Is Smash a Sport?

[MaskedMarth]

Well, I control a Falcon in SSBM, does that make it a sport?

DDRFreak has enough trouble deciding if DDR is a sport, so I'm going to say "no" to SSBM. Not that it really matters.

 

[quak]

i can't beileve that this is still going on

smash isn't a sport.

all people who try to loosely interprete the "definition of a sport" to try and make it sound like smash is a sport SHOULD GO PLAY A REAL ****ING SPORT.

 

[the_air_up_there7]

I wish it was, and wish there was way more competitiveness in smash so it can become big thing. But no it's not a sport. Like MLG is not a sport, it's more like......I dunno competitive gaming I guess. I hope when brawl comes out smash will become more big, bigger than ****ing halo 3. Anyway I find this thread useless. But if you think about it video gaming will be more bigger in a distant future.

 

[The_Smash_Champ]

Super Smash is kind of like a sport but not completely. Videogames as a whole arent sports but when you get to game like Halo2 and SSBM, they should kind of being considered a sport. You do use your body physicly, by practicing your fingers movement and at what speed you need to get them too. Even if its not "real" its not something that needs absolutely no practice at, and even if you consider it only a mental game, then noobs who concentrate hard can beat anyone they want. I dont care if its not a sport or not, if people can say chess is a sport, then so is Super smash

 

[Tezuka Zone]

First i dont consider cheerleading a sport and second i dont even consider the wnba a sport i mean come on ive seen more points in a soccer game for cryin out loud.

As to the Lacross player... WTF at first i thought smash wasnt a sport until i read ur post. Smash involves more of you mind than lacross and football. I dont wanna hear about audibles and plays and stuff. In smash you have to get in your opponets head. Make them do what you want them to do. you cant do that in football. But you can in chess and go.
They are sports right? Human error is in smash try to combo the same character exactly the same every time you cant your breathing patter might be diffrent or your pinky twiched or some thing.

Can you look like a professional? I dont think so, can you predict what your opponet is going to do after a few games? Can you pick up on their style and di in a few games? probley not.
But if you take a part of the video where ken smashes and the part where you smash it looks the same. There is no way to be exact cause of a missed LC, mindgames and such.

 

[ArticulacyFTW]

As to the Lacross player... WTF at first i thought smash wasnt a sport until i read ur post. Smash involves more of you mind than lacross and football. I dont wanna hear about audibles and plays and stuff. In smash you have to get in your opponets head. Make them do what you want them to do. you cant do that in football. But you can in chess and go.

Have you ever even played a sport? I gave up sports about 6 years ago, but it's obvious to me that you MUST get in your opponents head in order to do ANYTHING in directly competitive sports.

For the simplest example, when a running back is carrying the ball in football, he pretends to go one direction then goes another, trying to fool the defense into thinking he'll go a different way than he actually is.

That is mind games. When you make a shot on goal for soccer, hockey, lacrosse, etc. you have to make the goalie think you're going to shoot it somewhere different from where you actually are going to shoot it, or he'll block it.

There are countless examples.


HOWEVER: Mind games and mental acuity have nothing to do with the definition of sports. It's all about athleticism. I've already said this, but just making it clear.

 

[Spacecadet]

Here's what I'm thinking. By the "standard" definition of a sport, SSBM would at best probably fall under "no it's not". However, if you consider what many professionals do in any game, be it soccer, football, SSBM, or Halo, It could easily be considered a sport. Not because of the actual gameplay, which is far from physically demanding, but because most pro-gamers are in relatively excellent physical condition. They keep themselves fit because being in good physical shape improves just about everything about you, mental and otherwise. So by standard definition, it definitely isn't a sport (though sitting for hours at a time can leave you sore like any other sport), but by the rest, I think it could be considered so.

 

[KevinM]

on a side note

Magic the Gathering was on ESPN 2 the other day... *sighs* what is this world coming too

 

[MuseLives]

I can't believe i read so many posts in this thread. The arguements are going around in a redundant little loop. I hate this thread now.


