US Government approves League of Legends as a real sport

Michael Dunaway
By Michael Dunaway, News Editor Posted:
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Yep you heard right. The US Government has recently approved the League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) as a sport on par with NBA, NFL, and the NHL. The LCS functions very similar to other national sports with weekly regular season games leading towards playoffs and the eventual championship. The news came from the Twitter of RiotDeman, one of League of Legends professional casters.

So should we expect League of Legends games to be broadcasted on ESPN and on demand any time soon? Not quite. The approval was more for technical reasons rather than a government's secret desire to see League of Legends as the next American pastime. By approving the LCS professional League of Legends players can now obtain visas more easily, allowing foreign players easier passage for tournaments.

The approval also most likely only applies to League of Legends and not Esports in general. Similar to how the NBA and NFL both involve a ball, but are played completely differently. Starcraft 2, Dota 2 and any other Esport eligible game would need to go through a similar process in order to receive the same recognition.

I guess the question now is, how long until League shows up on ESPN 8?

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In this article: League of Legends, LCS.

About the Author

Michael Dunaway
Michael Dunaway, News Editor

Michael Dunaway has been part of the MMOBomb team for years and has covered practically every major Free-to-Play MMO title since 2009.

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Discussion (100)

FurZeLulz 11 years ago
Btw, I'm a pro Dota 2 player, am quite fit cause i workout daily, have a girlfriend, and work as a game tester :) full time.... Just recently bought a home. How is gaming making you fat and lonely again? :)

And yes i train for 8-9 hours a day. Had more blisters on my hands than most athletes :) was even in the hospital because of traveling to much and not sleeping while on a tournament... how is that not dedication and hardship.

Btw i was a professional football player for a 3 years, i guarantee ..this is much harder and demanding than football.
Tutor 11 years ago
Sport doesn't mean u have too use your physical athleticism or physical dexterity. Sports that require your mind are very hard to be pro at. If u want to be PRO at something u must train hard, such ion football or LoL, both are hard - believe me or not. For an example: at the beggining of a LoL match, the ''Picking'' part, ur already using your mind, trying to counter the other team strategies. In football the couch make strategies to beat the other team and they use their physical athletiscism and dextery.
Rib 11 years ago
I can't believe how stupid you guys are I mean, playing a video game involves getting fat and not having friends or girlfriends?, sorry but you guys are blind if you think that. Because LOL is a videogame it can't be a sport?, I can assure you that any professional team of LOL can beat (in terms of intelligence) any football team or any basketball team, remember NFL and NBA teams wouldn't be nothing without coachs players basiclly just do whatever the coach says, in fact LOL players have the same role as a football coach and the champions are basiclly the athletes.

You guys have to see further, thank god I don't live in the US.
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CBGenesis 11 years ago
I think people are misreading this, the LCS Championship is a sport now, and also how does LoL make you fat? I play it all the time and if anything I'm slightly underweight, its not LoL that makes people fat its idiots who wont take care of themselves and trust me it doesnt just happen in video games, hell most of the gamers I know are in perfectly fine shape.
wotlover 11 years ago
so..LOL ...become sports...if so world of tank is sport too...
Slem 11 years ago
The only sport with out of shape athletes..
LOL KIDS ARE MAD. 11 years ago
First of all, league of legends is the worst game ever I've seen. 100% p2w. The guy who have been playing this since beta will have entire pool of champions and runes etc. The guy who pay for the entire pool even he never played more than 1 year to any game will have much advantage between the legit players. In dota the average age is much more than in LoL, in LoL if you die 1 time ppl will cry like babys because they got all about 8-30 years, most 8-15. And approving that rule on the US for a simple easy way to get visas is pretty simple and senseless. Peace now go and buy more riot points ma' friends. You gonna make that guys golden.
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John Super Uber Doe 11 years ago
«Hello Kitty Online has been considered a sport a long time before League of Legends. But over time, these athletes suffered from diabetes and heart attack after abusing energy drinks. They disappeared into oblivion...» All that to say: At the beginning, video games were toys, entertainment, hobbies. I'm just not sure if I like to see that we are encouraging people to go on an alternative career that doesn't require to go to school at all and consist to play a video game... Well, I suppose the world is changing and we have to accept it. Good luck to you, gamers.
Hi...Hello 11 years ago
Is chess a sport? I have no idea but if it is this totally deserves to be one.
HVTI 11 years ago
Lol as a sport. Hah.
Appartenant 11 years ago
Garbage game gets recognized by a garbage government.
anip 11 years ago
so... do all the other "tournaments" from games now also count as sports?

Does this mean we can have gaming as a profession and won't get bashed by society for saying we play games all day long and have no life? lol?
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Gomez 11 years ago
There are more people playing PvP games then people practicing sports. Also, people can play a PvP game even when they are old while playing a physical sports is not likely possible.
I think all competitions should be called sport no matter if they happen in reality or virtual reality,
hardmode 11 years ago
;) PROBLEM?
hardmode 11 years ago
YOU KNOW WHY YOU ARE MODERATING COMMENTS?, BECAUSE YOU ARE DUMB... THATS WHY...
Default 11 years ago
Idiocracy (2006) was a prophecy.
It's happening.
davidjans 11 years ago
ok im not a fan of moba not from dota not from lol i think this is a step forward for gaming but why make lol a sport ? even minefield is more strategically challenging then lol
LapK 11 years ago
USA isn't the first to do this. From what i remember, Starcraft is considered a sport in South Korea.
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wasa 11 years ago
Only in usa
Truth 11 years ago
Obama isn't the reason why we get this shit as a sport it's the laws Obama can't do crap cause congress and the HOR are all republicans not democrats but still WTF US i thought you guys still have some sanity inside you still but i was wrong. but E-Games does sound like a good idea ppl who play games i bet inside the want to play it but still don't complain it wont change anything without giving a reason i kinda love Games so i cant wait till more games become E-Sports
Euroshit 11 years ago
Keep hating with American Euroshit

Sports = Mind and physical competition..

