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Sports as a Career
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Sports as a Career
Introduction
Sports have become an influential platform for many individuals globally, and sports
figures frequently become celebrities, which can be rewarding from a financial, social, and
emotional standpoint. As a result, sports have evolved to become a business sector by itself,
creating exciting career opportunities. This paper highlights pertinent ideas regarding sports
as a career. First, the paper demonstrates the sociological phenomenon of sports figures
acquiring the status of celebrities, contributing to the sportsmen and women's overall lives'
enrichment. Indeed, this discourse is informed by the sociologist Brian Manning, who argues
that athletes are often drawn from the subaltern sectors of society but eventually rise to the
limelight through fame and money garnered from sports. Second, the paper also
acknowledges important financial implications of sports figures becoming celebrities,
offering benefits and risks to the sports industry's stakeholders. The rewards can stem from
the sports figures' elevated status drawing media and a massive fanbase, resulting in huge
financial rewards for the sportsperson, augmented team revenues, sponsorships, and an
overall boost in the sports sector's commercial viability. However, the celebrity figure's
demise can also have irrevocable consequences on sport and cultural discourses, thus positing
some risks.
Analysis and Discussion
The journey of a successful athlete transforms their status, character, and personality.
For instance, Agassi in his biography describes his tennis journey, which significantly
impacted his status. Brian Manning states that most athletes rise from poor or humble
backgrounds and start their lives at work from disadvantaged status into the wall of sports to
earn high status. Therefore, when the athlete decides to retire, they do with millions, but how
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they learn to live is a more significant issue that involves them losing many friends and
seeking emotional redress. This indicates the major impact that sports could have on an
athlete's entire life landscape (Harris et al., 2019).
It would also introduce valuable additional benefit to sports as a business since
athletes would work as marketers for their teams (Harris et al., 2019). An athlete who resigns
in good shape and condition can be able to play the game for an extended period entailing
increased exposure and therefore increased earning. As a last shot, a business could draw in
more fans to their games by having success stories of athletes who have made a fortune for
themselves, brand and money through the same sport. Eventually, the athletes are sure to lose
the status in society, games and their entire life but having secured the future for themselves.
Conclusion
The endeavor by an athlete in competitive sports could significantly change one's
athletic, social, economic, and emotional status. Given that the athlete plays well enough and
stays mentally and physically well, the athletes will play the game all their lives. Their
success story would entail increased revenues to the teams due to the pride of having
successful athletes. If an athlete preserved his or her achievement, the breakthrough could
include earning millions in their contract their families, and their brand could exponentially
increase, signifying increased exposure for the business. However, the athlete's unique
identity dies along with the sport, and they can no longer command respect on the pitch.
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References
References
Harris, O., Shutika, D., & Wolohan, J. (2019). There I am, there I am! Flexibility of the self
in sports arenas. In Senses, Sports and Societies (pp. 31-52). Palgrave Macmillan,
Cham. Available at: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-12467-4_3