Bluntly speaking,

Spoiler

NO

My reasoning: I won't say anything because I'd be being redundant. Go read the rest of the thread >_< Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but there really is nothing new to contribute *blah blah blah* [/rant]



Seriously...just no.

 

[Bullet Bill]

I'll keep my opinion brief. Smash is a game not a sport a lot like snooker and chess

 

[Banks]

smash is a sport because cheerleading is and smash takes more dicipline and talent

 

[im2emo4myshrt]

It's not a sport unless its on espn.

So until then, smash is not a sport. But arm wrestling, scrabble, spelling bees, poker, lawn mower racing, and trick shot bowling are.

 

[A-Laon]

It's not a sport unless its on espn.

So until then, smash is not a sport. But arm wrestling, scrabble, spelling bees, poker, lawn mower racing, and trick shot bowling are.

Don't forget hotdog eating.

 

[GotACoolName]

Smash takes absolutely no talent.

It is not physically demanding.

It costs hundreds of dollars just to be able to play it regularly.

It's a **** video game. It is not at all a sport.

 

[Scar]

And so the philosopher says...

...does it matter? Football is a sport. The differences between football and smash is that football has withstood the test of time, and also requires a certain athleticism.

When I play football I don't play for the exercise though, it's just to chill and have fun and be competitive. In that respect Smash is exactly the same.

So is the real question about whether Smash is a sport? Or are we questioning its legitimacy? If it's the former, then everyone will compare Smash to chess, and rightly so, proving that it is not a sport.

But if you want Smash to be legitimate, and not to feel like you're wasting your time or being a bum or whatever, then that's a personal thing. Even though it's a long shot for people outside the community to understand or accept Smash for its similarities to sports, you can do that yourself and feel good about it.

Also,

It's not a sport unless its on espn.

So until then, smash is not a sport. But arm wrestling, scrabble, spelling bees, poker, lawn mower racing, and trick shot bowling are.

BRILLIANTLY put.

Edit: I just read Wobbles's post on like... the third page and got upset.

 

[Banks]

its definitely a sport because it involves competition

 

[Marthmaster92]

"Sport is an activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively. Used by itself, sports commonly refer to activities where the physical capabilities of the competitor are the sole or primary determiner of the outcome (winning or losing), but the term is also used to include activities such as mind sports and motor sports where mental acuity or equipment quality are major factors. Sports are used as entertainment for the player and the viewer. It has also proved by experiments that daily exercise would increase mental strength and power to study"-Wiki

So to answer your question..Yes,Smash is a sport,anything that is recreational and has a set of rules can be considered a sport.

that sums it up right there.

i agree that it is!

 

[Reese]

ha ha can u imagine a hot girl asking you "do you play any sports ?" and you reply "Yes I do. I play smash brothers ! "

 

[Bailey]

ha ha can u imagine a hot girl asking you "do you play any sports ?" and you reply "Yes I do. I play smash brothers ! "

Yes I can and she is now my GF. No lie. VIDEO GAMES FTW

 

[im2emo4myshrt]

ha ha can u imagine a hot girl asking you "do you play any sports ?" and you reply "Yes I do. I play smash brothers ! "

I doubt most people here can imagine a hot girl saying anything to them.

 

[St. Viers]

Why the #3!! did people bother posting after Wobbles ?

saying smash is a SPORT because [insert other activity that may or may not be a SPORT here] is considered one is kind of dumb. Just because many people confuse/just fuse the idea that competition=SPORTS (a concept promoted by sports networks covering non-traditional sports) doesn't mean they are right.

Now on to random points brought up:
1. Whoever quoted one line of one persons argument, replied inanely, and then picked another line from someone else: you showed you didn't really read exept to find something to argue with, a really bad way to "win" anything.

2. Cheerleading: It takes practice, and physical adroitness, and it is a competition, but that doesn't make it a sport. Competition doesn't always equal a sport. There is no definate way to score cheerleading. It is based off of peoples personal judgements on how well you did.

