Dr_Mayus Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 http://metronews.ca/news/canada/744918/u-s-visa-rules-recognize-video-gamers-as-athletes/ Are video game players athletes? The U.S. government thinks so. In what’s being touted as a victory for competitive gaming, electronic sport players are now eligible for athlete visas allowing them to work, travel and reside in America for up to five years. The visas are the same as those given to foreign athletes in other major sports leagues, like the NBA and NHL. The change comes at a time when e-sports in North America are transitioning from small-time hobby to big-time business. “The ecosystem is growing by leaps and bounds,” said Dustin Beck, vice president of e-sports at Riot Games. “We’re seeing an average of nearly four million fans tuning in weekly for our European and North American broadcasts and we hit 18 million unique views for our all-star finals back in May.” Riot, the company behind the popular League of Legends game and its attendant League Championship Series (LCS), was instrumental in lobbying for the visa changes. “We had to prove to the government that the pros were legitimate athletes making a career out of e-sports, and thus they should be treated as such,” Beck said. “For it to be legitimized in the eyes of the U.S. government is a huge milestone for the pros and the sport.” Prior to the change, foreign gamers would often face delays at the border or be refused entry all-together, sending their teammates scrambling to find replacements. “Getting a visa was a lengthy and frustrating process… The longer it took for me to get my visa meant the longer I was on the sidelines,” said Edmonton’s Danny Le, better known by his League of Legends handle, Shiphtur. Le was forced to miss an important competition in Las Vegas in March. When the visa changes came into effect in May, he left university, packed his bags and headed to California to live and train with his fellow Team Coast players. “Living in the U.S. in our gaming house was mandatory in order to compete at the highest level,” he said. Danny Le, a.k.a. Shiphtur. Le was the first player to apply for an e-sports visa. Edward Abgaryan, an Armenian citizen, has also moved from Russia to join Team Curse in Las Vegas. The government’s decision has sparked significant debate over whether gamers deserve to be called athletes. On sites like GameSpot and Reddit, some commenters are worried the move will undermine established athletes, while others have pointed out the similarities between video games and Olympic sports like shooting. “Without a doubt I would consider e-sports players as athletes. We have to remain both physically and mentally fit. We do this by eating right, exercising daily and doing proper research to be ahead of the curve,” Le said. “It involves just as much hard work, effort and ambition as any other sport.” Le said he and his teammates practice together for at least four hours a day, and hit the gym every morning. The rest of their time is spent learning strategy, honing their individual skills, creating content for their sponsors and communicating with fans online. And like other athletes, e-sports players are well-compensated for their efforts. Prize purses at tournaments are reaching into the millions, and Beck said it’s not unusual for top players to earn six-figure salaries. There’s also lucrative sponsorships with companies that make everything from clothes to specialized keyboards. “Being a professional gamer is a tough road to go down, but it’s very much worth it if you make it big,” Le said. E-Sports by the Numbers There are approximately 400 million players of multiplayer online games worldwide. 120,000 people gathered in a South Korean stadium to watch the Starcraft championships in 2005. The League of Legends championship prize pool in 2012 was $5 million. On average, more people watched this year’s League of Legends all-star game than the Stanley Cup finals on NBC. The secondary market for e-sports products is worth an estimated $500 million. The most popular e-sports player in the world, South Korea’s Lim Yo Hwan, has a 587,000-member fan club. The venue for the 2013 League of Legends championship is the Staples Centre in Los Angeles. The 18,000-seat venue is shared by the L.A. Kings and the L.A. Clippers. Maybe they will have to bring Arcade rooms back now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parker Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 Video games at the Olympics? Parker 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VetoShizuko Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 o.o wow but honestly most gamers actually don't exercise they just have a high metabolism Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sand dan Glokta Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 wow. Athleticism a'int what it used to be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniezutton Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 o.o wow but honestly most gamers actually don't exercise they just have a high metabolism I exercise and have a high metabolism! Go me! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BhekifaZ Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 o.o wow but honestly most gamers actually don't exercise they just have a high metabolism I'm a gamer and I'm like 6'10 and weigh 250 pounds with a body fat percentage of 2%, plus I bench like 450 pounds with one hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniezutton Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 (edited) I'm a gamer and I'm like 6'10 and weigh 250 pounds with a body fat percentage of 2%, plus I bench like 450 pounds with one hand. Cool story, bro. Edited July 24, 2013 by Dark Serge 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BhekifaZ Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 Cool story, bro. It is, and I'm 100% legit too. Unless you count pure spanish bull semen as a performance enhancing drug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nasty_Rory Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 It is, and I'm 100% legit too. Unless you count pure spanish bull semen as a performance enhancing drug.You mix that in your tea or do you just swallow it fresh? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BhekifaZ Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 You mix that in your tea or do you just swallow it fresh? It doesn't mix too well so you just got to swallow it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nasty_Rory Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 Where did you keep the bull? or do you order from Taurus Service? http://www.ag-link.com/Default.aspx?Language=S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Death Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 It doesn't mix too well so you just got to swallow it. The fuck!? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEMON Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 I thought gamers got classed as athletes after this.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChickenExotic Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 THAT WAS AN EPIC MOMENT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now