The influence of sports on our communities is impo sible to ignore.The two
John Hayden Jersey most recent examples: The the Cavaliers' NBA championship, the city's first major sports title in 52 years. Las Vegas being .MORE: On a smaller scale, had a huge impact on Conway and Myrtle Beach, S.C., and the whole state., the estimated value of the entire sports industry in the United States is just under $500 billion. Sporting goods manufacturing is a large part of the economy. So, obviously, sport is "big busine s."It is a sumed that cities with sports franchises reap the benefits of having those teams in their communities. For example, city officialsoften believe having a sports team helps makes it a top-tier city, creating a more positive image and prestige for the city. Also, city
Brent Seabrook Jersey leaders usually proclaim having a sports team is a way for the community to come together and be supportive behind a common cause (i.e., team), which is projected to be good for the community psyche.City administrators often state that sports teams bring unity, publicity and "community spirit" to their cities. These claims are similar to what high schools and colleges stipulate as benefits of having sports teams on campus. While approximately 90 percent of all NCAA Division I athletic departments lose money each year, city leaders often project sports teams will bring economic growth to their cities. However, what is often omitted from the discu sion is how cities end up subsidizing the cost of building arenas and provide special tax breaks to team owners at the expense of its taxpayers.Cavs fans celebrate Cleveland's NBA championship.Yet, sports franchises at times can provide financial boosts for cities, particularly for hotels, restaurants, transportation, media,and other related busine ses. Also, jobs are provided for people who work in stadiums
Alexandre Fortin Jersey and arenas, such as ushers, venders and other auxiliary busine ses.MORE: I have lived in or near cities that have participated in the Super Bowl. I have been fortunate to be on the faculty of two college campuses where four national championships were won. And I was an athlete at a high school that won astate championship. I can confidently state that I and fellow students felt a sense of pride and togetherne s after
Nathan Noel Jersey these victories. Good feelings seemed to be all around campus as we all However, being a former high school and college athlete and currently a sport psychology profe sor in a sport science department places ourstudents and I in biased positions. We are particularly interested in the sports world from academic and fan perspectives. Still, if we take a global view of our communities, we must acceptthere are numerous people who have little or no interest in sports and athletics. I have had numerous discu sions with students and fellow citizens who have no interest in the happenings within and around sports.It would be naive of us to believe what happens in sports really influences or matters to them.While sports may play large and influential roles in many of our lives, we must realize cities (and educational institutions) are populated by diverse people with a variety of interests and backgrounds. Sports matters to us, but not to all of us within
Chicago Blackhawks Jersey the same community.Charles Dickens may have stated it best, and most succinctly when he titled his 1859 novel, "A Tale of Two Cities." Kevin L. Burke is a sport psychology profe sor andconsultant at Queens University in Charlotte, N.C. Contact him atand follow him on Twitter: @SportPsyching.
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