Integrating the Cubing Body with another sport in the future

[abunickabhi]

The WCA has been made to hold competitions for twisty puzzles and spread speedcubing. Even though speedcubing is very unique and has its own sporting nature. There are similar sports to which speedcubing does match and can possibly integrate with.

Some examples are like speedstacking, and we even use their timers because of a patent.

Chess is another sport which has a lot of parallels with Cubing, and there is a chance of both the sports getting integrated into a single body being called “mind sports”, say.

This integration might help solve some problems, of getting sponsorships, media attention, and establishing speedcubing as a sport.

I have already had a formal discussion on this topic on the WCA Forums: (I wanted to know the views of you guys on the SS Forum)
https://forum.worldcubeassociation.org/t/integrating-the-cubing-body-with-another-sport-in-the-future/4328

 

[xyzzy]

The only activity (not even a "sport" per se) I can think of that cubing is related to is speedrunning. For that matter, speedsolving is basically just speedrunning, except with a physical object instead of a video game. AIUI, speedrunning generally involves moving fast and accurately, being able to react to upcoming events quickly, having canned responses to various situations, thinking ahead, etc. which all have strong parallels to speedcubing.

It's worth noting that speedrunning has a fair amount of eyeballs on it; consider for example the Games Done Quick events, showcasing speedruns and raising millions of dollars for charity every year. Then again, I'd say most people consider video games more fun than twisty puzzles, and speedrunning's audience includes not just speedrunners, but video game players in general, whereas speedcubing's audience is pretty much just other speedcubers.

 

[abunickabhi]

The only activity (not even a "sport" per se) I can think of that cubing is related to is speedrunning. For that matter, speedsolving is basically just speedrunning, except with a physical object instead of a video game. AIUI, speedrunning generally involves moving fast and accurately, being able to react to upcoming events quickly, having canned responses to various situations, thinking ahead, etc. which all have strong parallels to speedcubing.

It's worth noting that speedrunning has a fair amount of eyeballs on it; consider for example the Games Done Quick events, showcasing speedruns and raising millions of dollars for charity every year. Then again, I'd say most people consider video games more fun than twisty puzzles, and speedrunning's audience includes not just speedrunners, but video game players in general, whereas speedcubing's audience is pretty much just other speedcubers.

True speedrunning is a bit popular and bit more spectator friendly too. It is related to speedcubing a bit (except for the BLD and FMC events).

There are few cubers like Graham and Stanley who do stream speedrunning and are good speedrunners.
Canned responses are required in cubing as well, especially in 3x3 event.

 

[EngiNerdBrian]

I don’t think chess would work just given the environment of a chess tournament is much quieter, something like a library environment where as it seems cube noise is quite prominent in cubing competitions.

Perhaps Speed Chess could be integrated, speed running video games, and of course the obvious answer of sport stacking. Integrating these events could be a parallel or addition to the “cubing convention” idea proposed recently on the forums.