I grew up watching football and, as fans of any sport know, it gets competitive and sometimes lines are crossed. Whether that means cursing at your television when your team loses or having rivalries amongst friends who are supporters of different teams— that was always the point of sport. According to Oxford Dictionaries, the definition of the word sport means “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment,”. It is used as a tool to escape the realities we face when the game is turned off and get distracted for a short time before we have to return and face our responsibilities. But over time, certain situations have really taken away that sense of escapism.
The largest contributor to this evolving issue is politics and racism. Most recently, fans of the Chelsea Football Club have shouted and chanted anti-semitic and other racist remarks at players from opposing teams during games, specifically, London rival Tottenham Hotspur F.C.. According to CNN, the Union of European Football Association charged Chelsea F.C. disciplinary proceedings after an investigation into the chanting during the Europa League game last month. Since the game, Chelsea started a campaign to raise awareness about antisemitism in football and educate their fans.
But this isn’t the first time fans have gotten carried away to nefarious means. In September 2018, a viral dispute in the stands between Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings led to an all-out brawl with a fan being flipped over several rows of bleachers. Any rivalry or dispute should never get to that level, especially at a family-centered event such as a football game. Fantasy Football and gambling in sports is another major contributor. With one loss or win, fans can become bankrupt or left in inescapable debt. Seems like a lot for just a simple game based on entertainment. Let’s not forget the political divide that began when Colin Kaepernick kneeled during the national anthem in 2016.
It’s becoming harder and harder to escape the problems we face outside the stadium and the televised broadcasts. With politicians, hate groups and gambling muddying up what sports originally stood for, things are only getting worse. We have to remember that sometimes a game is just a game and it should be left as just that. Go into the stadium and have your rivalries with friends and strangers, but leave without those silly prejudices and shake hands as we return to our normal lives.