In baseball, you know exactly how to get points. In football, futball, lacross, tennis, PING PONG, there is a definate way to get point/win. In cheerleading, it is simply to "do well/better than opponent..."

3.DDR again, its a competition, and physical, but I can't qualify it as a sport. Maybe because Im a traditionalist, but regular dancing isn't a sport, and giving dancing a point system doesn't make it so.

4. Please just agree to disagree (or just everyone agree with Wobbles). This sin't really productive anymore.

 

[NJzFinest]

Mashing buttons is something physical and the numerous smash tournaments show that people play competitively xD

*I personally don't think it's a sport, but some people can put up a decent argument *

 

[J Flo]

Both sides of this argument put up great points, but this is my take on gaming and sports:

I will never look at gamers at the same light as athletes. I just have so much respect for athletes because it takes a lot of physical talent(other than fingers) for them to be successful. But I always say to everyone that professional gamers, or competitive gamers in general, are just as competitive and dedicated as athletes.

 

[OmegaXXII]

I strongly agree that the fact that it is a sport in that some video games have alot of strategies in which the player has to use his mind and strategize in what can be done and also involves alot of finger exercise, my other reason is that newer cames coming out such as Wii, have alot of games in which the player can actually do some exercise movements while holding the Wii remote to do movements in the game

 

[Creo]

I would say (IMO) Smash is a sport... Finger movement, Reflexes, and hand eye coordination are all involved... to me , thats an everyday sport...

 

[The_Smash_Champ]

Have you ever even played a sport? I gave up sports about 6 years ago, but it's obvious to me that you MUST get in your opponents head in order to do ANYTHING in directly competitive sports.

For the simplest example, when a running back is carrying the ball in football, he pretends to go one direction then goes another, trying to fool the defense into thinking he'll go a different way than he actually is.

That is mind games. When you make a shot on goal for soccer, hockey, lacrosse, etc. you have to make the goalie think you're going to shoot it somewhere different from where you actually are going to shoot it, or he'll block it.

There are countless examples.


HOWEVER: Mind games and mental acuity have nothing to do with the definition of sports. It's all about athleticism. I've already said this, but just making it clear.

You just said you quit a sport 6 years ago, how do you know what a sport is like?
I play soccer everyday and it takes just as much time as SSBM to get good at it. Its all practice, sports arent alway so physical like football, this seems like a problem these stupid americans have, it doesnt need big white or black strong guys to be a sport. Soccer is very physical but you dont have to be the fittest person to be the best at it.

 

[victra♥]

Smash is a sport.
Lets have a checklist shall we?



1. Sport is an activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs.
Eg)4 stock, 8:00 time limit, Best 2/3 matches, Items off etc. Sounds like a set of rules/customs to me.



2. Often engaged competitively.
Eg)Go to youtube.com. Type in SSBM. There you have it.



3. Activities where the physical capabilities of the competitor are the sole or primary determiner of the outcome.
Eg) If your a Luigi player like me, you know what i mean.*cough* *Rising Tornado* *cough*
SHFFLing is hard work too. =]



4. Activities such as mind sports and motor sports where mental acuity or equipment quality are major factors.
Eg) Hand eye co-ordination. etc. Your not gonna continually use Fox's side-B are you?
Also, I don't know about you, but i personally do terrible with third-party controllers.



5. Sports are used as entertainment for the player and the viewer.
Eg) MLG and other Tournaments. Combo videos are popular with a lot of people these days aren't they?

But Smash is more of a way of life. More or less.

 

[ArticulacyFTW]

You just said you quit a sport 6 years ago, how do you know what a sport is like?
I play soccer everyday and it takes just as much time as SSBM to get good at it. Its all practice, sports arent alway so physical like football, this seems like a problem these stupid americans have, it doesnt need big white or black strong guys to be a sport. Soccer is very physical but you dont have to be the fittest person to be the best at it.

