1. SPORTS IMPACT ON SOCIETY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1) Why do sports get so much attention in the US?
2) Research the following sport athletes & events & answer why they had such an impact on not only the sports world, but to society as a
whole?
A) Jackie Robinson
B) Muhammad Ali
C) 1972 Olympics
D) Title IX
E) 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup
F) Lance Armstrong
G) 1980 Olympics (USA vs Russia in hockey)
H) Jim Valvano
I) 1968 Olympics (Tommie Smith & John Carlos)
J) 1995 Rugby World Cup
3) In addition to the above, can you think of any other athletes, teams, games, events, etc. that had an impact on society as a whole?
SPORTS & SOCIETY ARTICLES DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
What Makes Fans Tick?
1) Explain the 8 basic motives that drive people to be sports fans.
2) How does the "social identity theory" explain our attraction to spectator sports?
3) Explain the concepts of "BIRGing" and "CORFing."
4) What is a "Deep Fan?"
5) What are the differences between blue collar and white collar fans?
What Makes Fans Crazy About Sports?
1) What is the #1 "passion driver" of most NFL fans?
2) What is the #1 "passion driver" of most MLB fans?
3) Explain the following 3 groups of baseball fans:
A) Field of Dreamers
B) Team Obsessors
C) Family Connectors
4) What sports property had the largest U.S. fan base in 2009?
5) What sports property had the largest U.S. fan base in 2001?

2. THE YANKEES PLAYOFF RUN AFTER 9/11 IS NOT THE ONLY
EXAMPLE OF HOW SPORTS FIGURES & EVENTS
TRANSCENDED THE SPORTS WORLD & IMPACTED
SOCIETY.

3. WHAT WAS THE SOCIAL IMPACT OF THE FOLLOWING SPORT
EVENTS & ATHLETES?

4. JACKIE ROBINSON

5. -PLAYED FOR THE BROOKLYN DODGERS FROM 1947-56.
-SELECTED TO 6 CONSECUTIVE ALL-STAR GAMES (1949-54).
-WON MLB ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARD IN 1949.
-WON WORLD SERIES WITH DODGERS IN 1955.
-ELECTED TO MLB HALL OF FAME IN 1962.
-BECAME 1ST BLACK MLB PLAYER SINCE 1880’S WHEN HE
DEBUTED WITH DODGERS ON APRIL 15, 1947.
-HIS CHALLENGE OF MLB SEGREGATION CONTRIBUTED
SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT (1955-68).
-MLB RETIRED HIS NUMBER 42 ACROSS ALL TEAMS IN
1997.

6. MUHAMMAD ALI

7. -WON LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT GOLD MEDAL AT THE 1960 SUMMER OLYMPICS IN ROME.
-BECAME YOUNGEST BOXER (22) TO TAKE THE TITLE FROM A REIGNING HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION WHEN HE DEFEATED SONNY LISTON ON 2/25/64.
-NAMED “FIGHTER OF THE YEAR” BY RING MAGAZINE MORE TIMES THAN ANY OTHER
FIGHTER.
-INDUCTED INTO INTERNATIONAL BOXING HALL OF FAME IN 1990.
-CROWNED “SPORTSMAN OF THE CENTURY” BY SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IN 1999.
-BORN CASSIUS CLAY BUT CHANGED HIS NAME IN 1964 AFTER JOINING THE NATION OF
ISLAM.
-REFUSED CONSCRIPTION INTO US MILITARY IN 1967 BASED ON RELIGIOUS BELIEFS &
OPPOSITION TO THE VIETNAM WAR.”
-”I AIN’T GOT NO QUARREL WITH THEM VIET CONG…NO VIET CONG EVER CALLED ME
NIGGER.”
-QUOTE ARTICULATED THE REASON TO OPPOSE THE WAR FOR MANY YOUNG
AMERICANS, & SERVED AS A TOUCHSTONE FOR THE RACIAL UPHEAVALS THAT WOULD
ROCK THE 60’S.
-AWARDED PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM ON 11/9/05 BY GEORGE W. BUSH.

8. 1972 SUMMER OLYMPICS

9. -TOOK PLACE IN MUNICH, WEST GERMANY FROM 8/26-9/11 1972.
-US SWIMMER MARK SPITZ WON 7 GOLD MEDALS & SET A NEW
WORLD RECORD FOR EACH.
-SOVIET UNION WON MOST MEDALS (99). US WAS 2ND (94).
-OFFICIAL MOTTO: “THE HAPPY GAMES.”
-WEST GERMAN GOVERNMENT WANTED TO PRESENT A NEW,
DEMOCRATIC GERMANY TO THE WORLD AFTER THE FALL OF THE
NAZI REGIME.
-ON 9/5 8 PALESTINIAN TERRORISTS BELONGING TO THE BLACK
SEPTEMBER ORGANIZATION BROKE INTO OLYMPIC VILLAGE & TOOK
11 ISRAELI ATHLETES, COACHES, & OFFICIALS HOSTAGE.
-ALL 11 HOSTAGES WERE EVENTUALLY MURDERED.

10. TITLE IX

11. -TITLE IX OF THE EDUCATION AMENDMENTS OF 1972 WAS ENACTED
ON JUNE 23, 1972.
-IN 2002 IT WAS RENAMED THE PATSY T. MINK EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
IN EDUCATION ACT, IN HONOR OF ITS PRINCIPAL AUTHOR PATSY
MINK.
-SINCE 1972, 9 TIMES THE AMOUNT OF WOMEN PARTICIPATE IN HIGH
SCHOOL SPORTS & PARTICIPATION AT THE COLLEGE LEVEL
INCREASED 450%.
-A RECIPIENT OF FEDERAL FUNDS CAN DEMONSTRATE COMPLIANCE
WITH TITLE IX BY MEETING ANY 1 OF THE FOLLOWING 3 PRONGS:
1) PROVIDING ATHLETIC PARTICIPATION OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE
SUBSTANTIALLY PROPORTIONATE TO THE STUDENT
ENROLLMENT.
2) DEMONSTRATE A CONTINUAL EXPANSION OF ATHLETIC
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE UNERREPRESENTED SEX.
3) FULL & EFFECTIVE ACCOMMODATION OF THE INTEREST & ABILITY
OF THE UNDERREPRESENTED SEX.