One would think with all the positive strides esports has been making, it wouldn’t attract negative attention. Unfortunately for some sporting fans, they don’t support esports at all. In Switzerland, soccer fans interrupted a Super League match. The protest, which lasted for several minutes, was fueled because many clubs are actually investing in esports to try and entice a younger fanbase.
The Fans Behind the Protest
The Young Boys Bern’s hardcore fans, aka the “Ultras,” began throwing objects onto the Stade de Suisse field 15 minutes into a home game against Basel. Thrown objects included console controllers and tennis balls. The referee had to stop the match for two minutes while the pitch was cleared. Despite the small disruption, Young Boys managed to defeat Basel 7-1.
@LeParisienSport @lequipe #EDS #EDE
jets de balles de tennis😶 du kop des deux clubs sur le terrain lors du match de football Young-Boys-FC Bâle pour protester contre les eSport
…puis pluie de buts, jaunes aussi, 7-1 pour les Bernois, symbole de la passation de l'an dernier😜 pic.twitter.com/EdbFJSlXwy— Meylan Jean-Pierre (@LuiGrenat) September 23, 2018
These fans also held up banners that read “Scheiss E-Sports,” which when roughly translated, means “E-Sports are shit.” It’s safe to say they clearly don’t actively play Fortnite or Overwatch.
Young Boys isn’t even associated with any esports at all. The club’s opponent that day, Basel, does have a connection with the FIFA video game series. Clearly, these hardcore soccer fans would rather their favorite team focus on the real game. Yes, they have a right to protest, but maybe don’t do it during such an important match and hurl objects onto the field?
They come off as just sour fans and probably not fans that Young Boys wants to be affiliated with. Remember, there is always a better way to get your message across. Personally, I agree with real sports combining with esports. This sounds like a smart move on their part. Hopefully no more protests like this occur, but who knows. What are your thoughts? Do you believe esports and sports should be separate? Let us know in the comments below.
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