Effect of Social Class on English Sport

The social class can be considered to have significant on sporting events in England. The social class mainly affects the sporting arena by dictating who participates in certain sports and to what participation level. It is prudent to understand that the determining factor in this case is an individual’s monetary status. It is therefore relevant and convenient to view the English sporting arena from the well off, middle class, and lower class point of view (MCKIBBIN, 2008, pp. 11). These three classes have different levels of spending power. Money is the means through which sporting individuals will be able to acquire facilities and equipment necessitating their participation in the sport of their choice.

The media and the social classes of England are connected in a way that the media represents how the classes wish to be presented. In the movie scene, the media depicts the wealthy social class as those who play Polo (MCKIBBIN, 2008, pp 21). The middle class are depicted to play sports like baseball and football. The final yet important social class, the lower class, is normally depicted as playing unorganized games at the playground or the park. The way the media manifests these social classes gives the community an idea of which social class they belong to as well as they should act, including those sports, they should participate. When people discover the type of sport their social class associates with, they are known to develop an immediate interest with that particular sport (MCKIBBIN, 2008, pp. 38).

It is fundamental to realize that the monetary factor has had a limiting effect on the minority population in the English community. However, there are the exceptional few who have excelled in the English sport field. These examples offer an exception to the notion that social class has an effect on who participates in certain sports in England. However, one cannot overlook the fact that the minority are the most affected due to their insufficient funds to facilitate their participation in such sports. Rather than genetics, the factor above is normally considered why African individuals are poorly represented in certain sports such as hockey (WIGGLESWORTH, 2006, pp.24). They are however found to participate in less financially demanding sports such as basketball.

For example, while the tennis sport does not require many demands in terms of equipment, the courts to facilitate this sport are almost exclusively located in middle class and private clubs. The sport therefore does not appeal to the working class and the minorities. However, the sport has increasingly seen an increase in participants from the lower classes because of media exposure, the administration behind the sport is still notably from the middle class. Remarkably, the tennis sport in England has few African participants. This fact fosters the assumption that it will be overshadowed by cricket, football, and athletics. According to MANGAN (2002, pp. 41), the last British tennis sportsman to win the Wimbledon, Fred Perry, did so in 1936.

Golf is one sporting activity in England that is almost exclusively reserved for the middle class individuals. The very equipment and facilities required to support the participation in this sport are amazingly exorbitant. For example, there is that revered myth that expensive golf clubs will achieve good results and poor results for cheap clubs. It is suggested that golf is a sport for the well off community not only in the English society, but also throughout the whole world. However, the industry is increasingly looking to allow a limited amount of the less privileged to participate in the sport.

One other sport popular with well off class in England is horseracing. This form of sport is considered to have a symbiotic relationship with gambling. This form of sport is notably practiced exclusively by the royal society in England and other states. Consequently, the sport has been coined the name “the sport of kings”. Off course betting and media coverage have not had any significant effect on lowering the standards of participating in the sport. This is because the sport is still exclusive and is normally conducted in an aristocratic ambience. In the world of horses, breeding, owning, and maintaining the animal requires large sums of funds. Therefore, the sport is still limited to the well of social class in England.

Besides the above-mentioned forms of sports, others are not subjective to any social class. In this case, anyone who feels fascinated gets to play as long as he or she has the necessary skills. One such game is football. Soccer is undoubtedly the largest sporting activity in England that supports individuals from the entire social class (WAGG, 2004, pp. 29). Unlike many other forms of sports, the equipment required to facilitate football is convenient and cheap to acquire. The facilities (football pitch) are not exclusive to any requirements. The game can be played on uneven or sloping and minor rough weather. Those who do not participate in the sport can be caught in the supporting stands as spectators (WAGG, 2004, pp.33).

One other sport that people of the all classes are seen to participate in is the athletic sport. Athletics is an easy pastime and cheap form of sport. In addition, it is considered a good way of keeping physically fit. Therefore, all social classes are attracted to this sport for one or more of the above reasons. In most places in England, there is sufficient public ground for running and jumping for anyone who has the desire of being physically active (MANGAN, 2002, pp. 49). However, there is need to note that this particular sport is popular with individuals from unprivileged backgrounds. Since the sport involves little or no financial requirements to participate, it largely favors the lower social class. Besides the well off and the lower social classes in England, there also exists the middle class are normally associated with sporting activities such as rowing. Working class crews are seen racing on the river Thames

Fishing is another sport that also fascinates both laborers and lords. However, the social class rule divides this game in two versions: the sport for the middle class and the exclusive and expensive game fishing. The well off social class normally participates in this activity for sheer amusement. On the other hand, the middle social class participates in this activity with the view of sport and competition.

In conclusion, with regard to the English social culture, the ability of the social class of limiting participation is positively correlated. The different social classes in England have grouped sporting activities. This is with regard to their social behavior and their financial status. The social class in England mainly affects the sporting arena by dictating who participates in certain sports and to what participation level. The kind of sport one can be able to participate in is largely determined by their respective social class; be it the well off, middle class, and lower class.

Bibliography

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