Question

What is your overall assessment of the trends in participation versus spectatorship? Does the United States show growth and interest in raising its citizens' level of physical activity? Or is it becoming a nation of watchers of elite athletes rather than people who participate in activity for their own health, recreation, and well-being? Once you have taken a position, suggest possible causes of these trends.

Answer 1

In any physical activity or a game, there are two groups of people. First group is of the participants who take part in the game and actually do the activity. The other group is of the spectators, who only watches the game by sitting on the stands.

Statistically, 65% of the people in America take part in the sports. It is much less as compared to other developed nations. However, there is a steady increase in the participation in sports and physical activities since 1920s, which is like a silver lining. Also, factors like increased awareness of the benefits on the health, a desire to stay fit and more role-models endorsing and motivating people to get engaged in the physical activities have increased the growth and interest of the people in the physical activities.

No wonder that there are more people now who are taking active part in the staying fit. But when it comes to taking part in the sports, beyond the recreational purposes, there is still not a rising trend which could be expected from an economy like America. The reason behind this is that people are more interested in sports, however, when it comes to taking part in them, the interest lacks somewhere. This all shows that the increased interest in sports is more on spectators side, rather than on actually taking a part. Therefore, it can be very well said that America is on the verge of becoming a nation of watchers rather than the participants.

Finally, the possible causes of these trends could be lack of interest, busy lifestyle which acts like hinders in mastering a sport and lack of belief in sports as a successful career option.