Sports

Will E-Sports take over all of the other sports?

Published

3 years ago

December 14, 2021

Gaming has become more and more common as the past couple of decades have gone on. While it was once frowned upon and misunderstood or even blamed for many evils such as bullying and school shootings, it’s become more and more prevalent in this technology-driven 21st century. The world has changed in general and many have started asking questions that just a few decades ago would have been unthinkable. And among other previously unimaginable things, a question has arisen in recent years – can cybersports overtake physical sports and in general all other sport types? While just a decade ago the answer might have been a fast and resounding no, today it’s gotten a bit shakier since a whole new industry of cybersports has risen and no one knows for certain in which direction it will go.

Many have begun to wonder if it can compete with or maybe even overtake traditional sports. Is it just another trend, something to busy ourselves with for a while or is it going to be a lasting sport that joins the long line of respected sport types and maybe even gets enlisted in the Olympics? And there are actually quite a few reasons behind this. For one thing, online gaming has become massively popular as it is, but with the rise of the Covid-19 virus, things can change even further. For over a year, or in some countries even to this day, people practically locked themselves up at home and, in a way, many got used to that more passive lifestyle. Many people even started perceiving outdoor activities as almost dangerous. This is especially beneficial for online sports since its gameplay is much more accessible than traditional sports, mostly because it does not require much in terms of physical presence but also because it doesn’t require any physical training. All of this evens out the playing field in the esports vs sports debacle.

Another point that kind of shows the future of the field and how it’s expanding is the fact that more and more pro gamers are joining the leagues and this means that the number of people even interested in becoming a gamer is rising as well. Plus, the number of fans who follow the industry is increasing. The audience is expected to grow to 260 million viewers by the year 2022. The League of Legends tournaments alone can sometimes garner larger audiences than major leagues in the US, with 58 million viewers as opposed to the 38 million that the MLB World Series could provide. What’s especially important is that online gaming is a sport that anyone all over the world can join since it doesn’t require much. Be it the fans following a game or the pros themselves – people very rarely need to travel to other places halfway across the globe to be aware of events and can sometimes even participate in those events remotely. There are no language barriers to playing esports games or any geographical restrictions and this certainly appeals to the global audience. This, of course, could play a huge part in its future success.

Cybersports could also be a part of future Olympic Games and that would be a big deal and a huge step forward for the sport. You must be wondering why is that? Well, lately, there has been a major push to include cybersports in the Olympics and while it’s not yet confirmed, such a change would drastically impact the growth of the sport for the better. The Olympics are an internationally recognized, respected, and renowned multi-sport event. And if electronic sports are included it will immediately boost its reputation and recognition. Plus, betting on the cybersport industry is a booming business right now, especially if we’re talking about betting on top esports games. And, of course, since business is involved, the push towards expanding the field will only go further.

And all in all, you could say that the reputation of cybersports is rising and blooming by the day. Kids today have started to talk about the famous gamer Ninja (real name Tyle Blevins) with such admiration as if he is the new Lebron James or Lionel Messi. Both adults and teens follow his games with great attention and analyze every move he makes. Blevins has over 12 million followers and gets an average of 72,000 views during competitions. And when a player representing the industry reaches such massive popularity it’s basically a testament to the rise of the sport and its expansion. Currently, the only US league overshadowing esports is the NFL, which is huge considering the NFL is the biggest sport in the States right now and has been for some time. But wouldn’t you know it, cybersports is actually catching up to American Football! With things going this way, it’s not a surprise at all that the industry is seen as a booming one and a legitimate competitor of traditional physical sports that could actually replace those.

But still, the main question remains: will cybersports actually and fully overtake traditional sports? Well, it’s not all so easy. You see, while it is true that virtual gaming has been growing almost by the day, there’s no telling how constant or stable that growth is. Plus, as much as it has been expanding, it’s still vastly behind traditional sports in terms of funding and above all else, revenue. The more traditional sports organizations own and run large physical locations and so they have more opportunities of earning money from many different factors such as broadcasting rights. The difference is in billions. So, no matter how far cybersports may have come, it still has a long way to go until it can be considered a competitor to other sport types. And while many esports tournaments are held all year round and many more will come, until the sport can bring revenue of the same size as any of the traditional physical sports, it’s too soon for gamers to claim victory in this matter.

Sports

Canada’s Dabrowski and New Zealand’s Routliffe pick up second win at WTA Finals

Published

8 hours ago

November 5, 2024

Anne Joseph

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowski and New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe remain undefeated in women’s doubles at the WTA Finals.

The 2023 U.S. Open champions, seeded second at the event, secured a 1-6, 7-6 (1), (11-9) super-tiebreak win over fourth-seeded Italians Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini in round-robin play on Tuesday.

The season-ending tournament features the WTA Tour’s top eight women’s doubles teams.

Dabrowski and Routliffe lost the first set in 22 minutes but levelled the match by breaking Errani’s serve three times in the second, including at 6-5. They clinched victory with Routliffe saving a match point on her serve and Dabrowski ending Errani’s final serve-and-volley attempt.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will next face fifth-seeded Americans Caroline Dolehide and Desirae Krawczyk on Thursday, where a win would secure a spot in the semifinals.

The final is scheduled for Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Nov. 5, 2024.

