In the Handbook of Sports and Media, Arthur Raney points out that one of the main emotional motivations for viewing sports is to escape. "For decades, persons of all ages have reported seeking out media content to help escape from the stress of daily living. Sports fans are no different. ... It has also been discussed in relation to boredom." (Raney, p. 319-320)
Last summer, my weekdays began at six a.m. and would find me riding a train five hours a day. Never was I more tied to my AM radio to catch baseball games on the ride home, or more excited to plop down in front of a television to watch a night game before heading to bed and starting the whole thing over again. Baseball, among other sports, was my escape.
I could forget about life, about work, about whatever was going on to enjoy a simple game of a ball, a bat and some leather gloves.
"Wann and Rochelle found that nearly two in five sports fans report regularly tune in to sports on televisions to escape boredom." (Raney, p. 320)
One man is small peanuts though. While reading this portion of the text, I was reminded of an event from a few years back.
During the World Cup (the every four year soccer world wide tournament, for those non-fans), the war torn country of the Ivory Coast experienced something special during their countries games. The country, in midst of a civil war, saw many soldiers putting down their weapons and calling a cease fire to enjoy the game.
From MSNBC.com:
The joyous shouts of “Voilà! and Allez-y!” from the crowd gathered at the Ivoire Restaurant on Saturday turned to sad groans as Ivory Coast lost its first World Cup match against Argentina.For a game to stop a civil war in it's tracks -- if only for a few hours -- for 11 men on a pitch thousands of miles away to make fighters put down their guns and ammo to enjoy a team representing their country as a whole, that is something truly special.But the 2-1 result in the first match of super-tough Group C, described by some sports commentators as the "group of death," is unlikely to dampen the spirits of soccer supporters from this war-torn nation — fans who have become united by their first chance to compete on soccer’s international world stage.
Divided by a north-south civil war since 2002, the national team, known as the Elephants, is made up of a mix of players from different ethnic and religious groups. With all eyes on the World Cup, the team has bonded the country, with the various factions putting down their weapons and respecting a cease-fire.
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Drogba, the Elephant's captain, has made a point of saying that the team is a symbol of tolerance and a reflection of how the country was in the past: a diverse ethnic group forming one national identity.
According to news reports, after the team's decisive win over Sudan that guaranteed their place in the World Cup, Drogba led his team in a plea for peace.
"Ivorians, we ask for your forgiveness," they said. "Let us come together and put this war behind us."
Sports, however interesting or exciting, can work beyond just the players on the field. For many fans, it is their way to forget about life for a while and simply enjoy a game.
To me, sports is the ultimate escape. For kids, it's what you can aspire to become. For those a bit older, it's the adult version of the candy store, and a chance to look back at what you did in your childhood. But there have been many times where we've seen sports act as an escape. According to Raney, "some viewers report that they regularly tune into sports to escape the stress of daily life."
ReplyDeleteThe most glaring moment for me would probably be the first major league baseball game following the events that took place on 9/11. There was no time in my existence which I think has been more traumatic or stressful. I've probably never watched a baseball game more emotionally charged, more important to a city and to its people. Everyone had been watching the news and hearing of those who had passed on that day, people needed some good news, anything to get away from reality. That night, the Mets hosted their rival Atlanta Braves. And as if it were scripted, Mets' slugger Mike Piazza came through in the 8th inning and crushed a home run to give the Mets the win. When Piazza hit that home run, I've probably never felt that emotional, and I'm sure many of the fans would agree with me. The game essentially said that it's ok to enjoy life again, and that everyone was going to get through those tough times.
Not only does it act as an escape for fans, it can act as an escape for players. Just a few weeks ago, a player on a high school basketball team in Illinois (it may have been a different state, I could be wrong) lost his mother to cancer. Surprisingly, the boy showed up that same day to the court in the middle of the game to play for his team. Of course, this isn't the first time that something like this has happened, and it certainly won't be the last. But it speaks to the almost therapudic nature that sports has on not only the spectators, but players as well. There's a comfort they find in doing what they know best, even when times are tough for them.
But while the games would go on without the fans, it is impossible to ignore the impact the fans have on the game, and conversely the impact games have on the fans. Fans "embrace the joys and sorrows inherent in sports competition, and in doing so, learn to embrace the joys and sorrows of life." (Raney 327). A big reason why fans become so engrossed with their teams is that they can mirror real life. Although unlike real life, the beauty in sports is that it is only a game, and there is always a next year.
In accord with the two previous posters, I feel like sports has provided me with an avenue to escape the rigors of everyday life. In high school (and really for most of my childhood and adolescence), I suffered from severe migraines. I was also a high school baseball player. At least three times a week, I went through the school day almost incapacitated due to my migraines. But as soon as I stepped onto that baseball field, my pain seemed to disappear. It was something I cannot explain other than the fact that I was using sports as an escape.
