[Other Sport] Sport Or Game?

[7:18]

What makes something a sport rather than a game? I get into this debate all the time with colleagues at work who argue that curling is not a sport but "just a game"



So what makes something a sport?

Is it about winning and losing? We have "subjective" sports like gymnastics and figure skating.
Is it about intense physical activity? Then is golf really a sport?
Is it about what is shown on the world stage at the Olympics? Events selected for this seem to come and go all the time

So how would you define/explain whether or not something (such as curling) is a sport?

 

[TomandJerry]

Darts is a sport.

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[Seagull27]

Darts is a sport.

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Absolutely not. Anything where you get less fit the more you play it can't be counted as a sport. See also Snooker.

 

[dazzer6666]

Anything that combines any degree of physical and technical ability in my book. Curling, darts, snooker, gymnastics, trampolining, footy, running 100 metres or 100 miles……..all varying degrees of both.

Don’t really care really though…..either you like it or you don’t

 

[dazzer6666]

Absolutely not. Anything where you get less fit the more you play it can't be counted as a sport. See also Snooker.

Why is fitness a binary measure ?

 

[Easy 10]

If you have to wear special shoes, its a sport.

 

[Seagull27]

Why is fitness a binary measure ?

Not sure I understand. But in darts you come out of it having taken in more calories from beer than you exert.

 

[Swansman]

If you have to wear special shoes, its a sport.

If I gave a shit about swimming I would be offended

 

[Easy 10]

If I gave a shit about swimming I would be offended

Nobody watches swimming.

 

[dazzer6666]

Not sure I understand. But in darts you come out of it having taken in more calories from beer than you exert.

Alcohol has been banned from the pro game for donkeys years. I’d wager loads of PL footballers will have higher alcohol intake than professional darts players

 

[GT49er]

Sport involves physical effort, skill, in many cases also team work, and also in many cases a ball. Depending on the level, training and coaching too.

On the other hand:
Darts - needs a lot of practice;
Snooker - needs a lot of practice;
Golf - an expensive way of spoiling a nice walk;
Formula 1 - just expensive;
Curling - is Scottish.

 

[dazzer6666]

Sport involves physical effort, skill, in many cases also team work, and also in many cases a ball. Depending on the level, training and coaching too.

On the other hand:
Darts - needs a lot of practice;
Snooker - needs a lot of practice;
Golf - an expensive way of spoiling a nice walk;
Formula 1 - just expensive;
Curling - is Scottish.

Pick one of the above, in 12 months come back here and post verification of your :

-9 dart 501 leg
-147 break
-sub-par round

 

[spongy]

My general rule is that if you get out of breath at any time during it or makes you sweat then it's sport.

Although if there is any more than than one competitor on either team it can be called a "sports game".

So golf is a game. Darts, snooker etc are games. Athletics, gymnastics are sports.

Football, rugby are sports games.

 

[Baldseagull]

I reckon it's a game if you can agree the rules just between the participants, its a sport if you are using codified rules. Therefore, a kickabout with jumpers for goalposts and rush keepers is a game, playing to F.A. Rules in a competition it is a sport.

 

[GT49er]

Pick one of the above, in 12 months come back here and post verification of your :

-9 dart 501 leg
-147 break
-sub-par round

-9 dart 501 leg - lots and lots of practice
-147 break - lots and lots of practice
-sub-par round - lots of expensive walks (with a bit of practice)

 

[dazzer6666]

-9 dart 501 leg - lots and lots of practice
-147 break - lots and lots of practice
-sub-par round - lots of expensive walks (with a bit of practice)

Which one are you going for ? (Bonus points if you can do more than one )

 

[drew]

Alcohol has been banned from the pro game for donkeys years. I’d wager loads of PL footballers will have higher alcohol intake than professional darts players

It's been banned from the sport but do you really think in their spare time darts players don't indulge in a few pints? I would wager that dart players in their spare time generally have a high capacity than your average premier league footballer who I suspect most will be pie eyed on two pints of shandy!!!

 

[dazzer6666]

It's been banned from the sport but do you really think in their spare time darts players don't indulge in a few pints? I would wager that dart players in their spare time generally have a high capacity than your average premier league footballer who I suspect most will be pie eyed on two pints of shandy!!!

Grealish. Case closed

 

[drew]

As for the difference between sport and games, who cares. However, Curling is a sport but monopoly is a game.

 

[Seagull27]

Alcohol has been banned from the pro game for donkeys years. I’d wager loads of PL footballers will have higher alcohol intake than professional darts players

You only have to look at darts players to know it's not a sport. Sure, they're very talented, but it's a game, not a sport. Equivalent to chess