Airsoft as a sport.

[Amazing KG3]

paintball is a sport, thats why its lame.

[Koopa]

People like to think its a sport. Its too hobbyish (i.e. collecting, displaying, re-enacting, weird people involved) to be a sport

[frankiet]

Originally Posted by Botchbomber

Promtoting it as a sport would give a better image of Airsoft to the genéral public. The terms simulation or rehenacment have give obscur felling the the average people and also sound a bit geekish.
When I'm sweaty.. it's sport!

As soon as you distance yourself from simulations, and closer to sport, there will inevitably be questions as to why realistic looking guns are required. They'll ask "Why not clear plastic?" If simulation weren't important, than you'd grab some cheap clearsoft and stick in some nice parts. If it's a sport, then you'll want every advantage possible. That means full plastic guns, not full metal to reduce weight/fatigue. That's not what airsoft is about. The guns are half the reason we do this.

Does that mean moving furniture in the summer is a sport?

[KoolAidMan]

I would say it's a hobby and a sport combined.

[Rumpel Felt]

Airsoft and paintball are NOT sports! They are action hobbies. You could try and classify paintball as an extreme "sport", but never airsoft.

When I think sport I think symetrical field, standard equipment, refs, periods, athletes, etc. Airsoft may sometimes come close to having a few of those but it's not concrete and cannot be anyways.

If you can do it and arrive at any measure of success and hold a beer or cigarette in your hand or be horribly out of shape at the same time, it's NOT A SPORT.

Things that are not what one could classify as a sport:

Paintball
Airsoft
Billiards
Poker (discrace that it is now on TSN)
Bowling
Foosball
Hell....Golf (seriously, how can someone call that a sport)
Table hockey
Pinball
Darts
Shooting
Hunting

These are all FUN activities/hobbies/games but they can hardly be classified in the same catagory as:

Hockey
Basketball
Soccer
Football
Rugby
Tennis
Baseball (to a lesser extent)
etc.

Yes there are other things that require peak physical fitness, but those would classify as extreme "sports".

Remember, just because it's competetive, doesn't make it a sport. Is debate club a sport? Didn't think so.

Airsoft is a kick ass HOBBY. And with all the lameness of TM plastic, hicaps and the whole AEG concept I wouldn't go so far as to call the mainstream of airsoft MILSIM either.

Reenactment sounds good to me!

[Amazing KG3]

Originally Posted by frankiet

As soon as you distance yourself from simulations, and closer to sport, there will inevitably be questions as to why realistic looking guns are required. They'll ask "Why not clear plastic?" If simulation weren't important, than you'd grab some cheap clearsoft and stick in some nice parts. If it's a sport, then you'll want every advantage possible. That means full plastic guns, not full metal to reduce weight/fatigue. That's not what airsoft is about. The guns are half the reason we do this.

Does that mean moving furniture in the summer is a sport?

thats why they think its cool in paintball to use red chrome gun and jerseys.

[KoolAidMan]

Originally Posted by Amazing KG3

thats why they think its cool in paintball to use red chrome gun and jerseys.

That is why paintball is gay but its still fun.

[Amazing KG3]

in the same way lazer tag is fun

[CuppoJava]

Yup exactly it.
Paintball is a blast for me. Except it's just too expensive for me. So Airsoft for me, personally, is like paintball with better equipment.

Now, as far as the polls indicate, I'm not the only one here that holds that opinion.
C'mon, someone from the other side of the argument post something.

Anyway, thanks to you guys for replying and making this interesting.

[CuppoJava]

Oh and to clarify the question further.

The question is: would you rather see airsoft PROMOTED as a sport or as simulation?

I think a lot of people are answering the question: what is airsoft currently classifed as? to which the answer is: definately not a sport....yet.

[kalnaren]

Paintballing would be fun to speedball. For actual scenario and more realistic stuff, airsoft all the way.

[ThunderCactus]

well it IS a hobby, and it IS milsim (some provinces more than others).
I wouldn't publicly promote airsoft at all, too many ignorant soccer moms that jump to the worst conclusions. But I'd say hobby or sport, Milsim makes us sound eccentric; and thats not good.
When you talk about promotion, its not about what we see it as, its what we want OTHER people to see it as.
with all the events going on in the world, we have to be EXTREMELY careful about how we portray airsoft.

[ILLusion]

Originally Posted by Skruface

Until airsoft has actual leagues with refs, coaches, and paid professional players, it will always be a categorized as a hobby and not a sport, like stamp collecting or building model railroads.

It does! It's called "the war on terror." Too bad the equipment those "athletes" use will definitely indicate whether you win or lose...

[bigbosswithashovel]

i'd like to see it as a sport, it would help make airsoft better accepted and easier to get into in Canada, possibly even being able to import the guns as 'sporting goods' or something like that

[Cushak]

Originally Posted by Skruface

I consider airsoft a hobby, not a sport.

A hobby is a spare-time recreational pursuit. Hobbies are practised for interest and enjoyment, rather than financial reward. Engaging in a hobby can lead to acquiring substantial skill, knowledge, and experience. However, personal fulfillment is the aim, not competition - this is why I think airsoft fits this definition - in my experience, people participate in airsoft for enjoyment and interest, not to "win".

A sport is an activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively. Used by itself, sports commonly refer to activities where the physical capabilities of the competitor are the sole or primary determiner of the outcome (winning or losing).

That said, "sports" have some things that airsoft has - namely a set structure of rules to determine "winners" and "losers" in a competition. "Sports" also have a lot of things that airsoft generally doesn't - coaches, referees, leagues, and perhaps most importantly, PROFESSIONAL ALTHLETES who play for cold, hard cash.

Until airsoft has actual leagues with refs, coaches, and paid professional players, it will always be a categorized as a hobby and not a sport, like stamp collecting or building model railroads.

+1. I like the hobby definition too. It isn't really competetive, maybe once in a while, but I've never really had the mentality of "I've gotta win!". I mean, you can have that attitude in sports too, but is it really a sport to you then, or hobby?