Competition has always been a strong driving force within the human race. As we move into an era of technology, it's only natural for this force to manifest itself in the digital world. Through the success of multi-player games such as "League of Legends," competitive gaming has exploded in popularity in the past few years and is expected to reach even greater heights in the future.

"League of Legends" (LoL) in particular draws connections to traditional sports, which is likely a major factor in its success in mainstream society. From a spectator's point of view, LoL can be best compared to basketball. Two teams of five fight to take down the opposing team's base camp. While the objective is straightforward, competing at a high level requires a deep and intricate understanding of the game, much like traditional sports.

To achieve these levels of gaming success, aspiring professional players can't rely on talent alone. Hours of dedication and hard work are necessary to compete in "e-sports," and I don't just mean hours of playing on the computer (although that is a significant part of the training process). Professionals also review previous games to evaluate strategies, develop synergistic bonds with their teammates and even work out to increase their mental stamina for optimum in-game focus.

This culture of professionalism and competition has transformed LoL from a standard multi-player game into a full-blown spectator sport. The "League of Legends" World Championship has filled many large and famous venues; including the Staples Center, Madison Square Garden and the Beijing National Stadium (which can fit up to 80,000 people.) Millions more tune in online. The 2015 Championship Finals were viewed by more than 36 million people worldwide.

Such numbers have drawn the attention of many influential figures. Former Los Angeles Lakers player, Rick Fox, plays an active role in managing his own North American LoL team, Echo Fox. Shaquille O'Neal dabbled in the LoL scene with his own team, NRG E-sports. Musical icons such as "Imagine Dragons" and "Zedd" have written and produced songs like "Warriors" and "Ignite" specifically for the World Championship.

Due to the recent explosion in popularity, the creator of LoL, "Riot Games," has taken the next step in professionalizing the "League of Legends" scene by introducing franchising, which will add stability to the existing teams and make investments into these teams much safer. This has prompted financial moves from owners of basketball teams such as the Milwaukee Bucks and the Philadelphia 76ers, who have since purchased their own North American LoL teams.

Though calling "League of Legends" a sport may be up for debate, there's no denying that competitive gaming is gaining more traction in our digital world. Sooner or later, e-sports may even become just as mainstream as basketball.