Sport as an Agent for Social Change

1. Sport as an Agent for Social Change Module D: Lesson 2 Grade 11 Active, Healthy Lifestyles

2. Introduction • Participation in sport is vital to society. • Canadians love sport. • Gives them pleasure • Helps define who we are. • Contributes to our identity as Canadians. • 8 million people in 2004 were involved in sport in Canada. • Volunteers, Attendees ect. • 50% of population, with 55% being adults. • Many unaware how sport affects us. • Directly and Indirectly • Sport changes us as individuals and communities. • Eg. Enhance skills, health • Affects our economy • Eg. Creating jobs • Contributes to shaping our culture and national identities.

3. The Media and Sport Partnerships • Connectedness of Sport Print media • Electronic media • Sport, sport media, large corporations and business are all linked • Educate consumers (history, players, strategies = armchair experts) • Create excitement (upcoming events, avid consumers, sig. game) • Create emotional attachments (focus on athletes with injury) • Provide a form of recreation and entertainment (great value in relieving stress) • Relate stories on social concerns • Racial discrimination and inequities (player positions, team names-logos) • Sport economics (profits, salaries, endorsements) • Gender inequities (salaries, opportunity) • Sport ethics (cheating, fighting, gambling) • Technological advancements (equipment) • Substance use and abuse (steroids, alcohol)

4. Activity #1 • You are in charge of securing advertising for the sports section of a major newspaper. What products or businesses would be included in this section? • Compare your list with what is actually advertised in the sports section of a major newspaper. • Which products match? • Were there any surprises?

5. Social Issues Highlighted through Sport Sport engages the physical and mental abilities Sport experiences generate a range of complex meanings that are shaped by many factors Examine the connections between sport and issues!

6. Social Issues SnapshotsActivity #2 • Choose an issue that affects sport participation and development • Identify challenges/barriers and successes • Present ideas • Use a web diagram or mind map to identify challenges/barriers and successes for your chosen issue.

7. Social Issues and Values • Special Olympics • Paralympic Games • Aboriginal sport participation • Gender equity in sport • Physical activity and sport for older adults • Politics and sport • Technology in sport • Sport as business

8. Special Olympics • Kennedy Foundation in Washington, DC promoted international games for individuals who were intellectually challenged • Dr. Frank Hayden (Cdn. researcher) • Special Olympic Games were initiated in 1968 (United States and Canada) • Events were later added for athletes who were physically challenged • Special Olympic Games is the second largest international event. • Testing proved that theses athletes were among the fitness elite, when compared to others.

9. Paralympic Games • Athletes with disabilities were included in the Olympic Games for the first time in Rome in 1960 • 6 different groups with disabilities are involved • 400 athletes from 23 countries in Rome in 1960 • 3806 athletes from 136 countries in Athens in 2004 • Paralympics and the Olympic Games are both held in the same year and in the same location • Came in 2001.

10. Aboriginal Sport Participation • Aboriginal Sport Circle (1995) • First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples • Created in response to the need for more accessible and equitable sport and recreation opportunities • Every 4 years competitive games are held between Aboriginals including indigenous games and demonstrations • Arm pull, and high kicking are ex. of demo’s.

11.  Gender Equity in Sport • No women took part in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 • 26th Olympic Games (1996) in Atlanta • 97 of the 271 events were open to women • 3626 of the 10 629 athletes were women • 307 Canadian athletes: 154 were women and 153 were men • Significant events that have ultimately changed the social view of women in sport include • Women’s movements of the 1950s and 1960s • Creation of the National Organization for Women and the Canadian Association for Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity • Passing of U.S. legislation called Title IX in 1972 prohibiting gender discrimination.

12. Physical Activity and Sport for Older Adults • Aging is inevitable and the process cannot be stopped. • Possible to slow the loss of physiological and physical functions through exercise and sport • Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging • Canada Senior Games • National competition seniors 55+

13. Politics and Sport • The Canadian Sport Policy • Represents the shared vision and goals of 14 governmental jurisdictions for sport for the period 2002 to 2012 and challenges the sport community to share in their achievement • Enhanced Participation • Enhanced Excellence • Enhanced Capacity • Enhanced Interaction

14. Government and Your Rights • Governments play a key role in protecting our human rights. • 1960 Bill of Rights • 1982 Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms • Human Rights Commission to ensure that their rights are respected • Human Rights Appeal • Case: Hockey

15. Sport is a Political Venue • Venue for the promotion of social values • Enhance personal growth and development • Develop life skills (time management) • Strive for excellence and success • Experience change in socioeconomic status • Contribute to and benefit from teamwork and team cohesion • Champion athletes use celebrity to bring attention to inequities, injustices, and other causes (Magic Johnson) • Inspire national pride and unite a nation

16. Technology and Sport • New sport products are continually being developed • Sportswear, court and field surfaces, equipment, fabrics and materials • Safety, increased speed of movement and improved performance • Is this always good? (NHL = concussions) • Product innovations • Easier for beginners • Assisted top-level athletes to reach superior performances • Eased transitions (individual to team and recreational to competitive) • Sport-specific training regimes • Advances in understanding how the body reacts to physiological/psychological stress and improved rehabilitation methodology/technology

17. Sport as Business • Big business • More individuals participate in sport than in any other singular human endeavour • More money is spent on physical activity and sportswear, admission fees, salaries, equipment and facilities than on any other area of concern (exception of health care) • Sport involvement • Contributes to the fitness level of the nation • Serves as a major form of entertainment • Contributes to personal and national pride • Provides employment for thousands of individuals • Results in the construction of superior facilities • Contributes significantly to the gross national product

18. Social Issues in SportActivity #3 • Specific business aspects of sport include • Investment income (Winnipeg Blue Bombers) • Ticket sales (Winnipeg Jets  one of the highest ticket $ in the NHL) • Facility revenue (Most of the sales at MTS Center go to the Jets) • Media revenue (Jets TSN) • Licensing fees (PPV) • Team merchandise (Jersey’s) • Naming rights (True North Sports bought the rights to use the Jets name.) • Player revenue through endorsements (Tiger Woods for the Buick) • Select one of the topics listed above and research its impact on a specific sport, using information from newspapers, magazines, or web-based articles. • Write a report on their selected research topic: • State the sport and social issue • Provide background on why it is an issue • Explain how the issue was/is being addressed through sport and/or the business of sport

19. Player Endorsement RevenueActivity #4 • Predict the salaries and identify any endorsement deals for different key athletes: • Tiger Woods (golf) • LeBron James (basketball) • Lionel Messi(soccer) • Vincent Lecalavier (hockey) • Cindy Klassen (speed skating) • Compare correct statistics for comparison. • What is the impact of player endorsement deals on society?