Is LoL a sport?

by **Heartstop123** 19/6/2014, 10:00 pm

Recovered Morris University just became the firstuniversity to make League of legends a part of their collegiate athletics department. Do you think LoL is a sport yes or no?

http://community.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/riot-official/MY0XlKAK-the-beginnings-of-leagues-first-varsity-team

by **Blood** 19/6/2014, 10:06 pm

Lacks physical exertion so no. Would be like saying the Mathletes team is a sport.

by **celeritas0** 19/6/2014, 10:56 pm

LoL, from what I know of it, is a mental sport. There are other games in this category too, like Go, Chess, and Starcraft.

Certainly the competitive aspects of these and other mental sports are on par with "conventional" ones. Of course, as Blood said, one type is physical and one is not, but to me the above activities fit a more modern definition of "sports." Perhaps not the usual usage of the word, but I imagine in the future it will be.

by **lil_me** 19/6/2014, 11:07 pm

maybe not a sport, but the word competition seems more fitting.

by **Blood** 20/6/2014, 12:38 am

celeritas0 wrote:LoL, from what I know of it, is a mental sport. There are other games in this category too, like Go, Chess, and Starcraft.

Certainly the competitive aspects of these and other mental sports are on par with "conventional" ones. Of course, as Blood said, one type is physical and one is not, but to me the above activities fit a more modern definition of "sports." Perhaps not the usual usage of the word, but I imagine in the future it will be.

This is the difference for me, I am an old man for my young age. I dislike how the term "sport" is used/defined and what all is included in the modern day under said term.

by **celeritas0** 20/6/2014, 1:16 am

For what reason?

by **Aezure** 20/6/2014, 12:09 pm

No it's a competition, of which types include sports, esports, board games, etc...

Honestly it doesn't matter what you call it, just treat it like anything else with competitiveness (saying this as my old school's former Warhammer 40k Captain Razz

).

by **Broeder** 20/6/2014, 1:33 pm

There's a word for it, its called esport. It exists for a reason Smile

by **celeritas0** 20/6/2014, 2:57 pm

I'm not sure I agree Aezure. It's not the same as anything with competitiveness. Certainly you wouldn't say LoL should be grouped with Tetris.

True Broeder, which is a subcategory of sport to my mind Razz

More properly, I should have grouped LoL and Starcraft as esports, and Go and Chess as mind sports.

by **Broeder** 20/6/2014, 3:08 pm

If esport is a subcategory of sport, than define football and basketball etc as physical sports. But since you see those as just 'sports', its hard to see esports as a sport.

Same goes for mental sports

by **Venom** 20/6/2014, 3:30 pm

Whilst I would personally say that LoL is a sport because I view it as competing against people for an objective of winning.

The dictionary sort of says differently : an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.
Taking the dictionary definition of sport I don't really count clicking buttons as physical exertion and in such case if that is the final definition of sport, then I will admit that LoL is in-fact not a sport.

However having said this, I think that perhaps the definition of sport may need to be redefined, that definition was probably introduced before there was even the possibility of competing on competitive level with electronic medium.

Finally I'd have to relate to a previous point about chess not being a sport which I don't agree with, as it is putting your own mental ability against someone else's and I don't believe the idea of sport is supposed to be limited to purely physical attributes.

Therefore based purely on my own opinion , I would classify LoL as a sport however I would also classify anything where you put your, or team's, ( As long as numbers are constant on both sides) own skill against another in a competitive manner as a sport.

My final definition of sport would be : an activity involving physical or mental exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.

by **Daba** 20/6/2014, 3:31 pm

Blood wrote:Lacks physical exertion so no. Would be like saying the Mathletes team is a sport.

by **Venom** 20/6/2014, 3:33 pm

Daba wrote:
Blood wrote:Lacks physical exertion so no. Would be like saying the Mathletes team is a sport.