I don't know if you're confused with what I said, but I never said sports don't take hard work or a lot of time to get good at. I think they do. Probably a lot more than Smash. All I was saying was that sports have mind games too, and that they are just as essential to sports as teh are to Smash.

And, even though you play soccer everyday, I would dispute your comment that you don't have to be the fittest person to be the best at it. I would say that you definitely have to be fitter to be good at soccer than you do almost any other sport because there is a lot more prolonged running. The only other games that can compare are basketball (barely) and lacrosse. Are there any good soccer players that aren't extremely fit? I don't think so. They might not have huge muscles, but that hardly has anything to do with being in shape or being physically fit.



PS: Just because I quit sports 6 years ago doesn't mean that I didn't play sports for ten years before that. Because, you know, I did.

 

[Addled_Leper]

I believe golf is a sport by definition. Anyone who can consider golf to be a sport would have a tough time trying to say that Smash is not a sport. Also, the word "sport" is extremely tough to definitively define. After looking up a handful of definitions, Smash fits a few of them and doesn't nowhere near qualify as a sport in others. I personally take the word "sport" to be somewhat broad in definition, and thereby believe Smash to be a valid sport, along with other arguable "sports" such as Halo and Nascar (EWWWWW). What I will say for certain is that Smash can by no means be considered an athletic/physical activity. That for many people is what defines a sport.

 

[Eternal phoenix Fire]

Smash takes absolutely no talent.

It is not physically demanding.

It costs hundreds of dollars just to be able to play it regularly.

It's a **** video game. It is not at all a sport.

Define'Talent' sir...

A talent is an ability or skill,regaurdless of what endeavors said talent is used for.If it requiered no talent,then why are you not in a professional league then?

You arguments are simply biased...GotAThickHead.

 

[thatsmybutta]

yeah i just bought my PC chris ny jersey

 

[Fiiii]

As far as physically, its not a sport. Pressing buttons all day is not physically demanding and it would probably only lead to mild carpal tunnel or something. However, something that is an organized activity, with competition, and mental preparation could be considered a hobby.

 

[Deathcarter]

I would love to say I am an athlete because I play smash, but unless I take over the world and make smash a sport, it ain't gonna be a sport.

 

[Demon_Lord]

Not sure how to say this...but here it goes anyway.

Sports need a certain level of physicality, like you need to be trained to be able to endure long distant sprints, or be able to last on the ice (hockey) or field (lacrosse) for a certain number of minutes or hours depends on how you look at it.

Smash... to consider smash a sport you might be able to say yes for these reasons 1. you need a certain type of endurance to be able to last the game. Strain is put upon the player and the same goes for any athlete. 2. It's the fact that it is an organized form of activity like any sport with set rules and regulations.

Now for why it could not be a sport. 1.There is no moving during the match at all except for the characters. 2. It's not big enough to have it's own tv spot. (well that goes for America anyway) 3. There is not as big a fan-base as football or any other sport (also goes for America)

But for me i do considered it a sport just because it is an organized activity.

 

[Creo]

It has competition, awards, crowd, and stradegy included so it's a sport confirmed or not!..(Plus, isn't it in MLG)

 

[Deathcarter]

There are a few long and well articulated reasons on pages 4 and 5 as to why this debate is pointless. Smash is not a sport.

 

[the_air_up_there7]

somebody close this thread!

 

[tarheeljks]

somebody close this thread!

seriously, it wasn't meant to last this long.

 

[ToP CaT]

It has competition, awards, crowd, and stradegy included so it's a sport confirmed or not!..(Plus, isn't it in MLG)

'fraid not, mlg is gay

 

[go2chutch]

yes its a sport, people who play conventional sports tend to oversimplify smash by calling it pictures on a screen etc. but its not like conventional sports arent subject to the same type of judgement, baseball is just hitting a ball with a stick and catching it, basketball is just trying to throw a ball through a hoop etc. if you think about it a sport is just something that people are willing to compete at competitivly, and when conventional sports are viewed in this light id concider smash a much more space efficent and money efficent sport/recreational activity.