Sports to Society (Part 1)
Sports has existed from the start of time. In every early record of ancient civilization, there is evidence of people playing sports. The first sign of sports playing a part in society was during the ancient Greek Olympic Games. From that time on, sports have become influential to every modern society.
Today, sports are life for all walks of life. Sports entertain billions of people around the world with a variety of sports from hockey, basketball, American and international football, to baseball. Due to all the attention it brings, sports have become highly influential to society. Not only can sports be used as a source of entertainment, but they can also be used to improve our society. Although there are some obstacles to this, sports can contribute to society in a positive manner through professional athletes and leagues, influencing politics, and using large scale sporting events.
Sports Globalizer and Athletes influences
Sports have globalized our society. In every corner of the world, sports is present. From watching them on TV, going to malls, to kids playing in a park, sports is everywhere. In “The Global and the Local in Our Contemporary Sports Cultures,” Andrei Markovitts, a professor at The University of Michigan, writes that sports largely acted as the creations of the “first globalization” of the 19th century (Markovitts 503). Consequently, sports have become a worldwide event where people can develop a bond that goes beyond any culture and social difference (ibid 540). People around the world can now have something in common because of sports (ibid 504).
For example, because of how popular Michael Jordan was in the 1990’s, the Chicago Bulls became an international sensation. Chicago Bulls fans are around the world from countries like North Korea to the Middle East. Although every country in the world has different culture and languages, sports is one of the few things that bridge the gap between these differences. However, for this to happen, sports need to be captivating through the athletes who play it.
Markovitts believes that professional athletes are the primary agents of how sports impact society (ibid 503). In today’s sports entertainment industry, an estimate of $213 billion is made (ibid 505). The big four sports leagues in America: the NBA, NHL, NFL, MLB, earn a combined $15 billion dollars a year (ibid 505). Of course, in all of this, the athletes are the main attraction of these leagues and the main primary source of revenue.
As Takeo Spikes, an NFL linebacker, stated in 2008, “I always tell today’s young quarterbacks who enter our League that with their arm and brain and legs, they are actually in charge of a one billion dollar plus corporation” (ibid 505). In the world of professional football, everything revolves around how the quarterback performs and how that performance leads to the overall earnings of an organization. In all sports like football, athletes are the primary source of revenue for any professional team. Fans want to see spectacular performances by individuals who perform supernatural things. Due to the way large audiences are drawn to these athletes, it creates a setting for large scale sporting events. (Continue in Part 2)
Source: Markovits, Andrei. "The Global And The Local In Our Contemporary Sports Cultures." Society 47.6 (2010): 503-509. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Apr. 2013.
