Sports Might Not Be Your Thing But Esports Still Can Be

Growing up in the UK, football, soccer to some of you out there, was everywhere. It’s the most popular sport in the UK, and kids are pretty much expected to love it. I really tried, but I didn’t.

Much to the disappointment of my friends, I just couldn’t get on board with football. I’d chat when we played at school and let in goals, I’d ignore the matches on TV, and I’d have nothing to say about the weekend other than how many hours I played my Game Boy when not running around the woods. But then I discovered eSports.

Give Esports A Chance

I’ve only covered eSports professionally for a couple of years, but from the moment I stepped into the arena, I knew this was my thing. The atmosphere is always electric, even if you’re only watching online, but for me, it’s so much easier to grasp.

Rounds in whatever game you’re watching are generally faster, so it’s hard to get bored. Teams are smaller, so you can get to know personalities better, and everyone around you is having a good time. Whether you’re watching online and hanging out in chat or in the crowd making new friends, you’re always taken care of.

While games like Apex Legends are inherently less “sporty” because there are guns, a ring, and lots of death, titles such as EA Sports FC are the perfect blend of real-life sports and eSports.

This week, I attended the launch of Season 3 of the EA FC Pro Open. It’s a football tournament entirely in EA FC Pro, and no less competitive than the real thing. Since it’s been going for a few years now, there are familiar faces and voices among the commentators, but it’s the players that you really find yourself rooting for.

This year saw the matchup of two behemoths of the tournament: Vejrgang and Tekkz. In football in the UK, you have the history of an entire city behind its team. The players used to be locals and are now accompanied by legends of the modern era, an amalgamation determined by what the club can afford.

In this eSports, you have something similar. Players have teams comprised of players and items they’ve earned through hundreds of hours of grinding. You’re watching their entire legacy match up against someone else’s.

Quite often, these players are also streamers or content creators. This adds a whole new dynamic to the scene, as well as the fans of that player’s sponsor. Suddenly, you have face-offs between brands, players, and fans.

What I love more than anything about this side of eSports is that it’s so much more wholesome and safe than the communities that clash in real-life sports. There are, unfortunately, some bad actors in all fan bases, but you can ban them and silence them online to ensure everyone keeps having good, clean fun. Something you can’t quite do in real life.

So, what am I saying here? I’m telling you to give eSports a chance. It doesn’t have to take up your whole evening. Just pick a highlights reel, listen to someone who knows what they’re talking about, and see if you can get into it. I guarantee you’ll have fun, even if you don’t come back for more. But some part of you will always want to know how a tournament or rivalry played out. Then you’ll be back.

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About the Author

Jamie Moorcroft Sharp

Editor

Jamie adores the indie games that you don’t hear about until you’re on a video essay binge at 3AM and suddenly the sound of them changes your life. He’s played games all his life and loves looking at the intricate details that make them magical and different. If there’s a wierd list, embarrassing feature, or something else far too out there on Bonus Action, there’s a good chance he wrote it. But that’s not all! He’s also an absolute fiend who never knows when to stop when he puts on his dirty robes and takes on his D&D persona as a Mud Warlock who acts on that tiny voice in your head when it wonders what would happen if you did something really dumb right now. He’s easy to beat in a TGC, though, just keep an eye out for his crazy card combos.

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