Wow, have these last 16 weeks flown by! Before this course, I have never composed, or even followed a blog before. I have enjoyed writing on various topics discussed in class, as it is a way to reflect on the material and other issues going on in the world of sport. This class has really been an eye-opening experience on the way that sport has a global impact.
I specifically enjoyed the two faculty guest speakers (Dr. Meeks (England) and Dr. Cho (South Korea). Their presentations made me become open minded and realize that Americans are not the only crazed fans in the world, and that we often connect cultures to different sports without even realizing it. Dr. Meeks made me aware of hooliganism, which was very hard to believe that it occured in the late 20th/early 21st century. Wiebe was a great addition to class, as it was very interesting to hear what the sport culture is like over in the Netherlands. Earlier in the semester, he had mentioned that Europeans are a lot more open-minded of other cultures, as compared to Americans. After hearing this, I totally realized that this is very true. Bottom line, this couse has made me come to grips that Americans are not the most passionate fans, and that we often label each country to a dominant sport, and do not realize that they can be fans of many sports.
I loved the class atmosphere, as it was very freely open to class discussion, and boy did we have some opinionated ones haha! Nonetheless, the class material covered a broad spectrum, which made it easy to hold discussions, while learning from different classmates experiences/opinions. Although it is reality, I found it interesting to hear about the hardships that women coaches have to overcome in order to be considered credible. Another memorable discussion that I enjoyed was the culture behind European soccer (besides the hooliganism). Before the class, I had just thought that soccer was to Europe, as NFL is to America. However, I believe soccer is a "way of life", whereas, the NFL is a leisure activity that fans watch for entertainment purposes.
To sum up my unorganized babbling in this conclusion blog, this class opened my eyes to the sport culture around the world. There is much more to sports than what we just see and hear from ESPN. Passionate fans can live at any corner of the globe, whether we like to think so or not! I really enjoyed the material in this class, as it has sparked my interest in a part of the sporting world that I didnt even know existed.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Paralympics and Disabled Athletes
Before our class discussion on disabled athletes, I had a very wrong outlook on the paralympics. I had the image that it was a friendly global competition between disabled people to make them feel "athletic", which would boost their confidence. I figured that all the competitors in the paralympics were confined to a wheel chair, and played these "friendly" games with one another because it was a way to play sports while being on an equal playing field because of their disabilities. However, as I have looked into it more, disabled athletes competing in the olympics range from being blind, deaf, missing limb(s), walking/running with limps, etc. Also, these games are FAR FROM friendly competition. These are elite athletes who have taken what they have been given and trained just as hard and tedious as any elite olympian. The paralympians put 110% effort towards their competition in order to earn the national pride of winning a medal for their country. Just like the olympics, paralympians must qualify for these prestigious games, as they are not just a "come one, come all" athletic event, as I had thought in the past. To put in perspective just how talented and athletic these paralympians are, double amputee Oscar Pistorius from South Africa ran 45.39 in the 400 meter dash, whereas the average olympic qualifyer runs 45-46 seconds. Therefore, Pistorius has recently made strides (no pun intended) in competing with able bodied athletes, and wants to compete in upcoming able bodied olympics. Here is a short video on Oscar's performance. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3M9cdo-eYI&feature=related
Oscar is just one paralympian out of thousands who truely have an athletic talent. They train just as hard (if not harder, due to the fact they need to make up for their disability) as an olympian. As shown from the above picture, many disabled athletes have just as much (if not more) talent and strength than an abled bodied athlete. They definitely need more credit from society and really hope to see the paralympics televised some day, as this really opened my eyes to the elite level of competition in disabled athletes.
Oscar is just one paralympian out of thousands who truely have an athletic talent. They train just as hard (if not harder, due to the fact they need to make up for their disability) as an olympian. As shown from the above picture, many disabled athletes have just as much (if not more) talent and strength than an abled bodied athlete. They definitely need more credit from society and really hope to see the paralympics televised some day, as this really opened my eyes to the elite level of competition in disabled athletes.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Vying for the Olympics really worth it?
A few weeks ago, we had discussed the top layer of a lengthy process that cities/countries go through in order to vie for an olympic bid. Although the prestigious athletic event is an honor to hold and showcases unique aspects of the home country's culture, the abundance of resources and money spent to even be a candidate in the running is well into the millions even before a brick is layed.