ReplyDeleteAs a fan, I know that I have used sports as an escape from the real world. But in addition, I know that I have allowed sports to transcend that gap between sports and everyday life. For example, in 2004, with the Red Sox down one run to the Yankees in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the ALCS, I remember feeling betrayed. How could the team that I rooted for all year, a team that I had paid over 500 dollars to see 6 times that season, just roll over and die in the playoffs. As we know now, the Sox came back not only in Game 4, but the entire series to defeat the Yankees, and then swept the Cardinals to win their first World Series in 86 years. As Raney points out in his study, sports teams "arouse feelings of euphoria and despair among their loyal fans. The 2004 ALCS caused all Red Sox fans to run the gamut of emotions. From despair to euphoria, we felt it all within those ten days. And to be honest, I wouldn't trade it in for any other 10 days of my life. This is why we all watch sports, to get feelings like this. Feelings that we couldn't produce any other way.
I agree with all of the posters (even Corey, though he's a dirty Red Sox fan). Sports are definitely an escape for me.
ReplyDelete"For decades, persons of all ages have reported seeking out media content to help escape from the stress of daily living. Sports fans are no different. As Smith (1988) notes, 'While engrossed in the sporting event a fan's mood may fluctuate, but any pain is temporary and minor compared to the relief of gaining a respite from a wearisome existence' (p. 58)" (Raney 319-20).
It's true, and it even happened to me last night. Instead of worrying about this assignment and others that I have been putting off, I lied in bed and watched some of the Yankees' spring training game because CC Sabathia and Mariano Rivera were pitching. It's March, but I'm a fan and that's what fans do.
More seriously, Jamie mentioned 9/11. Sports helped fans get back to their normal lives. The World Series in New York, complete with the tattered flag and George W. Bush throwing out the first pitch, showed Americans that we will not bow down to terrorists. No one ever forgot what happened on Sept. 11 and no one ever will, but those games at Yankee Stadium helped the entire country heel for just a little bit.
Again, more seriously, around October of that year, my dad had a seizure a few days before I was to have my Bar Mitzvah. My family and I were very concerned for his well-being. He would turn out to be OK in the end. But he had gotten me tickets for Game 4 of the ALCS for my Bar Mitzvah, and even though he was OK, we were still concerned. Spending three hours at the ballpark and watching the Yankees win a crucial game in walk-off fashion helped put my mind at ease and escape the stressful times at home.
"While engrossed in the sporting event a fan's mood may fluctuate, but any pain is temporary and minor compared to the relief of gaining a respite from a wearisome experience." (Smith, 320)
ReplyDeleteI've been obsessed with the Yankees for as long as I can remember, and people have always asked me why. My best explanation has always been that baseball is the perfect escape from reality. Jamie and Andrew both mentioned the baseball games after 9/11. I was at games 3, 4, and 5 of the 2001 World Series against Arizona. I've never been to such an emotionally charged series in my entire life. But it was intense, not because people were scared, but because everyone put all of their energy into the game. One of my favorite things about playoff games is that no matter who you're sitting near, strangers become your best friends for about 3 hours. It was never more true than in late October/early November of 2001. When Derek Jeter hit his 10th inning shot of Byun Hyung Kim at 12:03 am on November 1st - the stadium shook so hard I lost my balance and almost fell on my little brother. That series allowed people not only to forget - for just a little while - about all the things that were happening - but it gave us a new place to focus our emotions. You can be distracted by anything - but reading a book or going for a drive in your car isn't going to completely allow you to get out everything you're feeling. For sports fans, I think one of the most exciting World Series Championships could not have come at a better time - because it was the perfect outlet. (By the way, if you haven't seen it already - watch the documentary Nine Innings From Ground Zero - its about the 2001 WS and how it was the perfect escape from 9/11 - its painful and beautiful and totally worth the 10 bucks to buy it)
In september of 2003, my grandmother had a stroke and since then has been permanently brain damaged. The first few weeks when she didnt recognize nearly anyone except my grandpa, were particularly hard on my family, especially my dad. In October, my mom bought us tickets to the ALCS against Boston - but she bought tickets to game 7. We didn't even think there was going to be a game 7. I was like "yeah ok, we'll see if we even get to use them." Well if you know anything about baseball you know we went to the game ... My dad had basically been sad for a month and a half until that night. I remember every detail of that entire game. I also remember sitting next to my dad in the 7th inning asking him if he thought the Marlins could beat the Red Sox in the WS because the Yankees were slowly dying on the field in front of us. But my dad said, "dno't worry, they're comin' back in the 8th." I will admit, that I have cried at three baseball games. I know, crying over a baseball game seems ridiculous, but I'm a strangely serious fan. One, was game 4 of the 2001 WS, another was the last game at Yankee Stadium in 2008, and the third was when Aaron Boone crushed the dreams of every Red Sox fan on the planet. Not only was the game incredible, but my dad looked happy, and that was just as important.