Sports as a Source of Entertainment - Research Paper Example

1. Introduction 2. Sports as a source of entertainment 3. Economic contributions of sports 4. Employment benefits 5. Psychological benefits 6. Health benefits of sports 7. Socio-cultural benefits of sports 8. Foreign benefits of sports 9. Conclusion Sport is referred to as an activity associated with physical exertion as well as skill in which a person or a given team competes against another person or teams for entertainment. The influence and the impacts of sports are many and diverse. The diverseness of sports is in relation to many different types of sports in the world. Some of the known sports include outdoor and indoor sports. Some of the well-known indoor sports are swimming and table tennis. Outdoor sports are the most common and are very many. Some of these sports include mountain biking sports, motorcycle sports, and soccer. The benefits of sports are very many. They not only unite people, but also create opportunities for development. In relation to this assertion, the paper aims at expounding on the different benefits of sports. In addressing this, the paper will provide detailed information on the contributions of sports to human health, domestic and foreign contribution of sports, economic benefits of sports, and the social impacts of sports. Sports as source of entertainment Motorsports is one type of sports that serves as the source of entertainment in many countries in the world. In relation to this assertion, it is apparent that many people attend car racing competitions in the world to cheer up themselves. In tandem with this argument, it is evident that the whole world moved to South Africa in 2010 and Brazil in 2014 to watch the soccer competition. The main reason for very many people visiting these countries was to entertain themselves through cheering their favorite teams. Economic contributions of sports The economic impacts of sports are very diverse. In addition to output impacts and employee compensation impacts, sports impacts include employment impacts as well value added impacts. According to Arthur and his colleagues (2), the 2003 annual estimation showed that motorsports industries in North Carolina spend approximately 3.2 billion dollars as the total direct spending. In addition to this, it was found out that motorsports industry in North Carolina had more than 1.0 billion dollars as indirect output impacts. The induced economic impact was 870 million (Arthur et al. 3). In relation to this assertion, it is apparent that the overall economic effect of motorsports industries in North Carolina which included direct, indirect as well as induced impacts summed up to 5.0 billion dollars. In connection with this, it is apparent that the golf industry contributes immensely to the economy of Canada (IPOS Reid 2). This is in relation to the fact that golf sports serves as the tourist attraction competition. Based on direct as well as indirect and induced impacts, “Canada’s 2013 golf cluster economic impact accounts for about $14.3 billion of Canada’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), up from $12.2 billion in 2008” (National Allied Golf Associations 2). From this claim, it is evident that total gross of golf sport is about $36.8 billion (National Allied Golf Associations, 3). Employment benefits In addition to the output impacts, sports have significant employment impacts. The estimation that was made by the motorsports sector and IMPLAN Industry Code evidenced that NASCART Teams led in terms of employment opportunities. NASCART Teams had approximately 4,600 jobs (Arthur et al. 5). The number of jobs created in Travel & Tourism sector by the motorsports industry exceeded 1600 jobs. The supplier sector for the sporting equipment created 1,490 direct jobs. In other words, motorsports resulted to the creation of 24,406 jobs in 2003 (Arthur et al. 7). It is also evident that sports in Kamloops, Canada contribute immensely to the creation of employment. In connection with this claim, it is apparent that the golf sports provide good job opportunities for different people including students. Approximately 126,000 people are employed directly by the Canadian golf industry. The occupation of this big number consists of equipment manufacturing, golf professional services in addition to course operations. Other occupations as a result of golf sports include food services, maintenance as well as other inclusive aspects (National Allied Golf Associations 3). In addition to this, it is evident that the total employment opportunities in golf industry swell to 300,000 after the summing up of direct, indirect as well as induced economic effects. In connection with this, one can affirm that golf industry serves as one of the best source of income to a good number of people in Canada. According to National Allied Golf Associations (3), the total sum of the household income for workers in golf industry lies between $1.9 billion and 8.4 billion. It is also apparent that a good number of students are employed in the golf industry. The employed students not only gain financially, but also get exposed to diverse networking opportunities for enhancement of their future careers. Although golf is regarded as the sport for many people, it is evident that it is played mainly to boost the economy of a given state. This is in relation with the fact that some countries such as Canada perceive it as an economic generating activity. Among the golfers in Canada are legions of business people that employ it in creation of relationships with clients in addition to rewarding customers. Psychological benefits According to Bilich (1), sports contribute significantly to a child’s mind and body. This is in relation to the fact that sports participation results to many aspects of psychological growth such as self-esteem, social skills as well as discipline and respect for others. Self-esteem is achieved through giving positive feedback in addition to showing provide in a child’s accomplishments. Helping a child work on a