Gaming becoming a legitimate sport.

http://www.mlgpro.com/?q=node/181255
http://sports.espn.go.com/videogames/mlg

Video games, once viewed only as a source of leisurely entertainment, is beginning to take on a different role. Today, more and more people look at gaming as not only a fun thing to do in their downtime, but also a potential competitive sport.
On Monday, Major League Gaming - the top worldwide video gaming league, signed a contract with ESPN. This contract is a major accomplishment in legitimizing gaming as an actual sport, and has many in the gaming world abuzz with excitement.

“Pro video gaming offers sports fans everything they love about sports—great teams, break-out personalities and stars, and exciting competition,” said Matthew Bromberg, President and CEO of Major League Gaming. “MLG’s digital properties now reach over four million fans a month, and millions more follow the League on TV, mobile devices, and X-Box Live. We’re excited to build upon that audience with ESPN.”

ESPN will now have a special section of its website devoted to professional gaming, and will appear at and cover each major MLG tournament this year, including the world championships in Vegas.

I personally am all for it. Becoming a professional in the video gaming world takes time and effort, and requires all the hallmarks of a professional athlete. Video gaming champions display talent, skill, endurance, logic, teamwork skills, and lightning reflexes. In games such as Halo 3 and Call of Duty 4, it is important to play smart and play for the team in order to win. In my opinion, gaming is a cross between a thinking man's sport, like Chess, and a physical challenge, like a majority of sports. Hell, if driving on a circular track and only turning left can be considered a sport, why shouldn't gaming!?

I agree with everything you said about how gaming takes skill, endurance, team work, ect. But I see "sports" as physical activity. Gaming doesn't take that much physical activity unless you count your hands. Or when you get your heart pumping with adrenaline. But I still don't see gaming as a sport. I think it's more of a mind exercise than physical. I guess that's just my opinion though.

Actually with the Nintendo Wii I can see it as a sport, along with PlayStation and Xbox verisons of Dance Dance Revolution, it would definately be a sport. In Japan the DDR tournaments draw HUGE crowds. I know when my friends play the Wii they're up on their feet moving around like mad trying to make the right punch in-game. I can't imagine what it will be like when Smash Bros. Brawl comes out. However unless it's in the olympics, most people won't recognize it as a sport. But i don't think Horse-riding is a olympic-worthy sport either.

I do not think that video games should become a sport. This is the worst idea I have ever heard. There is no way playing Xbox 360 will give u exercise or make u in shape. Yeah it does take some brain power to play video games but I do not think this should become a sport. I play sports and I love them, I play video games and I like them too. So I have done both and I just don’t mix the two because 1 is an actual physical activity and the other is a game where you sit around and be lazy.

I don't think that that would be too much of a good idea because video games is not a work out. It doesn't make you sweat, i hope not. All video games do to people is something that gets your mind off of stress,forget about things you have done through the day, it kinds of relaxes me from stress when i have a lot ono my mind, but i wouldn't make it no sport.Video games would probably make you gain weight too it depends on how much you plaky, do you play at night or in the morning time or whatever. But if play at night, that is kind of bad on your health because when playing at night, you begin to eat and sit, eat and sit, you get sleepy and go right to sleep with food in your stomach and you start to gain weight day by day. so i would keep video games right where it is, not a sport.

I am highly for this action in moving gaming to a legitimate sport. There are many countries already that hold gaming as high as sporting events in the US. While gaming is often looked down upon as a leisure activity that has caused many people to sit at home and not be active in the day to day world it is viewed very differently by those who actually play "professionally". Personally through online games I have met many new people across the world and I have visited several people from around the US that I would have never known otherwise. I am very good friends with many people around the world because of such games. Also Playing games like Halo 3 and Call of Duty 4 at MLG events requires extreme skills of team work, concentration, timing, hand-eye coordination and several other skills. While not the same as running a mile or playing a game of Hockey, Football or Basketball, professional gaming still requires alot of effort and hard work. I agree fully, if Racing can be considered a sport then why shouldn't gaming?

i think its a great idea that videogames have their own sport, people who disagree with this are also the people that believe poker is a sport. Notice I said is a sport. Gaming takes alot of endurace, reflexes, alot of smarts, although I dont play that much cause I got other things that need to be done and Im more into physical activity, for that reason I think they should incoporate the Nintendo Wii to this sport too. Then gamers would get a workout to. Videogames are a good idea to incorporate in your lives to some degree cause it really does test your brain and you also need to use your body too. It also gives guys that arent working and have no real talent a chance to earn some cash and ive and watched the gaming series for a couple minutes and there were some hot girls that were hosting or apart of so it gives the nerds a possible, not likely chance to get laid to LOL!!! and racing is also considered a sport too and if your going to call racing a sport and poker a sport and pool a sport you might as well put gaming up there too although you have be in good shape to race so Ive heard. Im more of a powerlifter/ wrestler so I wouldnt really know about but thats what Ive heard

I agree with whoever said that video gaming is considered a brain exercise rather than a physical one. Even though people move or use more than just their hands to play the Nintendo Wii, but how much do they practice for it? Think about a real sport, like basketball for example and think about the intensive practices that they do and compare it to video gaming! I have nothing against video gaming; however it is not fair to consider it a real sport. It should not be on the same page with basketball, baseball, tennis, swimming…etc. It should be on the page where you find poker, under brain exercises. After all I do respect your opinion; however I personally think that it should not be considered a sport.

I’m not sure if I would describe any video game as a sport. I do think a certain amount of physicality comes with playing a sport that isn’t involved in video games. I would describe some video games as a competition, though. Players can become skilled at certain games and deserve to have some sort of competition, but I don’t think it belongs with sporting events like football or basketball. In the same way that driving fast takes skill, it still seems awkward to call NASCAR a sport. It’s good to know that video game competitions are getting more recognition, though.

All i know that if i could be a professional gamer i would. Im glad that its going to be on espn because i like to watch people who are good play each other. Im not a nascar fan but im going to defend it. Racing cars is not easy. driving in a one piece jump suit in a hundred plus degree car is hard. Not to mention the fact that they do it for a good two to three hours. they lose fifteen pounds and it's not easy to have to turn the car going that fast. Knowing when to refill there tanks and having to get there tires replaced takes a good pit crew and talent. but back to gaming its a good idea im going to watch it and im sure my brother will to.