• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 09:06
CEST 15:06
KST 22:06
  • 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
ByuL, and the Limitations of Standard Play0Team Liquid Map Contest #22: Results and Winners7Code S Season 2 (2026): RO4 and Finals Preview12TL.net Map Contest #22 - Voting & Ladder Map Selection7Code S Season 2 (2026) - RO8 Preview8
Community News
[TLMC] Summer 2026 Ladder Map Rotation05.0.16 patch for SC2 goes live (8 worker start)53ZeroSpace at Steam NextFest - Last free demo26Weekly Cups (June 8-14): Clem and Solar double, PTR tested0RSL: S6 Finals played at BlizzCon 202611
StarCraft 2
General
HackErIsTop take on Patch 5.0.16 5.0.16 patch for SC2 goes live (8 worker start) Possible bug in the new patch? ByuL, and the Limitations of Standard Play Daily SC2 Player Grid - feedback wanted
Tourneys
INu's Battles#17 <BO.9> RSL Revival: Season 6 - Qualifiers and Main Event Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament GSL CK #4 20-21th June Douyu Cup 2026: $20,000 Legends Event (June 26-28)
Strategy
[G] Having the right mentality to improve
Custom Maps
New Map Maker - Looking for Advice - Love or Hate Work In Progress Melee Maps [D]RTS in all its shapes and glory <3
External Content
The PondCast: SC2 News & Results Mutation # 531 Experimental Artillery Mutation # 530 One For All Mutation # 529 Opportunities Unleashed
Brood War
General
ASL 22 Proposed Map Pool [BSL22] Non-Korean Championship from 13 to 28 June BSL Season 22 BW General Discussion STARCRAFT MOVIE - Last Night at the Command center
Tourneys
[BSL22] GosuLeague Casts - Tue & Thu 22:00 CEST [Megathread] Daily Proleagues CSLAN 4 is Coming! Small VOD Thread 2.0
Strategy
Why doesn't anyone use restoration? Simple Questions, Simple Answers Relatively freeroll strategies Creating a full chart of Zerg builds
Other Games
General Games
Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Games for Kids Nintendo Switch Thread ZeroSpace at Steam NextFest - Last free demo The Perfect Game
Dota 2
Looking for a Dota Mentor Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug
TL Mafia
Vanilla Mini Mafia
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine Russo-Ukrainian War Thread [H]Internet/Gaming Cafe Tips and Tricks The Games Industry And ATVI
Fan Clubs
The HerO Fan Club! The herO Fan Club!
Media & Entertainment
Movie Discussion! Series you have seen recently... [Req][Books] Good Fantasy/SciFi books [TV/BOOK] *SPOILERS* Game of Thrones Discussion
Sports
2024 - 2026 Football Thread TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023 McBoner: A hockey love story Formula 1 Discussion Cricket [SPORT]
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread Facing Challenges in Mobile App Development
TL Community
The Automated Ban List
Blogs
How To Predict Tilt in Espor…
TrAiDoS
An Exploration of th…
waywardstrategy
I'm an arrogant trash talke…
FlaShFTW
Gauntlet SC2: A Retrospectiv…
Ctone23
Why RTS gamers make better f…
gosubay
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 7222 users

Starcraft, sport or not?

Blogs > FlaShFTW
Post a Reply
1 2 Next All
FlaShFTW
Profile Blog Joined February 2010
United States10488 Posts
November 02 2010 23:02 GMT
#1
At my school, I'm in a deadlock debate over whether or not Starcraft is a sport. First, let me define sport...

SPORT: (noun)- 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.

OK, so now that you understand that definition of "sport" (all info taken off dictionary.com) I am able to begin my argument.

First off, I strongly believe that Starcraft is a sport. It's number one in eSports for goodness sakes! Let's do a checklist shall we?