Learn your shit before you guys complain, ohh yeah all this Euroshit do is complain since WWII.. Atleast American starting to give a way and opening a door with E-Sport gamer around the world, welcome to 2013 old Euroshit..
Skullheart 11 years ago
I wonder if pro LoL player will have annual drug tests now? Maybe we'll hear about starting an illegal dog fighting ring,or maybe start a fantasy draft. This is about as stupid as calling Nascar a sport.

Oh and before you lump all Americans together,not all of us like this either.You want to blame my country for this,I'll lay out the welcome mat for you and write a 30 page essay on why America sucks right now.
Bic Boi 11 years ago
Get back to me when I care. Football and Hockey are still where it's at. Lol..a game..yes, let's blur the lines between game and sport. Sorry I'll just stick with the playoffs and superbowl.
EpicHearts 11 years ago
i think Because we use our fingers to Click and press buttons so fast... and the government thinks its SPORTS!? O.o okay..............
LightningBenji 11 years ago
Question : Do you play any sports sir.
Answer: yes i see my self as quite a sportive person i train 5 hrs a day
Question: really what Sport do you play
Answer Lol
TheGamingMaster 11 years ago
I'd rather watch LoL over NBA, PGA, any golf and any tennis sport any day...
GamingMaster 11 years ago
Americans... LoL as a sport? xD

what will you think of next?
dagudman 11 years ago
If lol is considered a sport, starcraft, dota 2 and many other competitive games will be considered sports as well. This is a step forward for gaming.
Niq426 11 years ago
Yes!!! Im an athlete!
LOL 11 years ago
So pathethic, copying a game ,then making it into a sport.. This game is dying slowly, because Dota 2 is rulling, by the next 5 years i expect LoL to have less than 10 players who are above 18.
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Ugh 11 years ago
All you idiots saying, "Oh my god, ridiculous, why is it a sport, so dumb..."

Did you not freaking read the actual words in the article? It's for technical reasons more than just seeing it on TV. Like said above in the comments, it would be hard to get into China for your tournament whenever, after you're asked your reason for coming to they're country, you say to play a video game. Now there won't be any confusion as far as legal things because League is now considered a real sport. That is ALL it is. Stop getting pissed off over something that helps people more than it doesn't.
Dota fans are mad 11 years ago
Man, this comment section is full of mad Dota fans cuz LoL is more popular and leading the MOBA trend haha. How pathetic.
Cacalips 11 years ago
Same government that says pizza is a vegetable.

Same government trying to shut down the net and have control.

I would avoid both the game and US gov/ declarations
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Arnemmorpg 11 years ago
Besides as written above (if you read at all)

The approval was more for technical reasons.

Players can now obtain visas more easily, allowing foreign players easier passage for tournaments.
Arnemmorpg 11 years ago
I dont understand how you can not like this even if you dont like the game itself. This is the biggest thing since the invention of the videogame! E-sports getting the respect it deserves is what matters here, not wether its a good game or not. Open your eyes people.
YTronX 11 years ago
LOL!, if so make call of duty a sport.
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LOL 11 years ago
I like League of Legends but this is so...just one word can describe this 'murica.
Razer 11 years ago
Are LoL players considered athletes now?
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bruthsaw 11 years ago
did you guys not notice it said they are doing it for more so technical reasons than for title. I've always considered Esports on par with other official sports. They get paid and do what they love. Athletes supposedly love what they are doing and get paid too. Saying it isn't a sport because it doesn't require physical activity is saying that so many other things not classified as a sport are. I would imagine as gamers you guys would enjoy games being recognized more than a mindless waste of time... even if it is only for technical reasons.
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lol 11 years ago
I believe this is all that needs to be said:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport
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chefmadness 11 years ago
F U C K I N G RETARTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
zoren 11 years ago
ok....America is officially screwed well, see yall in Europe!
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Sad 11 years ago
These comments are so sad, considering you're gamers, you should be happy about this. I'm very happy :D
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Daman 11 years ago
Does the US government want people to get fat and die. Sports should only be called sports if they have physical elements to it. I agree that chess should be a sport because it involves strategy. LoL shouldn't be a sport because all it involves it tapping buttons on a keyboard.
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Zyanide 11 years ago
Why are all the DoTA kids mad? Too bad suck it up, League if better.
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Never Less 11 years ago
Seriously? how about chess or archery... sports can be anything involving precision tactics and any type of agility let it be finger or the whole body + its a 5v5. Which part of this isnt a sport compared to some others?
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SMFH 11 years ago
LoL is a real sport?? What a load of shit the US Government is..
tupas3 11 years ago
LOL!!!!!!!!!!! :D Lets race to top and get fat along the way.
Okofire 11 years ago
Most of people in US must be fat and stupid lol. Even the russians are more clever :D
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iBLade 11 years ago
The world is doomed...
What? 11 years ago
This is bullshit. I don't want to live on this planet anymore.
Okofire 11 years ago
Wut?! Money? Visa! Sport?!

Okay count me in. I guess i will download it again and get to top ten.
Biblo 11 years ago
this is the single most dumbest thing i have ever heard.
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