Good Evening Sports lovers on Scorum, it's always a nice feeling when I remember 'am part of a community like this which plays host to passionate sports writers and analysts from all over the World. A place to come chat, learn and discuss about what makes us happy, it's fun isn't it?
Few years ago, I would have been doing this on Facebook with little or no engagements, or the audience will have little or no interest in it. However, with an online forum of this nature that has a niche, I now have a better audience to share my passion and what I feel about sports. And this time around, it's about the growing weight of the betting industry in sports sector.
As the sports sector continues to evolved and gain more attention in the world on daily basis, there are however series of metamorphosis or if you like, transformation taking place in the sector. The Sports universe is fast growing beyond what it used to be centuries or decades ago, and its pace of evolution needs one to be a little bit more meticulous, if one must move and catch up with its dynamics or modern day trends.
Being a sports enthusiast(football in particular), I've been putting my ears on the ground, trying to appreciate this part of my existence even more. Before now, at least to the best of my knowledge and I stand to be corrected, sports used to serve as a huge spectacle for entertainment, keeping the body fit and was also a great form of escapism. People engaged in sporting activities for fun and some for the pride that came with it. Not here to discuss the historical aspect of sports, so I will say no more in that regard, maybe some other time, Lol...
Could We Define These Two Terms(Betting & Passion)?
Before we proceed further, I feel it's expedient we define these two terms to enable some of us flow and appreciate this better, and perhaps air our opinion accordingly if need be. I am not a native English speaker, so I would rather anchor my definition on a better authority. You're free to add your own definition and use it to air your opinion in the comment section if not satisfied with the authority or source of my definition. It's a decentralized world after all, haha...
Betting: "The action of gambling money on the outcome of a race, game, or other unpredictable event." information source
Passion: There are numerous definitions of passion though, but I chose this: "An intense desire or enthusiasm for something." information source
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What Incited This Thought?
Well, it's nothing abstract and it's far from being a figment of my imagination. The event that triggered this thought came about a fortnight ago or thereabout, when Liverpool hosted Barcelona in their second leg Champions league duel at Anfield. I have a Liverpool fan by name Frank, who happens to be a close friend of mine. He loves his team and had hoped they win the Champions league trophy this season.
However, Frank also have another side of him, he is an ardent bettor and when his Passion clashes with his bets, he prays for his money not to sink. On that fateful day, having seen the humiliation Liverpool went through in the hands of Barcelona during their first leg encounter at the Camp Nou, He placed a bet in favour of Barcelona to win or draw his team Liverpool in the second leg encounter.
We all know the game ended, with Liverpool winning 4-0 to the astonishment of everyone. I could see the jubilation from all angles, almost every English League fan was happy, but something strange took me aback. Guess What? Frank my friend Was sad. On further discussion, I now found out be placed a bet in favour of Barcelona. But this is a Liverpool Fan Who have prayed for his team to win the trophy before that game. His Passion waned, he just incurred a huge loss.
I have also seen scenarios where fans appear so restive while watching a game they've placed on a bet, they either get angry and walk away when their bet goes bad or they sit in pool of over excitement or melancholy, just because of their bet and not the substance of the game. These makes me wonder if betting is killing the Passion Sports fans have for the game. Is it all about the money or can one be a good bettor and still maintain his passion for the game in the long run?
Lemme Hear Your Thought On This, Maybe 'Am The One Mixing Things Up.
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