Sociology of Sport Unit VI Compare & Contrast Assignment

Journal of Sport Management, 2 0 1 4 ,2 8 , 590-591 http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/jsm .2014-0148 © 2 0 1 4 H um an K inetics, Inc.

Game Over: How Politics Has Turned the Sports World Upside Down By Dave Zirin. Published in 2013 by The New Press, New York (256 pp„ $18.95).

Reviewed by Wesley D. Yourth, Assistant Director o f Athletics and EdD Candidate, University o f the Pacific, Stockton, CA

“[ H] istory indicates that sports is never just a spectacle— that it has potential to tap into sentiments for social change” (p. 10). With this statement, Dave Zirin, author of Game Over: How Politics Has Turned the Sports World Upside Down, sets the stage for a telling account of how sport is intimately intertwined in the social and political fabric of our world. From professional sports leagues to intercollegiate athletics and the rise of privatized youth programs, the sport industry at times has the auspices of being solely motivated by profit as a big-business, enter­ tainment industry. While in many respects this might be true, Zirin examines the sporting landscape from a deeper perspective, shedding light on how sport and the sports media have the power to bring social justice issues to the forefront of political debate. With this book, Zirin aims to raise the awareness and give critical analysis to hot- button topics around the themes of democracy, capitalism, globalization, immigration, gender, and racism through the lens of sport. In doing so, Zirin takes some very strong stances on the issues mentioned above, some of which are likely to spark an emotional response for some readers, because they may disagree with his particular stance.

In some respects, Zirin’s argument resonates with the work of renowned curriculum theorist Wayne Au (2012), for whom knowledge and epistemology are a matter of perspective, the struggle over whose understanding counts and the politics that understanding carries with it. With this emphasis on perspectives, Au (2012) recalls what R. W. Connell (1994) refers to as curricular justice and the “standpoint of the least advantaged” (p. 60), where issues are viewed through the lens of those who have the least hegemonic control. That is, economic issues are discussed from the standpoint of the poor, gender issues are discussed from the standpoint of women, and so forth. Without conscious ties to the theoretical stances of Au (2012) and Connell (1994), Zirin emphasizes the standpoint of the least advantaged, attempting to provide a perspective not often discussed within sport manage­ ment and sport pedagogy curriculum as institutions of higher education aim to prepare future leaders within sport enterprise.

As sport management programs and intercollegiate athletic programs sit under the umbrella of higher edu­

cation, coaches, athletic leaders, and academicians have the opportunity to take a proactive approach in providing opportunities that challenge students to question their viewpoints. Not only should students be active partici­ pants in their education and respective sport if they are student-athletes, but that education should also lead and guide those same individuals to be active participants in the democratic process and provide a platform for better understanding the ills of society. In the preface, titled “Pre-Game,” Zirin points out that “more athletes are speaking out across the political spectrum as a series of revolutions, occupations, and protests have defined the global landscape” (p. 4). In doing so, he sheds light on athletes, sport institutions and the role both play within the larger debate surrounding economic, political and social themes at the forefront of global society.

Broken down into nine distinct chapters, Game Over is a series of essays with an overall theme of social justice. Chapter 1 explores the tumultuous relationship amid labor relations in the world of American professional sports. Zirin focuses on the larger American Occupy movement regarding the economic disparities between the 1% of the American population who own the majority of the country’s resources, much to the dismay of the 99% who fight for their own piece of the economic pie. Highlighted are the professional players’ unions and their struggle with sports ownership regarding collective bargaining agreements, and Zirin ties these professional players’ unions to the struggles faced by other labor unions of working class fans.

Chapter 2 brings the Arab democracy movement, known as the Arab Spring, to the forefront of the con­ versation. Zirin describes the role of ultras, hyperintense soccer fan clubs, in the larger social movements of politi­ cal unrest within Arab societies in the name of democracy for the people. The underground organization of these fanatic ultras sparked the revolution and eventual dis­ mantling of the regime for then-President Hosni Mubarak during the 2011 Egyptian upheaval.

Chapter 3 brings the global sporting landscape into view and the myriad issues that plague world sporting events such as the soccer World Cup and the Olympic Games. Within this chapter, Zirin discusses corruption within the Federacion Internationale de Football Associa­ tion (FIFA) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), in addition to highlighting the economic influences of corporate sponsorships, the constructing of megasta­ diums or sport villages, and the lasting effect of world sporting events on the local host communities once the medals and trophies have been won.

