Evolution Of Sports

By Dr. Roger Best and Dr. Dennis Howard

Sports and competition have been around as long as individuals could run faster, throw farther or jump higher than their peers. Sports and competition are an innate part of our human structure and cultural condition.

Sports competition was first formalized in training soldiers to run, jump, fight and ride horses and use poles, spears, and rocks in combat. The intense training inevitably led to competition among soldiers. We can assume some observers even placed wagers on the contests. Hence, one of the competitive sports’ first derivatives may have been betting. The early period also produced the first signs of sports-as-entertainment and the importance of fan engagement.

Military competitions eventually led to the inaugural Olympic games in 776 BCE. The games were the first documented organized sports competition with athletes, events, spectators, and a venue. The events included boxing, discus, equestrian, long jump, javelin, running, and wrestling.

SPORT CREATION: While the origins of sports are generally traced to 776 BCE, sports emerged in the years between the first Olympics and 1850. The new sports and their rules evolved primarily in Europe, with some coming to be in Asia. Their development also led to the first cataloging of world records.

Sports Developed by 1850

The era between 776 BCE and 1850 saw the creation of the sports shown in Figure II. For the most part, sports venues at the time consisted of fields, courts and pools. Unlike the giant arenas where the ancient Greeks and Romans showcased their skills, the new venues had limited room for spectators. The sparse seating offered the only form of sports fan engagement, aside from informal wagers among spectators.

The modern sports era began around 1850 and continues today. Shown in Figure III are many of the sports evolving during the period. In the early years, a dramatic shift occurred, with new leagues, teams and stadiums added for a variety of sports like baseball, football, basketball, ice hockey, water sports, bicycle racing and auto racing. By 1880, the United States became a driving influence in sports creation. As the new sports drew greater interest with the support of emerging media, fan engagement and venues showcasing the events also grew.