There is no strict definition of what constitutes a major sport, though in general it can be defined as a game that is widely played and watched around the world. In the United States, basketball, baseball, football (American) and ice hockey are considered to be the four major sports; however, in other parts of the world, soccer (football), cricket and rugby can also be considered major. The designation of a particular sport as being “major” may change over time as the popularity and viewership patterns shift.
As international organizations, competitions and spectatorship grew in the post-World War II period, a shift took place that marked a move from a primarily European aspect of sports to a global one that included many previously non-European areas, particularly in Asia and Africa, in the wake of decolonization. During the age of imperialism, explorers and colonizers were often astonished by the prowess of the “primitive” peoples that they encountered in their contests. Nandi runners in Kenya’s Rift Valley seemed to effortlessly run distances that brought their European counterparts to a pitiful physical collapse, and Tutsi high jumpers in Rwanda and Burundi seemed to swoop through the air with ease at heights that seemed impossible for the colonizers to attain.
Today, there is an even greater recognition of the power and influence that sports can have to improve the human condition. Hundreds of sports-based, non-governmental and charitable organizations around the world use sport as a means to address some of the most enduring development challenges. Learn more by visiting 해외스포츠중계.
Hosting a major sporting event is a massive undertaking for the host country. The costs of constructing facilities, hiring consultants, and providing security can be immense. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that the benefits of such events can be enormous and can have a lasting positive effect on a nation’s economy.