Conflict Theory in Sport
APA Citation
Coakley, J. (2015). Sports in Society: Issues and Controversies(11th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
James Frazier & Scott Friel
Sports in Society
Conflict Theory in Sport When it comes to sports, there are always going to be chances of conflict. Society is determined by economic dealings and is a system made of elements and affiliations formed for economic power. There is truth and problems in this statement that document the effect that conflict has in society. However, conflict is not always easy to accept and it takes a lot of hard work in finding the truth. Conflict theory is grounded in the ideas of Karl Marx and is a form of structural theory. Coakley (2015) identifies conflict theory
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In sports, it is very important to center on social organization in relation to who has access to power, who has authority, resources available, and different economic opportunities. According to Simon (2016), “There is so much at stake in social inequalities. Conflict theory impels us to recognize that every dimension of social structure can be conceptualized in terms of winners and losers, and social conflict often causes disastrous and tragic consequences for the losers in the social struggle.” In some cases people can become bullied or even tortured as a consequence of social conflict. It is a shame people have to be shunned and mortified because of a choice of social structure in which they participate. Social interest groups will continue to protect and spread their own pleasures while weakening those of their opponents. There needs to be more focus on class inequality and how inequality might be reduced in different sports that we play, watch, and participate in today. Sports are supposed to give us a “vacation” away from the everyday problems that we have to deal with, not create additional problems. We should develop an understanding of how our favorite athletes are used for revenue in the money-making world in which we live. In Major League Baseball (MLB), players can be used for revenue and can roll in more profit for their organization. For example, Derek Jeter was an excellent baseball player and many people grew to love watching him play in the MLB. He helped his organization bring in additional money by the economic deals that he made with outside companies. Economic deals he was involved in include the following: Shoes contracts, jersey sales, participation clauses, or any other signature pieces that are associated with his name. Deals made with outside companies will bring in additional funds or income to the organization and the player.