Week 6: Sports Media Introduction

A societal ideology focusing on individual health, neglecting broader structural conditions.

Factors beyond individual choices that influence health and disease, like access to resources and discrimination.

Social factors and environmental conditions affecting health.

Personal characteristics and choices affecting health.

A group of people sharing the same economic position.

The likelihood of an individual achieving economic success.

Changes in economic status across generations or within a lifetime.

A society where success is based on individual merit and effort.

Reaching professional sports is challenging, with only a small percentage of high school athletes making it to professional leagues. Many factors hinder progress, including longevity concerns, injury risks, and opportunity costs related to pursuing sports.

Social class greatly influences participation in organized sports. Access to equipment, coaching, and the time commitment needed for sports are largely affected by social class. Lower-income individuals and families often have limited access to or participation opportunities in sports.

While sports often are perceived to be meritocratic (rewarding ability), true meritocracy requires equal opportunity and conditions for all. In reality, disparities in equipment, coaching, and resources often prevent equal opportunity.

The type of sports people participate in, and their success in sports, are often connected to their social class. For example, some sports (e.g. golf) are more accessible to wealthier individuals and are often played by them.

Professional athletes often come from families with higher socio-economic backgrounds. This family background is a possible determinant of their sports participation.

Sports are presented to audiences selectively through images & narratives, often focusing on dramatic events, heroes, and villains.

A network of media outlets, sports organizations, and advertisers that operate interdependently for mutual profit.

Sports media often conveys societal biases related to gender, sexuality, race, and nationality through selective reporting and narratives.

Early televised sports (like hockey) in Canada promoted a sense of national identity and unity.

Rise of paid cable channels like TSN led to a shift in control over sports broadcasts from public organizations to private entities.

CBC faced challenges in maintaining access to sports broadcasts (NHL, Olympics) as private channels grew.

The sports media complex is built upon an economic foundation where media, sports leagues, and advertisers all benefit financially.

Physical activity is commonly seen as a way to address poor health, as it has positive impacts on both physical and mental well-being.

The idea that if wealthy or high-profile individuals or teams in sports do well, their success will "trickle down" and benefit everyone.

Using public funds (taxes) to support sports facilities or events, often for professional teams.

A shared sense of identity based on common history, culture, and social norms.

A socially constructed classification of people based on perceived physical or genetic characteristics.

Ideas and beliefs used to explain or justify differences between perceived racial groups.

The discriminatory belief that one race is superior to others.

A discredited idea that falsely uses scientific claims to support the belief that one race is superior.

Different members of a species will naturally show a wide variety of characteristics and traits - true of humans and animals.

Humans are 99.9% genetically identical.

Race is a concept created by society based on perceived physical traits, not biology.

A rule used to define racial purity, often in terms of white descent, to maintain social hierarchy.

Sports are shaped by and reflect societal beliefs about race.

Describing a person with a disability first, e.g., 'person with autism'.

Describing a person with a disability focusing on their identity first, e.g., 'autistic person'.

Using beliefs to categorize people as disabled, physically or intellectually.

Views disability as an individual's problem needing to be fixed or cured. It focuses on the individual's perceived deficit rather than societal barriers.

Views disability as a social problem stemming from inaccessible environments and attitudes, rather than individual deficits.

Creating products and environments that can be used by people of all abilities without need for specialized adaptations.

A societal tendency to prioritize and promote 'normal' standards of health, ability, and performance, often marginalizing those who are perceived as different.

Organized sporting events for athletes with disabilities, with roots in rehabilitation and wartime activities.

Focus on commercial aspects of the games including advertising, competition, sponsorship, and spectator interest. This has resulted in potentially excluding athletes with intensive impairments from participation and celebration.

Precursors to the modern Paralympics , including events for the deaf, blind, and injured war veterans across the globe.

Used sports as a form of rehabilitation for injured war veterans, laying groundwork for the Paralympic movement.