What constitutes a "sport"?

[not.your.average.joe]

My friends and I have been debating recently over what constitutes a "sport". Mainly, my friends are annoyed that I don't consider their hobbies to be sports. This includes track, race car driving, swimming, and golf, among others.

They think there are two classifications of general "activities":
1) Those which do not require a certain level of physical activity, including board games and card games, which they label as activities and not sports.
2) Those which require a certain level of physical activity, including basketball, track, baseball, football, volleyball, tennis, golf, race car driving, bowling, swimming, ping pong, and video games. *Note: Most of the ones that you or I might raise an eyebrow to are only considered sports by the people who play them, for example a swimmer might recoil with horror when I say it's not a sport but turn around and claim that race car driving is not a sport, which is interesting to note because that appears to be contradictory to me

I think there are three classifications of general "activities":
1) Those which do not require a certain level of physical activity, including board games, card games, and backyard games including bocce and croquet, which I label as activities and not sports *Note: This category we agree on, although for greater clarification I would label this category "nonphysical games" - I would also put video games and ping pong in this category
2) Those which require a certain level of physical activity but are not intrinsically competitive, meaning it is possible to perform all the actions of the activity alone without an opponent and still get the most out of the activity. In this category I put swimming, race car driving, golf, track, skiing, figure skating, and bowling. You do not need an opponent to swim, run, drive, bowl, or golf. My friends argue that it is a sport if you are competing against somebody else, like in track. They agree that running to the car or running alone as a hobby is not a sport. But I argue that if the only addition to a hobby or past time is competition, and the competition does not affect the way you do the hobby (for example, I can run a mile on a track with or without an opponent and my actions don't change), then it is not a sport. I call these things hobbies and if there is competition added I call them "competitive activities", but not sports.
3) Those which require a certain amount of physical activity and are intrinsically competitive, meaning it is not possible to perform all the actions of the activity without an opponent. In this category, which I call "sports", I group basketball, baseball, football, hockey, volleyball, tennis, softball, soccer, and rugby. I can practice my basketball shot alone on a court, but I am not playing basketball. You need an opponent to play basketball. My friends argue that you are not doing the sport "track" unless you have an opponent because that is what defines track. I counter that the actions don't change, whereas my actions would certainly change if I were defending against an opponent, or trying to dribble around him in basketball.

So I bring the question here, not to decide the debate, but to get a gauge of what people beyond high school think. If you think that we have made too much of a science out of this question, you are correct, but we are high school seniors with nothing better to do.

[dannno]

Competitive physical activity.

The three in your list that would not be included are chess, video games and poker.

An argument could be made that video games are sports, but I would say no. My mind could be changed.

[oyarde]

I voted .

[jkr]

racing

everything else is just a game

[TheTexan]

If women can be competitive with men in it, then its not a sport

[timosman]

If women can be competitive with men in it, then its not a sport

Do you really need to post your drivel here?

[r3volution 3.0]

All of them are sports except chess, video games, poker, and figure skating.

Now, as to figure skating, that does require some serious athleticism, but all the audience cares about is how hot the chick is: so, not a sport.

[heavenlyboy34]

All of them are sports except chess, video games, poker, and figure skating.

Now, as to figure skating, that does require some serious athleticism, but all the audience cares about is how hot the chick is: so, not a sport.

Same with cheerleading and dancing though, so I'm surprised you consider them "sports". IMO, the distinguishing characteristic of a sport is that the winner can be determined objectively in a contest of physical skill idiomatic to the specific sport. Take, for example, your choice of figure skating. It has no objective measure of "win"-it's an art, not a sport.

[r3volution 3.0]

Same with cheerleading and dancing though, so I'm surprised you consider them "sports".

You're right, I missed those; those are also not sports, and for the same reason.

IMO, the distinguishing characteristic of a sport is that the winner can be determined objectively in a contest of physical skill idiomatic to the specific sport. Take, for example, your choice of figure skating. It has no objective measure of "win"-it's an art, not a sport.

That seems reasonable, and more or less the basis on which I judged the OP's "sports."

Being a pretty girl isn't a "physical skill," though I'm certainly a fan, and will watch such "sports."

...let's throw college girls' volleyball into that mix.

[Anti Federalist]

Same with cheerleading and dancing though, so I'm surprised you consider them "sports". IMO, the distinguishing characteristic of a sport is that the winner can be determined objectively in a contest of physical skill idiomatic to the specific sport. Take, for example, your choice of figure skating. It has no objective measure of "win"-it's an art, not a sport.

This.

[r3volution 3.0]

This.