In Chapter 4, Zirin brings the themes discussed in Chapter 3 back to America, where he turns to discussing the greed of billionaire sport franchise owners and the

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use o f public funds to construct ballparks and stadiums. He hints at the economic disparities between professional sport franchise owners and the local com m unities where these stadiums are constructed with public funding from an already strained tax base in the wake o f economic uncertainty.

M oving into the realm of American intercollegiate athletics, Zirin uses Chapter 5 to discuss the abuse of pow er and authority as it relates to the unquestioned sexual abuse o f children. Highlighting Joe Patem o, the once-decorated leader o f the Penn State football team, as w ell as other educational leaders w ithin the Penn State University system, Zirin goes on the offensive to em phasize the im portance o f how educational leaders should put their personal interests aside in the wake of larger societal responsibilities.

Staying on the them e of intercollegiate athletics in Am erica, Chapter 6 turns to examining the structure of the N ational Collegiate Athletic A ssociation (NCAA), and Zirin discusses overpaid coaches and athletic adm in­ istrators whose salaries come at the expense o f unpaid am ateur athletes who com pete in revenue-generating sports. Zirin continues his argum ent by pointing out the conflicting missions o f large publicly funded uni­ versities and athletic departm ents w ithin those same universities.

G rounded in the historical relationship betw een immigration and econom ic development in the United States, Chapter 7 highlights the much followed political debate about m odern immigration. A t the forefront o f this chapter is the passage o f state laws, such as SB 1070 in Arizona. Zirin discusses how the law infringes on the basic human rights protected by the U.S. Constitution. Zirin goes on to highlight his stance about courageous and progressive professional franchises, like the NBA Phoenix Suns, who donned “Los Suns” jerseys during contests, bringing national attention to racially motivated laws and supporting the public outcry against laws that violate basic human rights.

C hapter 8 focuses on sexuality and sport in the context o f Title IX and the upswing o f fem ale participa­ tion in sporting opportunities over the last few decades. Zirin discusses the sexually explicit marketing o f young fem ale athletes and also engages issues of gender and homosexuality. Highlighted in this chapter is the story about the m uch decorated sprinter from South Africa, Sem enya Caster. A fter her victory at the 2009 World Championships, news broke of Semenya being subjected to gender testing in order to explain her strength and prowess as a runner. C aster’s story, in addition to Z irin’s thoughts about ram pant antigay sentiments within sports

culture, provides an opportunity to deconstruct gender issues within sporting culture as a whole.

Chapter 9 starts with a “2011 poll [which] found Americans believe that professional sports are one o f the least racist sectors in our society today” (p. 163). Z irin challenges the belief that sport is a m eritocracy built on talent, not race or any other social construction. Zirin recounts the m eteoric rise o f NBA superstar Jerem y Lin that led to a national debate regarding his talents as a player o f Chinese descent. He goes on to discuss the amount o f anti-Asian sentiment and racist jokes exhibited by many well-respected sports columnists where the lack o f awareness surrounding racism in the U nited States is not solely a black-and-white problem.

Game Over ends with a discussion titled “Post- Game,” where Zirin calls those within the sporting com ­ munity to look to sport and sport culture as a m agnifying glass for the larger issues affecting society. He states, “ [T]his book is about athletes who have recently dared to speak out on topics having nothing to do with sports and everything to do w ith social justice” (p. 190). For this reason alone, a book like this should b e situated within sport management and sport pedagogy curriculum in addition to being referenced by coaches and sport leaders in educational settings. Specifically, Game Over could be used as a primary text source for undergraduate sport manage­ ment courses that discuss sociological and political issues in the context of sport. Any tim e educators provide an opportunity for students to discuss issues about dem oc­ racy, capitalism, globalization, immigration, gender, and racism, they are challenging students to think critically about these issues, to form their own stances, and to consider how they specifically contribute to society.

Throughout the book, Zirin delivers potent com m en­ tary, and there is no doubt about his stance within each chapter. Regardless of readers’ politics and w hether they agree with Z irin’s thoughts, the wide-ranging research and the very pointed references that populate his argu­ ments throughout the book provide readers a much greater awareness o f the role sport plays in our larger social fabric. In doing so, Game Over provides an opportunity for m uch needed debate and discussion on issues greater than winning the next championship.

References Au, W. (2012). Critical curriculum studies: Education, con­

sciousness, and the politics o f knowing. New York, NY: Routledge.

Connell, R.W. (1994). Schools and social justice. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press.

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