Are esports really sports?

It is clear that there is no definite answer as to whether or not esports are truly considered a sport. While some say the competitiveness and strategic knowledge needed to excel in esports qualifies them as a sport, others argue that the lack of physical ability simply does not match the traditional meaning of what a sport is.

 According to the New York Post, over half of all Americans believe video games should be an option in the Olympics. From competitions to teams, esports have many components similar to what a traditional sport would have, not to mention the extensive hours of practice required to excel. On the other hand, gaming simply does not include full-body coordination or physical athleticism, as would something like basketball, which would not fit the standard definition of sport.

Opinions vary among the Mounds View esports players. “It is definitely a competition, but it does not require any physical activity or stress like a real sport would,” says junior Michael Kivinen, Valorant player. Kivinen emphasizes that esports really do not require full-body capabilities, and, thus, should not be considered a sport. 

Kivinen is not the only esports player who agrees they are not a real sport. “[Esports do not] require rigorous physical activity like sports, so I consider them as just competitions,” said senior Elias Hagfors, Super Smash Bros player.

However, some players see esports as a legitimate sport. “I think the fact that there are competitions, teams that play against each other for prizes and the fact that it’s extremely hard to be one of the best in the world at it could mean that esports could be considered a sport,” said senior Evan Zumbolo, JV Valorant Captain. Zumbolo argues that because many factors of esports assimilate with traditional sports, they could definitely be considered real sports. 

With opinions on both sides, whether esports is truly a real sport comes down to personal interpretation of the “sport” definition.