Here’s an interesting news story I just came across this morning. Apparently someone is trying to get video games admitted as a demonstration sport in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Ted Owen, who runs the Global Gaming League (GGL), claims that it would be a huge draw to get younger viewers interested in the Olympics again. He cites snowboarding as a good example of a non-traditional sport that brought the Olympics to new audiences.

As silly as it sounds, maybe Owen’s not completely crazy. After all, there are various television networks starting to televise gaming tournaments. And there are many people out there who make a living as “professional gamers”. The thing is, if you introduce video games, what’s to stop people from trying to bring in chess, scrabble, rock/paper/scissors, and every other game under the sun?

It would be pretty surreal to see a bunch of fat nerds walking through the opening ceremonies alongside all these other muscular athletes. I’m getting all misty-eyed just thinking about it. My only question is, do video games qualify as a winter or summer sport?

Source: CNN Money