particular skill at which he shows the potential in addition to ensuring he participates in a sport and league that he can compete effectively boosts a child’s self-esteem (The Positive Impact of Sports 2). The discipline of a child is also improved through participation in sports. Apart from the adage “practice makes perfect”, sports also makes a person point out improvements in a child’s performance which as a result improves the discipline of a child. Additionally, the encouragement of a child to stick with a sport at all times despite the frustration enhances his observance of discipline in the society. According to Bilich (2), it is through sports that majority of people develop respect for others. In connection with this assertion, it is evident that opposing teams interact with each other in the field as well as outside playing field. A good example of how sports encourage respect for others is the soccer sport that brings the black and white together. The competition between the two races encourages respect for each other despite the variation in skin color. Additionally, it is evident that the football federation has a rule that encourages the showing respect for others. This assertion is in tandem with the existence of some rules that bar people from diminishing others based on their skin color. The success of many people in the world today is as a result of teamwork. The unselfish play associated with soccer such as passing a ball encourages children to work most of the time as a team. It is through the togetherness observed in sports that majority of the students succeed in academics as well as many things in life. In other words, sports make children to work as a team in doing almost everything in life. Additionally, sports act as distressing factors. The participation in sports makes a person forget about stressing issues that may impair with his normal reasoning as well as ways of solving issues at hand. In tandem with this claim, one can affirm that sports influence the reasoning of a person since they are associated with clearing as well as keeping the mind of a person active at all times. None in this world is immune to stress. However, positive and enjoyable physical activities can reduce anxiety and psychological tensions. The physical exercise leads to the release of adrenaline which if let to accumulate results to muscle tension, feelings of stress as well as anxiety (Mendel and Potkanowicz 17). In other words, physical activities promote an improved work performance, good social interactions, and a sense of well-being. Health benefits of sports As it was introduced in the above paragraph, stress is one of the contributing factors for poor health. Apart from stress impairing with the normal reasoning of a person, it also results to misbalancing of hormones in the body. The poor balance of hormones contained in the body result to diseases such as diabetes. In relation with this, it is apparent that sports results to balancing of hormones in addition to promoting weight loss. The physical activities associated with sports also reduce the risk of obesity, coronary heart disease, and certain types of cancer. Sports also reduce sedentary behaviors of children and youths; it promotes psychosocial well-being of youths and children. Physical activities also boost the immune system of a person. In connection with this, it is argued that physically fit people are less prone to diseases. In other words, it is believed that active individuals rarely have physician as well as hospital visits. Thus, sports reduce the risks of infections for active people significantly. Additionally, moderate exercise promotes positive changes in the immune system (California State Parks 17). In support of this argument, “California State Parks” claims that each time a sedentary person makes a mile movement, he or she adds approximately 21 minutes to life and saves approximately 34 percent of the costs associated with medical care. In other words, every hour spent on sports increases the life expectancy of a person by two hours. Mental health disorders are associated with high rate of hospitalization in many countries including the United States of America. They are also the main causes of disability. These complications cost the U.S. more than $148 billion every year (California State Parks 18). It has been found out that physical activities reduce the incidence of mental health disorders significantly. This is in relation with the fact that physical activity enables a person to cope up with life. Participation in physical activities also reduces depression that results to the feeling of loneliness as well as hopelessness. It draws people from loneliness into a community life which as a result reduces emotional problems. Socio-cultural benefits of sports Socio-cultural benefits often divert attention to the host of the sporting event. The impacts of sports have been determined by many researchers. For example, Baker (68) found out that individuals who support a specific sporting event in their locality know the theme of the event and majority of them consist of young persons. Often, people who show positivism to the event secure employment opportunities. The sporting event also brings people from different areas as well as backgrounds together. The sporting event unites people who participate as well as who attend as the audience. The hosting of a sporting event also increases civic pride, community participation, and the morale of the local community. The preparation of the sporting fields makes the surrounding areas very attractive. For instance, it is evident that the construction of beautiful stadiums in nations such as Brazil and South Africa was in relation to their hosting of major sporting events in the world. In connection with this claim, it is arguable that more than a half of the population in Singapore associated the increase of their civic pride with the hosting of Formula One (Baker 77). A research on the World Rally Championship in Australia evidenced that 90 percent of the