A sporting chance

With the world shut down, sports fans and athletes look to sport simulation videogames

The concept of esports is nothing new, but there’s always been a divide between pro gaming and real-life sport. You’d probably get a funny look if you asked Premier League footballers to decide the result of the Championship with a game of FIFA, and rightly so. But in the Covid-19 era, the sporting community has proved surprisingly adaptive. Media channels have been broadcasting certain sport simulation videogames as a substitute for live events, giving fans and athletes a crucial outlet. Some of the bigger players in sports are even starting to think about how the lines between virtual and real sports might be blurring.