Sports Networks

Sports are typically defined as established competitive physical activities, usually governed by an officiating body, in which participants are motivated by internal and external rewards. When considering the networks in sports, this definition provides useful guidelines for understanding the social connections people make through sports. Sports teams and leagues, for example, denote the very concept of a sports network. Regardless of professional or amateur rank, local or international, sports networks permeate most cultures around the world.

People use sports, in part, to develop relationships and networks with other people. Various areas associated with sports—children, amateur sports networks, gender, race and ethnicity, religion, professional sports, international networks, and sports fan networks—paint a larger picture of the broader links developed by these people. For example, many children (and their families and friends) involved in sports teams and leagues create bonds with other children from other cities and neighborhoods—children whom they may never otherwise have met. These sports networks created for children have the potential to lead to networks of amateur athletes, teams, and leagues, such as in high school and college. The connection between sports and schools creates a bridge between sports and educational networks.

Sports networking issues related to gender, race and ethnicity, and even religion have led to the erosion of some networks and alienation of some athletes. Conversely, some new sports networks have emerged in light of these differences, spawning new and expanded networks for women, minorities, and those with particular religious affiliations. This has, in turn, created connections between women and minorities and other disenfranchised groups set on establishing equal rights in all areas of life, including sports.

Images of the natural sports network melting pot are visible in professional and international sports. From worldwide contests, including the traditional Olympic Games, Paralympics, and Senior Olympic Games, to professional leagues with vast, worldwide audiences, sports attract athletes and fans with connections to a multitude of different social networks. Some people develop their interests in sports, either professional or amateur, at a very early age. It would appear that some [Page 812]sports-minded people network within and across social networks over a lifetime.