Transcript Slide 1
Sports in America Different ways to look at a great phenomenon Based on: US Society and Values: “Sports in America.” An electronic journal of the U.S. Department of State, Volume 8, Number 2, December 2003. Why Americans play ball games Americans are crazy about their sports: Baseball, Football and Basketball were invented in the USA America adores its sports heroes because the country does not have the long history of Europe, Asia or Africa America as well as its sports focus on an individual rising to the top and taking others up with him towards a victory for everyone Baseball the game‘s rules almost have not changed in a hundred years the game as well as the country of the United States improved with the integration of African-Americans it is about the individual player who scores it represents all the country‘s different qualities in a well-balanced way Football the game represents America‘s qualities in an exaggerated way: it is a wild and chaotic game with it belongs to the working class like baseball it is a game of individual progress – unlike baseball progress is gained in very tiny steps (inch by inch) the quarterback is the president of the game it makes one think of military operations / war it represents America‘s attitudes towards war: 1. reluctance to get into war, and 2. the desire to win and get out as soon as possible Basketball the game‘s structure largely depends on the players‘ size rules and dimensions have changed often due to the players getting taller and bigger integration took less time than in the other sports popular inner city game which even the poorest child can play balance between individual and team play that has changed within recent years American games around the world American sports is known and valued all over the world in the past: American trainers helped athletes in developing countries for the love of the game today: sports agents recruit talented athletes from all over the world to play ball in the US basketball superstar Michael Jordan „transformed American sports into a global phenomenon“ (cf.“Sports in America“, p. 10) Women and Sports 1972: Title IX of the Education Amendment Act signed by President Nixon guaranteed equal rights for women in the field of education, including athletics results: scholarships for female athletes, rise in mainstream intercollegiate athletics for women problems: challenges remain (mostly male coaches, more women as consumers needed, financial problems, see Women‘s United Soccer Association, etc.) Disablilty and Sports federal legislation acts have opened doors for people with disabilities many disabled athletes participate in recreational and competitive sports Paralympic Games: receive more attention in Europe than in the USA; they are the second largest sporting event in the world High School Sports there coexist physical education (PE) programs, intramural and competitive sports Intramural sports substitute the lack of a traditional club sports system as it exists in Germany for example the school‘s athletic teams play an important role for its image school athletic events are of high social importance for the identity and culture of the community Successful high school athletes can apply for university scholarships Sports and Economics The big four professional sports leagues (NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL) are about $10 -$15 billion in revenue small part of US economic output the economic market of sports differs from other economic sectors: uncertainty is important to maintain the fans‘ interest, teams need competitors to produce revenues, etc. Sports provide (media) entertainment, engagement, and positive community identy Sports and Language Several sport terms have become a part of standard American speech and are used commonly General example: A whole new ball game = a new set of circumstances “We found our way around D.C., but NYC is a whole new ball game!“ Baseball example: Off base = unrealistic, inexact, wrong “His cost estimate was completely off base!“ Sports: Wit & Wisdom “When I was a small boy in Kansas, a friend of mine and I went fishing. I told him I wanted to be a real Major League Baseball player, a genuine professional like Honus Wagner. My friend said that he‘d like to be president of the United States. Neither of us got our wish.“ Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969) US President 1953-1961