I agree, flags are not specifically an attack, the way I see it. I consider a flag when I see content that brings no value to the platform. Abuse brings no value to the platform. Vote-buying is abuse. I can totally see the argument that @steemsports has a vote-buying component.
But I wouldn't characterise @steemsports as vote-buying. Is it 50% vote-buying and 50% something else? Is it 10% vote-buying and 90% something else? I don't know. I don't even know what the threshold is to characterise something as vote-buying.
Bottom line, I think @steemsports brings value to the platform, in spite of having a vote-buying component.
If they redistribute the rewards to people who upvote it then people like me (who never reads the posts) will upvote it just to get the steem back. That is definitely 100% vote buying as I am 100% vote selling for steem in return. The whole point of the curation rewards is to buy your attention and encourage people to vote for valuable content. Steemsports encourages you to vote for them. Twice. Four times a day. Every day. Regardless of whether you like the content or not.
That's why I don't think they need to buy your vote.
Here's one of my favourite vote buying apologies from back in the day.
https://steemit.com/steemit/@steve-walschot/how-my-best-intentions-almost-lead-to-a-flagged-account-by-smooth
Could not agree more. 'Vote buying' is a potentially problematic practice, when it doesn't contribute sufficient value. But then so is any sort of voting that doesn't relate to sufficient value. It is all subjective and those of us who believe that steemsports is adding value express our opinion by voting for it. Half the time or more I don't even bother to vote on the games so they aren't "buying" my vote, it is freely given based on my view of the value they bring, regardless of whether or not there is a vote-buying component. In their particular case, I happen to believe that even the vote-buying itself adds value because the way it is structured and the manner in which it is participatory and makes it a useful service for both entertainment and redistribution. I respect that @beanz may disagree.