Chapter 15

Sport

Lonnie Roy, Bri Steinmetz,

Ashley Broderick, Claire Ouimet, Erica Morasse

Period 4

Sociology

The Nature of SportThe Nature of Sport

Sport: a set of competitive Sport: a set of competitive activities in which winners and activities in which winners and losers are determined by physical losers are determined by physical performance within a set of performance within a set of established rules.established rules.

Contests are not sports: doesn’t Contests are not sports: doesn’t involve rules or standardized involve rules or standardized conditionsconditions

Sport is an additional social Sport is an additional social institution: helps people identify institution: helps people identify with societywith society

Sport plays dominant role in U.S. Sport plays dominant role in U.S. society because reflects culture’s society because reflects culture’s importance in achievement.importance in achievement.

““Winning is not everything. It is Winning is not everything. It is the only thing.” –Vince Lombardithe only thing.” –Vince Lombardi

Men dominate the world Men dominate the world of sports and have many of sports and have many more opportunities than more opportunities than women do, equality is a women do, equality is a far reach.far reach.

Sport Subculture: a group Sport Subculture: a group within the larger context of within the larger context of sport that has some of its sport that has some of its own distinct roles, values, own distinct roles, values, and norms.and norms.

Michael Smith: Subculture Michael Smith: Subculture of Violenceof Violence

Subcultures exist in non-Subcultures exist in non-team sports as well.team sports as well.

Theoretical Perspectives Theoretical Perspectives and Sportand Sport Functionalism- Focus on the benefits of Functionalism- Focus on the benefits of

sport and think it is necessary for society sport and think it is necessary for society to run smoothlyto run smoothly Some drawbacks are identified: violence and Some drawbacks are identified: violence and

cheatingcheating

•Conflict Theory- Sport is a social institution in which the most powerful oppress, manipulate, coerce, and exploit others

Theoretical Perspectives Theoretical Perspectives and Sport Continuedand Sport Continued Symbolic Interactionism- personal Symbolic Interactionism- personal

meanings, social relationships, and self-meanings, social relationships, and self-identity processesidentity processes Gary Alan Fine studied Little League baseballGary Alan Fine studied Little League baseball

•Values of hard work and competition misinterpreted as toughness, and masculine values of dominance•More aggressive player are praised more and weaker players lose respect among others and often lose self-esteem

Sport and Social MobilitySport and Social Mobility

Many people use sports Many people use sports as a way to work their way as a way to work their way out of povertyout of poverty

Upward social mobility- Upward social mobility- College athletes tend to College athletes tend to be better educated, earn be better educated, earn more money, and have more money, and have higher occupational higher occupational prestige than their fathersprestige than their fathers

People argue that sports People argue that sports are a social escalator for are a social escalator for minoritiesminorities

Ex: Venus and Serena Ex: Venus and Serena WilliamsWilliams

Sport and RacismSport and Racism Stacking- players are Stacking- players are

assigned to less central assigned to less central positions on the basis of positions on the basis of race or ethnicityrace or ethnicity

African Americans have African Americans have lower average salaries lower average salaries than whites for the same than whites for the same level of performancelevel of performance

Minority former athletes Minority former athletes profit much less than white profit much less than white athletes from personal athletes from personal appearances and appearances and commercial endorsementscommercial endorsements

Sexism in SportsSexism in Sports

It all started with the It all started with the ancient Greeks and the ancient Greeks and the view of Goddessesview of Goddesses

Females were told that Females were told that playing sports made them playing sports made them unfeminineunfeminine

People argued that sports People argued that sports harmed a woman’s health harmed a woman’s health mostly her ability to have mostly her ability to have childrenchildren

Women in professional Women in professional sports get paid sports get paid substantially less than substantially less than menmen

ActivityActivity

Class Baseball:Class Baseball:

The class will be divided into two teams and each The class will be divided into two teams and each team will have a chance to be “up to bat”, team will have a chance to be “up to bat”, which means that they will each take turns which means that they will each take turns

answering questions and once they get three answering questions and once they get three “outs” or incorrect answers the other team will “outs” or incorrect answers the other team will be up to bat. Each correct answer is worth one be up to bat. Each correct answer is worth one run and the team with the most runs at the end run and the team with the most runs at the end

wins.wins.

Picture LinksPicture Links

http://cache.gettyimages.com/xc/73928483.jpg?v=1&c=ViewImages&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF19318A31BE3974C4F050CD9241C41D438F8284831B75F48EF45

http://www.we-town.com/wp-content/plugins/yet-another-photoblog/cache/baseball_pic_edited.9gzwcir5o8gs44wo4kc80cccs.6ylu316ao144c8c4woosog48w.th.jpeg

http://www.astor-theatre.com/images/ben-hur/chariot3.jpeg http://www.maniacworld.com/hockey-fight.jpg http://www.hbo.com/docs/img/programs/jockey/506x316/506x316_jockey.jpg http://obrienbaseball.com/images/baseball_firstbase.jpg http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/clipart/results.aspx?qu=Baseball+Diamond&sc=20 http://legacydirect.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/mia-hamm.jpghttp://legacydirect.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/mia-hamm.jpg http://assets.espn.go.com/media/nba/2000/0213/photo/s_mjordon.jpghttp://assets.espn.go.com/media/nba/2000/0213/photo/s_mjordon.jpg http://images.teamtalk.com/08/07/800x600/Wimbledon-2008-Final-Preview-http://images.teamtalk.com/08/07/800x600/Wimbledon-2008-Final-Preview-

Serena-Venus-Wil_1003124.jpgSerena-Venus-Wil_1003124.jpg http://www.parkridgecommunities.com/photos/album/slides/Tennis%20Court2.jpghttp://www.parkridgecommunities.com/photos/album/slides/Tennis%20Court2.jpg

Group ResponsibilitiesGroup Responsibilities

Lonnie Roy: Section 2 of PowerpointLonnie Roy: Section 2 of Powerpoint Bri Steinmetz: Section 3 of PowerpointBri Steinmetz: Section 3 of Powerpoint Ashley Broderick: Section 1 of Powerpoint, Rules for ActivityAshley Broderick: Section 1 of Powerpoint, Rules for Activity Claire Ouimet: Activity Powerpoint with QuestionsClaire Ouimet: Activity Powerpoint with Questions Erica Morasse: Quiz HandoutErica Morasse: Quiz Handout