Our traditional definition of sports no longer holds up in this era of competitive video games
The University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) recently added esports to its lineup of accredited events. The league’s first-ever esports tournament started on Aug. 13 and will end on the 21—and includes three games: NBA 2K, Valorant, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.
The competition is currently being held at Areté inside Ateneo De Manila University.
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And while everyone is still on the Olympic high, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recently announced the first Olympic Esports Games in 2025 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
“We believe that taking part in the Olympics is the ultimate honor that any athlete can achieve. That is why we are committed to providing the ultimate platform for new heroes to perform and for the Olympic spirit to be shared. Together we all share the prospect of instilling the Olympic values in new and innovative ways. And we look forward to welcoming the global esports community to the Kingdom in 2025,” said HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, Minister of Sport and President of the Saudi Arabian Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
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Professional esports athletes typically spend around 10 hours a day practicing—from honing their individual skills to rehearsing set strategies with their teams.
According to League of Legends professionals from Team Liquid, they regularly practice around 50 hours per week, and much more in preparation for big events. Counter-Strike pro Andreas Højsleth said his team starts practice sessions at 5 p.m. and ends at 2 a.m. every day leading up to a major tournament.
Let’s not forget that most players also continue to play and stream their respective games after practice sessions.
The average “traditional” athlete trains for much less.
The world’s most decorated gymnast, Simone Biles, reportedly trains six hours daily, spread across two sessions. Our very own two-time Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo is said to do similarly, according to the International Gymnastics Federation.
Former NBA player Jalen Rose also explained NBA practices—including on-court scrimmages and workouts, and off-court film studies and physical treatments—can add up to five hours a session.
The numbers show a stark difference in time spent, but it clearly does not mean one does more than the other.
It’s not a fair comparison to either party. It’s different skill sets and disciplines. “Traditional” athletes have to deal with a level of physical fatigue and exertion that esports players don’t have to deal with.
Conversely, that does not necessarily mean video game professionals are not exerting themselves in any shape or form. Like their more “athletic” counterparts, esports athletes also draft playbooks and review game footage of themselves and their opponents to add to their daily practices. Not to mention, from carpal tunnel syndrome to De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis, severe career-threatening injuries also exist for professional gamers.
It’s clearly no longer the case that one is more “sporty” than the other. Let’s not forget each sport originated as a game spent to pass time. Being a professional in it simply means being better at it than the general population. The same applies to esports—it just happens to take place inside (or in front of) a screen.