See above amendments.

[specsaregood]

Competitive physical activity.
The three in your list that would not be included are chess, video games and poker.
An argument could be made that video games are sports, but I would say no. My mind could be changed.

an intense chess match is exhausting. The stress involved and physical reactions are much the same as things you would normally consider sports.

[r3volution 3.0]

an intense chess match is exhausting. The stress involved and physical reactions are much the same as things you would normally consider sports.

But the essence of the game (chess) has nothing whatsoever to do with physical ability; cripples could (and do) play excellent chess.

Yes, you have to move the pieces, but if that's enough for "sport," then walking my dog is a sport, making a sandwich is a sport, etc.

[specsaregood]

But the essence of the game (chess) has nothing whatsoever to do with physical ability; cripples could (and do) play excellent chess.
Yes, you have to move the pieces, but if that's enough for "sport," then walking my dog is a sport, making a sandwich is a sport, etc.

The brain isn't part of your physical body? The ability to handle the stress involved isn't part of your physical ability? Its more a sport than the "sports" that are really arts.

[fedupinmo]

Apathy... Apathy is a sport.

[pcosmar]

Drinking.. (not a poll option)

https://books.google.com/books?id=z4...ort%22&f=false

[tfurrh]

Apathy... Apathy is a sport.

But can you really be competitively apathetic without performance enhancing drugs?

[pcosmar]

But can you really be competitively apathetic without performance enhancing drugs?

That is a very good question..


I'll ask "Stoney Bear"

[Schifference]

Same with cheerleading and dancing though, so I'm surprised you consider them "sports". IMO, the distinguishing characteristic of a sport is that the winner can be determined objectively in a contest of physical skill idiomatic to the specific sport. Take, for example, your choice of figure skating. It has no objective measure of "win"-it's an art, not a sport.

With all due respect you are clueless as to the demands of professional cheerleading or competitive dance. My daughter did competitive cheerleading for several years after competitive gymnastics for several years. Extremely demanding sport.

[oyarde]

Horse racing , Football and hockey leading the poll .

[specsaregood]

With all due respect you are clueless as to the demands of professional cheerleading or competitive dance. My daughter did competitive cheerleading for several years after competitive gymnastics for several years. Extremely demanding sport.

Nothing you stated disputes what HB said. It is an art that requires extreme physical exercise.
While I think boxing in its purest form is a sport, I can't call it a sport since so many wins are decided by the subjective views of the judges.

[Schifference]

Nothing you stated disputes what HB said. It is an art that requires extreme physical exercise.

You would need to know how the judges score in order to determine that. Not any different than scoring gymnastics.

[specsaregood]

You would need to know how the judges score in order to determine that. Not any different than scoring gymnastics.

And I would say the same about gymnastics. If the scoring is subjective, then its not a "sport". That's how I see it. It isn't an insult, there is nothing wrong with being involved in the arts.

[Schifference]

And I would say the same about gymnastics. If the scoring is subjective, then its not a "sport". That's how I see it. It isn't an insult, there is nothing wrong with being involved in the arts.

Well then we simply disagree on the definition.

[heavenlyboy34]

With all due respect you are clueless as to the demands of professional cheerleading or competitive dance. My daughter did competitive cheerleading for several years after competitive gymnastics for several years. Extremely demanding sport.

I am well aware of the demands of dance. I am a dancer(ballet and modern). I also know that it is art, not sport-per the post you quoted and apparently didn't comprehend. Cheerleading is also very demanding. I never said otherwise. Still an art, not a sport-per the post you quoted.

[heavenlyboy34]

Nothing you stated disputes what HB said. It is an art that requires extreme physical exercise.
While I think boxing in its purest form is a sport, I can't call it a sport since so many wins are decided by the subjective views of the judges.

O rlly? What about sports like basketball where bad calls by refs change the entire game? By your reasoning those aren't sports.

[Danke]

The only sport I really enjoy watching is pole dancing.

[pcosmar]

Free diving. (also not an option)



I remember this girl training for this,,



In 1996 at the age of 18 Heaney-Grier established the first constant weight free-diving record in the United States with a dive to 155 feet (47.26 meters) on a single breath of air. The following year she beat her own record with a dive to 165 feet (50.3 meters)


Has been known to ride Sharks.

[dannno]

Surfing is not even on the list. The Bali Pro is starting today..

https://www.worldsurfleague.com/even...bali-protected

I never liked to think of surfing as a sport, though. I always thought of it more like a religion.

"Surfing is the only true religion" - Mudd

That said..

[ATruepatriot]

No martial arts?