Should games be registered as a sport?

[old.Brit]

I don't know if any of you knew this, but as part and parcel of setting up the UKPCGC, the organisers attempted to get the Sports Council to acknowledge the fact that gaming was in fact, well within the realm of 'sport'.

The Sports Council didn't even bother to send them an application form, instead preferring to snub their attempts with a dry, and dreary letter which simply stated that in their lofty opinion, gaming does not count as a sport.

Personally, I would love to see some of these Sports Council people even try and attempt to play Quake, Unreal, Tribes, HL or a bunch of others.

IMHO, if these very same people can appoint darts, curling, bowls and static rifle shooting as sports, when in fact all of them are about as involved and strenuous as washing windows, then gaming has every right to be identified as a sport alongside them.

Anyway, what do you guys think?

--Brit--

Useful URL's on this:

www.theplayingfields.co.uk/rejection
www.ukpcgc.com

 

[old.[GA] Shovel]

Yeah I mean it works the other way... Footy on puter, Golf on Puter, Tennis, Rugby, American Footy, Nascar, Formula 1, Rally etc etc, for goodnes sake, even 10 pin bowling is on the PC. How the hell is that a sport? Same applys to fishing.

Come to think of it, hunting is apparently sport as well.
So surely gaming is not only safer and less bloody (well, real blood) but much BETTER than at least 3 sports I have mentioned....

On the other hand, what is there to gain from it? OO, we play a sport... why does that make it any better/worse than not being one?

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[GA] Shovel wardben@hotmail.com
Grey Area
Q2BATTLEUK

 

[old.[GA]Kryten]

Although it would be excellent getting to see Quake 2 finals on lan and stuff on bbc1, although im sure either itv or sky will snap up the "rights" to it

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**[GA]Kryten**
redalert@barrysworld.co.uk
Q2BAttleUK Co Webmaster
q2battleuk@barrysworld.com

 

[old.[SLH]Pakman]

The sports council (or whatever it's called now) - dishes out money from the National Lottery to support registered sports, therefor if PC Gaming is classed as a sport the gaming community would be (in theory) able to recieve some. This mony could be used to fund tournaments and professional players etc. I wouldn't mind saying I play games for a livin'

info@english.sports.gov.uk


Go on - have your say!

[This message has been edited by [SLH]Pakman (edited 19 July 1999).]

 

[old.Chodak]

Here are a few interesting things brought up in a conversation I had with the lady who does PR for the playing fields and computer shopper.
My name's Dan (chodak); my team - Unlucky, won the London qualifier of the UKPCGC. And because we won the first qualifier, there was a little bit of publicity (mainly local). So I got a call from this PR woman asking loads of Q's about various subjects, and hearing about this "Gaming as a sport", makes everything fit into place...
One main point she kept repeating in various different questions to me was "why should gaming be a sport?".
The reasons I thought should be put forward were;
1. What is a sport?
Sport seems to require some kind of athletic abiltity? er.. Darts? Snooker? ...
2. So maybe it is to do with determination?
Damn, some gamers get VERY passionate about their playing. All gamers want to win, often ver badly.
3. Precision and dexterity.
These are two proficiency sport abilities, classified as sport characterstics.
Playing any FPS develops both the learned ability to aim and focus on targets, and carefully controlled, precise movements of the limbs. (as in snooker, etc...)
4. Intelligence and problem solving.
I don't need to explain these, other than that games playing teaches and enhances both to an extent.
So what's the difference between Gaming and Sport? I can see very few differences, and the way gaming was snubbed shows that the national and regional sports councils still fail in their job to cater for different groups in society.

I might write something on this (I get really annoyed when ppl say "you just play games all day". Then wtf would playing tennis all day do?) Don't get me wrong, I study A-level PE, but these 'out of touch' council members are way wrong this time.
Thankyou.. phew =)

If I do write anything, it'll be up on my site. http://hosted.barrysworld.com/chodak
Along with Quake 3 news, etc...

 

[old.C4]

>> "I wouldn't mind saying I play games for a livin'"
<drools>
Yeah, then I could say I was good at least 1 sport

/thinks of A level computer games
<drools>
Yeah.....

C4

 

[Rup]

However, with darts, bowls, snooker, shooting, etc., the laws of physics are involved; granted these need skill over brute strength and fitness, but competitors cause something physical to happen.

How about chess and bridge? I don't believe that these currently count as sports -- but computer gaming has no better claim than either of these. What's more, chess and bridge are far better defined than computer gaming; there are hundreds of computer games and many more are being spawned by the day.

I think sports vs. games are yet another case of "you'll know it when you see it". To me at least, trying to place computer games in the company of athletics, football, tennis or squash (amongst others) feels plain wrong.

