Imperial Sports
June 7th 2010 03:52
The latest stunt by the AFL, buying off rugby stars, is indicative of where sports is heading in OZ. Culture in Oz is dominated by sports, which is why it is so important. Sport crowds out other cultural forms, which is why young men (and occasionally women) who can run and jump or hit, throw or kick balls are more important than men and women who can think, write, paint, etc.
The main driver of this development is as usual money, mostly related to media activity. The shift is particularly appararent in the football codes. In the last few decades football clubs that were kept going by lamington drives and chicken raffles so they could run competitions have seen their game taken away by radio and TV stations. Star players, peak body administrators and media 'personalities' now get paid vast amounts.
The result of all this is that many of the die-hard fans can't even afford to see matches anymore, grass roots clubs are struggling to stay alive and money and power concentrate at the top. Arguably the standards are dropping even as more and more cash goes into the various codes.
And now there is talk that one of the football codes, rugby league, will entirely disappear thanks to the intense competition...
Oh well, anything so the TV stations, fat cat administrators, army of hanger-oners and pampered players can make ever more money...
The main driver of this development is as usual money, mostly related to media activity. The shift is particularly appararent in the football codes. In the last few decades football clubs that were kept going by lamington drives and chicken raffles so they could run competitions have seen their game taken away by radio and TV stations. Star players, peak body administrators and media 'personalities' now get paid vast amounts.
And now there is talk that one of the football codes, rugby league, will entirely disappear thanks to the intense competition...
Oh well, anything so the TV stations, fat cat administrators, army of hanger-oners and pampered players can make ever more money...
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