Aim: to analyze the geography of sports.

Vocabulary• Hearth• Taboo• Custom• Diffusion• Cultural Diffusion• Assimilation• Acculturation• Cultural Imperialism

• 1.• 2.• 3.• 4.• 5.• 6.• 7.• 8• 9• 10.

What are the most popular team sports on planet

Earth?

Most Popular (Team) Sports• 1. Soccer (Football)• 2. Cricket• 3. Rugby (all variations)• 4. Basketball• 5. Field Hockey• 6. Baseball• 7. Volleyball• 8. Ice Hockey• 9. (American) Football

1.Soccer2.Cricket3.Tennis

4.Rugby (all)5.Basketball

6.Field Hockey7.Baseball

8.Volleyball9.Table Tennis

10.Golf

Soccer

Rugby

Rugby

Cricket

Baseball

Other Sports

Attempt to Identify• Hearth.• The reason for the spread of the

sport from the hearth… to whatever location.• Think: distance decay, chain

migration, etc.Pick a Sport

Soccer

Rugby

What role did the British Empire play?

Why is soccer so much more popular than the other team sports?

Compare to rugby etc.

Part of the reason

345 lbs

Not

Messi: 5’7”, 145lbs

Classism , Racism, Imperialism, and

NationalismMuch of the rest of the

reason.

Starts with how sports were promoted throughout the British Empire… which of course was part of their

general educational policy.

Rugby LeagueThink: Industrial Revolution and

19th Century labor movement

(socialism).

Rugby UnionNotice

anything different?

BTW, note a similar geographic pattern with

Soccer?

FranceNationalism,

Class, Capitalism,

Unions, Socialism, and Nazis.

Vichy France

Aim: to what extent does nationalism

express itself through sports?

Sport and NationalismRugby

All Blacks Rugby

Springboks

Is the team representative of the country? Why? Why not?

Invictus1995 World Cup

Rugby UnionWhat about

Wales, Scotland,

and Ireland?

Stereophonics: As Long As We

Beat The English.

Aim: to what extent does nationalism

express itself through sports?

Basque Lands

Biarritz Rugby

Sport and Nationalism: Soccer

Where are Real Madrid and

Barcelona located?

What happens to Spain's football team if Catalonia breaks away?

Sport and Nationalism:Cricket

American Football

The regionalization of “Football Culture” in

the USA

NFL Teams

Division 1A Teams

Top 25 Division 1A Teams

Fin

What About Gender?

Women’s Soccer

What about American athletes?

Top 30 Division 1A Teams

Sevens Rugby