• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 23:53
CEST 05:53
KST 12:53
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
Code S Season 1 (2026) - RO4 & Finals Preview4[ASL21] Ro4 Preview: On Course12Code S Season 1 - RO8 Preview7[ASL21] Ro8 Preview Pt2: Progenitors8Code S Season 1 - RO12 Group A: Rogue, Percival, Solar, Zoun13
Community News
Code S Season 1 (2026) - RO8 Results2Weekly Cups (May 4-10): Clem, MaxPax, herO win1Maestros of The Game 2 announcement and schedule !11Weekly Cups (April 27-May 4): Clem takes triple0RSL Revival: Season 5 - Qualifiers and Main Event12
StarCraft 2
General
Code S Season 1 (2026) - RO4 & Finals Preview Code S Season 1 (2026) - RO8 Results Code S Season 1 (2026) - RO12 Results Team Liquid Map Contest #22 - The Finalists MaNa leaves Team Liquid
Tourneys
Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament KSL Week 89 2026 GSL Season 2 Qualifiers Maestros of The Game 2 announcement and schedule ! $5,000 WardiTV Spring Championship 2026
Strategy
Custom Maps
[D]RTS in all its shapes and glory <3 [A] Nemrods 1/4 players
External Content
Mutation # 525 Wheel of Misfortune The PondCast: SC2 News & Results Mutation # 524 Death and Taxes Mutation # 523 Firewall
Brood War
General
Pros React to: TvT Masterclass in FlaSh vs Light vespene.gg — BW replays in browser BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ BW General Discussion ASL21 General Discussion
Tourneys
[ASL21] Semifinals B [ASL21] Ro8 Day 4 Escore Tournament StarCraft Season 2 [Megathread] Daily Proleagues
Strategy
Muta micro map competition Fighting Spirit mining rates [G] Hydra ZvZ: An Introduction Simple Questions, Simple Answers
Other Games
General Games
Path of Exile Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Nintendo Switch Thread Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne Starcraft Tabletop Miniature Game
Dota 2
The Story of Wings Gaming
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
Vanilla Mini Mafia Mafia Game Mode Feedback/Ideas TL Mafia Community Thread Five o'clock TL Mafia
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread European Politico-economics QA Mega-thread Russo-Ukrainian War Thread UK Politics Mega-thread YouTube Thread
Fan Clubs
The herO Fan Club!
Media & Entertainment
[Manga] One Piece Anime Discussion Thread [Req][Books] Good Fantasy/SciFi books
Sports
2024 - 2026 Football Thread McBoner: A hockey love story Formula 1 Discussion
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
streaming software Strange computer issues (software) [G] How to Block Livestream Ads
TL Community
The Automated Ban List
Blogs
How EEG Data Can Predict Gam…
TrAiDoS
ramps on octagon
StaticNine
Funny Nicknames
LUCKY_NOOB
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 1798 users

starcraft a sport? - Page 2

Forum Index > BW General
Post a Reply
Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next All
Scorch
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
Austria3371 Posts
August 31 2009 23:13 GMT
#21
Whether Starcraft is a sport is purely a matter of definition. There are concepts like training, coaching, competitivity, sponsoring, tournaments, rankings, media coverage, prizes etc. like in lots of other sports. Then again, Starcraft requires little to no physical fitness, which may be required by some definitions. But does it matter?

Tell them it is a highly competitive computer game that is still played over 11 years after its release; that should speak volumes about its pure quality and depth of strategy. Also tell them that there is a progaming scene in Korea with a few hundred players actually making a living from playing, and it is so incredibly popular that there are multiple TV stations dedicated to Starcraft coverage, and even the Air Force has their own progaming team.
Avidkeystamper
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
United States8556 Posts
August 31 2009 23:13 GMT
#22
Because it's a video game it can't be a sport? Meh, not really answering the why.
Jaedong
Triple7
Profile Joined April 2009
United States656 Posts
August 31 2009 23:14 GMT
#23
Yelling ESPORTS is certainly viable. For me, the Boxer vs 13 Zerg video made me see that for some people, Starcraft is more than just a game.
지지이이이이이이이이이이이
DarkShadowz
Profile Joined December 2008
Sweden321 Posts
August 31 2009 23:15 GMT
#24
The best way is to ask them to define the criterias for a sport. Then try to get them to include chess, curling, football into thoose criterias. When they have managed to form criterias where all thoose fit, you can just point out that SC fit there too. It's just that's it's so new it's not socially accepted yet.

