Paris is most likely going to be the host of the 2024 Summer Olympics, as on July 11 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved a proposal to elect the host of the 2024 and 2028 games at the same time. A few weeks later, the IOC made a deal with Los Angeles to host the 2028 games, leaving Paris as the only option to be confirmed as 2024 hosts next month. Now, Paris is floating around a radical addition to their games, esports.
eSports in the Paris Olympics?
In an interview with the “Associated Press,” Tony Estanguet told them he is going to hold talks with representatives from eSports and the (IOC).
He discussed with them the probability of competitive gaming joining the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics program. Estanguet, by the way, is the co-president of the Paris Olympic bid committee. IOC president Thomas Bach has said that eSports are contrary to “Olympic rules and values of sport.” Estanguet, however, has said that he hopes to get all sides to interact with each other and “try if we can find some bridges” between the two sides.
He believes that contest of digital prowess should be considered an Olympic sport if the event wants to maintain its popularity and stay relevant for current and future generations of fans. Any changes to the events in the 2024 Olympics will start to be looked at in 2019, with final decisions being made following the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
eSports already in the Asia Games
eSports events have seen an explosion in popularity in recent years, especially among younger people who go to arenas to watch tournaments. This has already led eSports to be embraced by the Asia Games, as it is highly popular in China and South Korea while growing in countries like Japan and Malaysia.
By 2022, it will become an official sport at the event, although it is unknown which games would be contested. The Asia Games are held every four-years (starting in 1951) and see athletes from around the continent compete in various events.
What are eSports?
eSports are what competitive video gaming has come to be known as, with them covering a variety of games and genres.
In an article done by CNN using data from analytics service Newzoo, the global audience for the sport had grown to 292 million, with global revenue estimated to be $463 million.
The most successful eSports titles are multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games or first person shooters (FPS). Some of the most popular eSports games are Dota 2, League of Legends, Counter-Strike, Call of Duty, Overwatch and StarCraft II.