It's TED Talks Daily. I'm your host, Elise Hugh. Today we've got a talk for all you video gamers out there and the people who love them.

Top gamers now compete in arenas full of spectators and gaming stars can make millions playing esports.

In his TED at BCG talk from 2020,

the esports expert William Collis helps us see and appreciate this competition in a new way by breaking down all the skill, expertise, and athleticism required to game at the highest levels.

In 2019, the highest paid athlete in the world was an Argentine footballer named Lionel Messi.

And his talent, dribbling a ball down a pitch and booting it past a goalkeeper. It's a skill

so revered by fans and corporate sponsors alike that in 2019, Messi took home $104 million.

That's almost $2 million for every goal he scored in season.

He's a pretty spectacular athlete by any standard.

But why is it Messi's particular skills are so valuable?

Sure, there are obvious answers.

We just have enormous respect for athletic prowess.

We love human competition.

And sports unite generations.

You can enjoy watching soccer with your grandfather and your granddaughter alike.

But growing up, I admired a different sort of athlete.

I didn't just want to bend it like Beckham.

I loved video games, and I was floored by the intricate strategies and precision reflexes

required to play them well. To me, they were equally admirable to anything taking place in

stadia around the world. And I still feel that way.

Today, I still love video games.

I founded successful companies in the space,

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