residents in Kyogele associated the positive alteration of the image of their city with the hosting of the event. Additionally, majority of the people in Kyogele believed that the global event increased awareness that made Kyogele appear on the map and in the world phase of motorsports competition. The hosting of the sporting events also enhances social cohesion as well as brings people from different jurisdictions together. From this, one can affirm that sports increase local pride in addition to boosting the community spirit. Sports also enhance overall child-development. Sports facilities encourage child’s integration with the community surroundings (The Positive Impact of Sports 1). Sports also provide pleasure for children in addition to giving them the opportunity to interact with new people as well as make new friendships. In doing this, sports manage to break the isolated mould that the majority of the low income as well as the underprivileged children fall under. Additionally, participation in sports makes children not only to crop a sense of self-belonging, but also confidence through their social cohesion. Participation in sports also enhances the development of peer relationships in addition to establishing the notion of trust that facilitates the development of teamwork skills. According to “The Positive Impact of Sports” (2), sports challenge children not only to excel physically, but also mentally in addition to teaching them valuable skills such as leadership skills, hardworking and perseverance which are essential in other aspects of life other than the playing field. Participation of children in sports also contributes significantly to the community. This is evidenced by the fact that participation enhances high degree interaction between individuals in a given community which as a result benefits the child and translates into social and economic development of a given community. In relation with this claim, it is evident that participation in sports reduces the involvement of youths in violence as well as unethical activities. Sports offer youths and children a good alternative to idleness that results to violence if not addressed efficiently and in time. Additionally, sports contribute to the elimination of racial and cultural barriers that are associated with misunderstandings between different people or ethnic groups. Foreign benefits of sports Within a host country of a given sport, the sporting events boost the economy. This is evidenced by the fact that locally produced goods and services are bought by consumers from other countries. The people from that country also serve well as consumers during the events. To justify this fact, it is apparent that the expenditures made by the visitors as well as the local residents translate directly into new income for business (Connaughton and Madsen 13). The taxes paid by the visitors from other countries also serve as key sources of revenue. For instance, sports fishing are one of the sports that attract international tourism in Kamloops. The events boost significantly the economy of Canada by pooling tourists during off-peak seasons. The events also assist in generating economic prosperity of Canada through tourists’ purchase of fishing gears, trucks and boats. The filling of tanks and coolers associated with fishing also contributes significantly to the generation of income (The Economic Impact of Recreational Boating in Canada 5). The stay of the tourists in expensive motels and resorts also contributes to Canada’s economy. In conclusion, sports are activities associated with physical exertion as well as skill in which a person or a given team competes against another person or teams for entertainment. They have very many benefits to the participators, community and the country. The benefits of sports include acting as a as source of entertainment, boosting the economy of the hosting community as well as country, creation of employment opportunities, and boosting the health of participators. Sports also have very many socio-cultural benefits in addition to foreign contributions. Works Cited Arthur, Joseph, Gandar John, Krapl Alain and Madsen Ronald. The Economic Impacts of the Motorsports Industry On the North Carolina Economy. 2004. Web. 19 June 2015 http://www.nccommerce.com/Portals/8/Documents/Research/EconomicImpactsoftheMot orsportsIndustryonNCeconomy2004.pdf Baker, Andrew. Automobile Races and the Marketing of Places: A Geographic and Marketing Exploration of IndyCar Racing in the United States. 2013. Web. 19 June 2015 http://trace.tennessee.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3178&context=utk_graddiss Bilich, Karin. The Psychological Benefits of Sports: Help your child develop social and emotional skills. 2010. Web. 19 June 2015. http://impactunited.com/wp- content/uploads/2010/03/The-Psychological-Benefits-of-Sports.pdf Connaughton, J. and Madsen, R. The Economic Impacts and Occupational Analysis of the North Carolina Motorsports Industry for 2005. 2006. Web. 19 June 2015 http://charlotteusa.com/images/uploads/CharlotteUSA_Motorsports_Report_2006.pdf IPOS Reid, Golf Participation Study in Canada, 2006. Web 23 March 2015. http://www.rcga.org/_uploads/documents/Membership/EN-Quick%20Facts- Ipsos%20Reid.pdf Mendel, R. and Potkanowicz, E. The Case Driver Science in Motorsport: A Review and Recommendations. Springer International Publishing Switzerland. 2013. Web. 19 June 2015 http://www2.onu.edu/~e- potkanowicz/Potkanowicz/My_Research_files/The%20Case%20for%20Driver%20Scien ce.pdf National Allied Golf Associations. Economic Impact of Golf in Canada. 2014. Web. 23 March 2015. http://www.ngcoa.ca/Userfiles/File/PDF-Link/SNG%20- %20Golf%202014%20Key%20Findings%20FINAL%20Report%20JUNE%202_ENG.p df The Economic Impact of Recreational Boating in Canada. 2012. Web. 23 March 2015. http://www.nmma.ca/assets/cabinets/Cabinet485/NMMA%20Boating%20Economic%20 Impact%20Study%202.pdf The Positive Impact of Sports. Let Kids Play. Web. 19 June 2015. http://www.letkidsplay.ca/docs/LKPPositiveImpactSports.pdf Read More