As you may know, Chicago recently bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympic games. After the three year marketing push, Chicago lost the bid to Rio. However, this does not mean that the tax payers and organizations were spared the millions of dollars that it takes to host such a extravagant event. According to chicagobid.org, over $50 million was spent on marketing the eventual failed bid. CNN Financial analysts estimated that if Chicago would have won the bid, they would have invested an additional $3.8 billion to add to the cities infrastructures, transportation, etc. As this may seem like a big number, the amount can easily increase from city to city depending on what facilities the location already has built to offer. Beijing spent over $40 billion in order to build its eyepopping venues such as the birds nest (which is currently used only 1-2 times a year).
Although many may say that the olympics adds local economic growth to small businesses and the surrounding area, I find it hard to believe that truthfully much profit can be generated due to the exponential amount of money committees are putting in the event. Upon researching for this blog, I was shocked to see how much money is risked just to bid for the event. It is hard to swallow, in today's down grading economy, that $50 million was wasted to promote an event that never will exist.
As you may know, Chicago recently bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympic games. After the three year marketing push, Chicago lost the bid to Rio. However, this does not mean that the tax payers and organizations were spared the millions of dollars that it takes to host such a extravagant event. According to chicagobid.org, over $50 million was spent on marketing the eventual failed bid. CNN Financial analysts estimated that if Chicago would have won the bid, they would have invested an additional $3.8 billion to add to the cities infrastructures, transportation, etc. As this may seem like a big number, the amount can easily increase from city to city depending on what facilities the location already has built to offer. Beijing spent over $40 billion in order to build its eyepopping venues such as the birds nest (which is currently used only 1-2 times a year).
Although many may say that the olympics adds local economic growth to small businesses and the surrounding area, I find it hard to believe that truthfully much profit can be generated due to the exponential amount of money committees are putting in the event. Upon researching for this blog, I was shocked to see how much money is risked just to bid for the event. It is hard to swallow, in today's down grading economy, that $50 million was wasted to promote an event that never will exist.
Monday, November 28, 2011
NBA Lockout effect on the globalization of Basketball
Until recently, the idea of an NBA season this year was very unpromising. Just a few days ago, a proposed deal was reported that the players union and the administration agreed on the season starting christmas day. Although this is not a definite deal (to my knowledge), it has sparked hype about the season and gave NBA enthusiasts something to look forward to. Prior to this promising deal, I started to think about the future of the NBA players if they did not have a season here in the United States. If big name players such as Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, and LeBron James were to "take their talents" to other parts of the world, would this globalize the sport of basketball at an exponential rate? I believe if big marketed players were to play on teams oversees, there would be no doubt about the increase in population of the sport in other countries. This would give Europeans/Asians the opportunity to see elite talent in person in their own backyard for a fraction of the price that is charged in the NBA. Not to mention, many players would have no choice but to reside in the country in which they are playing, which would increase tabloid coverage, which in return would increase popularity. Although NBA players would have not been forced to play somewhere during the lockout, I believe many of them would choose to do so in order to stay in shape and play the game they love in order to prepare for upcoming seasons. However, now as it looks as if the lockout will finally come to a close, the opportunity of globalizing the sport exponentially is looking as it is slipping away for now.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Disembarkment of Icons- Gretzky and Beckham
The last two classes were held online via blackboard, with the topics of discussion including Wayne Gretzky and David Beckham leaving their home countries to play sports in the United States. I found it very interesting to learn how much of a gut-wrenching and heart-breaking event the Gretzky trade was in 1988. As one of the few canadian teams in the NHL, Edmonton had become head over heals for Canada Native and superstar Wayne Gretzky. In fact, the whole country flourished with his success on the ice and felt a sense of pride that "one of their own" played at such an exponential level from his competitors. After breaking numerous NHL Records and winning 4 Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers, Canadians were heart broken to learn that Gretzky was to be traded to an American NHL team, the Los Angeles Kings. This trade could be in comparison with the more current Lebron James migration to Miami, however, Gretzky was seen as more of a victim and praised for his accomplishments.