But the problem I have is that many other games should not be considered sports because they have the depth of a bathtub. so yeah, it can be a tricky question.
Mutaahh
Profile Joined June 2007
Netherlands859 Posts
August 31 2009 23:16 GMT
#25
ya its kick ass to pwn friends 1v2/1v3

Like, wtf how did you get that many goons? :O
I want to fly
Cube
Profile Blog Joined February 2008
Canada777 Posts
August 31 2009 23:16 GMT
#26
On September 01 2009 08:01 LCC wrote:
Just yell ESPORTS over and over until they get the message.

i have had untold success with this method. it may sound stupid but if you keep at it it works like charm
ssj114
Profile Blog Joined September 2008
Afghanistan461 Posts
August 31 2009 23:21 GMT
#27
Did EndlessRain get banned for saying Starcraft is a game?
Sandboxie + SUA + DEP, Windows Firewall + NAT Router
YPang
Profile Blog Joined April 2007
United States4024 Posts
August 31 2009 23:23 GMT
#28
On September 01 2009 08:21 ssj114 wrote:
Did EndlessRain get banned for saying Starcraft is a game?

he got banned for calling someone an idiot. I just checked Lol
sMi.Gladstone | BW: B high| SC2: gold T_T
Oai
Profile Joined July 2009
United States40 Posts
August 31 2009 23:24 GMT
#29
freedictionary.com

sport (spôrt, sprt)
n.
1.
a. Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.
b. A particular form of this activity.
2. An activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively.
3. An active pastime; recreation.

Starcraft is a game that does have rules and customs, and is engaged competitively. As far as physical activity/exertion, progamers have to work/train hard for hours a day to keep their hand speed up and to keep their brain (which just like actual muscles need to be exercised) sharp. According to definition, Starcraft is a sport.
Avidkeystamper
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
United States8556 Posts
August 31 2009 23:26 GMT
#30
Just for reference? What type of training do professional golf players undergo?
Jaedong
GhostKorean
Profile Blog Joined November 2008
United States2330 Posts
August 31 2009 23:30 GMT
#31
It's an e-sport, slightly different from sports =_=
Slightly off topic, do dictionaries even have e-sports in their definitions yet? They have e-mail so e-sports should be included as well.
PokePill
Profile Blog Joined March 2009
United States1048 Posts
August 31 2009 23:31 GMT
#32
unfortunately if Starcraft is a sport, Halo is a sport
ghostWriter
Profile Blog Joined January 2009
United States3302 Posts
August 31 2009 23:32 GMT
#33
Sc is an e-sport, not a sport.

and golf is seriously hard to play well. I've been practicing for about a year and only yesterday was I able to hit the ball consistently well. They have a tournament like every week and professional golf is more unforgiving than zvz. Missing a putt could mean the difference between winning a million dollars and winning just 500,000. I can barely keep my balls on the green and the ones we get are like double the width of the ones that professionals play on =/
Sullifam
nadafanboy42
Profile Joined August 2009
Netherlands209 Posts
August 31 2009 23:35 GMT
#34
On September 01 2009 08:15 DarkShadowz wrote:
The best way is to ask them to define the criterias for a sport. Then try to get them to include chess, curling, football into thoose criterias. When they have managed to form criterias where all thoose fit, you can just point out that SC fit there too. It's just that's it's so new it's not socially accepted yet.

This is basically the right approach. I think for most people saying "Starcraft isn't a sport" is just a gut reaction. People have grown up with seeing football, basketball and the olympics and have this mental image of that being what a sport should be like. Then when they see two people sitting behind a computer they go "that doesn't look anything like football/olympics" and instantly decide that it can't be a sport.
If you want people to accept Starcraft as a sport you need to get them to get past this gut reaction and really think about what makes something a sport or just a game.

To me what makes something a sport are two things: Competition and Spectatorship. If you have people competing to be the best at something, and an audience willing and eager to watch them duke it out, then that makes something a sport.
I know that this means that technically, things like music competitions would also be a sport. But I would say that, is there really that big a difference between music/art competitions and sports? Language is always an imprecise thing, so it's silly to get hung up over the exact nuts and bolts of a word definition. For me anything that has competitors working their behinds off to be the best and compete in front of their fans deserves recognition as a sport, or at least the respect that the word implies.
NaDa/Jaedong/Liquid-Fanboy
Sharp-eYe
Profile Blog Joined August 2009
Canada642 Posts
August 31 2009 23:35 GMT
#35
On September 01 2009 08:26 Avidkeystamper wrote:
Just for reference? What type of training do professional golf players undergo?

Id say they would work on the angle of their shots, and using the wind to their benifit.

Anyway, starcraft is a sport. If its not, then soccer, football, chess, darts, hockey are not sports as well.

And for the "physical thing", many teams require their players to hit the gym for an hour because a physically fit body can endure more (why do you think Reach is so good

To answer the op's question, just show them an FPVOD of a top tier player, then show them a picture of a stadium of a Finals, then let them try the game out, and explain some deep strategies (ie. all the logic behind corsair/reaver into massing units... well thats not that deep but its still, another example is counting Pylons in PvP).

