People value sports in many different ways. Some view it as an opportunity to get a scholarship, and others see it as a career path. Others see it as a way to deliver a message or connect with peers to form a community. Often sports serve as a medium of historical and political conflict, with some people becoming so obsessed with them that they end up engaging in illegal conduct. In this article, we will delve into how close we are to the world of sports and how they are a deeper part of our lives than you may have originally thought.
Sports reflect history, culture and ongoing political conflicts. In the Spanish soccer league (La Liga), the match between the teams Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona (known as El Clásico) is one of the biggest rival matches of the season—not because they are the two best teams in the league but because of the underlying historical and political context. The rivalry traces back to the early 20th century with the social conflict between Catalonia (the home ground of FC Barcelona), and Castile (the home ground of Real Madrid). After the Spanish monarchy was abolished, the country experienced a time of turmoil as General Francisco Franco emerged as the dictator of Spain. Based in Madrid, Franco denied the Catalan and Basque regions their independence, dismantling their languages, culture and tradition—and he ordered brutal murders with political coercion until his death in 1975.
Today, Real Madrid symbolizes the central Spanish establishment as they continue to receive support from the Spanish royal family, while Barcelona symbolizes Catalonia’s ambition for greater autonomy and national identity. Although the tyranny and violence is over, the conflict between the Catalan and Basque regions against the Spanish mainland is ongoing, and soccer serves as a medium of war. Many Barcelona players from Catalonia continue to express desires for independence, and Athletic Club (based in the Basque Country) recruits only Basque players as an expression of their unique culture, setting them apart from the mainland.
The sports industry has created new jobs in various sectors. The sports business is more than just ticket sales or setting records—it incorporates various fields such as marketing, analytics, ticket sales, fundraising, compliance, law, customer service, facility management and media coverage. The sports industry has done much more than just make it possible for teams and athletes to gain high prestige and money by pursuing an athletic career. Jobs such as coaches, personal trainers and sports medicine professionals arose as an important role in running the teams. Non-athletic jobs such as sports agents, sports management, sporting directors, scouting teams, vendors, broadcasters, journalists, data analysts and facility maintenance staff are on the rise as well, opening up additional opportunities for employment.
Other non-sports related industries such as fashion, financial services, beverages, automotive, travel and telecommunications can benefit from sponsorship investments across athletes, teams, competition and sports. Brands can expand their pool of potential customers, enhance business and increase media exposure of their brand by releasing commercials during and before matches—having athletes use and promote their brands—displaying their brand on uniforms or equipment, and putting their name on sports competitions, teams and stadiums.
During the Cold War era, sports were a medium to boast the nation’s power. In the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics hosted by Nazi Germany, the hosts used the event as an opportunity to promote their political ideology and prove that the “Aryan race” was the “superior” human race. German artists emphasized the athlete’s facial and physical features to stress the importance of physical fitness. Non-Aryans, Jews or individuals with Jewish parents and Romani people were excluded. Joseph Goebbels, chief propagandist for the Nazi Party, ordered the media to remove anti-Jewish signs in order to present foreign journalists an image of a peaceful and tolerant Germany. During the Cold War, the USSR worked intensively to prepare for the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki and won 71 medals. This extended to the 1956 Winter olympics in Italy and the 1958 Olympics in Melbourne. Athletes with high accomplishments were praised, and many citizens were encouraged to participate in sports as a part of searching for young talents. During the time, the Soviet Union frequently engaged in physical clashes with participating countries.
Sports also act as a medium to deliver a message. For example, each year the NFL uses their “Crucial Catch” campaign to promote the fight against cancer, and NBA players are allowed to wear uniforms with specialized messages. Another example of sports conveying a message can be seen when U.S. and high profile athletes boycotted the 1936 Olympics due to heightened anti-semitic atmospheres. This came at a time when Jim Crow laws and segregation were not yet abolished. Many Black athletes, including Jesse Owens, however, participated in the event. Owens broke many records, and counter to Adolf Hitler’s claim that the Aryan Race is superior, Owens championed the fact that athletic ability knows no race or politics. His accomplishments weren’t recognized during that time, however, but he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1976.
It is worth recognizing that high school and college sports also have many benefits in our lives. Participating in sports and gaining athletic ability creates endurance, leadership, perseverance, patience, persistence and diligence. The minimum GPA requirement to participate in sports also teaches us time management skills. Altogether the opportunities that high school sports introduce contribute to a reduction in dropout rates and an increase in college attendance. Moreover, participating in college sports and receiving athletic scholarships has motivated highschool students to be a part of athletics as an extracurricular, which eventually leads to enhanced health. This system has enabled athletes to acquire necessary education while focusing on athletics so that after their athletic career has ended, they can still pursue a career and lead successful lives.
Although sports are more deeply rooted in life than you may have thought, we have to make sure that we are not crossing the line. An unhealthy obsession with sports can lead to illegal and toxic conduct, such as violence (the Heysel Stadium disaster), catastrophes (the Hillsborough disaster), substance abuse (Russia’s ban from the Olympics for doping), gambling (the Italian national soccer team), match fixing (the Calciopoli Scandal) and other dangerous decisions. On the individual level, over-engaging in sports can lead to a decline in physical and mental health, forfeited opportunity for public education, gambling addictions and other serious conditions. It is crucial that people know where to draw the line and how to keep a healthy distance from it.