At the time of the trade, David Beckham was one of the most household soccer names in the world. He was a very good looking and physically appealing male athlete with a celebrity spouse (former spice girl {popular American vocal group in 90's}). These attributes made him a very popular star to recognize by name and face, even in the United States where soccer was not flourishing. Therefore, I believe the MLS picked up David Beckham in order to try and increase interest in the sport. At first, there was a lot of media hype and brief coverage of LA Galaxy news. However, the hype wore off quickly, due to Beckham being injured and not able to play when he came to LA. In my opinion, this put a huge damper on what could have been a deciding factor in the MLS success. If more companies would have endorsed Beckham in advertisements, maybe interest would have sparked more even when he was not playing. However, I don't remember Beckham being in many big name commercials for a long period of time. I think the idea was great, however, it did not play out due to the lack of interest and bad timing of injury. Beckham was past his peak in his soccer achievements. It would have been better for him to just finish his career over in Europe where he was a cultural icon and beloved by many.
At the time of the trade, David Beckham was one of the most household soccer names in the world. He was a very good looking and physically appealing male athlete with a celebrity spouse (former spice girl {popular American vocal group in 90's}). These attributes made him a very popular star to recognize by name and face, even in the United States where soccer was not flourishing. Therefore, I believe the MLS picked up David Beckham in order to try and increase interest in the sport. At first, there was a lot of media hype and brief coverage of LA Galaxy news. However, the hype wore off quickly, due to Beckham being injured and not able to play when he came to LA. In my opinion, this put a huge damper on what could have been a deciding factor in the MLS success. If more companies would have endorsed Beckham in advertisements, maybe interest would have sparked more even when he was not playing. However, I don't remember Beckham being in many big name commercials for a long period of time. I think the idea was great, however, it did not play out due to the lack of interest and bad timing of injury. Beckham was past his peak in his soccer achievements. It would have been better for him to just finish his career over in Europe where he was a cultural icon and beloved by many.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Cricket Discussion and Latino Baseball Players
This entry will briefly address issues talked about in the previous 2 classes: history and game play of Cricket, as well as Baseball's exploitation of Latino players.
Cricket is one of the sports that I know very little about, therefore, it was a bit overwhelming when Dr. Spencer was explaining the game play in class. It makes me realize how hard it probably is for Wiebe (or any international visitor) to understand the game of football, with which we may think is pretty simplistic. I thought it was very shocking to hear the Cooperstown-Doubleday Myth, which says that in the 1800's a man named Abner Doubleday created the game of baseball in Cooperstown, New York. However, like cricket, baseball was created in England and brought over to the states. Albert Spalding created this myth so that the U.S. could take credit for creating a major unique sport, since they had yet to do so. Therefore, baseball became so popular because it gave Americans a sense of nationalism and pride, thinking that it was an original American sport. I found it quite interesting that an individual would make up such a myth to that extent, and have it be believed for such a long time before historians proved it wrong!
Although, I did not attend last class, I addressed the powerpoints and had no idea that so many Latino players were given a chance at baseball in America. My stance on this issue is both ways. Although Latino players are given exponentially less money than American players at the time of signing, Latino's are benefitting in other ways. They are given a slightly higher quality of living in the U.S. and are taken out of the poverty that they dealt with in Latin American countries. However, on the flip side, I don't think it is fair that an amateur Latino baseball player with just as much skill as an American born player and puts in as much initial hard work gets paid significantly less just because of where/how they grew up. Overall, the article/discussion opened up my eyes to an issue that I didn't know existed. I am surprised at the amount of players that the MLB takes risks on, even though it is not a substantial amount of money (it all adds up quickly). However, the MLB makes up for the losses by the financial success of superstars, such as Miguel Tejada who was initially acquired for a mere $2,000.
Cricket is one of the sports that I know very little about, therefore, it was a bit overwhelming when Dr. Spencer was explaining the game play in class. It makes me realize how hard it probably is for Wiebe (or any international visitor) to understand the game of football, with which we may think is pretty simplistic. I thought it was very shocking to hear the Cooperstown-Doubleday Myth, which says that in the 1800's a man named Abner Doubleday created the game of baseball in Cooperstown, New York. However, like cricket, baseball was created in England and brought over to the states. Albert Spalding created this myth so that the U.S. could take credit for creating a major unique sport, since they had yet to do so. Therefore, baseball became so popular because it gave Americans a sense of nationalism and pride, thinking that it was an original American sport. I found it quite interesting that an individual would make up such a myth to that extent, and have it be believed for such a long time before historians proved it wrong!
