Abstract This paper looks at racism in American sports today. This paper shows that racism has decreased but still their still remains a good amount of racism. Recent examples are used to describe the papers arguments. Issues such as position players are brought up, ie. If African-Americans make up the majority of the NFL, why is their a disproportionate number of African-American quarter backs?
Abstract This paper will discuss how Jackie Robinson opened the door for black athletes into a white dominated game. By showing how this was done, we can how this influential athlete changed the way that black men are seen in American history. In the details described we will gain insight into this great man's life and how he changed the face of baseball history.
Abstract This paper will discuss the how baseball affects Americans, and how the history of the sport has created a national past time. By understanding the reasons behind this, we can see how the sport was formed, and why the American public sees it as a great sport in the world today. By analyzing some of the historical perspectives, we can see how some of the heroes have made this type of athletic social phenomena.
Abstract This paper discusses that drug use by athletes has been a problem from the Olympic Games of 668 BC to present time. The author reviews problems of alcohol use by professional golfers. The paper concludes that not all athletes may take drugs, but the author assures that the majority has considered it in order to get an edge.
From the Paper "Not surprisingly, many common medicines contain banned drugs or substances so an athlete would have to be responsible for checking with a doctor or coach prior to taking anything. But many athletes know they are taking enhancers. They take the substances because they feel they need a boost to enhance their athletic prowess. But, unlike dried figs, the performance enhancing substances can lead to many severe side effects and even death."
Tags: testing, enhancement, steroids, baseball, football
Abstract This paper presents an overview of sports in the U.S. and how sports has become a commercial industry in itself. The paper explains that America seems to commercialize everything, and with the overwhelming support for national sports, this too has become a vibrant and profitable sector of the consumer economy. The paper looks at the monetary value of sports in the U.S. and explores the benefits and down-side to mass-produced commercial sporting entities.
From the Paper "Most professional team sports play a series of games instead of one to decide the championship. For this reason, the Super Bowl is unique in American professional sports. Football has typically been viewed as the toughest team sport with large men playing a full contact sport that makes the entertainment value extremely high for sports fans. These factors make the Super Bowl a unique and powerful entertainment package that appeals to sports fans like no other championship game can. For this reason, the Super Bowl is the most commercialized event in sports. The commercialization of the Super Bowl makes it a grandiose event. People who are not even football fans watch the Super Bowl for the creative commercial broadcasting. As a result, the Super Bowl generates the creative commercialization process that increases fervor for material things and greatly influences pop culture."
Tags: superbowl, football, basketball, advertising, culture, extreme, television
Abstract This paper looks at the history of labor relations in the field of baseball from John Montgomery Ward's first attempt to form a players' union in 1885 to the 32-day lockout during spring training in 1990. The author points out that the 2002 collective bargaining agreement was successfully negotiated with significant compromises on both sides and without a work stoppage. The paper concludes that this agreement ensures the continued fiscal health of America's favorite pastime.
Table of Contents
Labor History
1994-1995
2002 Collective Bargaining Agreement
From the Paper "In addition to higher ticket sales, an estimated 40 percent of this revenue came from the sale of broadcasting rights. Each team received around $18.6 million from national broadcasting revenue. Local broadcasting rights generated additional earnings, although this figure differed widely between cities. The New York Yankees, for instance, received $52 million in local broadcasting revenue while other franchises got less than one-tenth of that figure (Verducci 2002). In any case, a strike and the subsequent loss of broadcasting revenue would represent a significant income loss for both the owners."
Abstract Discusses stress, anxiety and depression as negative characteristics of human behavior and how neurotransmitters are involved in the development of emotional disorders. Cites studies on exercise.
From the Paper "Stress, anxiety, and depression tend to be interactive and are often viewed as negative characteristics of human behavior. Though these emotions and responses have developed as a protective mechanism and originate from needed evolutionary characteristics..."
Abstract Focuses on professional baseball. Discusses the lack of a salary cap in major league baseball, the lack of parity among teams, the impact of TV rights, size of the market, management, and the idea of revenue sharing.
From the Paper "The past decade has witnessed a staggering increase in professional sports player salaries. Baseball appears to be the sport where these increases have come closest to ruining the game. Unlike the parity between teams..."
Abstract Examines athletes as problem gamblers. Provides a history of gambling. Discusses mob-connected, organized control of sports betting and the growing link between organized crime and college athletics.
From the Paper ""If there's competition involved, you can bet that you can bet on it" is a quote from Henry J. Hyde (R, Ill). Hyde is chairman of the United States House of Representatives and Chairman of the committee ..."