1)an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess. CHECK
Here, I'd like to point out the OR in this sentence. This means that it can be requiring skill, OR requiring physical prowess, OR both. In this case, we have skill, because we are moving the mouse at blinding speeds, moving our fingers across keyboards, and most of all, show emotions. Which brings me to my next topic.

2)often of a competitive nature. CHECK
Starcraft people all know about emotions and competitiveness. For all old-timers (no I'm not one of them), we remember oh-so vividly the rivalry between BoxeR and [NC]Yellow... We even remember sAviOr's peak, and Bisu's Forge FE... And you say these aren't competitive qualities??? That means that the rivalry between the Lakers and Celtics in basketball, or the Yankees and Red Sox in baseball, all aren't any part of this competitiveness???

So what are your thoughts on this matter, do you think Starcraft is, or is not a sport, and please defend your reasoning. Don't give me one-liners (COUGH RESPECT TL COUGH) blatantly saying, "OH YOU SUK!!! STARCRAFT IS NOT A SPORT". Thank you.

**
Writer#1 KT and FlaSh Fanboy || Woo Jung Ho Never Forget || Teamliquid Political Decision Desk
TL+ Member
ieatkids5
Profile Blog Joined September 2004
United States4628 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-11-02 23:08:30
November 02 2010 23:08 GMT
#2
depends on how you define sport. and also, stop worrying about people who don't think SC is a sport. just understand that they disagree with you, and if it helps, tell yourself that you're superior to them. it'll make your life a lot easier.
VarmVaffel
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
Norway378 Posts
November 02 2010 23:09 GMT
#3
I really use to call on chess with this discussion comes up. Chess is (as far as I know) regarded by most people as a sport, and it definately doesn't require any more athletic activity than Starcraft does.

I know it might not be the best to conclude with something like this, but most people I've talked with that already regard chess as a sport seem to understand my point of view very quickly with this statement.
Cofo
Profile Blog Joined June 2010
United States1388 Posts
November 02 2010 23:10 GMT
#4
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_sports

It's an e-sport. Whether or not you consider e-sports to be in the same category as "traditional sports" up to you, but I honestly think the whole argument is mostly just a matter of semantics.
+ Show Spoiler +
Enervate
Profile Joined August 2010
United States1769 Posts
November 02 2010 23:16 GMT
#5
In my opinion, Starcraft is not a sport; it's an eSport. The main separating factor is that Starcraft is played entirely through an electronic interface, while a sport is conducted in a physical realm. I'm not saying eSports are somehow inferior than sports, just that they are different.
FlaShFTW
Profile Blog Joined February 2010
United States10488 Posts
November 02 2010 23:21 GMT
#6
On November 03 2010 08:16 Enervate wrote:
The main separating factor is that Starcraft is played entirely through an electronic interface, while a sport is conducted in a physical realm.

I understand by what you mean, but didn't the definition just support my ideas??? I said that it can be only on skill, and not physical attributes, though you do need quite a bit of stamina. But hey, thanks for the comment, I appreciate your views.
Writer#1 KT and FlaSh Fanboy || Woo Jung Ho Never Forget || Teamliquid Political Decision Desk
TL+ Member
Pholon
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
Netherlands6142 Posts
November 02 2010 23:31 GMT
#7
On November 03 2010 08:02 FlaShFTW wrote:
SPORT: (noun)- 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.

[...]

Here, I'd like to point out the OR in this sentence. This means that it can be requiring skill, OR requiring physical prowess, OR both.


