What are the Odds eSports Will be in the 2024 Olympics?
- 150 gaming representatives met with the IOC in Switzerland this week
- Will eSports be making its Olympic debut in 2024?
- Will eSports ever be an Olympic sport?
There could be a new sport on the way for the 2024 Summer Olympics…and athletes may not have to leave the couch.
The chances of eSports making an appearance in Paris are growing by the day after 150 representatives from the gaming industry met in Switzerland to discuss the possibility. Members included pro players, game publishers, and media professionals, along with the International Olympic Committee and the Global Association of International Sports Federations.
Before fans of popular competitive games like League of Legends, Starcraft, or Counter-Strike get too excited, it’s important to realize just how difficult it is to bring a new sport to the Olympic Level.
Consider the fact that baseball, softball, karate, surfing, and skateboarding are making a return or their debut to the Olympics in 2020, and you can imagine how difficult it will be for eSports to make an appearance
Consider the fact that baseball, softball, karate, surfing, and skateboarding are making a return or their debut to the Olympics in 2020, and you can imagine how difficult it will be for eSports to make an appearance.
With that being said, eSports is a near multi-billion dollar industry with championships all over the world, and lucrative TV deals in the works. So what are the chances we see gamers next to more traditional athletes in 2024?
Will eSports make it to Paris in 2024?
| Prop | Odds |
|---|---|
| Odds eSports are in the Olympics in 2024? | 25/1 |
The odds don’t look great at first glance, but keep in mind there are real meetings taking place to discuss eSports making an Olympic debut. A follow-up to the discussion in Switzerland is already set to take place, and athletes like Rick Fox are helping to bridge the gap between the two worlds.
A follow-up to the discussion in Switzerland is already set to take place and athletes like Rick Fox are helping to bridge the gap between the two worlds
eSports are by far the least traditional sport to ever be considered for the Olympics, but that doesn’t mean there’s no precedent. Consider golf, a sport thought by many to be more of a leisure activity. Due to a rise in popularity and the competitive balance and nature, the Olympics thought a return to the links was a good idea.
That could easily happen with eSports, an industry that already has dedicated reporters and websites, including a landing page on ESPN.
Will eSports ever be an Olympic Sport?
If eSports don’t make it to Paris in 2024, that won’t mean we’ll never see competitive games on the big screen in the Olympics. The chances of gold, silver, and bronze medals eventually being handed out in the eSports community grows by the day.
| Prop | Odds |
|---|---|
| Odds eSports ever make it into the Olympics? | 2/1 |
For the most part, people don’t like change, and the Olympics are no exception. With that being said, eSports and the athletes that play aren’t going anywhere. The smart money is on gamers making a triumphant debut in the Olympics sooner than later.
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