[Other Sport] Sport Or Game?

[Comrade Sam]

I don't believe football is a sport and for one reason. I have no interest in any sport whatsoever, but love football. Even then I'm only really interested in watching if one of the teams is called Brighton and Hove Albion (1st team, under 23s, under 21s, Women's team) or one of my daughters are playing. Also used to enjoy subbuteo if that counts for anything.

 

[Easy 10]

You only have to look at darts players to know it's not a sport. Sure, they're very talented, but it's a game, not a sport. Equivalent to chess

Agreed. Darts is NOT a sport. Its equivalent to Jenga.

 

[GT49er]

Which one are you going for ? (Bonus points if you can do more than one )

No, no - I'm just an internet coach; I tell people how to do it (never get much thanks though, TBH).


On the other hand, if you'd care to fund my bid for the F1 championship ..............................................

 

[Gabbafella]

I absolutely love curling. It's the best winter sport there is.

 

[dazzer6666]

You only have to look at darts players to know it's not a sport. Sure, they're very talented, but it's a game, not a sport. Equivalent to chess

So you’re defining sport solely on the physical characteristics/fitness of the participants ?

What’s your view on golf ?
Cricket ?

Personally don’t think there is a clear distinction. If you have to be good at it, can win/lose, and people will pay to watch, sounds like a sport to me but not really bothered.

 

[monty uk]

If you can participate whilst drinking a pint and smoking a fag, it's a game.

Otherwise it's a sport.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

Anything that combines any degree of physical and technical ability in my book. Curling, darts, snooker, gymnastics, trampolining, footy, running 100 metres or 100 miles……..all varying degrees of both.

Okay, then what about marbles, tiddlywinks and chess - all of these require degrees of physical and technical ability, but sport?

I think sport can be a game and a game can be in a sport - they are not mutually exclusive.
Some games aren't a sport [cards / monopoly / etc] and some sports are not a game - as in .....
I'm off to play a game of football / darts / golf / snooker / cricket / etc
But you don't go and "play" swimming / cycling / F1 / etc

Does it really matter?

 

[Seagull27]

So you’re defining sport solely on the physical characteristics/fitness of the participants ?

What’s your view on golf ?
Cricket ?

Personally don’t think there is a clear distinction. If you have to be good at it, can win/lose, and people will pay to watch, sounds like a sport to me but not really bothered.

Golf is a game, cricket is a sport.

 

[dazzer6666]

Okay, then what about marbles, tiddlywinks and chess - all of these require degrees of physical and technical ability, but sport?

I think sport can be a game and a game can be in a sport - they are not mutually exclusive.
Some games aren't a sport [cards / monopoly / etc] and some sports are not a game - as in .....
I'm off to play a game of football / darts / golf / snooker / cricket / etc
But you don't go and "play" swimming / cycling / F1 / etc

Does it really matter?

No, I said it didn’t earlier

 

[dazzer6666]

Golf is a game, cricket is a sport.

Why ?

 

[dazzer6666]

If you can participate whilst drinking a pint and smoking a fag, it's a game.

Otherwise it's a sport.

Golf is a game, cricket is a sport.

Done that during a cricket match

 

[Berty23]

I always finds this a slightly off debate.

I enjoyed watching the darts on sky sports and when Phil Taylor got nominated for sports personality of the year. Haven’t quite a few snooker players won it? Oh and some golfers.

So basically they are all sports. It is just that people who don’t class them as sports have a different view to others. But then there are also people who think that the Earth is flat and that JFK is still alive. Takes all sorts.

I wonder how many people who don’t class golf as a sport have tried it. Constant practice is physically demanding. Lots of walking. The top players train very hard on their bodies because it increases the power. A very small injury can’t mean you have no chance of competing whereas in other sports you might be able to play through it. Playing 36 holes on a long championship course in a day (like they do in the Ryder cup) would probably involve walking c45000 steps (practice/warm up/ course is what 7000 yards (but then you have between tees. Left and right, pacing greens etc). And all of this in potentially very warm weather.

 

[happypig]

If I like it, it's a sport, if I don't it's a game.

So golf, F1, gymnastics and tennis are games but football, darts, NFL and banger racing are sports.

 

[Seagull27]

Why ?

Physical exertion and fitness, as you said. Basically, for me a sport is where you need a combination of skill/technique and physical fitness/attributes. A game just needs skill/technique. Golf just about falls under the line for me as the level of exertion is too low.

Is Poker a sport in your eyes? How about chess?

 

[knocky1]

Grealish. Case closed

Great midfield there.
Tony Grealish and Jimmy Case takes us back to the days when drinking was a sport.

 

[dazzer6666]

Physical exertion and fitness, as you said. Basically, for me a sport is where you need a combination of skill/technique and physical fitness/attributes. A game just needs skill/technique. Golf just about falls under the line for me as the level of exertion is too low.

Is Poker a sport in your eyes? How about chess?

In my book darts involves some physical demands - including steadyness, hand/eye co-ordination, muscle memory, control of breathing and muscles (sport) but chess and poker don't (games - although could argue 'control of emotions' I guess ).

 

[Stat Brother]

I'll happily accept Eve screaming at me while I swept the floor, and call it a sport.

 

[banjo]

What makes something a sport rather than a game? I get into this debate all the time with colleagues at work who argue that curling is not a sport but "just a game"

View attachment 143905View attachment 143906

So what makes something a sport?

Is it about winning and losing? We have "subjective" sports like gymnastics and figure skating.
Is it about intense physical activity? Then is golf really a sport?
Is it about what is shown on the world stage at the Olympics? Events selected for this seem to come and go all the time

So how would you define/explain whether or not something (such as curling) is a sport?

That’s just house work.

 

[m@goo]

Sport: an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.

Going by that definition Snooker & Darts aren't sports as they don't test you physically.

Game: an activity that one engages in for amusement or fun.

Professional Snooker & Darts don't fit into this description either.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Definition of sport is: 'an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.'

Therefore, curling, darts, snooker, etc – all sports.