The main thing is to arouse their curiosity casually, so dont start going like "OMG SC HBLABLABLABLABLA E-sPORTS." (im against yelling of any kind in general). This makes them find things out for themselves, and they will enjoy it a lot more.
Are you truly so blinded by your vaunted religion, that you can't see the fall ahead of you? - Zeratul III AKA WikidSik ingame (anygame)
IMlemon
Profile Blog Joined May 2008
Lithuania296 Posts
August 31 2009 23:35 GMT
#36
On September 01 2009 08:10 gaggar wrote:
starcraft is part mind sport and part real sport.

i requires depth of strategy moreso than chess

yet the physical endurance is more used than bowling or golf.


You be absolutely crazy. Please don't compare starcraft to things you have no idea about.

To me, sports aren't associated with physical activities at all. It's all about competition. If you can make money (preferably big money) by being a professional player, it's a sport.


My future's so bright, I gotta wear shades.
ghostWriter
Profile Blog Joined January 2009
United States3302 Posts
August 31 2009 23:37 GMT
#37
Reach lost to tossgirl lolol
It's hard to define what a sport is exactly, but starcraft uses way more mental than physical abilities, as does chess or whatever.
You can tell if something is a sport or not using your judgment. Soccer is a sport, darts is definitely not.
Sullifam
TheSchwA
Profile Blog Joined April 2007
United States248 Posts
August 31 2009 23:42 GMT
#38
Those of you believe StarCraft is a sport are lying to yourselves to make yourselves feel better, and apparently have yet to actually look up the definition of 'sport.' Wikipedia does NOT count as a valid source either..
ArtLu
starflash
Profile Blog Joined April 2009
190 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-08-31 23:48:59
August 31 2009 23:44 GMT
#39
reach threw that game. who wouldnt tbh. did you see tossgirl in stx? hot damn that should head my fucking article.....damn idiot male friends.....haha

TheSchwA gets a 2day ban fyi

please dont forget my bolded question. i dont think anyone has addressed it yet. i only made the title "sport??" because my original title wasnt long enough and it would add a bit of spontaenious interest. if anyone read my topic they would realise im not bothered about the definition of sport, rather how to portray sc as a sport
Manifesto7
Profile Blog Joined November 2002
Osaka27173 Posts
August 31 2009 23:49 GMT
#40
On September 01 2009 08:21 ssj114 wrote:
Did EndlessRain get banned for saying Starcraft is a game?


No, he got banned for crouching his opinion in an insult.
ModeratorGodfather
Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next All
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Patches Events
22:45
Patches' Patch Clash #6.5
davetesta32
Liquipedia
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
RuFF_SC2 245
Nina 132
StarCraft: Brood War
Hyuk 763
yabsab 72
Noble 28
Bale 18
Icarus 11
Dota 2
monkeys_forever209
NeuroSwarm186
LuMiX1
League of Legends
JimRising 675
Counter-Strike
tarik_tv5941
Other Games
summit1g14570
WinterStarcraft407
ViBE130
Livibee73
UpATreeSC22
Organizations
Other Games
gamesdonequick1090
BasetradeTV94
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
[ Show 13 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• practicex 1
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• Migwel
• sooper7s
StarCraft: Brood War
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
League of Legends
• Lourlo840
Other Games
• Scarra2977
Upcoming Events
GSL
4h 7m
Cure vs herO
SHIN vs Maru
IPSL
12h 7m
Bonyth vs Napoleon
G5 vs JDConan
BSL
15h 7m
OyAji vs JDConan
DragOn vs TBD
Replay Cast
1d 5h
Monday Night Weeklies
1d 12h
Replay Cast
1d 20h
The PondCast
2 days
Kung Fu Cup
2 days
GSL
3 days
Replay Cast
3 days
[ Show More ]
GSL
4 days
WardiTV Spring Champion…
4 days
Replay Cast
4 days
Sparkling Tuna Cup
5 days
WardiTV Spring Champion…
5 days
Replay Cast
5 days
RSL Revival
6 days
Classic vs SHIN
Rogue vs Bunny
BSL
6 days
Replay Cast
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Escore Tournament S2: W7
WardiTV TLMC #16
Nations Cup 2026

Ongoing

BSL Season 22
ASL Season 21
IPSL Spring 2026
KCM Race Survival 2026 Season 2
Acropolis #4
KK 2v2 League Season 1
BSL 22 Non-Korean Championship
SCTL 2026 Spring
RSL Revival: Season 5
2026 GSL S1
Heroes Pulsing #1
Asian Champions League 2026
IEM Atlanta 2026
PGL Astana 2026
BLAST Rivals Spring 2026
IEM Rio 2026
PGL Bucharest 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 1
BLAST Open Spring 2026
ESL Pro League S23 Finals
ESL Pro League S23 Stage 1&2

Upcoming

YSL S3
Escore Tournament S2: W8
CSLAN 4
Kung Fu Cup 2026 Grand Finals
HSC XXIX
uThermal 2v2 2026 Main Event
Maestros of the Game 2
WardiTV Spring 2026
2026 GSL S2
BLAST Bounty Summer 2026
BLAST Bounty Summer Qual
Stake Ranked Episode 3
XSE Pro League 2026
IEM Cologne Major 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 2
CS Asia Championships 2026
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2026 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.