Scandals in Sports - Does Anyone Care Anymore?

The sporting world has long been an arena where millions of every day men and women can live out their dreams of greatness vicariously through their hometown heroes. The allure of the big bat of your team's best slugger or the game winning drive by your favorite quarterback have been as much a part of Americana in the last century as film, television and radio. So, now, even as the major sports are all more popular than ever before, what effect does the influx of scandal and controversy have on the resurgent fan base?

Obstacles of the Past

In the past, sports were a niche of entertainment, largely relegated to those that could afford to attend games and usually for those that lived close to their teams. Listening to your favorite teams on the radio in the 1950s meant that you had better either live in your hometown team's city or be a fan of New York teams. In the 70s and 80s, television broadcasts made watching your favorite team easier, but still not viable from afar.

So, it is only now, with the advent of internet technology, digital television and constant access to hundreds of games and scores from anywhere in the world, that sports fans can truly absorb their teams in the manner they desire. It doesn't just stop at media coverage though. Fans can participate in their sports more than ever before. Before, the most a fan could hope to do is attend a game and vote for all-stars every year. Now, fans can compete from around the world in hundreds of different fantasy style leagues, keeping close track of their favorite players and teams.

Additionally, fans can collect memorabilia in greater detail and numbers than ever before. Sporting cards offer game used materials, team shops sell dozens of jerseys, caps and game equipment, and anything made of fabric has a logo emblazoned on it.

Another major obstacle in the past has been the intermittent disruption of sports by scandal and player relationships. Whenever a players union strikes to or is locked out over salaries or contracts, the public tends to react angrily, turning off the sport for a few years at a time. The 1996 baseball season or 2004-2005 hockey seasons are both good examples of this type of reaction. Personal scandals are equally disheartening. Fortunately, there have rarely been personal scandals of a magnitude great enough to disrupt an entire sport. That, unfortunately, is looking to change as repeated scandals in multiple sports have slowly created a deeply cynical attitude by fans towards their favorite pastimes.

Current Scandals

Each major sport has its fair share of scandal right now and unfortunately, these scandals are not looking to go anywhere. The most fortunate thing that can be said is that they don't appear to have disheartened enough fans to affect attendance or general interest, only to disrupt a certain level of respect and create ample conversations on certain aspects of sport.

The first of these scandals is the ongoing steroid scandal in Major League Baseball. With Barry Bonds now three home runs past Hank Aaron for the all time record, the focus has shifted to the playoffs and the more contemporary aspects of the sport. Still, the shadow lingers and dozens of players who are accused and - in Barry Bonds' case - possibly facing criminal prosecution, still leave a small taint on the sport. The question of how legitimate a record can truly be considered when the sport has been tainted by so many players who may have cheated to reach their milestones causes many fans and even other players to lose respect for those records.

Football's current array of scandals is entirely off the field. For this sport, the issue of off the field problems has been a major source of anger for fans and owners for multiple decades now. The recent flux of shootings, indictments and strict penalties by the commissioner only throws the entire situation into starker relief though. However, the recent crackdowns on players like Michael Vick for their off the field crimes is probably best for the sport as the commissioner does his best to distance these players from the league's image almost immediately.

Basketball is the most recent of many sports to fall victim to a sport changing scandal. In this case, the NBA is being forced to deal with the reality that one of its officials was involved in an illegal, possibly mob-related, gambling ring in which he bet on the games he refereed. Though he recently plead guilty to the charges, the taint this leaves on the sport and its legitimacy with both players and fans is cause for immediate concern. Part of the conviction relates to him offering information as to which officials were refereeing which games and who would win because of bias by those referees. This alone is cause enough for the league to worry as they must now consider reworking their entire approach to the officiating of games.

Lasting Effects?

No one can know the lasting effects of so many scandals on so many sports. The NBA faces what is arguably the most damaging scandal, yet each major sport is stuck within its own crimes and the unsavory acts of its members. In the end, a restructuring is in order. Regardless of the fact that the 1990s and early 2000s will be forever remembered as the Steroid Era of professional baseball or that the last decade of professional basketball could have been irrevocably affected by an errant referee's gambling addiction will surely be important decades from now.

However, fans still turn out and tune-in in record numbers to watch their teams, video games sell in record numbers and apparel continues to work its way into men, women, and children's wardrobes. Perhaps it is a testament to the enduring power of sport to bring people together, or perhaps it is a testament to the growing cynicism and indifference of a populace that has long since been jaded by the overpaid, over indulgent athletes they watch day in and day out.