History of
Professional Sports
RC Sports Business
Survival Instincts
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Athletic ability, physical fitness, competition, and play have been a
significant cultural component of civilization since the dawn of time.
Civilizations that perished long ago, and civilizations standing today share
this characteristic.
Humans have evolved to become stronger and faster with each successive
generation. This is because of our strong survival instincts, which arguably
derives from our ability to adapt to our surroundings, and our playful
nature.
The Earliest Examples of Sport
Definition of Sport-an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an
individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.
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It is still unknown the first sport was.
The earliest humans needed to hunt, and run, to survive. So it is believed
that these could be considered among the contenders.
Fishing occurred early in the history of humans as well.
The further back in history one looks, the more scarce evidence gets. That
makes theories of origins and purposes of ancient sport more difficult to
obtain.
Prehistoric Sports Examples
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May date as far back as the beginnings of military training--as a means to
determine whether individuals were fit and useful for service.
Team sports may have been developed as a means to fight and work together
as a team (army).
Cave paintings in France depict sprinting and wrestling 173,000 years ago.
Cave paintings in Mongolia depict a wrestling match surrounded by an
audience (7,000 BC).
Rock art found by cave swimmers in Libya show swimming and archery
being practiced around 6,000 BC.
Around the same time, prehistoric cave paintings have been discovered in
Japan showing a sport similar to sumo wrestling.
Ancient Examples of Sport
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Evidence has been found to support the notion that sports were a large part
of 3 ancient civilizations; Sumer, Egypt, and Greece.
In Sumer, there is evidence of boxing, fishing, and wrestling. (2,600 BC)
In Egypt, there is evidence of javelin, weightlifting, swimming, rowing, long
jump, high jump, and various ball games. (2,400 BC)
In Greece, there is evidence of gymnastics, bull-leaping, bullfighting,
footraces, chariot racing, and the discus throw. (1,100 BC).
The Greeks celebrated the aesthetic beauty of the human body and sport
unlike any civilization before it.
The Olympics
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Inspired from numerous athletic festivals in Ancient Greece.
Nearly every city-state and small town celebrated festivals in which athletic
competition was a major activity.
In 1,000 BC, the small town of Olympia created a shrine to Zeus. And, over
time, Olympia became a famous destination for athletes to celebrate victory.
The Greeks believed that victory was ordained by the Gods, and that the
Gods loved to watch mortals compete in sport.
The athletes competed in honor of Zeus, and had to take an oath to Zeus that
they would play fair.
The Olympics Continued
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The early Olympics had one event, the Stade (a footrace about 200 meters).
By 520 BC, the Olympics added other events such as runs of various
distances, the pentathlon, jumping, discus, javelin, wrestling, and chariot
races.
Many came to see the “spectacle”, but only Greek males were allowed to
compete in the games.
In 472 BC, the Olympics were organized into a 5 day event, which remained
largely unchanged for the next 800 years.
Olympic athletes are one of the earliest examples of professional athletes, as
they were given money and luxuries by cities in Greece.
Ancient Rome
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One of the most legendary and prolific civilizations in the history of human
history.
Romans were utilitarian, which means they adopted cultural aspects after
conquering an enemy. This included sports.
Roman culture adopted brutal and gruesome spectacles that pitted man
against man, and man against beast to entertain spectators.
Spectators of Rome enjoyed watching dramatic and deadly spectacles such
as gladiator contests, although depending on the era, the “athletes” were
usually slaves or prisoners.
The Romans redefined sport into spectator entertainment.
Ancient Women’s Sport History
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The role of women in athletics, as participant and spectator, is not nearly as
well documented as of the men.
When Rome ruled the Olympics, they participated in running and wrestling,
however it is generally agreed upon that participation of women during the
Olympics at this time was for entertainment and not taken too seriously.
Women enjoyed recreational sporting activities such as swimming and
dancing.
However women did compete as gladiators (AD 37-AD 68), under the reign of
Emperor Nero.
As the spectacle and carnage became so disgusting, Emperor Severus
outlawed their participation in AD 200.
Professional Sports in the US
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As the Industrial Revolution took hold in the United States in the mid 19th
century, jobs became more boring requiring less physical and mental effort.
This increase in leisure time and the increase in mass media fueled the rise
of professional sports in the US.
The combination of these two factors brought larger audiences, so sports
organizations or teams can command large incomes.
Thus, more sportspeople were allowed the opportunity to make athleticism
their primary career.
Most sports played professionally have amateur players far outnumber the
professionals.
Professional Sports in the US Continued
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In 1871 the first professional baseball league was created.
American Football was first professionalized in the 1890’s.
The first professional female athlete in the US was Joan Weston, a roller
derby star (late 1960’s).
Even now, most professional women athletes in the US and around the
world receive very little notoriety or pay compared to men.
Currently there are dozens of professional sports in the United States (both
men and women’s).