Introduction
Professionalism in baseball has become increasingly accepted throughout the years, while the same cannot be said for collegiate football. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a significant disparity existed in the way these two sports were perceived in terms of professionalism. While baseball slowly became more professionalized, collegiate football remained shrouded in secrecy and subject to significant criticism due to its connection to the academic world (Sol, 2020). This essay will examine why professionalism was quickly adopted in baseball but remained hidden in collegiate football and analyze a current activity that faces similar criticisms.
Professionalism in Baseball vs. Collegiate Football
In the late nineteenth century, baseball was already beginning to transition into a professional sport. The National League was formed in 1876, and clubs began hiring professional players to compete in the league. This was a radical departure from the traditional amateur status of baseball players, who were often students or laborers. As a result, baseball quickly became a professionalized sport, and the acceptance of professionalism in the game grew. This was in stark contrast to collegiate football, which was still primarily an amateur activity(Sol, 2020). The academic world had a strong aversion to professionalism in sport, and it was seen as a violation of the spirit of amateurism. As a result, collegiate football remained largely hidden and subject to significant criticism.
Cultural and social values largely drove the different attitudes towards professionalism in these two sports. Collegiate football was tied to the ideal of amateurism, which viewed sports as a means for students to develop their skills and physical abilities. Professionalism in this context was viewed as a means of transforming athletics into a business, and thus was heavily disapproved of (Sol, 2020). Professionalism in baseball, however, was viewed as a means to enhance the game and make it more engaging for fans. This allowed teams to become increasingly commercialized, leading to more money being invested in the sport.
Viewed through a different lens, professional baseball was seen as a means to increase entertainment value and generate revenue, whereas professional collegiate football was perceived as a way to compromise the spirit of amateurism and fair play. The same criticisms and stigmas persist today in the world of competitive gaming, where professionalism is viewed as a means to monetize gaming (Sol, 2020). Ultimately, it is essential to acknowledge the cultural and social factors that shape our perceptions of these activities, as they can have a profound impact on our attitudes and opinions.
Today, a similar stigma surrounds the world of competitive gaming. Although competitive gaming has become a multimillion-dollar industry, many people still perceive it as a hobby, rather than a legitimate competitive sport. Professional gamers are often subject to criticism and stereotyping, as many people believe that it is not a “real” sport and that the players are not “real” athletes. This stigma is largely because competitive gaming is still relatively new and not as well-established as other professional sports.
Concluison
In summary, professionalism has gradually gained acceptance in baseball, while it continued to be concealed and criticized in collegiate football. This was due to the academic world’s aversion to professionalism in sport and its desire to maintain amateurism. Today, competitive gaming faces similar criticisms and stigmas, as many people view it as an activity for hobbyists, rather than a legitimate sport. It is clear that although times have changed, many of the same arguments and positions surrounding professionalism in sport remain.
Reference
Sol, G. (2020). John P. Rossi, Baseball and American Culture: A History. Society, 57(1), 122-124.