Pro League of Legends players are professional athletes, says US government

[Esivo]

Kind of weird if you ask me, but I always wanted something like this to happen. We are only getting there. Why LoL only? Not sure.


 

There may not be eSports stadiums popping up in American cities just yet, but competitive gaming has gotten one step closer to official recognition. Specifically, the US government has begun issuing visas to international League of Legends players, designating them "professional athletes."

Speaking to GameSpot, Riot Games eSports manager Nick Allen discussed the new development. "The United States government recognizes League of Legends pro players as professional athletes, and awards visas to essentially work in the United States under that title," he said, calling the visas "groundbreaking for eSports." Organizing international tournaments is now "a much easier process, because [players] are actually recognized by the government. This is a huge thing."

Getting the visas issued was a "lengthy process," Allen said, with Riot going back and forth with the government until enough proof was provided and the visas were finally issued.

Oh, and about those stadiums, the League of Legends Season 3 Championship finals will be taking place October 4 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. 

 

League of Legends has been (somewhat reluctantly) deemed a professional sport by the US government, after a lengthy campaign by Riot and others to get LoL’s pro players recognised as professional athletes. This is more than just an empty title, however – pros will now be able to come to the US on working visas, which will make it considerably easier for international players to appear in tournaments. “The United States government recognises League of Legends pro players as professional athletes, and award Visas to essentially work in the United States under that title,” Riot eSports manager Nick Allen revealed in aninterview with GameSpot. “This is groundbreaking for eSports.”

Allen explained how the decision came to be. “This is a lengthy process, we had a lot of people fighting for this, and it wasn’t something that happened overnight. This is constant back and forth of like, ‘Show us more proof, is this realistic’, and that sort of thing. Eventually it got to the point where they were like, ‘Okay, we have no reason to say no. This is legitimate’.”

LoL Season 3 World Championship kicks off in LA on the 16th of September. First place wins a cool $1 million, something that brings its own kind of legitimacy to the sport.

 

 

As a US citizen, it's my sacred duty to hate the US government more than just about anyone, but this is still a pretty monumental occasion. No, an eagle-blood-signed document proclaimingLeague of Legends pros athletes doesn’t make it official in the eyes of culture that absolutely loves its arbitrary labels, but it does grant players some pretty cool rights.

Speaking with GameSpot, Riot eSports manager Nick Allen broke the good news:

 

The United States government recognizes League of Legends pro players as professional athletes, and awards Visas to essentially work in the United States under that title. So this is groundbreaking for eSports. Now when [international players] come over, it's a much easier process because they are actually recognized by the government. It's a huge thing.

Apparently it took a whole, whole, whole lot of lobbying on Riot’s part. Surprisingly few riots, though.
Meanwhile, speaking with Polygon, Riot VP of eSports Dustin Beck pointed out that this opens up the option for international players to transfer onto US teams. So basically, everybody’s now one big, happy, grievous-insult-hurling family.
It really is a big deal though, as these people put in serious work and deserve the recognition that comes with it – even if they don’t hit a ball, swing a stick, or walk slightly faster than most people normally walk. So bravo, USGOVT. Now can you tell Texas to stop arresting teenagersfor bringing (admittedly awful) LoL trash talk onto Facebook?

Sources:
http://www.joystiq.com/2013/07/12/pro-league-of-legends-players-are-professional-athletes-says-us/
http://www.pcgamer.com/2013/07/13/us-government-recognises-league-of-legends-pros-as-professional-athletes/
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/07/13/go-team-us-govt-declares-pro-lol-players-athletes/


*This is kinda old news, but I couldn't find it, sorry if it was posted, I did search.

[naca1227]

I in no way see eSports as a real "sport"

 

It's ridiculous. The skill level and discipline that goes into a real sport is far above the one of a video game.

[ShiverMePenguins]

I in no way see eSports as a real "sport"

 

It's ridiculous. The skill level and discipline that goes into a real sport is far above the on of a video game.

because 20 million dollar sallaries and a few hours in the sun everyday is sooo much worse than the alternative.

 

oh wait.

