Sports—Why Do They Excite Us?
Sports—Why the Increasing Violence?
IT WAS 10:38 a.m. on October 25, 1981. Over fourteen thousand people in running gear were lined up at the Staten Island end of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, New York. Suddenly, a cannon shot broke the air and two rivers of humanity began to flow side by side across the bridge. What was the occasion that drew such a massive participation? The 1981 New York Marathon.
It was estimated that some two million people watched the race along the 26-mile (42-km) route and millions more by television. Athletes from 57 countries took part. New York city really got involved and millions of New Yorkers and others got excited.
Excitement over sports is a worldwide phenomenon. For example, recent news reports spoke of growing sports enthusiasm in China. The New York Times (Nov. 18, 1981) reported: “Tens of thousands of Chinese converged on that [Peking’s] vast downtown area last night for boisterous celebrations . . . The euphoria was over the Chinese women’s volleyball team, which defeated the United States . . . and Japan . . . to win its first world title.” Even the normally placid Chinese got excited about sports. Volleyball became front-page news in the Peking press.
Another outstanding case of sports-generated excitement is the 1982 World Cup soccer finals to be played between 24 qualifying nations in Spain during the dates of June 13 to July 11, 1982. Over the last two years more than a hundred countries have competed for the privilege of being among the last 24 qualifying teams. Hundreds of millions of supporters worldwide follow these soccer games with avid interest. In Lagos, Nigeria, a large crowd packed the stadium eight hours before the kickoff between Nigeria and Algeria. Likewise crowds of Chinese fans celebrated China’s soccer success in defeating Kuwait in a qualifying match for the World Cup series.
No doubt about it, sports attract and excite the masses. But why?
One underlying factor in modern life is the humdrum existence that millions are forced to lead in our computer-controlled society. As a consequence many want to break out of the treadmill routine by entering the exciting world of sports fantasy. For the minority, fulfillment comes as a participant. For the majority, it comes as a spectator. But they all want excitement, and that results from uncertainty. In sports uncertainty is the key—who will win? Thus the crowds flock to sports events or stay glued to the TV.
But are sports beneficial or harmful? Can they benefit you, whether as a participant or as a spectator? What about sports at school, high school, university and professional levels? Why has sports violence increased? Why has it spilled over onto the grandstands of stadiums?