Back in the times before Columbus discovered the Americas, the Aztec people used to play a game we now call “Mesoamerican ballgame.” The rules were are not quite know as they constantly changed throughout time and weren’t really recorded well. From what we do know we know that it was some mix of handball and soccer, with players limited to using their hips and forearms to hit a rubber ball into a circular goal suspended on a wall. We also know that being the looser was not in any one teams best interest. Sure we hate loosing games now, but back then being the loosing team could mean loosing your life. (Especially if you was a prisoner of war)[1] While many players don’t have to face that now, there is still that pressure for some who game professionally. Take for example one of the best Smash Bros. Melee players Hungerybox. Hungerybox made a name for himself in the Melee community by rising the ranks in torment play. Originally an underdog with humble beginnings, Hungerybox became a force to be reckoned with as he developed his play style: a more slow, defensive play style that focused on punishing bad plays and escaping whenever possible. This generated a lot of hate for him, as Melee was seen as a more fast paced, combo focused type of game. Fans and spectators alike would boo Hungerybox and wanted nothing more than his downfall, even going as far to throw a crab at live crab at him after he won a tournament[2].

Unlike the standard sports of play, esports is, in a sense a bit more personal when it comes to player-to-crowd relations. Take for example that many professional esports players are also popular streamers. When they go live in their stream, they get to notify the great number of fans that they have that they are out playing a game they both like and they should join them. Not only that but the fans will even have the chance to chat with them as well. This medium of streaming makes the experience all the more personal for the both the streamer and the fans. That’s why it comes to no surprise that the fans feel that they should have a larger say in the experience. Sure, when you watch a football game and a player makes a bad call or throws a bad pass, you may feel that you could have done better if you was there. But when you’re in a stream, you have the opportunity to tell the player “Hey, you dun goof.” There’s a greater chance for the audience to have an effect on the field of play, and this in turn can affect the actions of the star players.

Esports is still relatively new and young compared to the traditional games of old, and only time will tell if the medium will garner the attention and respect it’s deserved. While there are negatives associated with this form of massive play, it’s important to note that with time and a strong community effort, the realm of esports can soon be competing for the viewership of old traditional sports as well.

[1]   Petrus, Monica “The Brutal and Bloody History of the Mesoamerican Ball Game, Where Sometimes Loss Was Death” https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/meso-american-baseball, published 1/9/14

[2] EmpLemon, “there will Never Ever be another Melee player like Hungrybox”, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmLSJrA0n9w&t=32s, published 1/26/20