I found my sport and It wasn’t basketball. It wasn’t football. It wasn’t tennis, curling, cricket, or competitive hot dog eating (though, respect). It was esports.
And not just esports—it was watching esports. Tournaments. Livestreams. Casting. Commentary. Strategy breakdowns. Hype montages. Suddenly I found myself sitting in front of my screen with a drink in one hand and snacks in the other, screaming at digital avatars the same way my dad used to scream at Michael Jordan.
And it all started—unsurprisingly—with StarCraft.
Back in the day, about 14 years ago, I stumbled upon a YouTube channel called HDStarcraft. It was just a dude in his bedroom, recording himself as he re-casted Starcraft matches he downloaded from the internet. See, back then StarCraft was much bigger than it is now, Especially in Japan andSouth Korea where the top players were like Rockstars - dating models and earning sums of money most of us can only dream of. But I wasn't really aware of that. For me there were no million-dollar tournaments, no lights, no fog machines—just gameplay and one guy’s voice. But that guy made it sound like the Super Bowl. Every marine rush and Zergling flank felt like a battle for the fate of humanity. He made me care about a game I didn’t even play.
I thought there was something wrong with me.
I didn’t understand why I was so into it. But I was. It was exciting, engaging, and oddly emotional. And then… it was over. He stopped casting. The channel faded. And I was left with a very weird esports-shaped hole in my life.
Years later, I picked up watching Quake Champions. That’s where I discovered Rapha. The man was a legend (He still is). Precision, strategy, grace under pressure. I became a fan. A real fan. I watched every one of his tournaments. I followed the brackets. I yelled at the screen when he pulled off an insane railgun kill (Which was every 5 minutes). I sat in my house and cheered. But then the scene fizzled. The game lost traction. And once again, I was alone.
But now?
Now we have Marvel Rivals. And let me tell you something: I’m in deep.
Marvel Rivals tournaments are happening almost every day now. Asia. Europe. North America. Doesn’t matter. Somewhere in the world, there’s a match being played, and I’m watching it. Sometimes live. Sometimes recorded. Always with snacks. Always with drinks. Always with passion.
And the casters? My God, the casters. These people are professionals. Or at least they sound like professionals, which is honestly even better. These are still technically just some guys (and gals) sitting in their rooms but they bring energy, knowledge, and incredible insight. They break down plays in real time, explain the meta, and shout excitedly whenever someone pulls off a massive team wipe. They’ve made me appreciate the game on a whole new level. I don’t just watch. I learn.
My current favorite teams? '100 Thieves' and 'Shroud-X'. I don’t care if that makes me basic. I like winners. And I like flair. And these teams have both. When they play, I tune in. When they win, I cheer. When they lose, I sulk. It's real now. It's personal.
Every evening, after the kids go to sleep, I get to have my time. Some people relax with wine. Others binge Netflix. I crack open a soda, grab a bowl of something salty, and settle in for a night of pro-level chaos, color, and charisma.
It’s exciting. It’s engaging. It’s just so much fun.
So yeah, to all the football, basketball, and hockey nerds out there—I finally get it. I get the obsession. I get the passion. I get why you scream at the screen like your life depends on it. Because I do that too now (only quietly as to not wake the kids). The only difference is that Instead of balls and goals, it's superpowers and ultimates.
Watching esports made me realize that it’s not really about the sport. It’s about the story. It’s about underdogs pulling off a win against all odds. It’s about the veterans holding the line. The rivalries. The personalities. The wild momentum shifts that make you feel like you're on a rollercoaster strapped to your couch.
Sports are stories told in real time. And for the first time in my life, I’ve found one I want to watch unfold.
I never understood sports fans.
But I do now.
I’m one of them.
