Current Events > Are pro gamers "athletes" in your eyes?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I would say so, mostly because of how much of a pain getting visas can be.

No
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Lolfuckno
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lol
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No
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No, they are just pro gamers.
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Yes
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For those saying no, what makes someone an athlete?

being an athlete is not about how difficult it is to get visas
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No, because they literally aren't athletes. An athlete is someone who is proficient at a sport. An "eSport" is not an actual sport. A sport is a competitive and physically exerting activity. Playing video games is not physically exerting.
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Hell no.
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Vindris_SNH posted...

No, because they literally aren't athletes. An athlete is someone who is proficient at a sport. An "eSport" is not an actual sport. A sport is a competitive and physically exerting activity. Playing video games is not physically exerting.

Where do you draw the line on 'physically exerting'?

There's Olympic events that aren't very strenuous on the body.

Curling, for example.

Curling isn't a real sport either.
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curling is pretty intense actually, though Im the sort of person who would also say that of pro gaming so idk man
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I say no, because an athlete in my book is someone who's proficient at a physical exercise. Gaming is, for the most part, a mental exercise.

Same way how professional chess players aren't athletes. It's nothing against the sport itself, they're just the mental equivalent.
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_Goggalor_ posted...

Curling isn't a real sport either.

What's a real sport?

DK9292 posted...

I say no, because an athlete in my book is someone who's proficient at a physical exercise. Gaming is, for the most part, a mental exercise.

Same way how professional chess players aren't athletes. It's nothing against the sport itself, they're just the mental equivalent.

So you're saying I can make it big in esports with low APM / execution?

No

DK9292 posted...

Same way how professional chess players aren't athletes

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I'm of the opinion that pro-gaming is a sport, but its players aren't athletes. A sport is being any competition or game, but an athlete being specifically someone who trains in athleticism, (extreme physical exertion, running, jumping, throwing, balance, etc.)

Most sports are athletic, but not all are. To give a non video game example: Shooting competitions for example I wouldn't consider athletics, but still a sport.
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yoloyoloswagEMP posted...

For those saying no, what makes someone an athlete?

Definition of athlete. : a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina. (via Merriam-Webster)
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Megaman50100 posted...

I'm of the opinion that pro-gaming is a sport, but its players aren't athletes. A sport is being any competition or game, but an athlete being specifically someone who trains in athleticism, (extreme physical exertion, running, jumping, throwing, balance, etc.)

Most sports are athletic, but not all are. To give a non video game example: Shooting competitions for example I wouldn't consider athletics, but still a sport.

Yeah, I can ship this

yoloyoloswagEMP posted...

DK9292 posted...

I say no, because an athlete in my book is someone who's proficient at a physical exercise. Gaming is, for the most part, a mental exercise.

Same way how professional chess players aren't athletes. It's nothing against the sport itself, they're just the mental equivalent.

So you're saying I can make it big in esports with low APM / execution?

I don't understand what that's supposed to mean.
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DK9292 posted...

yoloyoloswagEMP posted...

DK9292 posted...

I say no, because an athlete in my book is someone who's proficient at a physical exercise. Gaming is, for the most part, a mental exercise.

Same way how professional chess players aren't athletes. It's nothing against the sport itself, they're just the mental equivalent.

So you're saying I can make it big in esports with low APM / execution?

I don't understand what that's supposed to mean.

You're ignoring the physical skill side of pro gaming.

There's no way in hell someone can be successful in pro gaming without dexterity.

Do you consider snooker a sport?

Not athletes, no.

Doesn't mean what they do isn't impressive and can't be an event/sport of its own mind.
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yoloyoloswagEMP posted...

DK9292 posted...

yoloyoloswagEMP posted...

DK9292 posted...

I say no, because an athlete in my book is someone who's proficient at a physical exercise. Gaming is, for the most part, a mental exercise.

Same way how professional chess players aren't athletes. It's nothing against the sport itself, they're just the mental equivalent.

So you're saying I can make it big in esports with low APM / execution?

I don't understand what that's supposed to mean.

You're ignoring the physical skill side of pro gaming.

There's no way in hell someone can be successful in pro gaming without dexterity.

k
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Top level gaming requires a lot of muscle memory and dexterity. Theres a reason that most pros end up with carpal tunnel and that the best pros have medical trainers these days
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Where do you draw the line on 'physically exerting'?

There's Olympic events that aren't very strenuous on the body.

Curling, for example.

Which is why they're the Olympic Games instead of the Olympic Sports.
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Funkydog posted...

Not athletes, no.

Doesn't mean what they do isn't impressive and can't be an event/sport of its own mind.

The debate spawns from the issue of granting players visas when competing abroad.

Some games in some countries, the players are considered athletes so they can apply for an athlete visa.

imagine thinking that games have no physical exertion
a professional melee player's tendon calcified because he was playing too much of a particularly technical character and now he can't play
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DevsBro posted...

Where do you draw the line on 'physically exerting'?

There's Olympic events that aren't very strenuous on the body.

Curling, for example.

Which is why they're the Olympic Games instead of the Olympic Sports.

yeah, good point.

fair enough

if you sit on your ass for too long you'll get pressure sores

does that mean I'm a professional sitting down athlete
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yoloyoloswagEMP posted...

Funkydog posted...

Not athletes, no.

Doesn't mean what they do isn't impressive and can't be an event/sport of its own mind.

The debate spawns from the issue of granting players visas when competing abroad.

Some games in some countries, the players are considered athletes so they can apply for an athlete visa.

Oh, well, I dunno in that case really.

