Eyes on Esports

Even though there are currently more than 8000 sports listed in the World Sports Encyclopedia, the public only really considers a couple of dozen worth watching, and out of those dozens, it is well-known that soccer, cricket, and hockey stand out the most. For decades, the same bunch of sports dominated the industry and we got so used to this system without us even noticing, to the point that if something new enters the door, we’ll probably welcome it with an unpleasant treatment, and quite frankly, that is exactly what happened. Not so long ago something unexpected entered the scene, something different, and in mere moments it was able to make its mark in the world of sports. Set aside soccer, cricket, and hockey for a moment, the world's fastest-growing sport is currently live gaming.

Electronic Sports started to make some noise a few years ago, and as time passes by the noise only gets louder, but despite the rapid growth, there is still one factor that is keeping it from truly breaking through the debate about whether Esports can actually be considered as a real sport. Some say that it lacks the physicalities needed for it to be even considered a sport and should not be aired on entertainment channels. ESPN President John Skipper goes on to say “It’s not a sport — it’s a competition. Chess is a competition. Checkers is a competition….Mostly, I’m interested in doing real sports,” according to Re/code. But to enthusiasts and those who live within the scene, it's a whole different world. It is a place that enthralls the kid deep within one's soul and altogether connects millions of people around the globe.

The public still doesn't accept the concept of Esports, including those so-called experts on other sports. They believe that live gaming is not one of them. But regardless of all of this negativity, Esports continues to reach new heights. During the Grand Finals of last year's League of Legends Worlds, 43 million people watched the series finals. That was 12 million more than the number of people that watched the 2016 NBA Finals. Meanwhile, during this year's League of Legends Worlds, the community was once again able to hit some new heights, this includes a new record of 80 million unique viewers during semifinals.

It is without a doubt that live gaming or Esports in general has an incredibly awful image. Due to the statements of others, people tend to think that this concept is just a bad influence and this further resulted in the birth of the stereotype when it comes to gamers. Still, countless numbers of gamers all around the world dream to be a part of this environment, dreaming that one day they will play the game that they love in front of millions of people. Honesty, you can't really blame them, this competitive atmosphere, this certain uniqueness, this one-of-a-kind aura, all of these just bring a certain vibe that attracts those who come across it.

Esports, in general, will just continue to rise, no matter how hard others try to pull it down, it’ll just continue to move forward. The community will continue to grow, and the number of fans, the number of professional players, and the number of organizations, all of these are bound to increase. And in a few years who knows, we might see Esports alongside the mainstream sports. After all, this bunch of animations that others look down upon, in the eyes of the community, shows endless possibilities, and as long as they hold onto this belief then it is no surprise if Esports once again reaches new heights.