Our nation has invested itself, economically and socially, in sports for more than a century. To the athletic elite, there is the opportunity to turn their childhood passion into their livelihood. From the four most recognized professional sports in America – Baseball (MLB), Football (NFL) , Basketball (NFL), and Hockey (NHL) – only a select handful of athletes reach the professional level, and even fewer remain at that level and see long-term success. Our nation as seen a continuous evolution in professional sports when regarding the integration of race and gender into the games.
It provides a unique experience to view porting events, one being performed by female athletes and the other by male athletes, from a sociological mindset and take into account how far the integration of females and the overall racial integration as come; and how much further it can still progress, both when comparing female to male dominant sports and when viewing sports as a whole. The continuous expansion of attempting to making sports gender and racially neutral has created opportunities for people of all backgrounds in the sporting landscape.
I viewed a professional female basketball game, game 5 of the WNBA Finals, on October 14th. The Minnesota Lynx won the ame and the WNBA championship over the Indiana Fever. I have never before viewed a professional female basketball game, and was struck most by the overwhelming intensity and fan turnout during the game. Whether it was due to the fact that it was the final game of a championship series or that the game was nationally televised on ESPN, the fans of both the Lynx and Fever were as enthused and involved in the game as fans at an NBA game.
There was nearly 20,000 fans jumping up and down in a sea of team colors and from the cheering and face paint, it was evident how invested the fans are in their respective teams. The intensity of the game must of been even stronger for the folks present at the arena, as some of the emotional energy is not felt or conveyed through a television screen. It was an interesting perspective to pay less attention to the game itself, and more on the player-fan interaction, gender relations, and the racial diversity on the court.
I have always admired college sports for the raw passion demonstrated by the athletes on the playing field, and how deep down they are aware that the odds of them making it and sustaining a career at the professional level are slim, their effort and intensity is still that of paid rofessional athletes. I also view college and related non- professional sports from a highly respected and unique standpoint, as females rarely, if ever, turn their passion into their career and collegiate sports allow females to express and perform their raw talent and passion.
I also viewed an NBA game recorded from June of 2015, in game 6 of the Finals in which the Golden State Warriors won a championship. When comparing a female to male sporting event, either at the collegiate level or professional level, I was surprised to notice little difference in fan and player interaction (i. e. giving high fives, jumping into stands, etc. and in game intensity (i. e fan usage of signs, amount of cheering, etc).
One of the only differences I noted between the WNBA and the NBA performance, in terms of the influence of gender on the game, was actually not in the game itself, but in the commercial segments. The WNBA had advertisements tailored more towards women with women athletes and actors, such as the promotion of sports bras and female sporting apparel (i. e. pink Nike running shoes). While on the other hand, during the NBA game, I noticed more physically rigorous advertisements (such as LeBron James running down a basketball court, wiping sweat ff his face, and then promoting his new flavor of the soda ‘Sprite’.
Another example of professional gender integration advancement comes from the NFL, where the first full time female referee was hired for the 2015-2016. I believe that as society continuously evolves, the sporting landscape at the very least will continue to become more gender neutral at the collegiate level, and hopefully soon at the professional level, America will see further integration of female athletes into what has been considered ‘male exclusive’ sports (such as the NFL).
While American sports has also seen further racial integration at oth the collegiate and professional levels in recent years, from sports that were considered predominantly performed by black athletes, some of the most praised athletes in sporting history have been white in those sports, such as Larry Bird from the NBA and Johnny Unitas from the NFL. One of the historically oldest sports established in America was Major League Baseball, founded in 1869 in Ohio.
Both Jerry Crasnick and Justice Hill from ESPN. com and MLB. com, respectively, explain how baseball was the pioneer in racial integration and continues to make strides for further integration. Crasnick explains how the MLB is actively furthering integration efforts. “Commissioner Rob Manfred said Monday that Major League Baseball is committed to making strides in minority hiring amid the possibility that the 2016 season could begin without an African- American manager.
Lloyd McClendon, baseball’s only black manager, was fired by the Seattle Mariners after the regular season and has been replaced by Scott Servais. Atlanta’s Fredi Gonzalez, who is of Hispanic origin, is now the only manager minority among the 30 big-league clubs. “There’s a certain cyclical nature to this,” Manfred said. “Field managers are high urnover jobs, and you’re going to have peaks and valleys in terms of representation. Having said that, we are focused on the need to promote diversity — not just African-Americans, but Latinos, as well — in the managerial ranks.
Along with making sure teams comply with the “Selig Rule” — which requires clubs to interview at least one qualified minority for all manager, general manager and other top scouting and development openings — MLB is designing a program with the executive search firm Korn Ferry to help minority candidates hone their skills in interviews and strengthen the “pipeline” of minorities, Manfred said. ” Hill from MLB. om explained the historical evolution of racial integration in baseball, and how it opened doors for other sports to follow suit.
The ballfields and arenas of the early 1940s were places where blacks and whites had no choice but to follow the U. S. Supreme Court edict of “separate but equal. ” But the summer of ’47 ushered in a change that would soon sweep away nearly a half-century of segregation in professional sports. According to Negro Leagues Baseball Museum marketing director Bob Kendrick, Major League Baseball was at the epicenter of that socio-political revolution. Baseball, thanks to Jackie Robinson, laid the groundwork for the rogress that led to professional sports emerging as a force for equal rights in America.
The racial integration and gender neutralization of American sports as continued to evolve through history. Pioneers, like MLB’s Jackie Robinson, led movements that created opportunities for athletes of all backgrounds to have an equal opportunity to turn a passion into a career in both professional and collegiate sports. Nearly every year in America there is a breakthrough story of how new opportunities have arose for players that were never before possible – and I personally believe this evolution of sorts will only continue.