Column:
Dear ESPN, less hot dogs and more hurdles
It's time to let the lesser-known sports shine.
Published July 7, 2009
Alright, I've got some good news and some bad news.
Good news: Summer is officially here. The pools are open. School is long gone. (To those still taking classes, I'm so sorry.) I'm taking four-hour naps in the middle of the day again. Life is good.
Bad news: Summer is officially here. Sports on TV have rescinded into their annual hibernation and decided if we want athletics, we're going to have to be the ones competing. No, it gets worse. Out of the four major sports, three are in the middle of their off-season, and it isn't April or October, so let's let baseball take a break too.
ESPN is getting desperate. The entertainment sports programming network is again broadcasting such gems as "Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest" and "Scripps National Spelling Bee." Although I, for one, find them embarrassingly entertaining, I have a tough time figuring out how those contests wound up on a national sports network.
If contests such as these are broadcast on the premier sports channel, what does that say about other athletic endeavors, such as track and field and gymnastics, that aren't? I suppose the logic behind this decision is they might be a little too foreign, or perhaps a little too boring, for the average sports fan. The sad reality is contests, such as poker or cage fighting, generate more advertising dollars than the best gymnasts or hurdlers ever could, regardless if those contests are even a sport.
I have heard many an argument as to which competitive undertakings classify as a "sport" and whether they should be televised. Would you or I enjoy it if the national championships of rifle were televised? Do we even watch when billiards is broadcasted?
It is interesting that the Latin words for game and sport are the same word: ludus. All sports are games, but I would hardly classify all games as sports.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines sport as "a physical activity engaged in for pleasure." Seeing as this would include gardening for some, I'm going to modify the definition just a bit. I'll define a sport as "any physical competition between human beings testing ability and talent and requiring practice, not named Wii Fit."
Take note, Fox Sports.
I'm not trying to slight the obscure contests by any means. All of those endeavors take tremendous time, effort, dedication and practice. If Nathan's somehow releases Joey Chestnut jerseys, I'd be the first in line. Just don't put gorging on the same level as professional football.
Bottom line: I wouldn't mind seeing lesser-known sports televised more often -- sports by the NCAA's definition. Although the spelling bee and the hot dog eating contest might be entertaining for some to watch, I have a difficult time justifying ESPN's decision to broadcast them, while other athletics, such as swimming and wrestling, get snubbed. ESPN2 and ESPNU is a good start, but neither really cover the smaller sports, but instead the smaller schools.
This being said, by no means do I want to see college rowing on the prime time spot every night. It just might be nice to see similar sports receive more exposure every once in a while -- at least until the NCAA admits competitive eating.