My perspective on chapter 16 is a familiarization of all the chapters we previously discussed and debated in class are intertwined together. Some of the topics we discussed and debated in class are sports played a major part in social relations where people utilize theories and ideologies to identify different issues and controversies in society. Being an agent for change of sports in the future will vary with each individual. Sports in the future will continue to evolve where everybody will have to adapt to the latest trends as change is inevitable. Becoming aware of the current trends and factors that influence them is the starting point for being effective agents in creating futures we want to see. Some of the current trends related to sports …show more content…
Athletes in the NFL and other power and performance sports are portrayed in the media as heroic figures, as warriors who embody a corporate emphasis on productivity, efficiency, and dedication to performance in the face of all barriers. Spectators are encouraged to identify with these athletes and express their identification through the consumption of licensed merchandise and other products. Because power and performance sports often involve pushing human and normative limits, they are relatively easy to market and sell when combined with storylines that resonate with the experience of consumers. This is why the media now emphasize the personal lives of athletes and their families. Dedicated, long-time fans may be satisfied with coverage focused on games, scores, and statistics, but new and less knowledgeable fans often are attracted to more dramatic and tabloid-style information about the player’s lives. This type of media coverage is common in many power and performance sports because it provides the storylines that maintain interest in these sports even when people know little about the tactics and techniques involved in doing sport from an athlete’s …show more content…
Pleasure and participation sports today are popular to the extent that people define them as attractive alternatives to the more culturally dominant power and performance sports. Factors that will motivate this search for alternatives today are (1) concerns about health and fitness, (2) participation preferences among older people, (3) values and experiences brought to sports by women, and (4) groups seeking alternatives to highly structured, competitive sports that constrain their