Speakers
Description
Objectives
This paper is the result of a larger project on how media sports changed during the Covid-19 pandemic. We attempt to show how esports is assessed by sports and esports journalists. We examine how they define esports, yet our goal is not to answer whether competitive playing of video games is "real" sport. Our analysis is focused on relations between sports and esports, and based on the opinions of the journalist on changes observed during the pandemic.
Methods
Our research is purely inductive, as we conducted 15 in-depth interviews and used the so-called conventional content analysis. We have studied journalists representing the top-tier media in Poland thus having expert knowledge and particularly interested in the issue of esports.
Findings
The popularity of esports is growing and our respondents confirmed this. Nevertheless, they differed considering the main aim of the article, i.e. judging whether esports could be seen as a "true" sport, and this relates to the discussion about recognizing and legitimizing esports and deciding its place in cultural, social, economic, or media landscapes.
Discussion
Studying insiders is important in finding theoretical contributions to esports and formulating practical recommendations, as the insiders' voice indicate directions as to how esports should be analyzed. E.g. considering how esports was gaining popularity during the lockdown, one can say that sports and esports not only coexist, but the "symbiosis" between them seems inevitable.
Conclusion
Being a journalist of a given type turned out to be an important variable during the research, as we noticed clear differences in opinions between "traditional" and esports journalists.
