“I’ll be sitting in the office, and some of these co-workers stay on fantasy 24/7.” This was the response of an Army Intelligence Analyst when I asked if people are overly obsessed with sports.
We get it, bro. Jared Goff was a good pickup.
From the fields of slavery to the fields of football, where players, primarily minorities, production outweighs their identity and feelings. So much so that long–time reporter Marcus Hayes dared to evoke the memory of Joel Embiid’s dead brother and critique his play on the court.
Players are thrown for a ride of ever-lasting praise and criticism throughout their careers. Their legacies are objectified into stats and wins in order for non-athletes to create hierarchies and narratives to debate. Where does this stem from? Well, systemic racism.
Minorities are behind the 8-ball when it comes to progression, socioeconomic background and aspirational figures. Barack Obama brought hope to millions of minorities, showing the possibilities for a person of color, meanwhile crushing millions of minorities with the “Obama Effect.” No longer could people blame the blatant racism, social alienation and minimal opportunities that exist for people of color because Obama made it, and so could you.
Sports provide a model of success for young, aspiring minorities. Besides, when African Americans make up 53.5% of the NFL and 70.4% of the NBA, where else can minorities find a lucrative industry so inviting? Some kids grow up believing sports are their only way out of poverty.
When envisioning an investment banker, do the names Tamika or Jamal come to your mind? Perhaps it does. The world is large, and every possibility usually has cases to point to; however, the outlier seldom describes the reality for the majority. In fact, researcher Devah Pager published a paper showing that a white person with a felony will get more calls back for a job interview than an African American without a criminal record.
Sports provide a route of financial and social status escalation that minorities feel is achievable. Not every family provides the financial support needed for tutors, college and law school, but if you’re good enough, the coach will let your sports fee slide.
We have no real love for the sport or the players. We are obsessed with supporting a tradition that transcends sports into social gatherings and financial opportunities. We relish in the ritualized support for teams and act like we have the experience to critique the game, sensationalizing the lives of players and critiquing their stamina, weight and performance.
But the question is, who’s doing the critiquing? White people. The 2021 Sports Media Racial and Gender Report Card found that 79.2% of sports editors, 77% of sports columnists and 77% of sports reporters were white (without ESPN, these numbers would be much worse).
The hyper-scrutiny of African Americans continues to pervade sports media. Players’ salaries give us the excuse to dehumanize them into bodies and numbers that encapsulate their worth.
We take part in the cutthroat business of professional sports by dedicating our lives to the modern-day gladiator show. If you don’t believe me, when’s the last time you raged on X about Andy Murry underperforming at the US Open?
But it’s okay. Sports are another reason to drink and socialize. Wasting your time and passion on people and teams that will never know your name. Just kidding. Have fun sports betting or checking your fantasy.
It’s not a bad thing to participate in, but don’t vent to me that your parlay would’ve hit if Jordan Poole had one more assist, and don’t develop rage from your wagers falling through. Be wary of the casino’s compulsion disguised as trendy apps like DraftKings and FanDuel; these are meant to look like a fun way to make money.
Sports betting has exploded in recent years, with Americans wagering $119.84 billion in 2023. The players are no longer people; instead, they are transformed into pawns of a financial game.
Outrage spills across social media as peoples’ parlays miss and fantasy pickups underperform. We develop a parasocial hatred for these people based on our willingness to believe in them.
Sports betting has made the archaic form of rooting for a team with all your heart die out, and for good reason. “Who’s your team?”
Bro, it’s not your team. You’re just a fan of a billion-dollar business that cares for you as much as Walmart cares for you. Do you track revenues between Chipotle and Cava? No, you just enjoy the food. The same idea applies here.
Frankly, the game result doesn’t matter. Enjoy the game as you witness abilities beyond your capacity, and when you want to insult a player, imagine yourself trying to play. In 2019, Shane Keisel must have thought he was on his couch as he shouted racially suggestive comments at Russell Westbrook during a game. Fans like these are more common, except most wouldn’t actually project their rage directly on the athlete.
Beyond the dehumanizing behaviors of sports fans, ask yourself, how much attention do you spend on sports? You probably have better things you could be doing, but instead, you dedicate hours watching a distraction-filled game with advertisements and average commentary.
The idea is to limit your time, not cut it out. As Aristotle expressed, the middle ground is true wisdom. Let sports be the broccoli you consume once a week.
Mohammad Tantawi is a 24-year-old mass communication senior from Smyrna, Tenn.