Although, I did not attend last class, I addressed the powerpoints and had no idea that so many Latino players were given a chance at baseball in America. My stance on this issue is both ways. Although Latino players are given exponentially less money than American players at the time of signing, Latino's are benefitting in other ways. They are given a slightly higher quality of living in the U.S. and are taken out of the poverty that they dealt with in Latin American countries. However, on the flip side, I don't think it is fair that an amateur Latino baseball player with just as much skill as an American born player and puts in as much initial hard work gets paid significantly less just because of where/how they grew up. Overall, the article/discussion opened up my eyes to an issue that I didn't know existed. I am surprised at the amount of players that the MLB takes risks on, even though it is not a substantial amount of money (it all adds up quickly). However, the MLB makes up for the losses by the financial success of superstars, such as Miguel Tejada who was initially acquired for a mere $2,000.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Homecoming Symposium
Last Friday, I attended the Annual Homecoming Symposium Event held by the College of Human Movement and Leisure Studies, which included numerous BGSU Sport Management Alumni Speakers. Although I am a Junior, this was the first year that I attended the Homecoming Symposium, which made me realize exactly what I had missed the previous two years. It is a great way to connect with former alumni because they can explain how they found the path to success in their present careers. It feels great to know that former BGSU Sport Management Students can obtain a successful job in the industry. The four speakers that I listened to were Matt Wilson, Sarah Clapper/Brittany M.?, Nate Janoso, and Brian Freeswick. I will briefly explain what information I thought was helpful and that I took out of each presentation.
Matt Wilson (Manager of Corporate Sales for the Cleveland Browns)- He talked about the process that he had to go through in order to get his dream job. He started volunteering for the Cleveland Browns at age 20 as a Junior and did numerous duties for the organization, however, he did not initially make the cut for his dream job after graduation. Therefore, he had to go out on a limb and leave the organization to get experience with radio sales first. After getting the required experience, he finally obtained his dream job at age 30 (10 years after starting with the organization)! Some takeaways that I obtained from him are always challenge yourself and set new goals in order to move higher up the ranks. Also, its "who you know" that gets you in the door, however its "what you know" that gets you to stay. He also advised to not squander and waste the internship opportunity as an undergrad because it gives you face time with your ideal organization. His story proves that you may believe that you have the qualifications to get a certain job, however, you may have to go out on a limb and take chances in order to get your dream job in the long run. He made me realize that I you can never have enough experience because it seemed like he had tons of networks and connections with the Cleveland Browns, yet still didnt initially get his ideal job.
Sarah Clapper (Current BGSU Grad Student)- She gave insight as to her current experience as a grad student at BGSU. She feels that grad school is a good way to make more connections with people, and that you get to know your faculty/advisors on a colleague to colleague basis. It is a way to buy time and network more if you are not prepared for a job of your interest right out of your undergrad.
Nate Janoso (Charities Director at Cleveland Indians)- He talked about how you can "Capitalize on Opportunities in Sport." He used an acronym for S.P.O.R.T.S. that I thought was very helpful that made me realize what to focus on when trying to move up the ranks in the highly competitive sporting industry.
Skills- Communication, Customer Service, Teamwork
Preparation-Volunteer, Network, Internship
Opportunities- Take initiative to find opportunities, expose yourself, get in "many doors"
Relentlessness-Separate from competitors, exceed expectations, make yourself known, continue to learn
Traits- Passion, Hard Work, Commitment
I also talked to him after the presentation regarding his internship as an undergrad with Baseball Information/Media Relations at the Cleveland Indians. I am interested in this area and learned about some of his job duties. He ended with a quote that I thought summed up his presentation well, "Advancement and opportunities are not going to knock on your door, you must knock the door down."
Brian Freeswick (Works directly with Mr. Trump at NY Golf Course)- I just thought it was cool to know that a BGSU SM grad works with someone as prestigious/successful as Mr. Trump. Some tips that I took away were: Go through every interview with conviction and confidence (look interviewee in the eye), when you give your opinion be ready to back it up, and always be yourself at work because it is difficult to act like someone else every day.
Overall, if you have not attended a Homecoming Symposium, I would REALLY encourage you to do so because it was very assuring to hear all the success stories that came out of BGSU, as well as eye opening/stressful to hear how much hard work it takes to get to their position!
