ESPN boss says eSports is "not a sport"

[binary solo]

cheshirescat said:
I agree, but espn needs to remove poker from their viewing lineup unless they're fine with sounding like hypocrites as that most certainly fits in line with chess and checkers as a "competition". Unfortunately, ratings for those shows are too strong to ignore it would seem.

Well that rather shoots a cruise missile sized hole in his argument then doesn't?

Also, rather than be all subjective about things and my opinion vs other people's opinions, like the ridiculous statement by Bananaking that golf isn't a sport because it's boring to you, let's look to see if the actual, formal objective definition of sport does or doesn't encompass eSports.

Dictionary.com

noun

1. 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.

2. a particular form of this, especially in the out of doors.

3. diversion; recreation; pleasant pastime.

Seems to me eSport easily fits into definition 3, with elements of 1 (requires skill and is of a competetive nature). Ergo eSport is a sport, as are chess, checkers, darts, curling, bowlindg, icedancing, pole dancing...

Q.E.D, thank you, /thread.

But to add further: the origin of sport is disport, from middle english, which meaning is:

verb (used with object)

1. to divert or amuse (oneself).

2. to display (oneself) in a sportive manner:

 

The picnickers disported themselves merrily on the beach.

verb (used without object)

3. to divert oneself; sport.

noun

4. diversion; amusement; play; sport.

On some ways eSport fits better with the origin of the word than the things people think of a sport.

Q.E.D. 2.0