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Whenever I mention the professional Starcraft scene to people who are unfamiliar with it, I have to be careful with the words I choose. In particular, the word "sport" generally draws an objection from at least someone in the room. "Starcraft isn't a 'sport,' " they say. "A 'sport' is a physical competition between two players or teams. Starcraft is a video game, not a sport." As such, the term "e-sport" is treated as a contradiction in terms.
Now, there's two possible claims in that assertion. One is just definitional: the term "sport" has historically been applied to games of physical prowess, and not to mental games (chess, for example, is not usually thought of as a "sport"), so it seems odd to include a game like Starcraft. The other point is that a "game" implies something that is only legitimate as a pastime; "sports" are a massive industry with a huge range of people involved, including full-time players, analysts, casters, journalists, and a wide range of people that enjoy the sport, not just to play, but to watch. A man who spends all his time on a sport is an athlete; a man who spends all his time on a game is a waste, a slob, a loser.
Starcraft II is a video game, in the literal sense of the term. And I certainly enjoy playing it for all the reasons that a video game is fun. But Starcraft II does what no ordinary video game can do. I think I remember from Day[9] Daily #100 a part where Day[9] almost couldn't go to a Starcraft (Brood War, but the point is the same) tournament because his principal wouldn't let him skip school to play a video game, and Sean's mother said something along the lines of, "This isn't you going somewhere to play Mario Kart with your friends, this is Starcraft!" (Not an exact quote, I'm sure). So yes, Starcraft is a video game, but it is also a great deal more.
First, Starcraft is a community. When you see Naniwa barely lose to Leenock's roach all-in, there's a community of nerds out there celebrating or mourning (depending on which player you prefer) with you. If you go to a viewing party or barcraft, there's a few right there in the room with you. If you go to MLG, there's a hell of a lot more there than you knew existed. Throughout the country, or for that matter, the world, there are people that you can connect to and have something in common.
Starcraft is a storybook. In every tournament, from Dreamhack to MLG to GSL, it's not just a series of games between a bunch of players; there's a narrative. There's IdrA battling against his age-old rival MC – or, perhaps more accurately, IdrA battling against his age-old rival, himself. There's Thorzain coming out of nowhere, and destroying brilliant players in TSL3 for a dramatic finals against Naniwa. There's Thorzain and his TvP beasting his way through Dreamhack Valencia, facing DRG's intimidating ZvT and narrowly losing. Okay, I confess, I love Thorzain.
Finally, Starcraft is a stunning example of human accomplishment. Perhaps the deepest, most essential purpose of sports is to marvel at what humans can do when they set their mind to it. In that same vein, my favorite aspect of watching Starcraft II is to see the absolutely amazing skill levels that players can achieve–levels I never would have thought possible. When I watch a Nestea interview after his GSL finals with MarineKingPrime and he explained that the strategy MKP chose–a two-bunker rush–was something he had practiced against several hundred times. Those same shivers come back when MKP has a proxy 2-gate inside his base, and he holds down based solely on the strength of his marine micro.
So maybe "sport" is defined solely as games that involve physical exercise, which Starcraft does not. Okay, fine. But do people watch football for the community that has built up around their team? Do they watch because of the narrative of a team pushing through and overcoming against all odds? Do they watch to see humans accomplish what they never would have thought possible? Or do they watch because some guys are getting physical exercise, and exercise is important?
I wrote this out here, because I hardly want to go on this rant to the people around the table at Thanksgiving. And when the subject comes up in that context, I don't push the point, because there's no point getting defensive about the things I love. But in the spirit of the holiday, I'm grateful for the influence of Starcraft in my life, not just as a video game, but as a sport (or whatever you want to call it), and I thought maybe the people here on Team Liquid might share that gratitude, too.
TL;DR: Starcraft may or may not meet the technical definition of "sport," but it has all the characteristics that make a sport good, and I'm grateful for it.
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for me especially on toplevel it is a sport even of the phyisical part, when I see the pro's playing. When you make over 500apm...that's definitly an physical activity. Next to that you also need to be "fit" for events as MLG, who ask 3 days concentration of the players. That's impossible when you aren't in shape.
