such as: the parallel business of videogame currencies, this market is very common in online games such as the MMORPG RuneScape Old School, where through gaming marketplace players can buy RuneScape Old School Gold in exchange for currency in the real world.
Finally, the acceptance of eSports as an Olympic sports discipline is still under discussion, so we must continue to look forward to the full development of the future of these competitions. The incredibly fast growth that eSports have obtained has also caused them to need different legal regulations that guarantee justice in these competitions and in their players, but this continues to be quite incomplete, so the required growth of eSports will have to continue for the time being.
Read next: The History of Gaming (infographic).
The structure and training those eSports players must follow
When observing in detail the main aspects and configurations of the eSports, it can be observed that these have a structure quite similar to the one that has the traditional sports, since in these games also takes into account the development of the abilities of its players in the field of game, this pursuit is made by the sport direction, which is represented by a manager that each player of the eSports possesses. The manager is in charge of managing and monitoring the physical and mental conditions of professional players who belong to a team. In addition, the professional teams that participate in the eSports have staff that is responsible for training their players with the aim of improving their physical skills, eating habits and even their condition of psychological health. Finally, eSports players must always be prepared and in good shape to perform at the highest level in competitions.Professional electronic sports teams offer a wide variety of services to their players because they usually spend many hours a day sitting in front of the screen to train on their particular videogame, and such action can be quite exhausting for the body and mind (despite being a sedentary activity). Generally, training consists of a theoretical part and another practical part.
In the theoretical part of the training, the manager is responsible for playing videos of previous games, either games of their own players or rival players, to show them the faults they must correct and to be able to define to their players the strategies and tactics to follow in future games. While the practical part consists of the above, players must constantly train on their particular videogame to improve their performance. Although this training appears to be quite standard, it turns out that each eSports team coach uses his or her own personal methods. Some coaches even analyze the variations in the games that can be produced by the heartbeat of their players, through some medical devices.
During competition seasons, eSports players usually reside in so-called "gaming houses", residences where professional players can train and stay more comfortably. These residences can accommodate an entire team, so each of their members must live together. During their stay, players usually train approximately 10 hours a day, five days a week. But in addition to the above, the gaming house also have areas where players can train and clear their heads, so these residences usually have a gym, swimming pool, courts, among other traditional recreational areas.
The acceptance of eSports as an Olympic sport
Although the vast majority of eSports fans and spectators consider eSports to be a genuine sport, today there are still important communities that refuse to accept eSports as an Olympic sports discipline, the most prominent example of this is the strict position taken by the IOC President (International Olympic Committee), Thomas Bach, who continues to impede eSports access to the Olympic world without a doubt, this is because Bach believes that videogames are deeply linked to violence. Although this is only a personal consideration, it is sufficient for the IOC to maintain its position.The acceptance of eSports as an authentic sport discipline is still under discussion. However, many followers of eSports are sustained by the irrefutable definition of the word "sport", which states that all physical activity is exercised as a competition, is subject to certain rules and requires training to be able to improve in that activity. Taking into account this definition, it is valid to maintain the resolution that eSports can easily be considered as a genuine sport.
It should also be noted that the co-chairman of the Paris 2024 Organizing Committees for the Olympic Games, Tony Estanguet, remarked that the inclusion of eSports cannot fail to be a possibility given the great interest of young people.
Another important statement was made by the United States, which already recognizes eSports players as professional athletes. Thanks to this, opportunities like the one received by the Canadian professional player called "Danny Le” (Shiphtur), who managed to enter the U.S. in 2013 through a P-1A visa, which belongs to a category reserved for professional athletes. After this fact, it is already common to find in the world several eSports players who have this type of visa.
Having said all this, like the business that revolves around eSports, videogames can easily host a big number of others market types, such as: the parallel business of videogame currencies, this market is very common in online games such as the MMORPG RuneScape Old School, where through gaming marketplace players can buy RuneScape Old School Gold in exchange for currency in the real world.
Finally, the acceptance of eSports as an Olympic sports discipline is still under discussion, so we must continue to look forward to the full development of the future of these competitions. The incredibly fast growth that eSports have obtained has also caused them to need different legal regulations that guarantee justice in these competitions and in their players, but this continues to be quite incomplete, so the required growth of eSports will have to continue for the time being.
Read next: The History of Gaming (infographic).