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Dr. Meeks Talk about Hooliganism in European Soccer
Before Dr. Meeks came in to talk about Hooliganism, I was under the impression that it was misbehavior by fans when an outcome of a game didnt go as they had hoped. However, I was completely wrong. I was totally shocked to see that racism to such an evil extent occured in the 21st century. I thought acts of racism were not present in today's society, however, as seen in the news clip, it seemed as if a major soccer event did not take place without slurs, chants, signage, and objects being thrown. What surprised me the most is the organization and planning that occurs before events between hooligans. I was not aware that such organizations exists in order to promote racism. Even more surprising is that these organizations plot to just destroy cities and towns for the heck of it. I just do not understand the point of doing such senseless and vicious acts, however, as Dr. Meeks told me, its a "way of culture" over there that is almost seen as normal in those kind of people's eyes. Just to sum up my thoughts, I was completely unaware that these "organizations" exist and had the total wrong conception of hooliganism. I was picturing hooliganism as mischieve in the streets after a team wins/loses a significant event. However, it is a much more plotted out/complex and serious social issue that has hopefully been made more aware of globally in order to cease the actions. Here is a link to show the extent of mayhem to which hooligans can create.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtOXiQToz64
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtOXiQToz64
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
U.S. Womens soccer in the 1999 World Cup (with a side of baseball)
WOW! I know this has nothing to do with this weeks class, but for all of you that just witnessed the last hour of the 2011 regular baseball season, it was EPIC! It was awesome to see the determination of one team (the Rays)...and for that matter the hard work ethic of the Orioles, who werent playing for a darn thing! I did not grow up as a fan of the Rays or a hater of the Red Sox (diehard Tiger), I just enjoyed watching how crazy the end of the season played out! I will definitely remember tonight for a long time, because events like these dont play out like this often! If you are totally clueless as to what Im referring to, Im sorry that you missed such a crazy time of events (watch sportscenter tomorrow)! Tonight showed that without sports, life would be boring!
And now for the real blog topic (Sorry Dr. Spencer!). This week we talked about many topics regarding soccer, specifically the 1999 Women's world cup. Since I was only 7 years old at the time of the event, I didnt remember anything too significant besides the famous Brandi Chastain's shirtless photo. However, after watching the video with (former) Sportscaster Robin Roberts, I was shocked to see such an energetic atmosphere leading up to the final game of the World Cup against China. Yeah, of course you would expect a larger crowd than normal for a home team, but I didnt realize so many people supported the U.S. Women's team at that time. After the epic win, youth (girls) particpation in soccer took off exponentially. I believe this occured because, as Americans, we want to participate in activities that we have success in. Since the U.S. Women's team has not won the title in the last 12 years, I believe the support and notoriety of the sport has decreased greatly. Then, this summer, there was a lot of talk about the Women's National Team after the memorable goal in the Brazil game. However, this was short lived due to the failure to win the world cup. I think that soccer has not taken off in this country because it is in our culture to be fans of teams/sports that dominate from year to year. Therefore, the fan base of soccer will continue to be on the down low until the U.S. Men and Women teams can show world domination.
I will talk briefly about the controversial issue that many women sport teams use sex to promote the sport. As is true in many professional female athletics, the success in terms of public interest is very minimal. Although I dont think that a nude photo of a soccer player will generate more LONG TERM fans, marketers will try different tactics to gain public interest even if it is short-lived. I would never let a child see pictures like that of Brandi's in the magazine, as it could send the wrong message about the role model. However, I believe the American view on this subject is behind the times, as many European countries would consider these type of photos as socially acceptable. Until next time...Go Tigers (and all BG Athletics :)
And now for the real blog topic (Sorry Dr. Spencer!). This week we talked about many topics regarding soccer, specifically the 1999 Women's world cup. Since I was only 7 years old at the time of the event, I didnt remember anything too significant besides the famous Brandi Chastain's shirtless photo. However, after watching the video with (former) Sportscaster Robin Roberts, I was shocked to see such an energetic atmosphere leading up to the final game of the World Cup against China. Yeah, of course you would expect a larger crowd than normal for a home team, but I didnt realize so many people supported the U.S. Women's team at that time. After the epic win, youth (girls) particpation in soccer took off exponentially. I believe this occured because, as Americans, we want to participate in activities that we have success in. Since the U.S. Women's team has not won the title in the last 12 years, I believe the support and notoriety of the sport has decreased greatly. Then, this summer, there was a lot of talk about the Women's National Team after the memorable goal in the Brazil game. However, this was short lived due to the failure to win the world cup. I think that soccer has not taken off in this country because it is in our culture to be fans of teams/sports that dominate from year to year. Therefore, the fan base of soccer will continue to be on the down low until the U.S. Men and Women teams can show world domination.