I've no objection to them getting visa's on that same level really if they are competing internationally. Just doesn't seem like they are "athletes" is all.
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If physical training isn't required, it isn't athletic.

As such, curling is far more athletic than any esport.
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darkjedilink posted...

If physical training isn't required, it isn't athletic.

As such, curling is far more athletic than any esport.

In that case, esports are athletic.

Garioshi posted...

imagine thinking that games have no physical exertion
a professional melee player's tendon calcified because he was playing too much of a particularly technical character and now he can't play

Same thing happens when typing to fast. Does that make all administrative assistants and court reporters athletes?
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yoloyoloswagEMP posted...

darkjedilink posted...

If physical training isn't required, it isn't athletic.

As such, curling is far more athletic than any esport.

In that case, esports are athletic.

What physical exercises are required? What muscle groups need to be trained? What athletic trainers are certified to train people to be pro gamers?
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Funkydog posted...

yoloyoloswagEMP posted...

Funkydog posted...

Not athletes, no.

Doesn't mean what they do isn't impressive and can't be an event/sport of its own mind.

The debate spawns from the issue of granting players visas when competing abroad.

Some games in some countries, the players are considered athletes so they can apply for an athlete visa.

Oh, well, I dunno in that case really.

I've no objection to them getting visa's on that same level really if they are competing internationally. Just doesn't seem like they are "athletes" is all.

I don't really understand the gatekeeping involved in the debate.

People literally want pro gamers to be denied entry into other countries to compete because it's "not a real sport"? Wack.

darkjedilink posted...

yoloyoloswagEMP posted...

darkjedilink posted...

If physical training isn't required, it isn't athletic.

As such, curling is far more athletic than any esport.

In that case, esports are athletic.

What physical exercises are required? What muscle groups need to be trained? What athletic trainers are certified to train people to be pro gamers?

>actually thinking there's zero physical training in gaming

Do you think people magically get better execution or what?

yoloyoloswagEMP posted...

darkjedilink posted...

yoloyoloswagEMP posted...

darkjedilink posted...

If physical training isn't required, it isn't athletic.

As such, curling is far more athletic than any esport.

In that case, esports are athletic.

What physical exercises are required? What muscle groups need to be trained? What athletic trainers are certified to train people to be pro gamers?

>actually thinking there's zero physical training in gaming

Do you think people magically get better execution or what?

Can't answer the questions, huh?
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darkjedilink posted...

yoloyoloswagEMP posted...

darkjedilink posted...

yoloyoloswagEMP posted...

darkjedilink posted...

If physical training isn't required, it isn't athletic.

As such, curling is far more athletic than any esport.

In that case, esports are athletic.

What physical exercises are required? What muscle groups need to be trained? What athletic trainers are certified to train people to be pro gamers?

>actually thinking there's zero physical training in gaming

Do you think people magically get better execution or what?

Can't answer the questions, huh?

Same goes for you.

darkjedilink posted...

yoloyoloswagEMP posted...

darkjedilink posted...

If physical training isn't required, it isn't athletic.

As such, curling is far more athletic than any esport.

In that case, esports are athletic.

What physical exercises are required? What muscle groups need to be trained? What athletic trainers are certified to train people to be pro gamers?

boot up melee and record yourself waveshineing across final destination if games don't require any physical training
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yoloyoloswagEMP posted...

darkjedilink posted...

yoloyoloswagEMP posted...

darkjedilink posted...

yoloyoloswagEMP posted...

darkjedilink posted...

If physical training isn't required, it isn't athletic.

As such, curling is far more athletic than any esport.

In that case, esports are athletic.

What physical exercises are required? What muscle groups need to be trained? What athletic trainers are certified to train people to be pro gamers?

>actually thinking there's zero physical training in gaming

Do you think people magically get better execution or what?

Can't answer the questions, huh?

Same goes for you.

I asked first. What is the pro gamer exercise regimen? If I want to be a pro gamer, what equipment at the gym am I hitting? What muscle groups? What diet?
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Garioshi posted...

darkjedilink posted...

yoloyoloswagEMP posted...

darkjedilink posted...

If physical training isn't required, it isn't athletic.

As such, curling is far more athletic than any esport.

In that case, esports are athletic.

What physical exercises are required? What muscle groups need to be trained? What athletic trainers are certified to train people to be pro gamers?

boot up melee and record yourself waveshineing across final destination if games don't require any physical training

Still not actually answering the question.
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darkjedilink posted...

Garioshi posted...

darkjedilink posted...

yoloyoloswagEMP posted...

darkjedilink posted...

If physical training isn't required, it isn't athletic.

As such, curling is far more athletic than any esport.

In that case, esports are athletic.

What physical exercises are required? What muscle groups need to be trained? What athletic trainers are certified to train people to be pro gamers?

boot up melee and record yourself waveshineing across final destination if games don't require any physical training

Still not actually answering the question.

you're assuming that all sports only require physical strength and don't require reflexes, execution, or adaptability
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Lol nah
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@darkjedilink: Do you think pro gamers should be allowed to obtain athlete visas?

Not me, no. They're a competitor like a chess player or poker player but since they need visas and sports are the closest thing to what they do, they get them. Never going to consider someone without actual athleticism an athlete--- and I'm not saying that to put down pro-gamers, just express that they don't fit into that area.
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comparing board games to video games is weird imo

you can have someone else make the physical move for you in chess and checkers because your individual physical capacity for movement is not at all meaningful to the game, which is based on different game states that you have the discrete control over in a turn order fashion

that's not how most video games (any competitive esports) work though

like I get the distinction between athletes and egamers but you actually do need to be better in a physical capacity to be better at video games which is not true of board games
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