What is your definition of "A Sport"

[TNGTony]

What is your definition of "A Sport"?

A friend's article made me wonder what everyone's definition of "A sport" is. There is no "wrong answer" here but you need to defend your position.


My definition is any game or event that requires physical activity, physical coordination, training or a honed skill to excel (i.e. no luck required), and has a specific goal that must be attained. Only objective criteria may be used to determine the goal. Anything with "style points" or subjective criteria is automatically disqualified as a sport. It might be a great art form that requires physical activity, but not a sport.

So this means that, in my definition, any table games and card games are NOT sports except for maybe Billiards, table tennis, shuffleboard. Mountaineering and running ARE sports, in my definition.
One person in an earlier thread mentioned, "if you can do it while drinking a beer, it's not a sport." I invite that person to any softball field during summer months to disprove that theory. The only place my definition falls short is boxing since the judges use their subjective view to score a match that does not end in a KO. However, I will argue that the goal is objective (land more punches than the other guy). The criteria for a "scoring" punch is clearly laid out in advance of the match, therefore it is an objective goal.

What do you all think? What is your definition?

 

[raoul5788]

I think you need to have offense and defensive in order to be a sport. Otherwise it's just an athletic activity. Bowling would be a good example. You can't do anything to stop your opponent from throwing a strike!

 

[TNGTony]

How about track & field? There is no defense in a 100 yard dash, or javelin throw, high jump, etc. Would they not be sports in your definition?

 

[Mr Tony]

poker and competitive eating are not sports

hell go to any buffet and you'll see people trying to gobble enormous amounts of food

 

[BillD1984]

For me there's two criteria: competition (a winner and a loser(s)) and you have to be moving (and yes, auto racing counts).

 

[cosmo_kramer]

For me there's two criteria: competition (a winner and a loser(s)) and you have to be moving (and yes, auto racing counts).

Agreed. Competition and athletic in nature.

sport n.

an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc.

 

[TNGTony]

So running, just to run is not a sport? Mountain/Rock climbing is not a sport? Spelunking, not a sport? And even in the definition above, "Fishing" is included. Where is the opponent in fishing. Another definition excludes any event that harms any other living thing.

 

[TNGTony]

you have to be moving (and yes, auto racing counts).

Darts? You are moving. Not much, but you are moving.

 

[DodgerKing]

I think you need to have offense and defensive in order to be a sport. Otherwise it's just an athletic activity. Bowling would be a good example. You can't do anything to stop your opponent from throwing a strike!

I like this definition.

My definition is that it has to be both an athletic competition AND a game. You can have athletic events, such as ones that I participate in (skiing, cycling, running, swimming, ect), but they are not sports IMO because they are not a game; just an athletic competition. And then you can have games that are not athletic events, and thus they too are not sports, such as Poker.

 

[DodgerKing]

How about track & field? There is no defense in a 100 yard dash, or javelin throw, high jump, etc. Would they not be sports in your definition?

Athletic competitions, but not a sport.

 

[DodgerKing]

For me there's two criteria: competition (a winner and a loser(s)) and you have to be moving (and yes, auto racing counts).

I wouldn't consider any racing a sport because it is not a game, particularly auto-racing since the car is doing the majority of the work.

 

[TNGTony]

Athletic competitions, but not a sport.

So is playing a competitive video game on Wii that requires physical excursion against a computer opponent a sport? How about the opponent is another person, but not in the same zip code?

 

[TNGTony]

I wouldn't consider any racing a sport because it is not a game, particularly auto-racing since the car is doing the majority of the work.

Would tennis not be a sport since the raquet is doing most of the work of propelling the ball?

 

[TNGTony]

In running (except in a dash), motorsports (except drag racing), and especially cycling in a velodrome, aren't there specific defensive tactics used to "block" or "defend" against an attack by an opponent? Isn't this an offense and a defense?

 

[DodgerKing]

So is playing a competitive video game on Wii that requires physical excursion against a computer opponent a sport? How about the opponent is another person, but not in the same zip code?

No. It is not athletic.

Constipation can also cause physical exertion, but I would not call it athletic.

 

[DodgerKing]

In running (except in a dash), motorsports (except drag racing), and especially cycling in a velodrome, aren't there specific defensive tactics used to "block" or "defend" against an attack by an opponent? Isn't this an offense and a defense?

I used to be on a swim team. I currently ski and cycle in non competitive events and even take home a few KOMs on some legs. Even though these are my favorite activities, I enjoy them, they are athletic, and even like to watch them on occasion, I personally would not consider them a sport. Mainly because they are not games and there is little to no defense.

 

[stardust3]

I like anything with action........

Even though some activities are considered sports if it lacks my attention, then all is lost.

 

[BillD1984]

Darts? You are moving. Not much, but you are moving.

IMO, yes. Darts, table tennis (or ping pong) and pool are all "sports".

 

[DodgerKing]

Would tennis not be a sport since the raquet is doing most of the work of propelling the ball?

The raquet is not doing most of the work. The players are doing all of the work. In fact the racquet actually negates some of the work done by the player as it absorbs some of the energy when contact is made.

 

[TNGTony]

I said the racquet does most of the work TO PROPEL the ball, not "most of the work." The point is, at what point does the tool of the game negate the athletic activity? The JaiAlai cesta is another example. No way a human arm can throw a ball at over 120mph. So does the use of the cesta negate Jai alai as a spport? As to comparing Wii with constipation, unless there is some one trying to insert a cork as you try to go, it is false equivalency.

A game that requires athletic activity. Have you ever played Wii Tennis? It is a game, it requires athletic activity. How about first person shooters against opponents that require athletic activity to move within the game and you have an opponent.

I am trying to pin down the definition. I am not arguing. I am taking this definition and applying it to items that fit the definition.

And then there is the definition of "game". What is your definition of a "Game". Competitive long-distance cycling where you have offensive and defensive moves according to rules qualify as a game under the standard definition of game, and it is definitely an athletic activity.
---Game: [n] A form of play or sport, esp. a competitive one played according to rules and decided by skill, strength, or luck.