You leave out "athletic". I feel chess isn't a sport by this definition?
Moderator@TLPholon // "I need a third hand to facepalm right now"
valaki
Profile Joined June 2009
Hungary2476 Posts
November 02 2010 23:31 GMT
#8
If chess is sport SC is too.
ggaemo fan
Mobius
Profile Blog Joined March 2009
Canada1268 Posts
November 02 2010 23:41 GMT
#9
its an e-sport.. any korean really into the e-sports scene will correct you everytime you call it a sport lol


personally i dont understand the difference but to them its big -_-;
Entusman #51
Redmark
Profile Joined March 2010
Canada2129 Posts
November 02 2010 23:41 GMT
#10
Honestly I wish we (gamers) would stop caring so much about what other people think. Other 'sports' (poker, soccer in NA, golf, whatever) never got anywhere just by debating with people who aren't fans. If it gets popular enough, it will be accepted - if not as a sport, as a professional competition, which is the same thing really.
Seide
Profile Blog Joined August 2010
United States831 Posts
November 02 2010 23:49 GMT
#11
if darts is considered a sport, I will be damned in SC cant be considered a sport. :D
One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish.
KiLL_ORdeR
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
United States1518 Posts
November 02 2010 23:50 GMT
#12
I would say the SC definitely falls under the requirement of physical prowess, maybe even more so than skill.

Just going out on a limb here, but at, for example, the wide reciever position in football, it does not take a whole lot of skill to catch a football. Anyone can learn how to do it. But where good players separate themselves is the ability hold position on a defender, which is the skill of playing well, and to run very fast, as well as make athletic jumps, which falls under physical prowess.

all of these elements require years of focused training and dedication, and failure before you obtain success.

In SC, anyone can pick up the game, play zerg, and build drones, lings and roaches. Where good players separate themselves is the ability to see what their opponent is doing and react properly (the skill), and then to be able to move their hands fast enough to execute properly (which is the physical prowess.)

All elements require years of focused training and dedication, and failure before you obtain success.

also, a lot of people would argue in football that subtle positioning will separate you from equally athletic players, but there is only so much you can do against someone who is both stronger and faster than you. The same applies to SC, where you can exploit very subtle timings and other things, but there is only so much you can do against a player who has far better mechanics.

So ya, that's my 2 cents.
In order to move forward, we must rid ourselves of that which holds us back. Check out my stream and give me tips! twitch.tv/intotheskyy
siv00
Profile Joined September 2009
261 Posts
November 02 2010 23:50 GMT
#13
It's not a sport, there are no athletics involved.
Crunchums
Profile Blog Joined December 2008
United States11144 Posts
November 02 2010 23:51 GMT
#14
That depends entirely on how you define sport. By my definition of sport, it is one, but it is not an athletic one.
brood war for life, brood war forever
Jonoman92
Profile Blog Joined September 2006
United States9110 Posts
November 02 2010 23:52 GMT
#15
it's not a sport, it's an e-sport

It lacks the threshold of needed physical activity imo to be a true sport (likewise darts isn't a sport either, it's a game/activity.)
siv00
Profile Joined September 2009
261 Posts
November 02 2010 23:53 GMT
#16
And you say these aren't competitive qualities??? That means that the rivalry between the Lakers and Celtics in basketball, or the Yankees and Red Sox in baseball, all aren't any part of this competitiveness???


This is what's known as a strawman - a sign that your argument is quite weak.
OpticalShot
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
Canada6330 Posts
November 03 2010 02:09 GMT
#17
Sport or eSport or not, SC definitely is more of a "sport" than poker is in my opinion... and poker is broadcasted in all the major sports broadcasting channels here in North America. So yeah.
[TLMS] REBOOT
Waffles
Profile Blog Joined July 2009
Romania605 Posts
November 03 2010 04:04 GMT
#18
any activity with competition that requires phyiscal activity is a sport. theres professional hotdog eating, thumb wrestling, beer pong,poker . all of those require physical activity and competition. if you are trying to convince someone that you are an athlete playing this game i would guess that you would have to somehow convince that 300 apm means being able to pitch a baseball at 100mph with pinpoint accuracy or something since you have such finger control. It really depends on the pereson you are trying to convince for something to be a "sport"


