The Globalization of Sports

Welcome Back! In this article, I would like to discuss the globalization of sports. Globalization refers to the spreading of various competitions and games from their country of origin to other nations around the globe. This phenomenon highlights the evolution of sports throughout history, giving anthropologists a deeper understanding of the traditions of various cultures.

To fully understand the role of globalization in the evolution of sports, it is vital to understand the role of imperialism. During the 18th and 19th centuries, nations sought to expand their power and spheres of influence through imperialism. After the industrial revolution, many countries had sufficient resources and economic power to conquer less developed countries, leading numerous nations to pursue imperialistic tactics. One side effect of Imperial rule was that the cultures of the two nations began to intertwine. This phenomenon: where cultural aspects are changed as they are introduced to foreign nations is called Transculturation. Transculturation can be seen quite clearly through sports as well as other factors. For example, when British English was introduced to various countries throughout the world, many natives evolved their own unique dialect of English intertwined with their native language.

This same phenomenon can be seen in the sports world clearly through the lens of soccer. Soccer was introduced in many Latin American countries by the British. While in Britain, Soccer was played by rules that fit a British environment best (ex. large grass field, 11 players per team) as the sport traveled it began to morph and change. The transculturation of soccer is also known as its tropicalization. This process led to changes like the sport being played on smaller fields and with fewer players. Not only did the physical parameters of the sport change but also the play style.

Another example of Transculturation is cricket. Like Soccer, Cricket started as a British recreation and traveled to many foreign countries. One of the places that it traveled was the Trobriand Islands, a Melanesian community located off the coast of New Zealand. The people of the Trobriand Islands combined the sport with their rituals, incorporating war chants and paint.

Transculturation highlights the important impact that culture has on sports and the way it influences society. The globalization of sports like soccer has helped to bring potential solidarity to communities around the globe as they have common ground to bond over. Despite its potential benefit it also has a downside since it discourages native sports from getting the same exposure. It is important to recognize the positive and negative effects of a process that has had a monumental impact on society.

Works Cited

Starn, Orin. "The Globalization of Sports." Sports and Society, 15 Jul. 2020, Duke University, https://www.coursera.org/learn/sports-society.