Is DOTA 2 a sport?
The concept of a sport is one of abstraction. When the topic of sports come up, often times people associate the word with that of physical sports like football, hockey, basketball, etc. These kinds of sports have been around so long that they have really branded themselves as what a sport should be and we have generally accepted that definition.
However, in recent years, professional video games have begun to claim themselves as sports and are being supported by some big names like Mark Cuban, the Maericks owner. Meanwhile, others like ESPN President John Skipper have stated that, “It’s not a sport — it’s a competition.” This has become quite the hot issue and has stirred up numerous discussions on the concept of what a sport really is.
I, personally, am an avid sports fan. I set aside my Sundays for football and watch as much hockey and basketball as I can. And yet, I also love professional DOTA 2 and other esports like it. But it is because of this perception of both sides that I can confidently say esports are not sports.
Now that may come as a shocker, but hear me out: Why should something so uniquely different try to tie itself to the already established sports world? The esports scene is growing at a massive rate and I think this community should take this opportunity to create its own identity.
There are many similar themes between sports and professional gaming. Concepts like PED (performance enhancing drugs), team work, practice, injury, and even reflex are all found in both scenes. But they each have as many differences as they have similarities. The biggest difference being the physical distinction between the two.
Esports falls in line much more with “mind sports” than it does with the sports world. The focus with mind sports is all about mental exercise and execution which falls right in line with esports. Chess or even poker are great example of a mind sport. While their is still the elements of reflex associated with both, chess and poker are more about the mental game and the strategy. Professional gaming is much the same.
However, there are legit concerns in esports among subjects like Visas. Professional athletes get granted Visas and many believe that esports players should be granted this same right and I would tend to agree. In light of this though, the Unites States has already begun granting Visas to international players and will continue to do so.
It’s important that esports not try to become something it’s not. There is so much to be gained by having the community and environment around DOTA 2 become it’s own thing. These games didn’t gain large professional scenes because they modeled themselves after the already established sports formula. They did it because they filled a unique and special niche to our lives. Esports should continue to grow as a separate entity and and remove themselves from the constraints of the sports world. Because, as we know, they definitely didn’t get here by following the norm.