The potential mediatization, increased viewership and global outreach are some of the potential benefits of adding esports to the Olympic Games. As esports continues to gain international recognition, many voices are advocating for its inclusion in the Olympics.
Adding esports to the Olympics is a complex issue, with many arguments for and against. In this article, we will explore the potential benefits of incorporating esports into the Olympics.
Are They Adding Esports to the Olympics
Esports, or “electronic sports”, is a broad term used to describe the competitive playing of video games. Esports encompasses genres like real-time strategy, fighting, first-person shooter, and multi-player online battle arena (MOBA). While traditional sports are usually single-player games and team sports divided into different competitions depending on skill level, esports typically involve individual players or teams competing against each other in a given game.
In recent years, esports have grown to become increasingly popular across all age groups and different countries. The growth of this industry has prompted many discussions worldwide regarding its potential inclusion in the Olympics as an official sport. The International Olympic Committee and its Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee have held several discussions around this possibility with various stakeholders in the esports industry.
Interest in esports is expected to continue increasing as more people become avid players and viewers of the sport. By exploring the potential benefits of adding esports to the Olympics programs, we can gain a better understanding of how it may shape future generations of athletes.
The Current State of Esports
The ever-growing popularity of esports has led to calls for its inclusion at the Olympic Games. This burgeoning competition, or electronic sports, features multiplayer video games organized into professional tournaments and international leagues. Competitors come together in a virtual stadium to show off their skills.
Esports has seen tremendous growth since its emergence in the early 2000s. According to a 2020 report by Newzoo, the global esports market is estimated to reach $2.1 billion by 2023, with television broadcast deals and sponsorship generating most of that revenue. The sheer number of participants worldwide is also astounding — it reached 454 million in 2020, up from 335 million just two years earlier.
The prospects for further development are promising too; with an increase in viewership, the new generation of gamers can be inspired and engaged through exciting tournaments on TV or online streaming services, giving rise to more potential young athletes who seek to compete at a professional level. Even though there have been talks about adding Esports as an Olympic sport for some time now, there are still many concerns surrounding this idea mainly relating to its legitimacy as a traditional sport.
Potential Benefits of Adding Esports to the Olympics
With the potential addition of esports to the 2028 Olympics, there could be a number of benefits for both athletes and spectators. This new form of competition could open up an entire new world of possibilities and opportunities for people who may not have had the opportunity to take part in a traditional sports competition. From increased accessibility to enhanced economic growth, let’s take a look at the potential benefits of esports being involved in the Olympics.
Increased Viewership
The addition of esports to the Olympic Games could potentially lead to an increase in worldwide viewership. According to a 2017 Newzoo report, there were nearly 380 million “occasional viewers” or people who watched esports for at least one hour per month that year. Such spectatorship has continually grown over the years and this figure could potentially rack even further if esports become part of the Olympics.
Including esports in the Olympics could also help attract younger audiences across the world as they tend to be more familiar with such parts of pop culture. This would enable more widespread viewership, as it will enable people from different cultures and countries to tune in and experience this exponentially growing industry together. Furthermore, spectators can not only experience different competition levels like Olympic games but also explore different new titles released every year, as well as receive real-time updates on standings via live streaming platforms all over the world.
Increased Revenue
One potential benefit of adding esports to the Olympics is increased revenue. It has been estimated that viewership for the Olympic Games will increase significantly with the implementation of esports competitions. Many traditional sports broadcast networks and streaming services have seen higher ratings and greater engagement with their audiences when they covered esports events, indicating an enormous potential audience for Olympic esports tournaments. This could result in additional sponsorships, advertising opportunities, and even direct sales increases.
The introduction of esports competitions could open new revenue streams for both organizers and broadcasters. In addition to traditional forms of monetization like sponsorships and ticket sales, organizers may also be able to tap into emerging markets such as virtual merchandise sales and even gaming-related services like coaching sessions or customized tournaments. Moreover, broadcasters could expand their rights negotiations beyond linear television broadcast deals to include digital streaming partnerships. These opportunities could dramatically increase the revenues associated with the Olympic Games far beyond individual sport disciplines’ capabilities alone.
More Diverse Representation
Including esports in the Olympics would lead to the representation of a wider demographic and recognize those who work hard in the world of gaming. The Olympic movement has always sought to encourage inclusivity, which it can easily do by opening its platform to all types of athletes, including gamers. By making esports an official part of the Olympic program, all those who participated in long hours would have their hard work and dedication validated.
Moreover, this would create an opportunity for more diverse representation – both in terms of nationalities and genders – as well as provide recognition for those whose talents may otherwise be overlooked. As such, having esports present at the Olympics could help level the playing field when compared to traditional sports, allowing players from all walks of life to participate on equal terms.
