The gaming industry is worth $23.5 billion. 32 million people watched the most recent “League of Legends” championship. Esports, or electronic sports, is exponentially growing, with more and more games and platforms to play them on being developed each year.

This begs the question of whether or not video gaming is something that people should start accepting as a sport. The answer: no.

To be a sport, an activity must involve both physical exertion and mental activity. It can’t be one or the other. If it just requires physical effort, then lifting boxes could be considered a sport. In contrast, if it just requires mental effort, then learning could be considered a sport. Strategy, split-second decision making, and endurance are skills required to participate in most sports; skills that are both mental and physical. Gaming does require many of those mental skills, however, in terms of physicality, it is lacking.

The difference between a sport and gaming is just that.

Gaming requires no physical talent. You don’t have to be in shape to be good at gaming. Professional gamers could sit on their couch all day and play games, but nothing comes from that. Being in shape is important when playing sports, and is not a factor in video-gaming.

The Esports world is televised on ESPN. No matter what game is being played, there is the issue that an electronically based competition is being featured on a sports network. This definition completely contradicts the real definition of a sport, regardless of whatever level of strategy is involved. Yes, gaming requires strategic thinking and split-second decision making, but strategy is also involved in everyday activities that people would never think of considering a sport.

Video-gaming is most definitely not a sport. Due to this gaming will remain a mere activity.