SportTechie has an article about the consideration for eSports in the Olympics. My previous thoughts on this can be found here. With the emergence of eSports and the 2016 Olympics around the corner, I expect this topic to receive a good bit of attention moving forward. Unfortunately, I think the conversation is being phrased incorrectly. Specifically, it’s centered around whether eSports is a sport. My response remains an emphatic “Who cares?!?”

Professional competitive gaming is here to stay. Regardless if we call it a sport, activity or whatever else. In all fairness though, with a name containing the word sport its hard to totally brush over this debate. Still, inclusion in the Olympics boils down to what the IOC thinks and wants; any resources invested towards that end do little else to further eSports. Additionally, there are more pressing issues within the eSports scene which beg to be addressed.

Interestingly enough, I feel the Olympics have MORE to gain from including eSports than the other way around. According to Nielsen (regarding the 2010 Winter Olympics):

“Olympics ratings are clearly highest among older viewers. Ratings among teenagers are 57% lower than the national average for this year’s primetime Olympics broadcasts. Ratings among the 18-49 group are 20% lower than the national average, while ratings among those 55 and older are 82% higher.”

With eSports clearly most popular with the 18 – 34 demographic, perhaps the IOC should be courting eSports. Especially since it’s highly unlikely that older generations will convert into eSports viewers. Gaining a platform to reach audiences boasting a low chance of penetration/conversion isn’t a great tactic. Would the implicit boost in legitimacy hurt? In a word: No. But as The World Series of Poker (WSOP) has shown, sport or no sport, numbers don’t lie.

So the argument over whether pro gamers are athletes is purely academic. One with little to no benefit in proving or disputing. Not to mention, in a rapidly changing global sports scene, the Olympics no longer represent the paragon of athletic achievement. Meaning inclusion, or even exclusion, matters little in the scheme of things. Currying IOC favor is less about pushing eSports forward and more begging for acceptance. Hopefully, the appropriate priorities win out and we let a dead horse lie.

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Alex Fletcher is founder & president at eSports Group, where he helps customers meet their eSports advisory & consulting needs. When Alex isn’t glued to a screen, he spends time with his wife, their two dogs, and pretends to learn Polish. Feel free to stalk him on Twitter – @FletchUnleashed