[Other Sport] Sport Or Game?

[Robdinho]

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 ).

Would agree with this, you can be successful at a game purely if someone tells you exactly what to do, whereas in a sport there is some skill required in the 'doing'.

Always exceptions though as, by that logic, playground games such as It/Tag/whatever-you-called-it would be a sport.

Darts is definitely a sport, though.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Competition, physical exertion and skill combine to create sport. So curling yes, but darts is questionable on the physical exertion front unless you are extremely unfit.

 

[m@goo]

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.

Darts and Snooker don't involve physical exertion? Curling perhaps, at a push (haha get it?)

 

[ConfusedGloryHunter]

Killing animals is sometimes called "sport" in this case the victims are then called "game". I hope this helps clear up the confusion.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Darts and Snooker don't involve physical exertion? Curling perhaps, at a push (haha get it?)

LOLz – good one

It's all relative, though. For both Darts and snooker, you're still moving multiple muscles so at least it is SOME form of exertion.

I'm less clear on Chess (mental stimulation, sure, but you're only really moving one hand) and computer football (whatever you call FIFA, etc?), because I'm pretty sure the latter is classed as a sport – as is the F1 version, although they have proper racing seats, pedals and steering wheels, don't they?

Plus in ALL those examples, you're competing against someone, which is part of the definition too

 

[METALMICKY]

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

Nonsense and a terrible comparison. There is a physical action and hand eye coordination in playing darts. Chess with the exception of moving the piece is all in the head. I think people like to try and and declare that darts isn't a sport simply because of its association with pubs, drinking and that you don't have to be physically fit and there is no great exertion.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

I'd like to set the criteria as:

If there is barely any physical effort and you take it in turns it's a game.

If there is effort or you are actively against an opponent in live play, it's a sport.

Bowling, darts, snooker, chess - games.

Sorry golf. You're a game.

 

[METALMICKY]

Killing animals is sometimes called "sport" in this case the victims are then called "game". I hope this helps clear up the confusion.

Blimey! Now we are in danger of this thread going in another direction.I've always had a problem with hunting being declared as sport since my perception of sport has always been that opponents are equally matched and either could win. Hunter with high powered rifle against a deer doesn't seem to me like an equal level playing field.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

Nonsense and a terrible comparison. There is a physical action and hand eye coordination in playing darts. Chess with the exception of moving the piece is all in the head. I think people like to try and and declare that darts isn't a sport simply because of its association with pubs, drinking and that you don't have to be physically fit and there is no great exertion.

I just cooked an excellent brunch. It took concentration, a physical action and hand and eye co-ordination. Is that a sport?

 

[ConfusedGloryHunter]

Blimey! Now we are in danger of this thread going in another direction.I've always had a problem with hunting being declared as sport since my perception of sport has always been that opponents are equally matched and either could win. Hunter with high powered rifle against a deer doesn't seem to me like an equal level playing field.

I want to be clear that I am not a fan of hunting before we continue on this.

My understanding is that the "sportsmen" hunters compete with each other to see who can massacre the most animals, so in that regard the opponents are equally matched. The non-humans involved are not classed as players more just moving furry/feathery targets.

 

[Doonhamer7]

From my experience several decades ago ‘sweeping’ in curling is knackering, whilst trying not to go arse over tit

 

[studio150]

Alcohol has been banned from the pro game for donkeys years. I’d wager loads of PL footballers will have higher alcohol intake than professional darts players

What, so this is no longer valid

 

[Giraffe]

For me it has to be the use of both brain and body. For that reason, darts and snooker is a sport, running is not.

 

[m@goo]

If there is barely any physical effort and you take it in turns it's a game.

You can get single player games.

IMO, if there's no physical effort above that which any other human can achieve then it's a game. Darts, Snooker, Chess...

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

You can get single player games.

IMO, if there's no physical effort above that which any other human can achieve then it's a game. Darts, Snooker, Chess...

Indeed. So not against someone directly. Game.

 

[autopsyturvey]

Could you use the skills required to play it to hurt someone?

Yes: it's a sport
No: it's a game


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[Braggfan]

Alcohol has been banned from the pro game for donkeys years. I’d wager loads of PL footballers will have higher alcohol intake than professional darts players

I would very much doubt that. Just because they don't drink on stage doesn't mean dart players don't drink in the break or before games. I know someone who played a tournament that some pro's were at and he said MVG did a bottle of vodka on the practice boards before it started. I played somewhere Whitlock was, and he was downing pints for fun. In fact Whitlock won a warm up comp at a tournament my mate was at, and promptly went to the bar and bought as many jagerbombs as the prize money allowed and put them on the bar for all the other players there to get stuck in to.

 

[The Optimist]

Could you use the skills required to play it to hurt someone?

Yes: it's a sport
No: it's a game


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So darts definitely is a sport then!

 

[Swansman]

All these things can be sports if they want... however some of them are shite and some of them are fun. The ones mentioned in the OP - curling, golf, gymnastics and figure skating would all be - if the dictionaries and encyclopedia were most honest - described as "shite sports".

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

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"

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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?

Curling is a sport because the participants' individual physical input matters. Chess is a game because you could tell someone else to make the moves for you and the outcome would be the same.

So darts, snooker, diving, golf etc are sports. Poker isn't.