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Competitive video gaming, also known as esports, has become increasingly popular over the past decade. Events like the League of Legends World Championship, Dota 2’s The International, and the Evolution Championship Series fighting game tournament fill massive arenas with cheering fans.
Top esports competitors can earn millions in tournament prizes and endorsements, and the top esports organisations, including Team Liquid and Cloud9, are worth millions. Some mind-boggling stats include:
- The esports industry was expected to be worth more than $1.6 billion in 2023
- Team Liquid has won nearly $50 million in prizes according to Esports Earnings
- Esports sponsorships are expected to generate some £640+ million each year
- The US had the biggest forecasted esports market share – 28.7% in 2023, with China in second place
- Dota 2 has the biggest cumulative prize pool – more than $32 million in 2023 according to Esports Earnings
Are Esports Still Sports?
Esports and traditional sports share many key traits like extensive training regimens, reliance on skill/strategy, large fanbases emotionally invested in favourite teams/players, major tournaments, lucrative pay and endorsements for top talents, and competitive drive to be the best. The parallel motivations and dedication to win among both esports athletes and physical athletes showcase striking competitiveness commonalities.
However, despite its many similarities to traditional athletic competitions, there is still debate around whether esports qualify as actual “sports”.
Those who argue esports aren’t sports point out the lack of significant physical demands compared to sports like football or basketball. Professional gamers primarily utilize mental skill, reflexes and strategy to outplay opponents.
Some also argue that typical sports connote open-air competition and the outdoors, while esports mostly involves sitting at a…
