Two Benefits of Spectator Sports

I was chatting with a friend—S—about my “year without spectator sports” odyssey. S wanted to make sure that I knew what I was giving up. There are, she said, may reasons in being a sports fan.

“Such as...?” I asked.

S offered two benefits: First, engaging in spectator sports adds structure to a person’s life. Games usually begin at set times, and that regularity can make life less chaotic. You know what you’re going to be doing when the first pitch is thrown. You know what you’re going to be doing during March—if you’re into college basketball.

The second benefit is overcoming loneliness. For many people, the relationship with a team creates a sense of belonging. And it’s not only the team of the field. Many announcers—such as Vin Scully, Harry Caray, Jack Buck, and Jon Miller—become virtual friends. Their voices are as familiar as those of people in the family or neighborhood.

I don’t deny what S told me. Anything that’s addictive has to have value. Otherwise, people wouldn’t use it. It was Freud, I believe,who explained that every neurotic behavior provides a benefit. The problem: at what cost?