sports

Sports club

2007-09-24T13:05:00.001-07:00

A sports club, athletics club or sports association is an eclectic institution oriented to multiple sports, which fields many teams and has varied sports departments in several sports, working under the same umbrella organization. In a larger sense, it may also refer to any sports institution, even those that have only one sports team or single sports department. In order to differentiate a single sports institution from a multi-sport institution, the term multi-sport club is used. Generally, "athletics club" doesn't need that kind of disambiguation.
In general, "sports club" can also refer to any single sports team, like a football club where the only sport is football. For instance, many British soccer clubs exist like Chelsea FC, Newcastle United or Celtic FC where the only teams fielded are soccer teams. However, rare examples do exist such as Fisher Athletic (football, boxing and athletics) or Catford Wanderers (cricket, tennis, badminton). Each team from the NBA (basketball), NFL (American football) or MLS (soccer) North American sports leagues, can be also called sports clubs, but in practice, they focus solely on a single sport. On the other hand, North American varsity teams are generally organized into a structure forming a true multi-sport club belonging to an educational institution.
There are also many clubs named "FC"/"CF" (English: Football Club/Portuguese:Clube de Futebol/Spanish:Club de Fútbol), among other designations, which are effectively full multisports clubs. For example, dozens of sports clubs with this designation are found in the Iberian Peninsula like the FC Porto, Boavista FC, or CF Belenenses in Portugal, and Real Madrid CF or FC Barcelona in Spain.

Spectator sport

2007-09-24T13:03:00.001-07:00

A spectator sport is a sport that is characterized by the presence of spectators, or watchers, at its matches. For instance, basketball and baseball are spectator sports, while hunting or underwater hockey typically are not. Spectator sports may be professional sports or amateur sports. They often are distinguished from participant sports, which are more recreational; golf can be either.
Spectator sports require venues in which the fans may observe a game or event. Spectators can also take in events by watching or listening to broadcasts. The results of spectator sports are also reported on various news programs as well as in print. In addition to raw scores and highlights, these reports may also contain analysis.
Spectator sport terms
Birging: Basking in reflected glory. A technique by which a fan enhances his or her own self esteem by basking in the accomplishments of “their” team.
Corfing: Cutting off reflected failure. This is illustrated in how fans report the outcome of a game. If “their” team has won they will say “we won.” But if “their” team has lost they will say “they lost.”
In-group/out-group bias: the opportunity to categorize one’s self, and others by which team or players they cheer for.

Sportmanship

2007-09-24T12:58:00.001-07:00

Sportsmanship
Main article: Sportsmanship
See also: Gamesmanship and Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing
Sportsmanship is an attitude that strives for fair play, courtesy toward teammates and opponents, ethical behaviour and integrity, and grace in losing.[5]
Sportsmanship expresses an aspiration or ethos that the activity will be enjoyed for its own sake. The well-known sentiment by sports journalist Grantland Rice, that it's “not that you won or lost but how you played the game," and the Modern Olympic creed expressed by its founder Pierre de Coubertin: "The most important thing . . . is not winning but taking part" are typical expressions of this sentiment.
But often the pressures of competition or an obsession with individual achievement—as well as the intrusion of technology—can all work against enjoyment and fair play by participants.
People responsible for leisure activities often seek recognition and respectability as sports by joining sports federations such as 5 IOC, or by forming their own regulatory body. In this way sports evolve from leisure activity to more formal sports: relatively recent newcomers are BMX cycling, snowboarding, and wrestling. Some of these activities have been popular but uncodified pursuits in various forms for different lengths of time. Indeed, the formal regulation of sport is a relatively modern and increasing development.
Sportsmanship, within any given game, is how each competitor acts before, during, and after the competition. Is that really true or winning is now everything because of the huge monetary rewards that come with being a successful athlete. Not only is it important to have good sportsmanship if one wins, but also if one loses. For example, in football it is considered sportsmanlike to kick the ball out of play to allow treatment for an injured player on the other side. Reciprocally, the other team is expected to return the ball from the throw-in.
Violence in sports involves crossing the line between fair competition and intentional aggressive violence. Athletes, coaches, fans, and parents sometimes unleash violent behaviour on people or property, in misguided shows of loyalty, dominance, anger, or celebration. Rioting or hooliganism are common and ongoing problems at national and international sporting contests, particularly football matches