I only have a vague idea of what a mathlete is, fill me in? UK noob here

by **celeritas0** 20/6/2014, 3:54 pm

People that compete in mathematics competitions. Generally trying to solve problems quicker and more accurately than the other people.

by **Upskirt** 20/6/2014, 4:53 pm

How is it not a sport. There is no need for physical activity in a sport. A sport is a competition between parties who practice their skill to try and beat one another. Being a professional LoL player takes lots of hand eye coordination and lots of practice and awareness. I see no problem with calling it a sport.

by **lil_me** 20/6/2014, 5:11 pm

Upskirt wrote:How is it not a sport. There is no need for physical activity in a sport. A sport is a competition between parties who practice their skill to try and beat one another. Being a professional LoL player takes lots of hand eye coordination and lots of practice and awareness. I see no problem with calling it a sport.

while I agree with that I've never seen a hockey game where they had to pause because someone's equipment ran out of batteries. Or him being there but suddenly disappearing because he disconnected.

by **celeritas0** 20/6/2014, 6:09 pm

lil_me wrote:
Upskirt wrote:How is it not a sport. There is no need for physical activity in a sport. A sport is a competition between parties who practice their skill to try and beat one another. Being a professional LoL player takes lots of hand eye coordination and lots of practice and awareness. I see no problem with calling it a sport.

while I agree with that I've never seen a hockey game where they had to pause because someone's equipment ran out of batteries. Or him being there but suddenly disappearing because he disconnected.

Sure you have, people get injured all the time Razz

Not to mention equipment breaks in lots of sports.

by **lil_me** 20/6/2014, 8:33 pm

celeritas0 wrote:
lil_me wrote:
Upskirt wrote:How is it not a sport. There is no need for physical activity in a sport. A sport is a competition between parties who practice their skill to try and beat one another. Being a professional LoL player takes lots of hand eye coordination and lots of practice and awareness. I see no problem with calling it a sport.

while I agree with that I've never seen a hockey game where they had to pause because someone's equipment ran out of batteries. Or him being there but suddenly disappearing because he disconnected.

Sure you have, people get injured all the time Not to mention equipment breaks in lots of sports.

ya and then you sub in a new player while the equipment is fixed. and what if a player couldnt make it to the stadium because his "internet was crap".

by **WisdomStar** 20/6/2014, 8:56 pm

it is sport... it is e-sport Very Happy

by **Zombeh** 20/6/2014, 9:28 pm

lil_me wrote:
celeritas0 wrote:
lil_me wrote:
Upskirt wrote:How is it not a sport. There is no need for physical activity in a sport. A sport is a competition between parties who practice their skill to try and beat one another. Being a professional LoL player takes lots of hand eye coordination and lots of practice and awareness. I see no problem with calling it a sport.

while I agree with that I've never seen a hockey game where they had to pause because someone's equipment ran out of batteries. Or him being there but suddenly disappearing because he disconnected.

Sure you have, people get injured all the time Not to mention equipment breaks in lots of sports.

ya and then you sub in a new player while the equipment is fixed. and what if a player couldnt make it to the stadium because his "internet was crap".

most big events are done on lan servers not online

by **gunmage8** 21/6/2014, 12:03 am

wisdomstar brings up a good point, what is the difference between sport and e-sport then?

by **celeritas0** 21/6/2014, 12:20 am

gunmage8 wrote:wisdomstar brings up a good point, what is the difference between sport and e-sport then?

Not all sports require computers, but all e-sports do.

by **Smugleaf** 21/6/2014, 1:29 am

Typically if we're going by the definition of sport then no since there isn't much physical activity in hitting buttons sitting in a chair and clicking a mouse. However I do think that it can go under something like e-sport or mental sports since its a competitive environment, there's a large difference between the good and the great, and, it is, in a way a job. I'm going to be honest though if they want to consider it a full blown sport then let them. I'm curious to see where this goes.

by **Kelly** 21/6/2014, 4:01 am

No, I do not think it's a sport.

Is LoL a sport? 4da55e62da67a1acea35ce45e397afa1

However, I feel besides the physical exertion, it has the capabilities of a sport: requiring teamwork, coordination, practice, and such. I feel League of Legends would be better classed as a competition of sort. Though, I can see the debate in it, though. Just like the debate of 'is chess considered a sport?' that has been a large controversy for a long time.

Just my opinion.

by **Zombeh** 21/6/2014, 4:44 am

SportAccord uses the following criteria, determining that a sport should

have an element of competition
be in no way harmful to any living creature
not rely on equipment provided by a single supplier (excluding proprietary games such as arena football)
not rely on any "luck" element specifically designed into the sport

Wiki says it's a sport wiki knows all /thread

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