Week 8 Learning outcomes

Question 1

Social class

Answer 1

Social class categories of people who share an economic position in society based on a combination of their income, education, social connections

Question 2

Social mobility

Question 3

Rags to Riches/life chances

Answer 3

Rags-to-riches stories are “feel- good” stories about athletes rising from humble beginnings to the highest social classes of society based through playing professional sports.

Sports media corporations tend to promote this narrative
-drake
-blindside

Question 4

Meritocracy

Answer 4

“changes in wealth, education, and occupation over a person’s lifetime or from one generation to the next in families”

Question 5

Sports and class, power beliefs

Answer 5

-sports offers level playing field
- anyone can make it if they work hard enough
- those at a disadvantage can achieve success through sports

sports and sports participation are deeply enmeshed in issues of power and money

Economic resources are key in running organized sports. Money means power to influence sports

examples: parks, sidewalks, backyards

Question 6

Social mobility and professional sports (concerns and facts)

Answer 6

-Making it professional odds
-Length of career
-injuries/disabilities
-opportunity cost (education)

Association between social class and sports participation
-Established by scholars as early as the 1970s and continues to exist today
-Also links to types of sports

Studies have shown:
-Olympic athletes: tend to come from privileged social classes
- Canada’s high-performance athletes: parents more likely to have
professional or managerial jobs

-Consequences for “rags-to-riches” narrative and upward social
mobility

Question 7

Wealth and sports participation

Answer 7

-High income
-Higher status
-Higher education

=

Spectators and TV viewership
Reach highest level

For those who have lower incomes or live in poverty, their lives rarely include regular participation in sports.

-Women make up the bulk of those living below the poverty line
* Persistent disparities in ”free time” for sport + leisure given childcare responsibilities

Question 8

Sports participation in Canada

Answer 8

Justification for government funding for
high-performance sport in Canada: will
inspire everyday citizens to join sport

“Trickle down” or “demonstration” effect, others benefit from sporting events (restaurants and hotels)

More funding in high performance sport = more Canadian athletes win

More funding in high performance sport = decrease is broadly based participation in sports (grassroots)

Question 9

WHAT CHANGES WOULD BE
NEEDED IN THE FUNDING
STRUCTURE TO ENSURE
GRASSROOTS PARTICIPATION?

Answer 9

Need strong policies to ensure
support at grassroots participation
and early low-cost sport
development programs.

Support = budget, staff, and
infrastructure

Question 10

SPORTS: TRANSFERRING PUBLIC MONEY TO THE UPPER CLASSES AND TO CORPORATIONS?

Answer 10

Public subsidy” for professional sports in the form of taxes put towards building or renovating facilities for major international events:
-Olympics, Pan Am Games, World Juniors Hockey, etc.

These facilities, however, go on to be used by professional sports teams

As public funds support major forms of sport entertainment in their cities and regions, those with wealth and power
receive subsidies and income, which they use to maintain their [financial]
privilege