One of the long running debates – not only about our game but about others also – is whether poker should be considered a sport. Although it enjoys prominent airtime on such networks as ESPN and Fox Sports 1, there are many who don’t consider poker an athletic endeavor but a “game” or an “activity.” One of the top sports websites has recently completed a poll that, to them, puts poker way down the list in the “sports” consideration.
The website Deadspin reports that a Reddit user by the name of ‘e8odie’ surveyed 460 people over the span of 53 different sports/games/activities to find out what they considered to be a true “sport.” The criteria that Deadspin listed as considering something a sport included athleticism, hand/eye coordination, the identification of a winner (preferably without the use of a judge) and a position of being “mainstream” in society. The results were interesting but did not serve poker well.
At the top of the 53 sports under consideration was boxing, which drew in almost 98% of the vote from those surveyed. Right behind boxing was a sport that you might not expect, lacrosse, while water polo, track/running and swimming rounded out the Top Five. Such other sports as cycling (bicycle racing), field events (high/long jump, etc.), wrestling, racquetball/squash, skiing/snowboarding and badminton all received over 90% approval as “sports.”
There were some other surprises as you work your way through the list. Such sports and activities as fencing, martial arts, golf, gymnastics, bobsled/luge, polo (isn’t the horse doing all the work?), diving and Ultimate Frisbee (really?) all cracked the 80% approval rating. Dodgeball, kickball, archery, Roller Derby, bowling and disc golf all were between 60% and 80% of the vote for “true” sports. Even rifle shooting, croquet, bocce ball, billiards and darts scored in the 40% range.
So what about poker? It was the worst ranked of the 53 sports under consideration with barely 12% of the respondents considering it a sport. That was behind such sports as competitive eating, chess, competitive video gaming and fishing on the bottom of the totem pole.
A large percentage of the 53 sports/games/activities have one thing that might make give them more consideration as a sport. An international governing body, which sets distinct guidelines and rules that govern the activity, seems to be critical when the general public looks to decide if something is a sport. Of the 53 activities under consideration, the only one that doesn’t have an international federation that sets its rules is…poker.
This has long been something that the poker world has faced. Although the Tournament Directors Association has set out rules for the governance of tournament poker, every tournament doesn’t use the rules set by the TDA. Instead, some casinos have “house rules” that are used that sometimes fly in the face of dictates from the TDA. When it comes to cash games, the rules can vary, even between casinos that are across the street from each other.
When it comes to an international federation, there have been several attempts to organize such a group. In the mid-2000s, the World Poker Association attempted to become the international governing body for poker (and offer such amenities as health insurance for players), but it failed to gain significant ground. In the past few years, other organizations such as the International Federation of Poker, the Federation Internationale de Poker Association (translated as International Poker Federation but known as FIDPA) and the Global Poker Federation have also tried to become the international governing body for poker have stepped up, with the International Federation of Poker arguably garnering the most attention due to its affiliation with more than 50 nations that have a national governing body.
There have also been the efforts of the Global Poker Index to bring more consideration to poker as a sport. Through their extensive rankings systems (which seem to grow every day) and the powerful leadership of Alexandre Dreyfus, the GPI is becoming one of the more powerful forces in the poker world. If the GPI were to align with one of the international federations that are looking to govern the game (or, perhaps, try to become THAT international federation), then the poker world would undoubtedly be advanced.
The survey used by Deadspin is more to generate discussion about certain activities, but it is obvious that poker needs a facelift if it were to gain more attention as a “serious” sporting event. Then again, we who play poker understand (more than the average public) the preparation, training and physical stamina that the game requires. The argument will continue and, perhaps one day, poker’s consideration as a “sport” may grow…but it won’t be anytime soon.