I will talk briefly about the controversial issue that many women sport teams use sex to promote the sport. As is true in many professional female athletics, the success in terms of public interest is very minimal. Although I dont think that a nude photo of a soccer player will generate more LONG TERM fans, marketers will try different tactics to gain public interest even if it is short-lived. I would never let a child see pictures like that of Brandi's in the magazine, as it could send the wrong message about the role model. However, I believe the American view on this subject is behind the times, as many European countries would consider these type of photos as socially acceptable. Until next time...Go Tigers (and all BG Athletics :)
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Dr. Cho presentation and Stereotyping
Last Thursday, Dr. Cho came to class and told his story about growing up in South Korea and the impact sports had on his life. His presentation really opened my eyes about how I (and Americans) view other cultures and often stereotype people from different nations without even thinking about it. I thought it was very interesting how Dr. Cho started by differentiating Koreans with other nationalities from Asia. As Americans, we often combine Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, etc. into one culture and way of life. However, he made me realize that they are all infact distinct cultures and dont have as much in common as we thought. In addition, he talked about the night/social life of Koreans and it made me realize that they are human and just as fun as Americans.
Also, Dr. Cho talked about his interest in watching and playing American football as a kid growing up in South Korea. This interest was developed due to an American Forces Network, which was shown on TV in Soul because of the U.S. Military stationed there during that time. I was totally unaware that the public was able to get American Military Base TV stations showing the NFL, and even more unaware that football leagues/games were even played in the Asian areas. I believe my "un-awareness" is due to the typical stereotype that American Football is only enjoyed here in the states, and especially not in Asia.
The third thing I want to point out from Dr. Cho's presentation is the video he showed from the World Cup that was held in South Korea. I thought it was amazing to see that many people lined up in the streets so passionate about 1 event/sport/game. Many Americans may believe that we are the most sports oriented country, however, this video shows us that sport fans can come together in any country and be just as passionate. In fact, I believe Dr. Cho said that there was an estimated 3 million fans that lined the streets for the watch party during that specific world cup game. I dont think I have ever heard of such an event in the United States. Bottom line that I took away from Dr. Cho's presentation is that it opened my eyes and made me realize that passionate sport fans exist around the world.
Also, Dr. Cho talked about his interest in watching and playing American football as a kid growing up in South Korea. This interest was developed due to an American Forces Network, which was shown on TV in Soul because of the U.S. Military stationed there during that time. I was totally unaware that the public was able to get American Military Base TV stations showing the NFL, and even more unaware that football leagues/games were even played in the Asian areas. I believe my "un-awareness" is due to the typical stereotype that American Football is only enjoyed here in the states, and especially not in Asia.
The third thing I want to point out from Dr. Cho's presentation is the video he showed from the World Cup that was held in South Korea. I thought it was amazing to see that many people lined up in the streets so passionate about 1 event/sport/game. Many Americans may believe that we are the most sports oriented country, however, this video shows us that sport fans can come together in any country and be just as passionate. In fact, I believe Dr. Cho said that there was an estimated 3 million fans that lined the streets for the watch party during that specific world cup game. I dont think I have ever heard of such an event in the United States. Bottom line that I took away from Dr. Cho's presentation is that it opened my eyes and made me realize that passionate sport fans exist around the world.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Globalization of Baseball and the World Baseball Classic
During the third week of class, there were discussion questions that dealt with the article by Klein about the World Baseball Classic and how to Globalize baseball. The questions and my answers are as follows:
In the Klein article, they talk about “growing the game.” What does that mean? How effectively has the WBC enabled baseball to “grow the game?” How would you assess the effectiveness of the WBC compared to FIFA’s growth of soccer?
