An introduction to sports & gaming terminology. There are many sides of the sports industry business between traditional sports, eSports, and gaming. This sports & gaming glossary breaks down the most-used vocabulary in various aspects of the industry. Here are terms that every gamer and sports fan should know.
AGGRO
A style of play where one plays more aggressively, aiming to cause more pressure to opponents.
BETA
An early release of a video game that allows developers to gain feedback and bug reports from gamers.
BIOMECHANICS
Biomechanics in sports incorporates detailed analysis of sport movements in order to improve sports performance and minimize the risk of injury.
BUFF
A temporary enhancement or improvement for a video game character or item.
BURN RATE
Sporting goods companies manufacture championship in advance so that they’re ready for immediate sale at the end of games. The burn rate is the amount of unsellable goods created or the losing team and then destroyed.
CLOSED BETA
A beta testing where only a specific group of testers are allowed access to the game.
CLOSED LEAGUES
Every American sport uses a closed-league system, a format in which a league is a single entity that controls all transactions and interactions within the teams in the league. There are a fixed number of teams playing the same amount of games during a regular season.
CO-OP
A multiplayer game where players work togethers towards a goal or in opposition of CPUs.
COACH
The strategic leader of a team. Coaches oversee the direction, instruction, and training of a sports team or individual athlete.
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT
A legal agreement between a player’s union and team owners that acts as a set of laws and procedures in a league.
COLORCASTER
An eSports broadcaster who calls the action on a play-by-play basis.
COMMUNITY
Is a powerful marketing tactic that brings fans together to discuss games, players, and the industry.
DEBUFF
Is a powerful marketing tactic that brings fans together to discuss games, players, and the industry.
EARLY SPECIALIZATION
Intense training in one sport, excluding participation in other sports.
ENDORSEMENT
When a brand or sponsor agrees to pay an athlete a set amount of money in exchange for the right to use their likeness for promotional purposes of their products and/or services.
ENDURANCE SPORTS
A sports activity by the individual—i.e., non-team—athletes in which key muscles are exercised at submaximal intensity for prolonged periods of time.
ERYTHROPOIETIN
Erythropoietin (EPO) is a hormone produced by the kidney that promotes the formation of red blood cells in the bone marrow. The use of EPO can dramatically improve an athlete’s aerobic capacity and delay fatigue.
ESPORTS
A form of competition using video games. Most commonly, esports takes the form of organized, multiplayer video game competitions, particularly between professional players, individually or as teams.
EXPANSION PACK
A separately purchased add-on to an existing game that includes new gameplay features, additional storylines, and new characters and objects.
F2P
Short for free to play. These games do not require purchase to play. They may be pared down versions of paid games or mobile games that are enhanced by in-app purchases.
FAN EQUITY
What a fan is owed in exchange for their loyalty to a team.
FPS
A sub-genre of shooting video games. Players control combat from a first-person perspective and the weapon is the center of focus.
INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC)
The International Olympic Committee is a not-for-profit organization that looks to improve and support the ethics in sport and youth education through sport.
MEME
A humorous image, video, piece of text, etc., copied (with slight variations) and shared rapidly by Internet users.
MMORPG
An acronym that stands for ‘massively multiplayer online role-playing game’ – a role-playing video game sub-genre that involves a very large number of players.
MOBA
A ‘multiple online battle arena’ is a sub-genre of video game where two players compete against each other on a battlefield.
MOD
An unauthorized, third-party modification to a game to add new storylines, worlds, or functions.
NOOB
Someone who is new to gaming and not yet skilled.
PATCH
A downloadable fix for game bugs and glitches that are found in beta testing or before initial release.
SHOUTCASTER
An eSports broadcaster who provides play analysis and breaks down game strategy.
SIGNATURE SPONSOR
An event sponsor who is paying more than any other sponsor and receives the most promotion during the event.
SPONSORSHIP
An investment by a brand towards an event or venue for promotion and publicity.
STREAMER
A gamer who livestreams their gameplay for an eSports audience.
STREAMING PLATFORM
A broadcasting platform that hosts livestreams of game tournaments and other events.
VIRAL CONTENT
Content shared widely and organically (without paid placement at the top of search results) through social channels.
