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.
In 1998 my mother went into hospital for a serious operation. The world cup was on. In a hospital, where people need rest, a TV was blaring the football in each ward at full volume.
I visited my father in a nursing home. The world cup was on. It was blazing hot summer and the TVs were on in every room full blast with the football on, blasting the elderly dribbling half conscious in their chairs, all windows closed.
After a dramatics rehearsal our theatre troupe went for a quiet drink, until football maniacs came in – the noise so powerful it was a hurricane. I had to write on a piece of paper – as vocalising was impossible – to let the other people know I was feeling ill and had to leave.
My TV shows are cancelled again tonight. How is this live and let live?
Do you tell your football friends why you don’t like international football, and explain you are a world socialist? Don’t they laugh and mock?
The politics of football made glaringly obvious to anyone
According to the Cambridge Dictionary:
“A sport is an activity involving physical exertion, skill, and defined rules, where individuals or teams compete against one another for entertainment, recreation, or to improve physical fitness.”
In my view, sport would continue to exist in a world of common ownership, but only for the purposes of recreation and physical fitness—not entertainment. For sport to function as entertainment, athletes must compete for a trophy, which is ultimately a form of wealth. That requirement isn’t compatible with a society based on free access.
So to summarise, Sir Tom. Since 1998 (a period of 28 years) you and or your family have been inconvenienced on three occasions. You anticipate that this evening you will be further inconvenienced by the fact that instead of having 73 free to air channels on TV you will only have the choice of 72 and you might have to wait a little longer for the next episode of Coronation Street.
What about all of the poor buggers that have to put up with you and your Am Dram buddies taking over the pub doing all that pseudo intellectual stuff and pretending that they’re windswept and interesting. Have you ever had a thought about how much your bunch of wannabe luvvies inflict on the good people of your local pub?
It’s not all about you mate.
“ For sport to function as entertainment, athletes must compete for a trophy, which is ultimately a form of wealth. That requirement isn’t compatible with a society based on free access”
I’ve got to be honest Moo, I think what you’ve written is complete nonsense .
The idea that a system of common ownership of the means of production isn’t compatible with the awarding of trophies or mementos is, in my view, ridiculous.
The abolition of private property does not mean the abolition of private property. Socialism wouldn’t entail common ownership of my vinyl collection. Gangs of Socialist zealots will not be charged with prising Tom More’s lived collection of books from his fingers. In the same way they wouldn’t go around the club houses of the local bowls or bridge club ransacking their trophy room and placing them into protective custody lest easily influenced children would be enticed into an illicit competitive game of ludo.
Competitiveness is part of the rich tapestry of human behaviour. That the philosophers of capitalism have raised it to a level of fetishisation does not mean that in a future society people will not enjoy being competitive.
I have no doubt that in a socialist society little lads will still try to see who can piddle highest up the wall, people will still want to be the best chess player, grow the biggest marrows, run the fastest, jump the highest, etc. etc. I for one will still endeavour to win board games.
I also have no doubt that spectator sport will continue to be a big part of our cultural experience. Do you think that people won’t stand astounded at the sporting prowess of others? Or will it be that be huge shutterings put up to watch others compete?
I loved every moment of playing football, are people like me who can’t take part anymore in sport due to age or infirmity to be denied the joy of others doing what I used to enjoy (but doing it much better than I used to)?
I’m really surprised by declared socialists who are so intolerant of and judgemental about others people’s ways of living. As well as the economic freedoms that a socialist society offers surely social and cultural freedom comes along hand in hand.
It reminds me of a friend of mine who was a tattoo artist. He used to say the only difference between people who have tattoos and people who don’t have tattoos, is that most of the people who have tattoos don’t care that other people don’t have tattoos.
What a well argued, in depth and interesting response, Sir Tom. You’ve surpassed even your high standards.
Don’t worry, just another two weeks and you’ll be able to watch Corrie to your heart’s content
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