No, eSports should not be an Olympic sport

Opinion by Matt S.

eSports doesn't need the Olympics. It shouldn't be an Olympic sport. There is an increasingly vocal perception out there that eSports will enter the Olympics. But that would benefit no one, and be a wasted opportunity for others.

Make no mistake, the explosion in eSports has been incredible, and great for so many people. eSports events fill stadiums, and are increasingly broadcast through television, or even cinema. By 2020, eSports could generate as much as $1.5 billion in revenue. That is a mainstream activity by definition. In addition to being a huge commercial opportunity, though, the really great thing about eSports is the kind of opportunities and inspiration it has afforded people who are otherwise uncomfortable with conventional sport. People who are passionate about playing games now have heroes and potential careers to aspire to, and those opportunities are precious. It's hard not to be inspired by the growth of eSports, and what it has come to mean for so many people.

But all of that growth, which shows no sign of abating, has happened without the slightest whisper of games becoming an Olympic event. And if games are never included in the Olympics, the eSports scene isn't going to lose a beat. There are plenty of other sports that have not needed the Olympics to become important; sports like Cricket, NFL (Gridiron in America), motorsports, or AFL (in Australia). eSports, as with these sports, has grown organically and by itself. The simple reality is that there are certain sports or competitive activities whose growth is driven through cultures gaining mainstream attention, and the amplifying effect of the Olympics doesn't really benefit them in any substantial way.

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