In a divided country, there is a consensus among nearly all Americans, as revealed by a recent study: Sports are beneficial.
Researchers from The Ohio State University and Ithaca College discovered that over 90% of Americans believe that sports help develop character and enhance health. Additionally, 84% think that participating in sports boosts popularity in school, while 85% indicated it increases recognition within the community.
The survey also found that 67% of respondents believe that playing sports can lead to higher grades in school.
While these views might seem innocent, they imply that most Americans support what’s referred to as the “Great Sport Myth,” according to Evan Davis, the lead author of the study and an assistant professor of sport management at Ithaca College.
“Many issues and challenges exist in the realm of sports, but the Great Sport Myth overlooks these problems by suggesting that sports are inherently good and virtuous,” Davis noted.
Some young athletes endure mistreatment such as bullying and abuse, while many others face burnout, unequal access to certain sports and facilities, and other challenges, stated Chris Knoester, co-author of the study and a sociology professor at Ohio State.
“The Great Sport Myth implies that positive outcomes from sports are guaranteed—you just need to start playing for good things to follow,” Knoester said. “This is untrue, yet a significant number of Americans seem to embrace that idea.”
The findings were published recently in the Journal of Sport and Social Issues.
Researchers affirmed that sports can indeed offer numerous advantages to participants, but caution against becoming so enamored by the positive aspects that one overlooks the associated problems.
For instance, prior research from Ohio State has linked youth sports participation with improved mental health in adulthood. However, these benefits were observed only for those who consistently engaged in sports during childhood. Many youth athletes reported quitting their sports activities, often citing reasons such as a lack of enjoyment, insufficient skill levels, conflicts with coaches or teammates, injuries, or financial constraints.
These results highlight that the advantages of sports are contingent upon specific environments, including supportive interactions and inclusive atmospheres, as noted by Knoester.
The concept of the Great Sport Myth was initiated by prominent sport sociologist Jay Coakley, a professor emeritus at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, and introduced in 2015.
This new study aimed to use a comprehensive national survey to evaluate the degree to which American adults endorse two critical elements of the myth: perceived personal development and social benefits of participating in sports.
The survey data was collected through the National Sports and Society Survey (NSASS), which is backed by Ohio State’s Sports and Society Initiative.
The survey involved 3,993 adults who volunteered via the American Population Panel, managed by Ohio State’s Center for Human Resource Research. Participants, representing all 50 states, completed the survey online between the autumn of 2018 and the spring of 2019.
To counter the disproportionate representation of participants who were female, white, and college-educated, the researchers adjusted the survey results to more accurately reflect the U.S. population.
The findings indicated that most Americans believe that sports contribute positively to personal character, health, academic performance, school popularity, and community recognition.
However, the results also revealed that various factors—such as social group affiliations, societal positioning, and individual sports experiences—can influence how much someone subscribes to the tenets of the Great Sport Myth.
Notably, Black Americans tended to align more closely with certain aspects of the myth compared to white Americans. Davis explained this trend—
“In the Black community, sports are often viewed positively and have historically been perceived as a pathway to advancement in society,” he explained.
Knoester pointed out an intriguing discovery: participants with more children were likelier to support the Great Sport Myth.
“This may relate to how deeply children involve their parents in sports culture, as parents attend their kids’ soccer practices and other events,” Knoester stated.
“Such involvement likely bolsters parents’ faith in the positive impact of sports on their children.”
Individuals who identified as Christian or conservative were more inclined to recognize the benefits of sports for personal growth and community standing. Additionally, heterosexual respondents exhibited more favorable views than sexual minorities, while men showed more enthusiasm than women and nonbinary individuals.
Predictably, participants who claimed to have grown up in sports-centric communities or developed into avid sports fans were more likely to believe in the elements of the Great Sport Myth. Conversely, those who experienced mistreatment in sports interactions, such as derogatory remarks or harsher forms of abuse, were less convinced of sports’ advantages.
The researchers further examined how the interplay of these various elements influenced perceptions regarding the value of sports.
Comparing individuals with negative or low engagement in sports to those with positive or high involvement, Davis and Knoester revealed striking differences—over 70 percentage points—in the likelihood that respondents strongly agreed that sports build character.
“Individuals embedded in sports cultures have a pronounced belief in the myth’s elements,” Knoester observed. “However, they may simultaneously be less critical of the prevailing problems.”
Davis added, “The essence of the Great Sport Myth is that it has become the dominant narrative surrounding sports. When people reflect on sports, they tend to focus on positive aspects while largely overlooking the negatives.”
Knoester emphasized the need to examine how sports operate in varying contexts.
“While sports can offer significant advantages, it’s crucial to maintain a critical perspective and assess our sports environments to ensure we are achieving the best possible outcomes.”
