Should eSports be Considered Sports?

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eSports or electronic sports has grown immensely over the last couple of years, with pro gamers competing for thousands of dollars in tournaments, and recently these tournaments have become televised. This recent popularity has sparked a debate over whether or not it should be considered a sport. Competitive gamers practice for hours upon hours to even just compete so it no doubt takes a lot of skill. But can it really be in the same category as baseball, football, and basketball? Dictionary.com defines a sport as an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc. The key word here is athletic. Sure, the reflexes of competitive gamers are something to note but it really isn’t athletic when only the hands are being used. This definition would end the argument but believe it or not the International Olympic Committee considers chess a sport. Chess requires little to no physical activity but does rely highly on strategy. With that said, I believe if chess, a game that requires little to no physical activity and relies highly on skill and strategy is considered a sport then gaming should be considered a sport as well. Do you think eSports should be considered a sport? Comment below what you think.

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