Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Mark Gardiner (video gamer)


 * The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review).  No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was   keep.   A rbitrarily 0   ( talk ) 01:04, 4 May 2010 (UTC)

Mark Gardiner (video gamer)

 * – ( View AfD View log  •  )

Otherwise non-notable "Semi-professional video gamers" fail WP:N as demonstrated in Articles for deletion/Robert Mclean. Claritas (talk) 15:52, 23 April 2010 (UTC)

Mark Gardiner won the biggest single prize in UK gaming history and received significant coverage on TV, national newspapers and radio stations. He is well known in his town of Hamilton.
 * This AfD nomination was incomplete (missing step 3). It is listed now. DumbBOT (talk) 10:34, 26 April 2010 (UTC)


 * Note: This debate has been included in the list of video game related deletion discussions.  • Gene93k (talk) 15:37, 26 April 2010 (UTC)
 * Note: This debate has been included in the list of Athletes-related deletion discussions.  -- • Gene93k (talk) 15:37, 26 April 2010 (UTC)

Keep, has won "the largest single prize in United Kingdom video gaming history." Winning an elite amateur competition with RS coverage seems to me to demonstrate notability. Qrsdogg (talk) 20:45, 26 April 2010 (UTC)
 * Individuals who win 'amateur competitions aren't considered notable, even if the prize money is large. Claritas (talk) 16:06, 27 April 2010 (UTC)
 * Is there a guideline that says only full time professional athletes can be notable? I recognize that pro gaming isn't a traditional sport, but I would think that by virtue of his winning the UK's highest video game prize notability is established in this case. Qrsdogg (talk) 01:31, 28 April 2010 (UTC)
 * Yes, it's called WP:ATHLETE. Only professional athletes, and international amateur champions (Olympics etc.) meet Wikipedia's notability guidelines, unless there are other justifications of notability. Claritas (talk) 16:59, 28 April 2010 (UTC)
 * I actually don't see the word international in the guideline: "People who have competed at the highest amateur level of a sport, usually considered to mean the Olympic Games or World Championships." As video game competitions lack Olympic recognition, I see this victory as "the highest amateur level" of competition. Qrsdogg (talk) 05:07, 29 April 2010 (UTC)
 * If there is no international tournament for a sport, its athletes are unlikely to meet notability criteria. Claritas (talk) 16:01, 29 April 2010 (UTC)
 * I guess this is where we disagree, hopefully a clear consensus can be reached on this issue though. Qrsdogg (talk) 17:08, 29 April 2010 (UTC)

There is an international tournament, as per his wikipedia page he finished second place in the European Championships.

Wouldn't winning the UK's biggest ever gaming prize come under other justifications of notability?
 * Keep - though the first reference has no notability and isn't related to him as a gamer (site is even down), the Daily Record, The Scotsman, (both of which are well established news sources) Konami, and Play (pesrankings.com) references establish notability. A pesrankings.com search brings up this user's gamertag, Marko9Gardinic several times as well. I couldn't find any info on the Hamilton Advertiser, but given the other sources it can serve as a supplementary source. Additionally the author of the article discussed at Articles for deletion/Robert Mclean blanked the page in an effort to delete. --Teancum (talk) 13:43, 30 April 2010 (UTC)


 * Keep. My interpretation of WP:ATH is that he's notable enough since he competes at the highest level of his sport. -- Mr Stalker  ( talk ) 10:51, 1 May 2010 (UTC)
 * I know next to nothing about computer gaming, but it seems that if a sport does not have a wide enough following to have professional athletes, its athletes are unlikely to meet notability guidelines. Can you provide me with any examples of an amateur athlete in a sport which has no professional athletes or international tournaments who has a wikipedia page ?

It does have international tournaments, as already mentioned Mark Gardiner finished in second place at the sports official European Championships
 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.