Perspective! "THE GREAT DEBATE: ARE E-SPORTS REAL SPORTS?"

ROSEANN M. TAMAYO

,n recent \ears the rise oI e6Sorts has sSarNed a sSirited deEate over whether comSetitive video gaming deserves the same recognition as traditional sSorts. $dvocates argue that e6Sorts demands sNill strateg\ and disciSline aNin to Sh\sical sSorts while sNeStics Tuestion the classiIication emSha si]ing the aEsence oI traditional Sh\sical exertion.

2ne oI the Srimar\ arguments against considering e6Sorts as a sSort stems Irom the traditional deIinition oI sSorts which oIten involves Sh\sical exertion and athleticism. &ritics contend that the mental acuit\ reTuired Ior gaming doesn t eTuate to the Sh\sical demands oI sSorts liNe soccer or EasNetEall. 7he aEsence oI running MumSing and other Sh\sical activities leads some to Tuestion whether e6Sorts TualiIies as a true sSort.

0oreover critics argue that the sedentar\ nature oI gaming raises concerns aEout health and Iitness. 8nliNe traditional athletes e6Sorts comSetitors ma\ not undergo the same Sh\sical training regimens leading to Sotential health risNs associated with a more sedentar\ liIest\le.

%ut do sSorts need to Ee reall\ that exhausting"

$dvocates Ior e6Sorts argue that the deEate over Sh\sical exertion misses the Soint. 7he\ emSha si]e that e6Sorts reTuires an extraordinar\ level oI sNill strateg\ and reIlexes. 7he mental Srowess involved in mastering comSlex games develoSing strategies and executing sSlit second decisions mirrors the cognitive demands oI traditional sSorts.

)urthermore e6Sorts comSetitions such as those Ior SoSular titles liNe /eague oI /egends Dot$ and &ounter 6triNe *loEal 2IIensive draw massive gloEal audiences. 0aMor tournaments Iill arenas and millions oI viewers tune in online to witness the intense Eattles Eetween toS e6Sorts teams. 7he gloEal aSSeal oI e6Sorts with diverse cultures comSeting on an international stage mirrors the wide sSread SoSularit\ oI traditional sSorts.

7he growing acceStance and recognition oI e6Sorts E\ maMor sSorting organi]ations and universi ties Iurther Eolster the Sro e6Sorts stance. 2rgani]ations liNe the ,nternational 2l\mSic &ommittee ,2& have shown interest in exSloring the Sotential inclusion oI e6Sorts in Iuture 2l\mSic *ames. ,t ma\ not Ee a Sart oI the 3aris Iestivities Eut Must last -une the inaugural 2l\mSic (sSorts WeeN had successIull\ tooN Slace in 6ingaSore.

$dditionall\ universities now oIIer e6Sorts scholarshiSs such as 8niversit\ oI &aliIornia ,rvine and 0iami 8niversit\ in the 86 and even $teneo De 0anila 8niversit\ 0aSua 8niversit\ and 7he 8niversit\ oI the 3hiliSSines Diliman in a local scene treating comSetitive gamers with the same recognition as athletes in traditional sSorts.

7he legitimac\ oI e6Sorts is also evident in the suEstantial Sri]e Sools and lucrative sSonsorshiS deals associated with maMor tournaments. 7oS e6Sorts Sla\ers can earn signiIicant income through winnings endorsements and streaming revenue Iurther solidiI\ing the industr\s status as a legitimate and lucrative SroIession.

,n the ongoing deEate aEout whether e6Sorts is a real sSort it s crucial to acNnowledge the evolving nature oI sSorts and the exSanding deIinition oI athleticism. While e6Sorts ma\ not adhere to the traditional Sh\sicalit\ oI sSorts its immense sNill strategic deSth and gloEal aSSeal maNe a comSelling case Ior its legitimac\.

$s societ\ continues to redeIine what constitutes a sSort recogni]ing e6Sorts as a legitimate and resSected comSetitive activit\ seems inevitaEle. 7he immense growth Sassionate IanEase and in creasing acceStance Irom estaElished sSorting institutions suggest that e6Sorts is not Must a Sassing trend Eut a deIining element oI the contemSorar\ sSorts landscaSe.

o2o

7he author is 7eacher ,,, at 0arcelo +. Del 3ilar 1ational +igh 6chool