Sports are cultural activities that bring people together. They contribute to the formation of identities and to the invention of traditions. They are inherently dramatic and involve physical contests, which make them accessible to everyone. Because people can easily relate to sports, they become emotionally engaged with the discourses they promote. For example, the fortunes of a national football team can determine a nation’s identity.
Sport is also commercially significant. Transnational corporations want to make their products appealing to as many people as possible. As a result, sports are increasingly marketed worldwide. In addition to being sources of recreational enjoyment, modern sports have also become symbols of power, prestige, and distinction. The United States and other powerful countries have become renowned sports centers, attracting athletes from all over the world.
Sports and mass media are deeply interconnected. The mass media, for example, is dependent on sports for its profits, and professional sports are not viable without billion-dollar broadcast rights. Furthermore, mass media are increasingly dependent on sport to generate interest among fans and sponsors. They are closely tied to globalization processes. The following are some key examples of the ways in which sports and mass media have become interdependent. The relationship between these two institutions has evolved over the last century.
The socialization of sports has been long recognized. State-sponsored physical education and adult-organized children’s sports programs have promoted sports as a way to develop character. However, the development of sports has had mixed results. In some regions, sports have been instrumental in inculcating traits that are not desirable for the human condition. In others, sports have become a means of fostering competition and winning.