Monday, June 29

#26 - the international pastime


Some decades in the future, all existing professional sports leagues have collapsed. This includes the four major US organizations (MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL), those in other countries, and all international leagues (though the Olympics are still held every two years). Experts have suggested various reasons for the demise of professional sports, but attempts to revive any of the leagues have continually met with failure.

In response to the widespread public desire for a new professional league as well as an attempt to foster international goodwill, the United Nations has added the discussion of such a league to their upcoming docket. Though far from a sure thing, the hope is that these discussions will lead to the creation of a viable, sustained international league.

If everything were to go according to plan, the talks would result in the selection of a single sport. A governing body would then be elected and nations could apply to have a team represent them in the league. The UN at this point would no longer be connected to the league, each nation taking responsibility for the outfitting and managing of their team. Though it is expected (especially within larger countries) that smaller leagues, in which anyone could play, would spring up to act as feeders for the national teams, athletes on the these teams would need to meet some sort of eligibility requirements (similar to the Olympic Games).

You have been selected to serve as the United States ambassador to the UN panel for the professional league. Part of your charge will be to recommend a single sport for the league, and you will be given the opportunity to present your argument to the panel and the rest of the UN. Which sport do you choose to advocate, and why?

4 comments:

Andrew said...

If this were to happen, then in all likelihood the 'one sport' would be soccer, which is far and away the most popular sport in the world currently.

Of course, things may have changed in this future world you describe. In which case I'd suggest cricket, because:
1. it's my favorite sport
2. it lasts a long time, and so each game would bring in lots of revenue.
3. it has enough statistics to keep American sports-lovers happy
4. it's a gentleman's game, so it would be unlikely to provoke wars between competing nations - which is a major concern of the UN.

Stephanie said...

I like this one! A lot. My first instinct was football, american football. But I too, would like to second the Cricket idea. I just learned how to play while in Jamaica and absolutely loved it. It's super fun.

Chris said...

I originally thought soccer or cricket because they are internationally well known, but I'm not crazy about either of them. Then I decided that it should be something relatively new, something exciting, something easy to understand, something kids could simulate with minimal effort, and something I would want to watch. So, I would advocate ultimate frisbee. Really, it's everything other sports can only dream of being.

Matt said...

Thanks to Stephanie for providing the "only one sport left" concept a while back. Must be why she likes the question so much.

Though I'm biased, I will second ultimate frisbee. It requires very little equipment and can be played at all different skill levels. Fast paced, exciting, yet elegant (due to the physics of frisbees).

As far as soccer goes, yes, it enjoys worldwide popularity, but I can't personally endorse a sport that makes almost no use of hands as "the one".