World Cup
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To see sport only within the capitalistic context is, in my mind, a mistake. The vast majority of sporting events and sporting activities take place in a much more communalistic and cooperative context. To take example there are 92 professional league teams in the football league system. if you say that of those 92, maybe 30 on average are being paid, that gives 2,762 players. In terms of the 92 teams, there are more that that many teams running within the small metropolitan district I live than that 92.
there are an estimated 15.7 million people who play football regularly in England. For more structured, club-based environments, participation is also substantial. Nationally, there are over 40,000 community clubs and more than 100,000 registered teams across the country.
I played adult football regularly from the age of 18 to the age of 52. Some of the lads I played with are still playing at the age of 65.
The majority of those teams, even those who are considered semi professional or in the higher leagues where players get what is termed “boot money” are generally run and organised by non paid volunteers. The spirit of self help, mutuality and community run through the vast majority of footballing activities.
I’ve found very few footballers who object to people not liking football. I have however found many people who don’t like football who whinge about people who like football. If you don’t like it you are not forced to watch it. I always thought that socialism involved the concept of free expression.
It is a similar story across many sports. Lots and lots of kids have been able to access sport as an alternative to antisocial behaviour, criminality and other difficulties.
In terms of how a future socialist society, who really knows? I would like took think that any future sporting organisation might following a model to the one used by the Gaelic Athletic Association’s (GAA’s) model.
If you want to play Gaelic Football or Hurling, you generally join your local GAA team. The local teams are generally organised geographically so more or less by townland or local parish. They compete on a county wide basis. The wining county teams then complete on a provincial basis, so the four provinces (Ulster, Munster, Leinster and Connacht) have an inter county championship. The Provincial champions then compete to be the All Ireland Club champions.
It is all done on an amateur basis. At the next level the best players from each county are selected to play for the county and they then compete at an inter provincial basis and they can become the provincial champions. there is are All Ireland inter county competitions for both Hurling and Gaelic Football (the Liam McCarthy Trophy and the Sam Maguire trophy), which is really the pinnacle of the sport.
I’m more of a Gaelic Football fan, but I’ve got to say watching top level hurling is incredible. The skill the tactical awareness, the team play, is terrific. The All Ireland Semi finals which were held over the weekend at Croke park was a magnificent spectacle. Fortunately the BBC have started showing Gaelic games on their iplayer system. The final is in a fortnight. If you enjoy sports, I would recommend watching it. (it’s all amateur)
There are many neighbourhood clubs which are not based on a profit motive. Softball is not as popular as baseball, but it is also a club sport without any profit motive. Baseball used to be a family and neighbourhood gathering sport, for chatting, and having some drinks and transmitted by AM Radio, and peoples seating in the sidewalks to listen to the broadcast
Yes you can. Loads of non World Cup content on TV, radio, etc. I’m a football fan, who isn’t arsed about international football. I’ve managed to avoid it pretty well, then you can.
I think Shakespeare is massively overrated, but I don’t mind others pretending that they enjoy it, watching Shakespearean plays, laughing at the very weak jokes from his comedies as if they’ve never heard the gag before and kidding themselves that understanding his work makes them somehow intellectually superior. If it gives them joy, so be it.
I can avoid it if I choose to, just like you can avoid the World Cup.
Live and let live, Bonny lad.
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