I believe Klein meant that “growing the game” means trying to make the sport more popular in nations where it is not well developed and played. The WBC has enabled baseball to grow by letting any nation have an opportunity to be able to participate in the event. The WBC gives teams the opportunity to showcase their talents on an international stage, which will ultimately give citizens in other countries incentives to watch the sport. I don’t think that the WBC is anywhere close to FIFA in terms of success and popularity. FIFA has been established for much longer than the WBC, and I believe has much more support in terms of fans. However, the WBC is gradually growing, and with the increase of exposure that the WBC gets from international media, I believe baseball has a chance at becoming just as globally popular as FIFA soccer.
2. At the end of the article, Klein outlines a way that you could have global competition in baseball. How well do you think that would work? What would be pros and cons of implementing international play?
I believe it would be hard to be able to set up a schedule of competition between all the countries day after day. Instead, I think they should do it how the LLWS does it, and just have the country winners play each other in a shortened tournament.
Pros of international play would be expanding baseball exposure to the world, and it would create a higher entertainment value since there are different styles of play throughout the world.
Cons of international play include: traveling conflicts, which would lead to shorter seasons, which would then lead to decreased revenues
3. Based upon other sports’ efforts at globalization, what suggestions would you make to help baseball grow in the global marketplace?
In order for baseball to grow in the global marketplace, I think American (MLB) teams should go over to different countries and play. This would spark interest in other countries. The NFL has recently done this tactic, as they have played a few preseason (and maybe regular too) in Europe.
Super Bowl Impact on Americans vs. World
Last week during class, we were discussing how the Super Bowl has become a cultural icon in the eyes of Americans. From the pre game anciliary events and parties to the post game celebrations, "Super Bowl Sunday" has been referred to an unofficial national holiday. The unique aspect that the Super Bowl brings to society that no other title game possesses is the events leading up and surrounding the nearly 3 hour match up. Many non football fans have began to toon in because of the halftime entertainment by big time celebrities and the over hyped commercials. This full day affair that once started as a simple title game has now evolved into a marketing icon worth millions of dollars. However, as we found out, the Super Bowl is mainly unheard of in many countries accross seas. According to the international student that is part of the class, in the Netherlands the game is not even spoken of or watched, except in a financial class, due to its skyrocketing revenue. Why is one country so infatuated by one event, whereas the rest of the world is able to go on with their day to day activities without hearing a sound about a so called "Super Bowl?" Is this event really worthy of being spoken as a holiday? In my opinion, I believe the media has been taught to market the Super Bowl more than any other title game. Like always, society tends to follow in the media's footsteps and become equally as interested in it, whether the NFL is of their top interest in the sporting world or not. Therefore, I dont think the majority of Americans can consider the NFL their favorite to watch, its just that we are brought up in a society where the Super Bowl is something that must be watched and participate in all the hoopla that it is marketed with.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Introduction- August 31
My name is Kelsey Kohlman and I am a student in Nancy Spencer's Sport and Globalization course at Bowling Green State University. I am from Swanton, Ohio and currently just started my junior year at BGSU. I am VERY passionate about ALL sports, and I enjoy watching/learning about unique sports that the area is not accustomed to. To name a few of my favorites, I am a HUGE fan of college football (Ohio State and BGSU of course!), along with the Detroit Tigers, and BGSU Women's basketball. Although I watched a few games here and there growing up, my passion for sports started to grow much more than the average young girl after Ohio State Football won the National Championship in 2002. I vividly remember how exciting the atmosphere was with all my family/friends the night that OSU "took the championship away" from Miami (although it was clearly pass interference!). Another reason that led me to become a Buckeye fanatic was that my aunt and uncle are OSU Alumni and always talked about what a great university/sport campus Ohio State was. For some reason, that January day in 2002 is what triggered my love for sports and ultimately had an impact on my career choice. As hard as it may be to believe, my family and I used to be DIE HARD Cleveland Indians fans during my childhood. So you may be wondering, how did I "switch" over to their division rivals? Well up until the 7th grade, I guess I wasnt aware of how the farm teams in baseball worked. I still remember that I would taunt my 6th grade teacher, who was a tiger fan, about their worst season in baseball, which was going on at the time in 2003. However, once I was informed that the successful Toledo Mud Hen players get promoted to the Detroit Tigers, I started to become infatuated with the Tigers organization. I used to go to Mud Hen games pretty often and loved seeing athletes actually make it through to the big leagues and actually have to work to become successful (unlike other pro sports). I became more of a fan when I found out that the manager Jim Leyland is from Perrysburg because I love local ties to sports, since many NW Ohioans dont recieve celebrity status. And to top it off, my cousin's best friend/roomate in college played for the Mud Hens in 06-07 and got promoted to the Tigers for a short stint. Lastly, I am a passionate BGSU fan because ,like anyone i hope, I love to see my school succeed. However, I am a particularly OBSESSED with the BGSU Women's Basketball program. I would eventually like to start volunteering somehow with this particular team during this season. My love of this team of course started with the Sweet 16 run during my junior year of highschool. Once again, I LOVE when local ties to sports gets notoriety in the national spotlight, and I believe that publicity jump-started the "Curt Miller Era." From that point on, I check the womens basketball tab weekly and love to read as much as I can find about the current team. Although this year may be seen as a rebuilding process, I am anxious to see what Coach Miller can pull together!