The inclusion of esports could also encourage more kids from around the globe to pursue a passion for gaming by showing them that there are competitive opportunities available at a high level. Similarly, more people may find themselves inspired by seeing visible role models playing competitively on one such platform at the global stage – something that is currently not seen with traditional sports and athletics.
Increased Global Reach
If esports were to become an official sport at the Olympics, its global reach would be significantly increased. The Olympics are one of the biggest sports events in the world and is watched across the globe. This would give esports a unique platform to gain more exposure to a wide variety of international audiences.
Furthermore, by integrating esports into the Olympics, it could reach an even wider audience and promote a greater appreciation for the sport itself. The visibility gained from becoming an official Olympic sport would in turn help build confidence and inspire more people from different influential backgrounds to get involved with esports.
The impact of making esports officially part of the Olympics could also have positive effects on advancing gaming technology in many countries. This could create opportunities for improving existing gaming infrastructure around the world, making it easier for more people to get access to equipment and cable networks that support gaming technology in order for them to participate in competitive events.
In addition, bringing esports into greater mainstream recognition could make it possible for eSports athletes from all corners of the globe to have a chance at competing on a level playing field and possibly take home some medal hardware or achieve other milestones they otherwise wouldn’t be able to receive without being part of this monumental event.
Challenges of Adding Esports to the Olympics
The potential of adding esports to the Olympics could be an exciting addition to the world of sports, providing an opportunity for more people to compete on the global stage. However, there are also challenges that come with its inclusion, from disputes over the games and events that should be included to the lack of recognized governing bodies for esports. Let’s look into the bigger challenges of adding esports to the Olympics.
Lack of Regulation and Standardization
In some of the most popular esports titles, there is a lack of regulation and standardization due to different publishers having different rulesets and competitive formats. This can create a lot of uncertainty when it comes to implementing a system for inclusion in the Olympics. In some esports, professional players can be banned for cheating, or other issues like toxicity, which creates further issues as to who should officially represent a specific country at the event. Additionally, there are issues around the rulesets themselves changing quite often between tournaments, which means that athletes would have to quickly adapt to new conditions in order to compete effectively.
There is also an inherent problem with identifying the “best” competitors as there are many titles and regional variations in each game which makes it difficult to identify who has truly mastered all aspects of their chosen game. Furthermore, logistics become complex when it comes to forming teams representing countries as this requires resources and money from each participating nation to manage participant rosters and other support elements such as coaches and medical staff. Overall, while there are many potential benefits of introducing esports into the Olympics, lack of regulation and standardization can pose major challenges for those hoping it will become an Olympic sport someday soon.
Potential for Cheating and Manipulation
One of the primary concerns with the addition of esports to the Olympic Games is the potential for cheating and manipulation. Much like any other competitive event, participants have been known to take advantage of whatever “edge” they can get, whether it be through technology or psychological manipulation. Cheating in esports takes many forms — from abandoning a tournament to using computer software, trying to manipulate game results, and even physical sabotage.
The ability for athletes to alter game files on their computers could lead to major issues, such as unfair advantages in competition or altered outcomes. Game developers would need to ensure that all competitive gaming platforms for the Olympics are sufficiently secure against exploits and hacks. Additionally, there would need to be rigorous protocols and oversight in place throughout competitions to ensure fair play between athletes.
Furthermore, it would also be important that judges understand exactly how games work so that they are able to recognize when potential cheating may be occurring during tournaments. Lastly, disputes between teams or individual competitors must also be addressed quickly and fairly by a panel of experts who understand the complexities of esports.
Lack of Physical Activity
Esports requires very little physical activity, which may be cause for concern in the eyes of the Olympic Committee. Many people associate the Olympics with premier athletes and their incredible physical abilities, and so the addition of esports may feel counterintuitive to some. Additionally, Olympic sports tend to focus on competition between nations, whereas esports are becoming increasingly decentralized as different games/genres become popular in various parts of the world. This could challenge existing ideals and cultures regarding international sporting events.
Despite these challenges, many think that adding esports could bring positive change to the Olympics by introducing new audiences to traditional Olympic sports, as well as revitalizing youth participation. Increased viewership is an enticing thought for many sponsors who could provide additional revenue for both traditional and digital sports if applied correctly. With proper discussion amongst all involved parties and consideration for international laws and regulations around gaming, esports may still be able to find a place in the Olympics if certain requirements can be met by event organizers.
Conclusion
The potential benefits of adding esports to the Olympics have been widely discussed. It is clear that esports have the potential to bring people together in a way that traditional sports can’t quite match. There could be a new wave of athletes that could rise to the occasion and challenge the traditional notions of fair-play. It could also be a great way for nations to strengthen ties with each other through a shared passion for esports. Let’s dive into this further and discuss the potential benefits of adding esports to the Olympics.