Sport and society

• Pre-industrial (pre-1780)

  • transport and communication links were limited
  • only educated classes could read and write
  • the lower classes worked long hours
  • string class divide between the rich and poor
• Popular recreation:

  • working hours were long and time was limited, so opportunities for participation tend to fall on holy days.
  • limited transport: activities were local and relevant to a small area.
  • participants made use of rural facilities.
• Mob football: used a pigs bladder as the ball.

  • no rules and Regulations
  • male dominated and violent

  Real tennis:

  • played by upper class
  • specialised equipment
  • clear set of rules
• Rational recreation:

  • sporting activities designed by the middle class for the lower class to play.
  • organised, controlled
• Industrial Revolution: impact

  First half of 19th saw negative effects

  • Poor health and hygiene
  • population moved from the countryside into towns for improved employment
  • lacking public facilities and wages were low

  Second half of 19th century:

  • improvements in health and hygiene
  • gradual increases in wages and time available for leisure
  • development of a middle class
  • set up of factory teams - factory owners encourage loyalty through sports
• Transport, communication and urbanisation:

  • the invention of the steam engine led to the railway network being built
  • travel was cheaper and more accessible so people could travel to watch and play sports
  • urbanisation encouraged further movement of the population from the countryside into towns and cities
• Three-tier class system:

  • emergence of self made middle class had empathy with the working class
  • rules for sports were developed
  • competitions were set up
  • gave Working class more leisure time
• National governing bodies: began to emerge as sports became more organised.

  • bodies were set up to deal with structure, competition and leagues
• Characteristics of rational recreation and cultural factor:

  • religion- muscular Christianity
  • respectable- public schools boy influence of non violence
  • rule-based: NGBs, more literate society
  • Regular: increased free time, improved transport
• Factors affecting development: Football

  • Urbanisation
  • increased professionalism
  • middle-class approval
  • increased organisation: FA
  • better media coverage
  • better transport links for teams and spectators
• Factors affecting the development: Lawn tennis

  • middle class aspiring to be like upper class
  • private clubs
  • organised by middle class
  • specialist equipment
  • played by males and females
  • standardised rules
• Factors affecting development: track and field athletics

  • became popular in crowded urban areas
  • purpose-built tracks
  • upper/middle class ran for enjoyment
  • Lower class ran for money- wagering
  • Initially women were excluded
• Wenlock Olympic Games:

  • intended to promote intellectual, moral and physical improvements
  • included games of athletics, country sports and fun events
• Changing role of women in sports:

  • approval of female sporting endeavour slowly grew
  • 1884 saw the First Ladies singles championships at Wimbledon
  • private school girls started to take part in athletics activities including track and field
• Amateur and professional performers:

  • Amateurs: a person who plays sport purely for the love of it
  • professional: a person who plays sport for money and extrinsic gain
  • lower classes has to be paid a wage to play sport
  • earning money from sports was seen as a way out of poverty
• Characteristics of amateurs:

  • middle and upper class only
  • played a range of sport
  • used free time to play
  • wanted to be seen as displaying a high moral code

  characteristics of professionals:

  • lower class
  • played to earn money
  • paid for by middle and upper classes
• The golden triangle: The relationship between sports, business and the media

  • sponsorships: where a company pays for their products to be publicly displayed or advertised in an attempt to increases the sales.
  • Merchandising: brand or image from one product is used to sell another
• Commercialisation of sport:

  • A focus on professionals
  • a lot of media coverage
  • performers getting paid more
  • performers being controlled by their sponsors
  • association between brands and performers
  • performers becoming famous
• Elite female performers: football

  • emergence of female-only leagues
  • females as players, officials and coaches
  • more female role models
  • better media coverage
  • increased grassroots participation
• Elite female performers: tennis

  • emergence of the Women‘s Tennis Association
  • development of women’s circuits to play in
  • increased prize money available
  • more female role models
• Elite female performers: Athletics

  • increased opportunities for women to participate
  • increased coverage of female athletics
  • emergence of role models
• Socialisation:

  • primary socialisation: early years of childhood taking place largely within the family. Families teach basic values and norms
  • secondary socialisation: later years as teenager and adults. Peer groups and school heavily influence
• • Equal opportunities: The right of every person to access the same opportunities, regardless of race, age, sex, mental or physical capability.
  • Discrimination: The unfair treatment of a person by making a distinction and acting on prejudice
• Social processes:

  • social control: process of attempting to control people’s thoughts, appearance, feelings and behaviour
  • Social change: A change in the way society is organised. Sports becoming more accessible for minority groups e.g This Girl Can campaign
• Social inequality:

  • Resources and opportunities are not evenly spread through different social classes and genders
  • unequal distribution of wealth
  • difference in the wages of men and women performing the same roles
• Social stratification and social class

  • A way of dividing up members of society based on characteristics such as wealth or status
  • those at the top tend to have greater wealth and opportunities
• Barriers to participation: prevent or lessen the potential for certain groups to participate

  The main unrepresented groups in sports are :

  • people with disabilities
  • ethnic minorities
  • gender disadvantage
• People with disabilities:

  • lack of role models
  • inaccessible facilities
  • lack of specialised coaches/equipment
  • stereotypes
  • low levels of media coverage
• Ethnic minorities:

  • racism/racist abuse
  • religious observance/culture
  • fewer role models
  • fear of rejection/ lack of self-esteem
• Women:

  • lack of time and money
  • fewer sponsorships opportunities/ less funding
  • stereotypical myths
  • fewer role models
  • less media coverage
• Strategies to prevent barriers to participation:

  • more investment
  • increased media coverage
  • promotion of role models
  • campaigns to encourage participation
  • adapt facilities
  • train more coaches (of ethnic minority/ people with disabilities/ women)
• Stereotyping: generalisation about all members of a group which allow others to categorise and treat them unfairly

  Prejudice: Bias against an individual or group based on personal or unjustified opinions
• Reasons for raising participation:

  physical:

  • improved level of health
  • less change of developing disease

  Fitness:

  • improved levels Of fitness
  • improved work productivity

  social:

  • increased socialisation
  • social control
  • creation of jobs
• Role of Sport England:

  • working with national and local partners and the underrepresented groups in sports, at grassroots
  • promotion of the benefits of being active
  • investments in country sports partnerships