[naca1227]

because 20 million dollar sallaries and a few hours in the sun everyday is sooo much worse than the alternative.

 

oh wait.

What? I don't agree with the salaries of Pro Athelets either but it's true that real physical sports are a lot more skillful than a video game

[Whiskers]

Ehh. I'm undecided on this. I think it's a bit of a stretch to group pro gamers and professional athletes together. The world's best chess players are not thought of as athletes, so why should gamers?

I do think the advantages it gives them is excellent though. I would just prefer differentiation between e-sports and physical sports.

[Emperor_Piehead]

I don't understand the reasoning behind this. A video game is a video game and the problem is making only one "Esport" game official will annoy people who say mostly play star craft or Dota.

[Esivo]

I in no way see eSports as a real "sport"

 

It's ridiculous. The skill level and discipline that goes into a real sport is far above the on of a video game.

I don't see why. I fit LoL player can still run 100 meters. Maybe not in 9 seconds, but Yusain Bolt wouldn't get a kill on LoL or Dota even if he trained for a couple years.

 

If professional video game players didn't use skills, to get them there, we would all be making money from Call of Duty and League of Legends.

[naca1227]

I don't see why. I fit LoL player can still run 100 meters. Maybe not in 9 seconds, but Yusain Bolt wouldn't get a kill on LoL or Dota even if he trained for a couple years.

 

If professional video game players didn't use skills, to get them there, we would all be making money from Call of Duty and League of Legends.

It's virtual, it's not real. It's not something you have to dedicate your life to.

[Cronus]

It's virtual, it's not real. It's not something you have to dedicate your life to.

 

Are you joking? Pro players practice pretty much constantly. Most teams live together, and they practice 10+ hours every day rather alone or together, and they live off of sponsors and tournaments. It's not like they're simply better than other people at a particular game, playing it a couple hours after work. They devote their lives to it. It's a mental sport before it's a physical one, but why does that make it any less valid? The mind is part of the body, so why should a sport defined only as people engaging in physically exhaustive activities?

 

I don't particularly enjoy watching people play games I can play myself, but I can't understand why it's any less valid a sport than football, tennis or anything else.

[joelthezombie15]

What? I don't agree with the salaries of Pro Athelets either but it's true that real physical sports are a lot more skillful than a video game

Poker? chess? 

 

I think that starcraft should have been official before LoL its been around A LOT longer and imo takes much more skill.

[L.E.D]

I will say that, that is quite stupid, you play video games, that isn't being an athlete ... 

[revz]

What? I don't agree with the salaries of Pro Athelets either but it's true that real physical sports are a lot more skillful than a video game

 

What you are saying is that any physical sports requires much more skill than chess? Sorry but I have to disagree here. I agree physical sports will require much more physical attributes but skill is an broad term not only limited to physical abilities. I believe something like chess requires a different set of skills to physical sports such as the ability to predict many of your opponents moves ahead of time and setting up your pieces accordingly to counter (only listing one of the many).

 

On the topic, what I have trouble with is what constitutes as an athlete.

 

Just a quick quote from dictionary.com from a quick search of "athlete". 'a person trained or gifted in exercises or contests involving physical agility, stamina, or strength; a participant in a sport, exercise, or game requiring physical skill.'.

 

Although I know e-Sports players do go to the gym in order to ensure they have enough stamina to play through tournaments with extremely harsh schedules, I don't think the time they spend on training their physical attributes is any way near athletes of other sports to be considered "athletes". Not to mention why are pro-players of games other than LoL not considered "athletes" if professional LoL players are.

[wpirobotbuilder]

Athlete: A person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina

 

Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/athlete

 

While LoL is certainly not an exercise or a sport, it certainly is a game. It doesn't require the strength of rowers or agility of football players (soccer for U.S.), but it definitely requires a good deal of stamina to play competitively for hours on end.

[L.E.D]

 

 

What you are saying is that any physical sports requires much more skill than chess? Sorry but I have to disagree here. I agree physical sports will require much more physical attributes but skill is an broad term not only limited to physical abilities. I believe something like chess requires a different set of skills to physical sports such as the ability to predict many of your opponents moves ahead of time and setting up your pieces accordingly to counter (only listing one of the many).

