Academic Debates on Whether Esports Constitutes a Real Sport

Asamoah, J., & Marchowska-Raza, M. (2025). Social Capital and Fan Engagement in Esports: A Conceptual Exploration. In L. Khan (Ed.), Oxford Intersections: Social Media in Society and Culture (1st ed.). Oxford University PressOxford. https://doi.org/10.1093/9780198945253.003.0107

Bavelier, D., Green, C. S., Pouget, A., & Schrater, P. (2012). Brain Plasticity Through the Life Span: Learning to Learn and Action Video Games. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 35(1), 391–416. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-neuro-060909-152832

Bryce, J., & Rutter, J. (2003). Gender dynamics and the social and spatial organization of computer gaming. Leisure Studies, 22(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/02614360306571

Campbell, M. J., Toth, A. J., Moran, A. P., Kowal, M., & Exton, C. (2018). eSports: A new window on neurocognitive expertise? In Progress in Brain Research (Vol. 240, pp. 161–174). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.pbr.2018.09.006

Candeo, A. L. D. S., Reyes, S. J., Haller, N., Richardson, A., Preuss, H., Souvignet, T., Könecke, T., & Schubert, M. (2025). Governance and integrity challenges in esports: A scoping review. Performance Enhancement & Health, 13(4), 100352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.peh.2025.100352

Chappell, D., Eatough, V., Davies, M. N. O., & Griffiths, M. (2006). EverQuest—It’s Just a Computer Game Right? An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Online Gaming Addiction. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 4(3), 205–216. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-006-9028-6

Colwell, J., & Payne, J. (2000). Negative correlates of computer game play in adolescents. British Journal of Psychology, 91(3), 295–310. https://doi.org/10.1348/000712600161844

Cote, A. C., Rahman, M. W. U., Foxman, M., Wilson, A., Harris, B. C., Can, O., & Hansen, J. C. (2024). Esports buffs: The perceived role of fans and fandoms in U.S. collegiate programs. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 6, 1410929. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2024.1410929

Cunningham, G. B., Fairley, S., Ferkins, L., Kerwin, S., Lock, D., Shaw, S., & Wicker, P. (2018). eSport: Construct specifications and implications for sport management. Sport Management Review, 21(1), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smr.2017.11.002

Denomme, C., & Ryan, J.-A. (2025). The Olympics and Esports: Who Needs Who? Athens Journal of Sports, 12(3), 143–162. https://doi.org/10.30958/ajspo.12-3-2

Ekdahl, D. (2022). Both Physical and Virtual: On Immediacy in Esports. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 4, 883765. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2022.883765

eSports included in 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou. (2020, December 16). CGTN. https://news.cgtn.com/news/2020-12-16/eSports-included-in-2022-Asian-Games-in-Hangzhou-Wh8HEu2xJ6/index.html

Esports make historic medal debut at 19th Asian Games. (2023, September 20). Olympics.Com. https://www.olympics.com/en/news/esports-historic-medal-debut-19th-asian-games-hangzhou-schedule-live

Funk, D. C., Pizzo, A. D., & Baker, B. J. (2018). eSport management: Embracing eSport education and research opportunities. Sport Management Review, 21(1), 7–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smr.2017.07.008

Griffiths, M. (1997). Computer Game Playing in Early Adolescence. Youth & Society, 29(2), 223–237. https://doi.org/10.1177/0044118X97029002004

Hallmann, K., & Giel, T. (2018). eSports – Competitive sports or recreational activity? Sport Management Review, 21(1), 14–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smr.2017.07.011

Hamilton, W. A., Garretson, O., & Kerne, A. (2014). Streaming on twitch: Fostering participatory communities of play within live mixed media. Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 1315–1324. https://doi.org/10.1145/2556288.2557048

Heere, B. (2018). Embracing the sportification of society: Defining e-sports through a polymorphic view on sport. Sport Management Review, 21(1), 21–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smr.2017.07.002

Hemphill, D. (2005). Cybersport. Journal of the Philosophy of Sport, 32(2), 195–207. https://doi.org/10.1080/00948705.2005.9714682

