The Globalization of Sports

Sports

Sports can evoke strong emotions in fans. They may feel intense identification with their team or resentment for the opponent. They may also feel euphoria after a winning goal, or despair when their idol is injured. Ultimately, emotions in sports help form national identities. Despite these complex feelings, they are often controlled by the culture and the rules of the sport.

Internationally, sports are divided into three parts: core, semiperipheral, and peripheral. The core sphere of the sports world consists of the United States, Russia, Australia, and South Korea. The peripheral sphere consists of lesser-known nations. In these regions, a variety of sports is played.

Sports are heavily marketed to audiences around the world. They are not only a source of pleasure, but also a symbol of power, distinction, and prestige. Some critics suggest that sports need to be regulated in order to protect their commercial value in the long run. In a way, the media is part of the problem, but some observers believe that the media has little to do with sports.

Labour migration in sports is a crucial feature of the sporting “global village.” The majority of migrants are athletes, but it does not stop there. Other migrants include coaches, officials, administrators, and sports scientists. While migrant labour has always been part of the sports process, it has intensified in recent decades and is closely linked to globalization processes.