Abstract This paper, while acknowledging the positive side of and the need for athletic scholarships, focuses on the negative aspect of athletic scholarships. Some of the negative aspects highlighted in the paper are that athletic scholarships provide an advantage to student athletes that are unfair to non-athletic students. With such a great emphasis on sports, many students feel inferior to athletes, even though they may participate in some other type of extracurricular activity. Furthermore, the paper argues that it is unfair for athletic students to receive all the perks and credits even though they are often absent from the classroom due to practice or competition. At the conclusion of the paper, it is suggested that, while athletic scholarships should be available to athletes, schools should make a greater effort to provide equal opportunities for all other students as well.
From the Paper "As today's society focuses more and more on sports, the educational world is evolving to keep up with the pace. As a result, today's student athletes have even more opportunities and options available to them than they did just a decade ago. In addition to more scholarships in both high school and college education, student today are offered the opportunity to receive part of the credit required to graduate by actively participating in sports."
Abstract This paper presents a detailed examination of a legal issue in the sports field. The writer focuses on the issue of admitting drug tests for athletes at all levels of play and expertise. The writer explores various cases of drug testing and discusses the court decisions in regard to such cases.
From the Paper "The field of athletics is becoming increasingly competitive. The desire to succeed is driven by hopes of college scholarships, Olympic hope, huge professional contracts and other motivators. The need to succeed has caused athletes to do things that they may not otherwise consider doing, including the ingestion of drugs and steroids to boost their power and ability. Recently the use of drugs by athletes has come to the forefront of public attention and drug testing of athletes has become a controversial issue. Some people believe that athletes should be subjected to drug testing without suspicion, for the sole purpose of keeping the industry on its toes, while others believe that without suspicion, the drug testing of athletes is a direct invasion of privacy and should be banned. Across the nation and the world the topic has sparked heated debates in many circles and the legality of the issue is relatively new and undecided."
Abstract This paper argues that, while high school athletes may be some way off from professional sports, it is necessary to note that they, nevertheless, act as role models to their fellow students and juniors. It discusses the importance of awareness in high school athletes that they are role models for achievement through fair competition and physical ability achieved through personal striving. It looks at how the use of steroids not only violates the very ethical foundation of sports, but ends up setting the wrong reference standard for young sport admirers and aspirants.
From the Paper "For one, the use of steroids by athletes to build muscle and boost performance is unethical as it lends an unfair advantage over athletes who rely purely on inborn ability and training. Such external aids can be said to be a violation of "fair play" and ?personal striving spirit,? the very ethical foundation of sports. Victories earned by high school athletes using steroids, as such, end up setting a wrong example to both peer group members and juniors who look to sports as a role model of the spirit of achievement through personal striving. In fact, available research data already indicates that use of steroids among high school students has penetrated beyond the arena of sports (NIDA Web site)."
Abstract The international market offers various emerging markets, each offering the opportunity for sport shoe manufacturing company, Nike, to continue growing. One of the most significant markets is China. This paper proposes research that will investigate whether Chinese consumers view the Nike brand as high-quality and affluent and whether there are any public image issues. The paper presents possible outcomes of the research, as well as an outline of a business research process.
From the Paper "The question this raises is how the Chinese market views the brand. Answering this question is important for Nike to determine the most appropriate marketing strategy to enter the market. For example, do they need to convince consumers that the brand is affluent, or is this already assumed by most consumers? Do they need to deal with image problems related to the manufacture of products, or are most Chinese consumers unaware of any issues with Nike? Answering these questions will allow Nike to enter the market with the most appropriate marketing strategies."
Abstract This paper looks at the positive and negative aspects of athletes as role models for youths and adults. The paper looks at why athletes become role models, some of the misconceptions entertained by the general population regarding famous athletes, and the roles that the media and parents play in encouraging children to look up to athletes as role models.
From the Paper "Sports in today's world have a major role in American culture. They are used to escape daily routine, as entertainment, as a part of a healthy lifestyle, and as a tool to teach fundamental teamwork. More importantly, however, the people who play sports on a state, national, or international level, are seen as role models to the youth and adult populations. While the influence of those role models can be extremely positive, there are also negative effects that can be equally detrimental."
Tags: behavior, admire, expectations, trait, advertising, professional, image, talented, champions
Abstract This paper explains that gambling has always been part of the United States; even in the original colonies, lotteries were used to raise money, so that playing lotteries even became a civic responsibility. The author points out nine ways to manage money while gambling in a casino, such as using a progressive method of betting by setting a predetermined percentage increase for each winning bet and sticking stick to that. The paper relates that, in the past, casinos gave away rooms and served foods to attract new guests, especially the high rollers; today, non-gaming areas, including rooms, food, shows, retail space, and other aspects or features of their property, are increasingly a focus of potential profit opportunities.
From the Paper "Casino businesses know that they must put their guests first, otherwise, these businesses are behind and fumbling. They need not only to catch up with the trend but to make giant leaps in order to remain in competition. The lesson to learn is that the casino is in business for the loyalty of each guest; therefore, that guest is at the center of it. If the guest can be made to feel like a royalty, he or she will remember it when he or she leaves, and then come back.
