By: Branton Beard
What are Sports? Why do people enjoy viewing, watching, and playing Sports? In 2021 approximately 57.5 million people viewed a digital sporting event at least once a month per statisa.com. So what has led the sports industry to become so dominate in society? You can make the easy argument that it's enjoyable entertainment for viewers at home. Others make the case that their fandom is a way of life. They become so engrossed into their respected team that they consider themselves a part of the organization. But for some people, sports are more than just a game or entertainment. For some, it's an escape from reality and can or even a sense of purpose, or even belonging.
Many people would agree that there are different types of sports viewers. Sports affect people in different ways. People watch sports simply for entertainment, but some people watch sports because to them it's more than just a game. To myself and many others, sports have become more than just a game.
Sports gave me a chance to prove myself to others. I encourage competition, and I thrive when given the chance to compete-- no matter area of my life--I enjoy the constant competition. A sporting event is always competitive , and exciting. The “any given Sunday” mentality mean anything can happen during a game. There’s always an underdog story; there’s always a comeback story. You can even find inspirational stories. There’s so many different avenues in sports and so many different ways to enjoy the games.
“ I love being competitive honestly. When I was growing up I was super competitive. It also gives me time away from reality. Finally, it’s something that I know better than anything else and I can analyze it and give people my thoughts.” ~Drew Pountain, Radio TV Department graduate and Current WFIW Sports Director on what sports mean to him. Sports can play a major part in peoples lives. It allows for some to escape reality and for others make them feel like a part of the team.
Not only are there stories from sports fan's, but there are also impactful stories from the players themselves. Marquise Goodwin, San Francisco 49ers WR, isn’t talked about enough. He scored a TD just hours after his infant son passed away.
Goodwin wrote on an Instagram post on November 12th 2017 . “Unfortunately we lost our baby boy due to some complications, and had to prematurely deliver him early this morning around 4am”.
Goodwin later said, “Although we are hurt, I am grateful for the experience and grateful that God blessed me with a wife as courageous and resilient as Morgan. The pain ( physically, mentally, & emotionally) that she has endured is unbelievable.”
Football gave Goodwin a stage to showcase his emotions for his family, along with a chance to glorify his faith. NBC Sports reporter Matt Maiocco, reported that after the game Goodwin left the locker room quickly to join his family. This is just one of the many stories proving that football and sports are more than just a game.
All in all, everyone can take advantage of and enjoy sports in a variety of different ways. Some people may enjoy the sport from the side line, some may just watch the score board, and some may enjoy following along with every new report that the team releases. But no matter what your reason for enjoying sports, there is always a fantastic story that follows.