The US follows a Korean precedent.

[HaemishM]

Hell, I caught competitive Rock/ Paper/ Scissors on one of the ESPNs a couple weeks ago, and the guy won around 50K.  How is competitive gaming any different, or less compelling?

I'd say that watching geeks play a WoW raid is just about as compelling as watching some jackass play Rock Paper Scissors.

[Venkman]

Yea? Well, there are people nutjobs that watch that too

Seriously though, I understand why this analogy comes up so often. But there hasn't yet been a game that felt like rock paper scissors outside of spreadsheets.

[sigil]

Also, imagine any sport played on TV these days. Strip out the commercials, the eye candy, the voice overs, the music and the CGI, leaving just the course/field/whatever, players and refs. Just how interesting would that be to watch on TV?

Personally, I'd love it. 

Not only love it, but adore it, kiss it, hug it, and leghump it if I could.  Sports have turned from competition to entertainment.

Professional sports died the first time a game was interupted by a commercial timeout.

You really, REALLY, need to go to an hot international (like a USA V Mexico) or good league Soccer (Houston versus  Dallas for extra spice and hatred) match in person.  Just once, with an open mind, and I'd bet you'd change your perspective on futbol. I'm not saying you'd become as crazy as I am, but I'd bet there'd be change.


It's hard to watch sports with commercials now. I tivo everything and speed through it now.

[Alkiera]

The problem most Americans have with futbol is this...  the shear number of games that end with no one having scored, or with the only scoring coming from penalty kicks.

Watching people run back and forth in mid-field is not captivating.  Attempts at the goal are, and successful attempts moreso.  It's like CoH in the mid 40's... go to enough games, and you'll eventually see someone score.

--
Alkiera

[Megrim]

The problem most Americans have with futbol is this...  the shear number of games that end with no one having scored, or with the only scoring coming from penalty kicks.

Watching people run back and forth in mid-field is not captivating.  Attempts at the goal are, and successful attempts moreso.  It's like CoH in the mid 40's... go to enough games, and you'll eventually see someone score.

--
Alkiera

I think that it's a difference in mentality. You (dirty maericans) are too engrossed with the idea that "someone has to win", and i think, miss the beauty of the struggle. The fun lies not only in putting the ball into the net, but in the contest and interplay between the players.

[bhodi]

Winning is the point of the game.

[CmdrSlack]

Winning is the point of the game.

The only winning move is not to play.

[cmlancas]

Winning is the point of the game.

The only winning move is not to play.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY A GAME?_

I really like hockey. Can I derail to a hockey discussion now?

[sinij]

I saw a WoW raid on G4 once.  It looked fucking stupid.  Here's a big cool looking dragon, and here's a bunch of guys standing stationary while it breathes fire on them, shooting back at it with sporadic hadokens and random particle effects.  Pong would be more fun to watch.

Well, that's because Pong is PvP+. Of course it's more fun to watch.

Exactly! You will never see Solitaire tournaments but Poker is on TV very frequently. If you remove personal participation from PvE there isn't much left.

[cmlancas]

Hockey......

[Lantyssa]

You really, REALLY, need to go to an hot international (like a USA V Mexico) or good league Soccer (Houston versus  Dallas for extra spice and hatred) match in person.  Just once, with an open mind, and I'd bet you'd change your perspective on futbol. I'm not saying you'd become as crazy as I am, but I'd bet there'd be change.

We have a soccer team!?

(I kid.  I try to leave work before the fans arrive and make my going home a pain.)