Henderson, L., Eshet-Alkalai, Y., & Klemes, J. (2008). Digital Gaming: A Comparative International Study of Youth Culture in a Peaceful and War Zone Country. Eludamos: Journal for Computer Game Culture, 2(1), 73–103. https://doi.org/10.7557/23.5973

Hilvoorde, I. V., & Pot, N. (2016). Embodiment and fundamental motor skills in eSports. Sport, Ethics and Philosophy, 10(1), 14–27. https://doi.org/10.1080/17511321.2016.1159246

Jenny, S. E., Manning, R. D., Keiper, M. C., & Olrich, T. W. (2017). Virtual(ly) Athletes: Where eSports Fit Within the Definition of “Sport.” Quest, 69(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/00336297.2016.1144517

Johnson, M. R., & Woodcock, J. (2019). The impacts of live streaming and Twitch.tv on the video game industry. Media, Culture & Society, 41(5), 670–688. https://doi.org/10.1177/0163443718818363

Jonasson, K., & Thiborg, J. (2010). Electronic sport and its impact on future sport. Sport in Society, 13(2), 287–299. https://doi.org/10.1080/17430430903522996

Kanellopoulos, A., & Giossos, Y. (2024a). ESPORTS: PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES. European Journal of Physical Education and Sport Science, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.46827/ejpe.v11i1.5383

Kanellopoulos, A., & Giossos, Y. (2024b). ESPORTS: VIDEO GAMES OR SPORTS? Research in Physical Education, Sport and Health, 13(1), 43–52. https://doi.org/10.46733/PESH24131043k

Kari, T., & Karhulahti, V.-M. (2016). Do E-Athletes Move?: A Study on Training and Physical Exercise in Elite E-Sports. International Journal of Gaming and Computer-Mediated Simulations, 8(4), 53–66. https://doi.org/10.4018/IJGCMS.2016100104

Kelly, S. J., Derrington, S., & Star, S. (2022). Governance challenges in esports: A best practice framework for addressing integrity and wellbeing issues. International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics, 14(1), 151–168. https://doi.org/10.1080/19406940.2021.1976812

Kemp, C., Pienaar, P. R., & Rae, D. E. (2020). Brace yourselves: Esports is coming. South African Journal of Sports Medicine, 32(1), v32i1a7596. https://doi.org/10.17159/2078-516X/2020/v32i1a7596

Leis, O., Raue, C., Dreiskämper, D., & Lautenbach, F. (2021). To be or not to be (e)sports? That is not the question! Why and how sport and exercise psychology could research esports. German Journal of Exercise and Sport Research, 51(2), 241–247. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12662-021-00715-9

Novák, P., Hohmann, B., Sipos, D., & Szőke, G. (2025). The legal and economic aspects of the “Esports Illusion”—Why competitive gaming fails to become an independent industry. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 7, 1636823. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2025.1636823

OCA announces titles for Hangzhou Asian Games esports competition. (2021, September 8). Olympic Council of Asia. https://www.sbb.gov.tr/2023-kahramanmaras-ve-hatay-depremleri-raporu/

Omole, J. (2024). Popularity and Cultural Significance of E-Sports in the 21st Century. International Journal of Arts, Recreation and Sports, 3(5), 28–40. https://doi.org/10.47941/ijars.2074

Pack, S. M., & Hedlund, D. P. (2020). Inclusion of electronic sports in the Olympic Games for the right (or wrong) reasons. International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics, 12(3), 485–495. https://doi.org/10.1080/19406940.2020.1801796

Parry, J. (2019). E-sports are Not Sports. Sport, Ethics and Philosophy, 13(1), 3–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/17511321.2018.1489419

Pedraza-Ramirez, I., Sharpe, B. T., Behnke, M., Toth, A. J., & Poulus, D. R. (2025). The psychology of esports: Trends, challenges, and future directions. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 81, 102967. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2025.102967

Peng, Q., Dickson, G., Scelles, N., Grix, J., & Brannagan, P. M. (2020). Esports Governance: Exploring Stakeholder Dynamics. Sustainability, 12(19), 8270. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12198270

Pu, H., Kim, J., & Daprano, C. (2021). Can Esports Substitute Traditional Sports? The Convergence of Sports and Video Gaming during the Pandemic and Beyond. Societies, 11(4), 129. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc11040129

