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Finally, none of this would have been possible without the support of Dr. Kahandas Nandola, Professor Emeritus of Ohio University. Dr. Nandola sadly passed away in September 2017, but his legacy continues on through a generous endowed professorship and professorial stipend that I have been privileged to hold since 2012. It has been an honor. I strive every day to uphold his ideals, passion, and achievements, so that I may be a worthy holder of the title that bears his name.

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Why America Needs Alternative Models of Sports Development and Delivery

Sport is part of every man and woman’s heritage and its absence can never be compensated for.

—Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Movement

THE ESSENCE OF SPORTS

The phenomenon of sports throughout history has been a consistent subject of empirical and popular inquiry. Arguably, there is not a better quote than the one above to describe the importance of sports and sports participation in the world. As de Coubertin stated, sports are ubiquitous and will always be a part of our lives in some form. The former president of the International Olympic Committee, Juan Antonio Samaranch, once placed sports and sports development among the most important social phenomena of the twentieth century. He added that “sport has confirmed itself as a means of education, source of health and improved quality of life, an element of recreation and leisure occupation, first-rate entertainment, [and] factor of social communication” (quoted in Thoma and Chalip 2003, xi). As a researcher of sports and social phenomena in sports, as well as a lifelong participant and fan, I wholeheartedly agree with the pronouncements of de Coubertin and Samaranch. However, we also have to recognize that sports delivery and sports development are changing and, like anything else, need to evolve to keep up with shifts in the industry and with the current time. Sports development and delivery worldwide has changed dramatically with the availability of new technology, including fantasy and e-sports activities. Variations in sports participation and the subsequent impact on public health, in access to sports and recreation opportunities, along with the increasing financial cost of participation, to name a few issues, have also changed how we consume and participate in sports in ways we could never have imagined. The real questions now are how we are to understand the ways in which sports affect our lives, positively or negatively, and how we are to manage the future of sports and sports development in a rapidly changing world.