 

On the topic, what I have trouble with is what constitutes as an athlete.

 

Just a quick quote from dictionary.com from a quick search of "athlete". 'a person trained or gifted in exercises or contests involving physical agility, stamina, or strength; a participant in a sport, exercise, or game requiring physical skill.'.

 

Although I know e-Sports players do go to the gym in order to ensure they have enough stamina to play through tournaments with extremely harsh schedules, I don't think the time they spend on training their physical attributes is any way near athletes of other sports to be considered "athletes". Not to mention why are pro-players of games other than LoL not considered "athletes" if professional LoL players are.

 

 

Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/athlete

 

While LoL is certainly not an exercise or a sport, it certainly is a game. It doesn't require the strength of rowers or agility of football players (soccer for U.S.), but it definitely requires a good deal of stamina to play competitively for hours on end.

 

There isn't much to that game, I have played it and I have friends who play it and by no means does it take a lot of skill to play the game, believe my friends who play this game aren't that bright....

[I'm Batman]

I in no way see eSports as a real "sport"

 

It's ridiculous. The skill level and discipline that goes into a real sport is far above the on of a video game.

exactly. my old  enemy

[Cronus]

Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/athlete

 

While LoL is certainly not an exercise or a sport, it certainly is a game. It doesn't require the strength of rowers or agility of football players (soccer for U.S.), but it definitely requires a good deal of stamina to play competitively for hours on end.

 

 

And it does require agility to an extent, where it relates to reaction time and reflexes. I play DOTA a lot, and in many situations where you realize you need to do something, accomplishing that something in a timely and effective manner is something else. Hand-eye coordination is a valuable asset in nearly any physical sport, and it's just as valuable, if not more so, in most RTS and MOBA games.

 

 

There isn't much to that game, I have played it and I have friends who play it and by no means does it take a lot of skill to play the game, believe my friends who play this game aren't that bright....

 

Yes, low-level solo queue matches are quite easy. Low-level group queues can be even easier. Try to play ranked level 30 matches and achieve and maintain a high placement, then you can call it simple.

[wpirobotbuilder]

There isn't much to that game, I have played it and I have friends who play it and by no means does it take a lot of skill to play the game, believe my friends who play this game aren't that bright....

 

I would like to leave you with a quote from Nolan Bushnell of Atari: 

All the best games are easy to learn and difficult to master. They should reward the first quarter and the hundredth.

[L.E.D]

I would like to leave you with a quote from Nolan Bushnell of Atari: 

Quote

All the best games are easy to learn and difficult to master. They should reward the first quarter and the hundredth.

 

 

Alright then.... 

[Cronus]

Basically, the point is, saying a game like LoL is easy based on trying it out is like saying raiding in World of Warcraft is easy because you did your first dungeon. If LoL were as challenging at level 1 as it is in ranked level 30 matches then it would be completely inaccessible

[therealrealisback]

Basically, the point is, saying a game like LoL is easy based on trying it out is like saying raiding in World of Warcraft is easy because you did your first dungeon. If LoL were as challenging at level 1 as it is in ranked level 30 matches then it would be completely inaccessible

I feel like the quote says exactly what you stated, but simpler

[Cronus]

It is, but I wanted to be more specific with a related example since the quote was just sort of brushed off. ^_^

[Nort]

Wait for an FPS with Virtuix Omni, ARAIG and Oculus Rift. If the top players aren't "professional athletes" then, I wouldn't know what to call them...

[dyent10]

its a sport, but the people playing aren't athletes.

[Pure]

In asia , specifically korea, they are consider athletes.It may seem simple as sitting down and playing competitvely, but majority of them do work out and do cardio exercises to keep their mind and body in shape.
 

[Esivo]

Wait for an FPS with Virtuix Omni, ARAIG and Oculus Rift. If the top players aren't "professional athletes" then, I wouldn't know what to call them...

You forgot Delta Six. 

But I would also like to know what they would be called.