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i think calling it a sport is just trying too hard (even if it could technically be a sport).
i am perfectly fine with it being called a competitive game. e-sport just sounds silly, but that's just imo.
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"A 'sport' is a physical competition between two players or teams
If SC isn't a sport, why do topplayers have to watch their physical condition and pay (a relative) huge attention to their diets and physical condition?
That's what I would say, in any case.
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I understand some people that don't want to call it a 'sport' okay. But e-sport should be the correct term.
I freaking love starcraft, I love the community, the tournaments, the excitement, the skill involved, the strategies that you can use, the heat radiating when you're about to win.
It is certainly a competetive scene.
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My personal compleatly definiton of sport is a game that makes you fit if you play it. Or atleast requieres you to be fit. Im not gona name anyone, but there pro gamers that are not fit at all, so I dont think I can accept starcraft as a sport.
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I usually respond to that that most sports are merely a clash of genomes.
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Eh, it's ok. I usually just quote some prize pool numbers.
Otherwise, I just revel in my enlightenment. Not everyone has to understand everything anybody does.
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On November 24 2011 19:18 Sea_Food wrote:
My personal compleatly definiton of sport is a game that makes you fit if you play it. Or atleast requieres you to be fit. Im not gona name anyone, but there pro gamers that are not fit at all, so I dont think I can accept starcraft as a sport.
Chess is recognized as a sport by the Olympics. And requires no physical fitness.
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Okay, so admittedly 500 million APM requires a certain kind of physical fitness, but I still don't think you can call Starcraft a sport in the physical activity sense. And let's be honest, people like this game for a lot of reasons, but I don't think ability to click quickly is all that high on the list.
I'm not too hurt by people not understanding what the Starcraft community is and how awesome it can be. I mostly just wanted to take the opportunity to express my appreciation.
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I might just be silly, but shouldn't StarCraft be able to be called a sport? - I mean, racing is a 'sport' afterall, and where's the physical exercise/activity in that? Same thing goes for Chess, as stated by someone else in this thread.
I think the reason StarCraft isn't classified as a 'sport' yet, is because it's simply too small a community to match with any other sport.
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On November 24 2011 19:46 AziDon wrote:
I might just be silly, but shouldn't StarCraft be able to be called a sport? - I mean, racing is a 'sport' afterall, and where's the physical exercise/activity in that? Same thing goes for Chess, as stated by someone else in this thread.
I think the reason StarCraft isn't classified as a 'sport' yet, is because it's simply too small a community to match with any other sport.
You need to be in physical top shape for high-level racing. Especially f1 is very tough on the body with all the g-force applied.
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Is Pool or curling a sport? For someones, yes, for others just a glofiried hobby.
Is the Indianapolis race or F1 race a sport? For most is a technological show, but someother say it is a sport.
Is Starcraft a sport? well, all I can say is that I find myself more tired both physically and mentally than playing ping pong, which indeed it is.
Doesn't someone in the pass said that Starcraft was like Chess boxing?
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Like I have read on teamliquid before; When people ask me what Starcraft is and how it works like a sport/competitivly, I usually use chess and piano players as a comparison. StarCraft is a game where you melt together the agility of av piano player and the mind of a chess player. Since im norwegian i use Magnus Karlsen and Beethoven :p
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Is bowling or pool a sport? What about golf or croquet (hammer like object to hit balls on grass)
To my knowledge none of those games require you to be in top physical form
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On November 24 2011 19:53 Eviscerador wrote:
Is Starcraft a sport? well, all I can say is that I find myself more tired both physically and mentally than playing ping pong, which indeed it is.
This just means you dont know how to play ping pong.
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Search function, seen this thread at least 645 times in the past week (obvious exaggeration is obvious)
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I think it can be compared to some degree to racing (which i think is regarded as sports. Even though the activity in a trivial manner doesnt take much physical prowess, doing it professionally is as physically challenging as any other sport like soccer or baseball. (many soccer players i would argue is in worse physical shape than many sc players, and are overpayed and overrated, and are massivly commercialised to force masses to follow soccer players as fashion icons and walking commercials... nvm)
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Damn right it's a sport! It is the best sport! 
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I really have no qualms about SC2 not being an actual "sport" by the textbook definition.
Its an eSport, and I think that's cool.
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