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Stephanie Ciarkowski

Dr. Cummins

Sports in America SHY 330-75

February 26, 2023

What is Wrong With Sports Today

Unfortunately, sports today are riddled with inconsistencies in morals/values and

inequalities in race, gender, sexuality, and economic status. In his book Sport: A Very

Short Introduction Mike Cronin explains how sports began, gained their popularity,

changed, and eventually became what they are seen as today. Although he painted a

picture of how sports were able to bring people together to become something great, in

chapter 6 he brings a lot of serious issues to the surface. In doing this, he shows the

reader that though sports are a wholesome way for people to come together, settle

disagreements, and enjoy a fun pastime, “...sport has lost its way” (Cronin, 2014).

Cronin discusses issues within sports today pertaining to gender, sexuality, and

race. Though these aren’t exactly fun topics to discuss, it is necessary for people to

understand the depth of these issues in order to abolish them from causing more

problems. Gender in sports has always been an issue, as we are leading out of a

patriarchal society, women did not have the same rights, respect, or treatment as men.

Therefore, when sports began, women were not allowed to play. However, as sports

grew alongside society, team owners were (legally) obligated to allow women to play.

Now women are encouraged to play for these teams that preach “...open, equal, and

free opportunity… but it’s not…” (Cronin, 2014). Women are not paid equal, nor are they

given the same amount of media coverage for their sports aside from “... the Olympics
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and Grand Slam Tennis Tournaments, where men and women compete at the same

venue, and therefore covered equally by television…” (Cronin, 2014). In the same

sense, sexuality is a newly “accepted” concept of society of which sports welcome with

open arms. Except that they don’t. An example of this in today’s society is Jason

Collins. In 2013, Sports Illustrated Magazine released an issue with Jason as the “...

first gay athlete on the cover…” and as a result, he “...became a free agent shortly

afterwards and was not subsequently signed by any NBA team until he was signed on a

ten-day contract by the Brooklyn Nets in 2014” (Cronin, 2014). Another major issue

seen throughout sports today is racial inequalities. Although “...institutional racism that

blocked non-white athletes from competing has largely ended… however, the figures for

the entry of non-whites into sports management remain very low” (Cronin, 2014). He

goes on to say that in 2013 there were roughly “... seven African-American coaches in

the NFL, three black managers in the 92-club English Football League, and no

aboriginal coaches in the Australian Football League” (Cronin, 2014). Although it is an

improvement from segregational issues seen previously, it still is not a fully accepted

concept and needs to be changed in order to be fully accepting of different races.

In the end of chapter 6 and the conclusion, Cronin goes on to explain how sports

will present themselves as having positive morals/values for their sport, team, and/or

individual player, however they do not always uphold these promises. Many of these

sports claim to be open and accepting of all individuals when they clearly are not as

seen by the previous, and many other examples noted throughout sports. Cronin begins

the conclusion with “all of you have lost your way…somehow you’ve forgotten what’s

important” (Cronin, 2014). He closes this book with his final thoughts on how sports had
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once been a great spectacle to bring one another together and now has lost touch as to

what it has set out to do. Though these issues he brings to light need to be addressed

and changed in order to actually achieve the open, welcoming, and accepting

environment sports portray to be, it is highly doubtful it will happen in this lifetime.

Cronin emphasizes this when he closes his novel with “sport…is not, and never can be,

a level playing field” (Cronin, 2014).

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References

Cronin, M. (2014). Chapter 6 and Conclusion. In Sport: A Very Short Introduction.

essay, Oxford University Press.