Holgerius
Profile Blog Joined January 2009
Sweden16951 Posts
November 03 2010 04:24 GMT
#19
A matter of definition I think. IMO it's a sport.
I believe in the almighty Grötslev! -- I am never serious and you should never believe a thing I say. Including the previous sentence.
Subversion
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
South Africa3627 Posts
November 03 2010 05:01 GMT
#20
Un-fucking-deniably yes.
1 2 Next All
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Next event in 3h 55m
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
Lowko514
LamboSC2 380
Ryung 186
Rex 102
SHIN 63
StarCraft: Brood War
Calm 8058
Jaedong 975
Mini 857
EffOrt 574
Soma 481
Light 476
firebathero 444
Soulkey 308
Snow 237
actioN 172
[ Show more ]
Last 164
Zeus 133
Rush 110
Leta 84
ggaemo 80
[sc1f]eonzerg 55
Hyun 46
JYJ 41
ToSsGirL 38
Killer 36
JulyZerg 27
scan(afreeca) 25
Hm[arnc] 22
Sharp 22
Aegong 22
yabsab 13
Shine 12
ajuk12(nOOB) 10
Sacsri 9
zelot 9
Terrorterran 9
Icarus 6
Dota 2
Dendi706
420jenkins1
League of Legends
Reynor70
Counter-Strike
byalli398
kRYSTAL_31
Other Games
singsing2201
B2W.Neo990
hiko595
crisheroes289
DeMusliM261
Sick222
Pyrionflax164
Mew2King83
QueenE51
MindelVK10
Organizations
Dota 2
PGL Dota 2 - Main Stream8824
StarCraft 2
IntoTheiNu 923
StarCraft: Brood War
UltimateBattle 41
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
[ Show 14 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• Berry_CruncH267
• StrangeGG 106
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• Migwel
• sooper7s
StarCraft: Brood War
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
League of Legends
• Jankos1785
• TFBlade596
Upcoming Events
OSC
3h 55m
MaxPax vs Percival
Solar vs ShoWTimE
Lambo vs Arrogfire
YoungYakov vs GgMaChine
Krystianer vs ArT
NightMare vs Iba
Douyu Cup 2020
15h 55m
Oliveira vs Trap
Jieshi vs XY
soO vs FanTaSy
TY vs Coffee
OSC
1d 2h
Douyu Cup 2020
1d 15h
Neeb vs Impact
MacSed vs Cyan
Scarlett vs Kelazhur
INnoVation vs Dear
Douyu Cup 2020
2 days
Maestros of the Game
2 days
herO vs Classic
Maru vs Serral
BSL22 NKC (BSL vs China)
3 days
Douyu Cup 2020
3 days
BSL22 NKC (BSL vs China)
4 days
Online Event
4 days
[ Show More ]
RSL Revival
4 days
RSL Revival
4 days
WardiTV Weekly
4 days
RSL Revival
6 days
The PondCast
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Proleague 2026-06-19
WardiTV Spring 2026
Heroes Pulsing #2

Ongoing

IPSL Spring 2026
Acropolis #4
CSCL: Masked Kings S4
YSL S3
BSL 22 Non-Korean Championship
CSL Season 21: Qualifier 1
SCTL 2026 Spring
Maestros of the Game 2
Murky Cup 2026
IEM Cologne Major 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 2
CS Asia Championships 2026
Asian Champions League 2026
IEM Atlanta 2026
PGL Astana 2026
BLAST Rivals Spring 2026
IEM Rio 2026
PGL Bucharest 2026

Upcoming

CSL Season 21: Qualifier 2
CSL 2026 Summer (S21)
CSLAN 4
Blizzard Classic Cup 2026
Kung Fu Cup 2026 Grand Finals
RSL Revival: Season 6
CranK Gathers Season 4: BW vs SC2 Team League
HSC XXIX
Douyu Cup 2026
BCC 2026
Light Tournament 2026
Eternal Conflict S2 Finale
Eternal Conflict S2 E1
Heroes Pulsing #3
BLAST Open Fall 2026
Esports World Cup 2026
BLAST Bounty Summer 2026
BLAST Bounty Summer Qual
Stake Ranked Episode 3
XSE Pro League 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.