Should card games be classified as sports?

[sledger]

Saw this article on the BBC website just now:

Bridge: Judicial review of decision that card game is not a sport - BBC News

I'm definitely leaning towards "no", but thought it would be interesting to gauge opinion.

 

[ripper868]

Haha, was listening to this on the drive to work.

No it's not a sport, it's a game.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Yeah not a sport. Does get annoying when people complain about poker being shown on ESPN though, just because it's not a sport doesn't mean it isn't compelling viewing and where else would you have it?

 

[sledger]

Same with WWE on the Sky Sports channels

 

[Lillian Thomson]

World of Warcraft is a sport.

 

[harsh.ag]

If Chess is considered a sport (not sure if it is), then so should Poker.

 

[NUFAN]

They should just build something and get over it.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

World of Warcraft is a sport.

You probably think you're being funny but ESPN broadcast League of Legends, there's professional college leagues for LoL and DOTA and the winning team of the recent DOTA2 International pocketed like 6 million US.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Yeah it's always irritated me when people occasionally refer to poker as a sport. It just isn't.

 

[Daemon]

Well if chess and poker are sports, then scrabble is too and scaly is a world class athlete.

Fine with competitive gaming being called e-sports, but that's as far as it should go.

 

[fredfertang]

As a former Bridge player and ex-member of the EBU I find this an interesting debate. The difference between Bridge on the one hand, and the likes of Scrabble and Poker on the other, is that the way Bridge tournaments are played all the competitors play the same hands so the winner is undoubtedly the best player over the duration of the event, rather than luck playing any significant part. That said it is wholly cerebral, so my starting point is it's not a sport.

This is all about funding however, and if there were compelling evidence that playing bridge had health benefits, and I have in mind a possible positive effect by delaying the onset of Alzheimers or its progress, then I think it should be classified as a sport for the purposes of eligibility for funding

 

[Howe_zat]

Very fuzzy at the edges when you start going for a definition of sport as being athletic. Does darts count? Are those athletes?

I'm pretty much fine with any professional competition with organised rules and conditions being called a sport. I'm struggling to think of a proper definition that excludes all 'games for money'.

 

[G.I.Joe]

Stephen Hawking test holds, IMO. If he can play it, then it isn't a sport.

 

[NUFAN]

DCYE, can you put down your ESPN TV guide for a moment? Thanks.

 

[NUFAN]

Also, interesting that this was started in the general sports forum..

 

[sledger]

Also, interesting that this was started in the general sports forum..

Seemed as good a place as any tbh.

 

[Jono]

Pokemon battles for sure

 

[El Nino]

It's not a sport unless you have to change your shoes for it.

 

[Daemon]

It's not a sport unless you have to change your shoes for it.

Two words, Jeans and Trainers

 

[cnerd123]

Two words, Jeans and Trainers

No jokes; had a kid who came in for cricket practice last night wearing that.

Was a pretty solid little batsman too.