Rup.

 

[old.Brit]

Actually, Chess *is* defined as a sport, with the Olympic Chess Competition or somesuch taking place annually.

As for the laws of physics? well, many games now use engines which mimic those as close to real life as is possible to attain in a simulated environment.

Internet users provide BT with a massive 15% of its annual revenue generation currently, and I'm willing to be that the majority of that is down to online gaming.

The skill and practice required to achieve 'recognition' within often unforgiving online communities is often greater than that required to achieve the same in mainstream 'sports' events.

IMO, Games should be recognised for what they are - a way of pitting player against player where experience, skill, resourcefulness and luck will guarantee victory - the same criteria that applies to so called real 'Sports'.

Its about time the communities involved stood together and made those grey suits who have been appointed guardians of our sport take notice of the fact that online gaming is big, its here, and its skillful enough to be categorised as a sport (in some quarters - mulitplayer bubble bobble doesn't count

)

--Brit--

 

[Mr B]

As much as I would love to see the wonderful world of Computer Games become a sport, I personally think it would remove the one thing that makes it so enjoyable....

ie. No-one takes it too seriously...

I mean OK, you get the occasional "LLama" on a server, but by and large the On-Line gaming community is fairly friendly.

Turning it into a "sport" with advertising or prize money or televised finals or whatever is a BAD IDEA.

1) It would NOT work on the telly. (I was at the finals of Quakeadelica and found that the big screen observer view was shite and spent the whole final peering over Thresh's shoulder).

2) It just ain't popular enough

3) No-one would want to sponsor a violent computer game anyway (maybe FIFA Footy, or a decent Snooker game, but then you can just watch "Real-People"(playing) which is far more enjoyable anyway

4) ...It just wouldn't work....trust me...

[TF]Mrs B

http://clans.barrysworld.com/thefallen

 

[xane]

You could always used that big pool in Q2CTF2 and do "synchronised quake-swimming"

 

[old.=DI=Penry]

Mr B - 3)No-one would want to sponsor a violent computer game . Benetton would probably jump at the chance !

 

[old.Tinky]

Brit,

A few comments ..

you should "check" about Chess I think. If its a sport its only just. There has been stuff in the press over the last few months about it finally becoming a sport and thats after many years of effort. It's not an Olympic Sport (yet).

As to computer gaming becoming a sport, it doesn't really meet their criteria so their reaction is hardly surprising.

Are you seriously suggesting that the majority of the revenue BT gets from internet access is down to online gaming ? Got any figures to show this ?

Online Gaming is not that big

If you are serious about trying to register Computer Gaming as a sport you haven't done yourself any favours with the people who ultimately decide whether it is or not.

Was this a serious attempt or just a publicity stunt ?

I can think of lots of organisations I'd rather see their or rather _our_ money being distributed to.

 

[old.FingerMagnet]

What the heck, I may as well give you all a piece of my mind. (Even though I can't really afford too!)

Computer gaming a sport? I think not. I've read the views above and they certainly have some merit. But how many of us really truly consider chess (and the like) a sport? Not I. Any chess players gotta problem with that? I don't care cos I can whoop all yer asses! Err, I digress.

I believe that online gaming requires skill to master, and as such could be interpreted as a sport. But you need to remember that chess and all the other iffy "sport" games have been around for eons. How long has Quake been around? How long will it remain the game that it is? If gaming is to be a sport surely it will have to remain constant. This could kill the evolutionary nature of games. Do we really want that? I think not.

Calling all computer games a sport is also a load of poop too. Does that mean because chess a board game is a sport that all board games are sports too? Snakes and ladders a sport, oh no my friend.

The computer gaming community does not need the status of being a sport. This generation of online gamers will eventually grow to fill the powerful positions in society and hopefully provide sponsorship for tournaments and the such. Also, as soon as the dumb ass minds of the advertising Co realise that the online gaming community occupies a unique niche in the market, they will start to throw money at us. Who knows perhaps we will one day compete in the McDonald's Cup!?!

Another reason, if computer gaming became a sport wouldn't it make it more expansive for average player. Like everyone will want to have all the gizmos to gain the extra edge. I.e., Special keyboards, err stuff like that. Oh, and special mousemats for tournaments (who was that?).

Plus after each game we would all have to give pee samples to prove we didn't use reflex enhancing drugs! What a nightmare!

Ok, that’s my piece. At this point I should mention I am currently unwell and this could mean I'm talking alot more crap than usual. I dunno let me know what you think.


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FingerMagnet@Pakistans.com

 

[old.FingerMagnet]

Sports Council Refuse Application

Want to read more...follow the link.
www.theplayingfields.co.uk/rejection/