Sport is more than just a simple pastime, it is a social construction, whose rules reflect overarching norms dominant in society, and whose influence extends beyond playing fields or TV screens and into the very fabric of social cohesiveness. Sport is at once society's confessor, its clown, its police force, and even its language. It builds shared identities, it reinforces societal norms, it lionises heroes, it even doles out prestige. Why though is sport's influence so pervasive? Simply, because, the relatively modern phenomenon of free time necessitates it. Free time is the space in which imaginations are freed and dangerous questions pondered. What would the world be like, if.......?  Like Orwell's thought police sport helps control what we think, why we think, and why we think we think.

Sport can be practised in formal or informal settings with society deriving specific benefits from each form. Formal sporting structures closely resemble the hierarchical nature of society and teach youth about rule-following and power dynamics, while also initiating them in adult models of work and achievement. On the other hand, informal sport, where the societal emphasis shifts to cooperation, planning, flexibility, and improvisation, hones interpersonal and decision making skills. So, watching little leaguers slug it out, or adolescent skateboarders repeatedly fall over, is to watch society's attempt at self preservation.

To encourage participation sport provides us with role models, people who embody the virtues championed by the prevailing ideology and thoroughly deserve the societal rewards that they receive. The meritocracy of sport is presented as a metaphor for the values of society at large. Dedication, teamwork, commitment ..... all those CV buzz words ....... take physical form in an Übermensch, more often than not decked out in his/her self branded underwear. Consumerism piggybacks on these values in a virtue signalling effort to reinforce its ideological ascendancy. Take for example the playground Messi vs. Ronaldo debate. Opinion is expressed not through words alone, rather allegiance is stated through merchandise, the branding preferences of advocates reflecting those of their heroes. As a siphon for sporting excellence the brand becomes a vessel for dreams - wear Adidas to play like Messi, or perhaps more accurately, buy Adidas to play like Messi.

The Market dictates more than purchasing habits it leverages sporting outcomes to its own end. For example, the makeup of the Premium League, which is increasingly segregated into "haves" and have nots", see the distinction between the "big six" and the rest, reflects the economic stratification of society at large, the inequalities in both running parallel to one another. Money lubricates success and in so doing reaffirms status and consequently defines power relations. Take Manchester's poor sporting relations add an oil rich Sheikh and what do you get? You get success, you get status and you get power. Moreover, success is predictive of future support, and as such, of future communities. Globally speaking, who 20 years ago supported Chelsea? 10 years ago who supported Manchester City? Isolated groups whose makeup was largely predicted by geography and tradition, that's who.The advent of massive investment loosened those bonds and, thus liberated, allowed those clubs to rebrand as aspirational torch bearers for the prevailing zeitgeist. In supporting the club, you also support what they stand for, even if you think otherwise.

Sport is at once a language and a talking point. It depoliticises interaction as the conversation centres on a construct, sport, whose relevance is derived from societal acquiescence. Does it really matter who won the game? No; but it is a welcome distraction from Trump's latest faux pas, the Brexit impasse, or other truly contentious political issues. It moreover distracts from potential hardships at home. The concept of living for the weekend offers a release from the weekly grind and identifies an individual as a member of a larger group. For 90 minutes on a Saturday as you stand, one among many, in the terraces wearing the latest overpriced kit, you are part of the team, you are the "12th man" and, albeit vicariously, you are living the dream. Why complain? Things could be much worse couldn't they? So what if you're underpaid and overworked, that's just the way it is, at least you've got your season ticket.

Sometimes sport is deployed overtly as social control. Governments sponsor sporting events and programs which target at-risk youth in order to safeguard public order. By using sport as a medium for the transference of values participants in turn become societal stakeholders and adapt their behavioural patterns to reflect the fact. Away from public order concerns, governments can attempt to lessen the strain on health services by incentivising healthier lifestyles choices. State legitimacy can be bolstered by the performance of athletes on an international stage. Indeed, the market to repatriate elite level African athletes indicates the lengths to which nation states will go to purchase prestige. The feel good factor generated by their glory more than compensates for any financial outlay incurred by bolstering togetherness and reinforcing shared identities.

Put simply sport is meaningful, it is theatre, it is emotion, and ultimately as a product of society, it is you and I, it is humanity. Sport works so people can work. A normative vacuum would result in anarchy and the effective dissolution of society as we understand it. In helping replicate societal norms sport safeguards the collective consciousness and our identity. Sport, for good and for bad preserves who we are.