Redeye really doesn’t care about 'pompous' Olympics

Veteran host, caster and all-round esports legend Paul 'ReDeYe' Chaloner took aim at the Olympic movement yesterday in a podcast sponsored by esports betting platform Luckbox, stating that he 'doesn’t particularly care if it (esports) goes in the Olympics.' In a passionate defence of the esports scene and what it has achieved so far, Redeye highlighted a poll he conducted last year in which he says 67% of respondents didn’t care about or want esports to be part of the Olympics.

“I loved watching it last time it was in London,” he says. “It was brilliant, well put on. I think all the people…involved in all those different sports are incredible people,” he stated, saying his opinion was “nothing to do with that whatsoever.”

The incredible people of esports

Redeye thinks that we have our own stars and stories to tell without needing the Olympics. “We’ve got our own ecosystem,” he said, reeling off an impressive list of some of the world’s biggest esports events — ESL One Cologne, DreamHack and StarLadder to name just a few.

“I also happen to think that someone like s1mple or coldzera or Ryan Hart, or any of the amazing people in our world, are capable of incredible things that make me go wow,” he said. “I don’t need the Olympics to tell me that, I don’t need the Olympics to give me that story.”

He added: “We’ve got incredible people all around the world doing incredible things that make me smile, that give me enjoyment, that promote my passion for doing what we’re doing.”

“I don’t need the Olympics to prove any of that.”

Paul "Redeye" Chaloner. Copyright: Adela Sznajder|ESL

Fired up and on the warpath

Redeye certainly isn’t wrong about that. The proof is in the fact that more and more non-endemic brands are looking at esports as ‘the next big thing,’ eager to target a young, technologically adept audience.

It’s also in the community — the millions who tune in to watch Dota and other esports around the world, and who sell out major worldwide stadiums such as the legendary Madison Square Gardens and the Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing. It’s also in those who are contributing to help make The International 2018 the biggest tournament in esports yet again, through their love of the game.

As a parting shot, he took aim at those behind the Olympic movement. “We’re the Olympics, and we’ll have to vet you first before we let you in,” he said, paraphrasing Olympic officials in a mock upper-class British accent. He highlighted the aversion officials have to fighting games and ‘guns and stuff’, showing his disdain for those who would try to change esports.

“It feels pompous as f*** to me.” You can check out the full interview above.

Do you care about esports in the Olympics? How would Dota fit in to the Olympic movement?

Header image copyright Patrick Strack|ESL