(1) A hundred years ago, when sportwas confined largely to games played in the backyard or on the farm, one couldhardly have imagined the attention that it has come to receive in the twentiethcentury. Today, the importance of sport in society is clearly demonstratedby the fact that even the CBS news can be preempted for the final of a tennismatch. A survey conducted in the late 1980s revealed that fully 81 percent ofall adults follow some organized sport, mostly on television. And thephenomenon of weekend “sports widows” — women abandoned by their husbands forweekend sports on television — is entering its third generation.

Sport is defined sociologically ascompetitive physical activity that is performed under established rules. Likeall social institutions, sport serves numerous functions. First, it providessociety with a vast array of leisure-time activities for all segments of the population.(2) Although it is an overstatement to say that modern society is a leisuresociety, there has been a significant increase in the amount of nonwork timethat most people have available. Furthermore, recreational activity hasbecome increasingly necessary in a society in which the vast majority of jobsprovide little or no physical activity. Second, sport provides an outlet forenergies that, if not diverted, could cause serious strain on the social order.(3) For both fan and participant, sport permits the expression of emotions(such as anger and frustration) in ways that are acceptable to, even encouragedby, society. Finally, sport provides society with role models. Athletes atall levels, but especially famous athletes, provide examples of conduct andemployment of skills that others can emulate.

Although sports promote many positiveaspects of a society, conflict theorists are quick to point out that they alsoreflect society’s inequalities. Like most other social institutions, sports arecharacterized by inequalities of class, race and gender. For example, certainsports — such as boxing, which is often associated with urban poverty — aredistinctly lower class in origin and participation. (4) In general, membersof the lower and working classes have tended to participate in sports likebaseball and basketball: games that require little more than a field, a ball,and some players.

Although sport is sometimes consideredexempt from racial inequality, sociological evidence has shown this not to bethe case. (5) Although it is true that nonwhites in American society haveenjoyed greater opportunities for high incomes in professional sports than inother occupations, it is also true that virtually all managers and owners ofsports team are white. There are few nonwhite sportscasters,administrators, umpires, or referees. Furthermore, nonwhites are all but absent(even as players) from all professional sports except baseball, basketball,boxing and football.