The Definition Of Sport In The United States

What is a Sport? In the United States, there are two distinct definitions of a sport. If one was to ask a random person on the street what a sport was, the answer would most likely pertain to football, soccer, baseball, etc. The culture of the United States has been molded by society to fit what we desire to view. Heads clashing, fists flying, muscles straining. This is what society defines as a “sport” culturally. When the word “sport” is mentioned, people immediately think of the activities such as bowling, tennis, basketball, football, etc. but why don’t people recall sports based on the literary definition? A sport, as defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is “a contest or game in which people do certain physical activities according to specific set of rules and compete against each other.” This idea of competitive chess being considered a “sport” fits the literary definition of being a sport, but not the cultural definition. In the US and UK chess is not recognized as a sport, but 100 countries out of the Olympic Committee do recognize chess as a sport in their countries (Foley). A sport in the United States, unlike other countries, has a cultural and a literal definition …show more content…
In sports such as American football, basketball, and baseball, there is testosterone raging and adrenaline pumping through a person’s body to give them strength and resilience through a tough fight. These sports are aired regularly throughout the year for entertainment purposes that satisfy the viewers desires. Even in public high schools today, the sports that are most popular and define the American culture are football, basketball, and baseball. Given these points and examples, the American culture defines a sport as one that involves “immense physical exertion that pits opponents against each other in a battle of strength and