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Sports

Allen nets shutout as Devils burn Oilers 3-0

Published

17 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Anne Joseph

EDMONTON – Jake Allen made 31 saves for his second shutout of the season and 26th of his career as the New Jersey Devils closed out their Western Canadian road trip with a 3-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Monday.

Jesper Bratt had a goal and an assist and Stefan Noesen and Timo Meier also scored for the Devils (8-5-2) who have won three of their last four on the heels on a four-game losing skid.

The Oilers (6-6-1) had their modest two-game winning streak snapped.

Calvin Pickard made 13 stops between the pipes for Edmonton.

TAKEAWAYS

Devils: In addition to his goal, Bratt picked up his 12th assist of the young season to give him nine points in his last eight games and now 15 points overall. Nico Hischier remains in the team lead, picking up an assist of his own to give him 16 points for the campaign. He has a point in all but four games this season.

Oilers: Forward Leon Draisaitl was held pointless after recording six points in his previous two games and nine points in his previous four. Draisaitl usually has strong showings against the Devils, coming into the contest with an eight-game point streak against New Jersey and 11 goals in 17 games.

KEY MOMENT

New Jersey took a 2-0 lead on the power play with 3:26 remaining in the second period as Hischier made a nice feed into the slot to Bratt, who wired his third of the season past Pickard.

KEY RETURN?

Oilers star forward and captain Connor McDavid took part in the optional morning skate for the Oilers, leading to hopes that he may be back sooner rather than later. McDavid has been expected to be out for two to three weeks with an ankle injury suffered during the first shift of last Monday’s loss in Columbus.

OILERS DEAL FOR D-MAN

The Oilers have acquired defenceman Ronnie Attard from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for defenceman Ben Gleason.

The 6-foot-3 Attard has spent the past three season in the Flyers organization seeing action in 29 career games. The 25-year-old right-shot defender and Western Michigan University grad was originally selected by Philadelphia in the third round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Attard will report to the Oilers’ AHL affiliate in Bakersfield.

UP NEXT

Devils: Host the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.

Oilers: Host the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 4, 2024.

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Sports

Mahomes throws 3 TD passes, unbeaten Chiefs beat Buccaneers 30-24 in OT

Published

17 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Anne Joseph

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 291 yards and three touchdowns, and Kareem Hunt pounded into the end zone from two yards out in overtime to give the unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs a 30-24 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night.

DeAndre Hopkins had two touchdown receptions for the Chiefs (8-0), who drove through the rain for two fourth-quarter scores to take a 24-17 lead with 4:17 left. But then Kansas City watched as Baker Mayfield led the Bucs the other way in the final minute, hitting Ryan Miller in the end zone with 27 seconds to go in regulation time.

Tampa Bay (4-5) elected to kick the extra point and force overtime, rather than go for a two-point conversion and the win. And it cost the Buccaneers when Mayfield called tails and the coin flip was heads. Mahomes and the Chiefs took the ball, he was 5-for-5 passing on their drive in overtime, and Hunt finished his 106-yard rushing day with the deciding TD plunge.

Travis Kelce had 14 catches for 100 yards with girlfriend Taylor Swift watching from a suite, and Hopkins finished with eight catches for 86 yards as the Chiefs ran their winning streak to 14 dating to last season. They became the sixth Super Bowl champion to start 8-0 the following season.

Mayfield finished with 200 yards and two TDs passing for the Bucs, who have lost four of their last five.

It was a memorable first half for two players who had been waiting to play in Arrowhead Stadium.

The Bucs’ Rachaad White grew up about 10 minutes away in a tough part of Kansas City, but his family could never afford a ticket for him to see a game. He wound up on a circuitous path through Division II Nebraska-Kearney and a California junior college to Arizona State, where he eventually became of a third-round pick of Tampa Bay in the 2022 draft.

Two year later, White finally got into Arrowhead — and the end zone. He punctuated his seven-yard scoring run in the second quarter, which gave the Bucs a 7-3 lead, by nearly tossing the football into the second deck.

Then it was Hopkins’ turn in his first home game since arriving in Kansas City from a trade with the Titans.

The three-time All-Pro, who already had caught four passes, reeled in a third-down heave from Mahomes amid triple coverage for a 35-yard gain inside the Tampa Bay five-yard line. Three plays later, Mahomes found him in the back of the end zone, and Hopkins celebrated his first TD with the Chiefs with a dance from “Remember the Titans.”

Tampa Bay tried to seize control with consecutive scoring drives to start the second half. The first ended with a TD pass to Cade Otton, the latest tight end to shred the Chiefs, and Chase McLaughlin’s 47-yard field goal gave the Bucs a 17-10 lead.

The Chiefs answered in the fourth quarter. Mahomes marched them through the rain 70 yards for a tying touchdown pass, which he delivered to Samaje Perine while landing awkwardly and tweaking his left ankle, and then threw a laser to Hopkins on third-and-goal from the Buccaneers’ five-yard line to give Kansas City the lead.

Tampa Bay promptly went three-and-out, but its defence got the ball right back, and this time Mayfield calmly led his team down field. His capped the drive with a touchdown throw to Miller — his first career TD catch — with 27 seconds to go, and Tampa Bay elected to play for overtime.

UP NEXT

Buccaneers: Host the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

Chiefs: Host the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

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AP NFL:

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