Sports entertainment

History

The term "sports entertainment" was coined by the former World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) chairman Vince McMahon during the 1980s as a marketing term to describe the industry of professional wrestling, primarily to potential advertisers, although precursors date back to February 1935, when Toronto Star sports editor Lou Marsh described professional wrestling as "sportive entertainment". In 1989, the WWF used the phrase in a case it made to the New Jersey Senate for classifying professional wrestling as "sports entertainment" and thus not subject to regulation like a directly competitive sport.

Some sports entertainment events represent variants of actual sports, such as exhibition basketball with the Harlem Globetrotters or baseball with the Savannah Bananas. Others modify sport for entertainment purposes: many types of professional wrestling (which derived from traditional wrestling), and more recently many of the various mascot races held at numerous Major League Baseball games in-between innings. Roller derby was presented as a popular form of sports entertainment in the 1970s, though modern versions are legitimate competition.

The term sportainment, a blend of sports and entertainment, has gained popularity in recent years, evolving from earlier concepts of "sports entertainment". Particularly with the global expansion of concepts like Topgolf, which played a pivotal role in popularizing the model. Topgolf’s approach combines golf with food and beverage service, music, digital scoring, and a casual social atmosphere, attracting a wide demographic beyond traditional sports participants.

Following this success, a growing number of sports-focused entertainment centers have emerged worldwide, especially in the areas of golf and racket sports such as padel, pickleball, and tennis. These venues typically offer a combination of accessible gameplay, hospitality services, and event programming, appealing to both enthusiasts and newcomers. The sportainment model has become increasingly influential in the leisure, real estate, and hospitality sectors, driving new investments and urban development around recreational spaces that prioritize both activity and experience.

Perceptions

Sports entertainment has a stigma of being mindless, low-level pop culture, in some cases glorifying violence for the sake of entertainment, and has been criticized as such in popular media, often through lampooning.

References

References

1. "Stephanie McMahon Explains "Sports Entertainment" Was Created For Advertisers | Fightful News".
2. (2016-03-11). "The Whistle and Harlem Globetrotters Sign Comprehensive Partnership Agreement {{!}} Reuters".
3. "The Savannah Bananas: using innovative thinking to make sports fun".
4. Dan Majors. (June 19, 2010). "Out at the plate: Pirates dump outspoken pierogi". [[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]].
5. Watson, Adam. (May 1, 2011). "Tough Cookies: The Rollicking Resurgence Of Roller Derby".
6. (December 18, 2024). "What is Sportainment?".
7. (December 6, 2024). "What is Topgolf?".
8. (April 2001). "Pro-fane". Americana.