I hope I didnt ramble on too much about my favorite sport teams, I could probably go on for a while! In highschool I did not play any sports (I have CP). However, I was actively involved in the girls volleyball and basketball teams all 4 years. I kept the official book for both teams and also helped with any other game day activities that the coaching staff needed. Perhaps this is why I LOVE taking/analyzing statistics and games (which is something I want to do in the future). I had a lot of fun being the "student manager" in high school because the players (my best friends) and coaches (mentors) made me feel like a part of the team by going to team meals, sleepovers, etc. High school game days and team bonding activities are something that I sometimes miss because of the great atmosphere!
Another random tidbit of information about me is I have sister that goes to BGSU that is also a Junior. I graduated high school with her and have been in the same grade with her since 1999, but we are not twins. We are actually 14 months apart, but I skipped the 2nd grade because I was learning concepts at a fast pace when I was younger. I was increasingly going to the higher grade classroom across the hall for more and more subjects, so the decision was eventually made to promote me. Needless to say, the decision worked out good (I think ha).
If I could go to any global sporting event, I would like to go to a Summer Olympic Games. This would be killing many birds with one stone because I could see many different competitive sports at once on a global stage. In addition to watching the actual competitions, I would like to see athlete/spectator demeanors from different countries and how their attitudes compare to the present day American athlete/fan. I am excited to take this course and am anxious to see what interesting things I learn about international sports. I love your (Dr. Spencer) enthusiasm and the way you teach your class. Right now this is the class that I look forward to the most this semester, which it will probably stay that way! :)
In addition, I am excited to start this blog and continue with it throughout the semester, as I have never done one before. Hopefully, this wasn't too boring to read, and I want to thank you for making it through this long article of rambling. :)
I hope I didnt ramble on too much about my favorite sport teams, I could probably go on for a while! In highschool I did not play any sports (I have CP). However, I was actively involved in the girls volleyball and basketball teams all 4 years. I kept the official book for both teams and also helped with any other game day activities that the coaching staff needed. Perhaps this is why I LOVE taking/analyzing statistics and games (which is something I want to do in the future). I had a lot of fun being the "student manager" in high school because the players (my best friends) and coaches (mentors) made me feel like a part of the team by going to team meals, sleepovers, etc. High school game days and team bonding activities are something that I sometimes miss because of the great atmosphere!
Another random tidbit of information about me is I have sister that goes to BGSU that is also a Junior. I graduated high school with her and have been in the same grade with her since 1999, but we are not twins. We are actually 14 months apart, but I skipped the 2nd grade because I was learning concepts at a fast pace when I was younger. I was increasingly going to the higher grade classroom across the hall for more and more subjects, so the decision was eventually made to promote me. Needless to say, the decision worked out good (I think ha).
If I could go to any global sporting event, I would like to go to a Summer Olympic Games. This would be killing many birds with one stone because I could see many different competitive sports at once on a global stage. In addition to watching the actual competitions, I would like to see athlete/spectator demeanors from different countries and how their attitudes compare to the present day American athlete/fan. I am excited to take this course and am anxious to see what interesting things I learn about international sports. I love your (Dr. Spencer) enthusiasm and the way you teach your class. Right now this is the class that I look forward to the most this semester, which it will probably stay that way! :)
In addition, I am excited to start this blog and continue with it throughout the semester, as I have never done one before. Hopefully, this wasn't too boring to read, and I want to thank you for making it through this long article of rambling. :)
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