Humans love to compete and to watch others compete – this was true in all historical civilisations and very much remain the case today. This affinity is served largely by the sports industry, and its global popularity is the ultimate proof that we need some friendly contesting in our lives. More recently, the space occupied by traditional sports was partially usurped by video games tournaments that draw in-person audiences as well as international following in real time via live streams.
Some of the eSports fans are also fond of traditional sports, so there is an overlap between these populations. On the other hand, numerous voices are questioning whether the implication that virtual matches can be considered sporting events is disingenuous.
Similarities and Differences between Sports and eSports
The parallels between these two competitive formats are too obvious to ignore. In both cases, solo competitors or teams face each other in a structured environment and try to accomplish certain goals while staying within the confines of the clearly defined rules. Preparation and training are equally important for success, and separate the casuals from the professionals. One could argue that it takes just as much work to reach the top regardless of whether the competition is physical or virtual.
Of course, we can’t forget that the nature of activities that athletes perform is radically different from the challenges faced by eSports players. In the first case, there is a real-life task to accomplish against equally skilled opponents and the kind of effort needed for optimal performance can frequently lead to serious injury. On the other hand, virtual competitions are extremely mentally exhausting but basically consist of sitting in a chair and looking at the screen. The talent required is more abstractly defined, and the risks are primarily psychological.
Social and Economic Role of Sports vs. eSports
In addition to being a key element of the social fabric in many countries around the world, sports is also a big business. Top players in the most popular sports are lavishly paid and idolised by countless kids (and some adults) around the world. For many people, the connection with their favourite teams or players is very valuable, and they don’t mind spending considerable cash to watch the games, buy merchandise, or bet in Canada on sports events they are emotionally invested in. Sports are also seen as family-friendly, which greatly adds to their marketability and expands the range of partnerships that clubs and national associations can enter into.
At this stage, eSports doesn’t have a comparable reach and even elite players are earning relatively modest amounts. While some big tournaments admittedly have sizable prize funds and are followed by a lot of people online, they are few and far between so the players have to find additional income through live streaming and other self-organised activities. An army of young fans are very passionate about eSports, but this is still a niche crowd rather than a mainstream following. However, in-time these fans could become just as dedicated and loyal as those who grew up watching soccer or basketball.
Can Sports and eSports Co-exist and Cooperate?
The short answer is – why not? They share the general ethos of fair play and in both cases the aim is to inspire and entertain. Since the benefits to the fans are not the same and each type of competition has its own target group, they are not in direct competition and stand to benefit by collaborating on issues that concern them both. In fact, we are already seeing the first steps in this direction as some of the richest and most powerful sports clubs are establishing eSports divisions to diversify their appeal.
There has even been some talk about including eSports into the Olympic program, but in the end a separate event was created instead. There is still a lot of resistance among old-school sports aficionados against equating the two categories and accepting video game virtuosos as veritable athletes. Until such obstacles are removed, the fan bases will remain separated and entrenched in their own beliefs. That’s why honest efforts to bridge the gap and find common grounds are sorely needed, and they should come from both sides.