What defines a sport? Is it physical exertion? Is it execution of skill? Perhaps it’s competition? Traditionally, a sport is defined as a physical activity, using both skill and talent to defeat an opponent, as an individual or a team.

However, that is not the case in today’s world… Esports are taking over the sporting world. Esports are booming in Asia and Europe, and are gaining popularity in the United States. In 2017, the ‘League of Legends’ World Championship in Beijing peaked at 106 million live viewers and streamers. That’s more than last year’s Super Bowl! Esports have grown into a multi-million dollar industry, and is predicted to break 1 billion dollars by early 2021. Kids nowadays look up to Esports superstars, just like they used to look up to basketball Allstars. Times are changing, and so are sports.

Above is the 2017 World Championship for ‘League of Legends’ (Beijing)

But what is an Esport? It is defined as a “Multiplayer video game played competitively for spectators.” But how is that different from a regular ‘Joe-Shmoe’ sitting on the couch playing Counter-Strike? It is very different. A professional Esports ‘athlete’ trains for years, working on quick reflexes and game knowledge. Esport championships are extremely competitive, as evidenced by the ‘Dota 2’ championship giving 38 million dollars to the winning team. There are hundreds of teams, full rosters of ‘athletes’ and coaches, sponsored by gaming companies.     

The Esports market is growing quicker than any other sport during the first few years after take off. With thousands of games and tournaments all over the world, this new age of professional gaming is thriving. ESPN has even picked up cable TV channels to broadcast Esports 24/7. Major League Gaming is spread out over every console and practically every game imaginable; the more popular ones being League of Legends, StarCraft II, and Counter-Strike. Viewers and subscribers donate money to top gamers to support their lifestyle, with top streamers earning up to $500,000 a month.

With the swelling popularity of Esports, it could potentially become recognized as a sport globally. Currently, Esports is incredibly popular in the United States, China, and Japan, three very influential countries that sway current trends. In the future, there could be ‘athletes’ from all over the world, representing their country, competing in a worldwide competition. Who knows, maybe you could be one of them some day.