Rucińska, Z., & Ravn, S. (2024). Embodied cognition and movement-driven practices. In L. Shapiro & S. Spaulding, The Routledge Handbook of Embodied Cognition (2nd ed., pp. 322–333). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003322511-34

Rudolf, K., Soffner, M., Bickmann, P., Froböse, I., Tholl, C., Wechsler, K., & Grieben, C. (2022). Media Consumption, Stress and Wellbeing of Video Game and eSports Players in Germany: The eSports Study 2020. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 4, 665604. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2022.665604

Schaeperkoetter, C. C., Mays, J., Hyland, S. T., Wilkerson, Z., Oja, B., Krueger, K., Christian, R., & Bass, J. R. (2017). The “New” Student-Athlete: An Exploratory Examination of Scholarship eSports Players. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 10(1), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1123/jis.2016-0011

Shinohara, T. (2023). Global Governance in International Esports Society? Gaming Law Review, 27(4), 173–183. https://doi.org/10.1089/glr2.2023.0004

Smith, A. D., & Ditizio, A. A. S. (2021). eSports: A new era of spectator games from a consumer’s viewpoint. International Journal of Business Information Systems, 36(3), 406. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJBIS.2021.113286

Sociology for a mobile world: TASA 2006 : annual conference of The Australian Sociological Association, University of Western Australia & Murdoch University, 4-7 December 2006. (2006). Sociological Association of Australia.

Sweden officially recognizes esports as a sport: Svenska E-sportförbundet achieves historic milestone. (2023, September 6). EEF (Sweden Official). https://www.sbb.gov.tr/2023-kahramanmaras-ve-hatay-depremleri-raporu/

Taylor, T. L. (2006). Play between worlds: Exploring online game culture. The MIT press.

Thiel, A., & John, J. M. (2018). Is eSport a ‘real’ sport? Reflections on the spread of virtual competitions. European Journal for Sport and Society, 15(4), 311–315. https://doi.org/10.1080/16138171.2018.1559019

Üçüncüoğlu, M., & Çavuşoğlu, S. B. (2020). Esports as a Sportive Reflection of Information Society and Its Interaction with Modern Sports. Gaziantep Üniversitesi Spor Bilimleri Dergisi, 5(2), 166–180. https://doi.org/10.31680/gaunjss.669525

van Hilvoorde, I. (2022a). Editorial: eSports and digitalization of sports. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 4, 1040468. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2022.1040468

van Hilvoorde, I. (2022b). Editorial: eSports and digitalization of sports. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 4, 1040468. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2022.1040468

Weng, J. (2023). Research on the Influencing Factors of the ESports Being an Intense Societal Debated Topic. Advances in Economics, Management and Political Sciences, 27(1), 207–212. https://doi.org/10.54254/2754-1169/27/20231259

Williams, D. (2006). Why Game Studies Now? Gamers Don’t Bowl Alone. Games and Culture, 1(1), 13–16. https://doi.org/10.1177/1555412005281774

Windholz, E. (2020). Governing Esports: Public Policy, Regulation and the Law. Sports Law and Governance Journal, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.53300/001c.13241

Wollesen, B., Tholl, C., & Thiel, A. (2025). Esports: Scientific significance, and the debate on its status as sport. German Journal of Exercise and Sport Research, 55(3), 313–318. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12662-025-01054-9

Worthen, W. B., Henderson, A. S., Rasmussen, P. R., & Benson, T. L. (2009). Competition: A Multidisciplinary Analysis. BRILL. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789087908287

Yee, N. (2006). The Demographics, Motivations, and Derived Experiences of Users of Massively Multi-User Online Graphical Environments. Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments, 15(3), 309–329. https://doi.org/10.1162/pres.15.3.309

Yin, K., Zi, Y., Zhuang, W., Gao, Y., Tong, Y., Song, L., & Liu, Y. (2020). Linking Esports to health risks and benefits: Current knowledge and future research needs. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 9(6), 485–488. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2020.04.006

Zheng, J., & Mason, D. S. (2022). New Media, Digitalization, and the Evolution of the Professional Sport Industry. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 4, 921329. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2022.921329