Role of Sports in Popular Culture, Essay Example

Sports has become a primary form of activity and/or entertainment.  Due to its wide visibility in almost any culture and level of society, a number of social issues can be viewed against the backdrop of sports.  There are ways to be cognizant of these issues, and to react accordingly when playing or watching sports.

A couple of less obvious examples can be found with corruption and gambling.  Corruption can be seen, from time to time, with regard to a particular organization and scenarios that have occurred.  For instance, a number of less-than-ideal examples can be seen from the sport of boxing and in history, such as the infamous Black Sox scandal.  However, it can come into play for the average person, such as Little League age (proving one is not too old) that has caught news attention in recent years.  While this is more of a reactionary issue, it is still relevant in sports.

Gambling, of course, is more visible issue for some.  Some individuals may want to gamble online, which brings up legal issues, while others may want to have an office pool, play poker for money, or other “lesser examples.”  Yet, some of these points are tricky to navigate for those who want to bet.  Gambling is of course illegal in many areas and the responsible solution would be to abstain from such practices.

One of the more prevalent issues, both currently and historically, can be found with racism.  Jackie Robinson had an indelible role, not just with regard to sports and racism, but racial discrimination as a whole.  Today there are still racial tensions and stories that emerge from all levels.  Along with something like same-sex relationships, racism is an example of wide social issue that can become visible in many other contexts.  Sports have certainly seen a great deal of this, and treating it responsibly is the preferred reaction.  Those that play or watch sports can have a hand in this.