Professional gaming has reached a new pinnacle of recognition, as the US State Department has now recognized tournaments for Riot Games’ League of Legends as a professional sport. As with other recognized sports, this means that professional League of Legends players are eligible for US work visas, opening up the market for player trades between US and international teams.
Though the game is now classified as an official sport, only players that are a part of Riot’s official tournament series are eligible for professional status.
“Now we have the same designation as the NBA or NHL or other professional leagues,” Riot VP of eSports Dustin Beck said in an interview with Polygon. “This opens the gate for other professional League of Legends players to make the transfer to U.S. Teams.”
This decision should change the composition of American teams as out-of-country players can now be recruited and granted work status. It also cements professional gaming, or e-Sports, as a legitimate enterprise and likely a cultural mainstay. League of Legends viewer figures are higher than “80 or 90 percent of the sports covered on ESPN,” according to Beck. That seems to hint that nationally televised League of Legends tournaments may not be too far off in the future.
Source: GI.biz
