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Video game competitions should be in the Olympics
E-sports would bring a much-needed infusion of youth, cultural relevance and money to the lagging event.
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Team Korea (left) and Team China (right) in action during the League of Legends e-gaming semi-final, at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, on Sept 28, 2023.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
Adam Minter
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The hottest sports ticket in the Asia-Pacific right now is not for a soccer match, an NBA exhibition game or even a swim meet. It is for the medal event debut of competitive video gaming, or e-sports. The milestone moment is taking place at the quadrennial Asian Games – sometimes referred to as an “Asian Olympics”. Leading up to this week’s games, at least five million people applied for the right to buy a pricey ticket
But so far, the Olympics, the world’s pre-eminent sporting competition, has no intention of following Asia’s lead. That is a mistake. With hundreds of millions of fans and players, e-sports can bring a desperately needed infusion of youth, cultural relevance and money to the lagging and scandal-plagued Olympics.
