Sport-Labour-Late-Capitalism

Sport, Labour and Late Capitalism

• Title: Exploring the Concussion "Crisis" through Class Politics

Overview

• Key topics:

  • Sport and Class

  • Sport and Labour using Marxist vocabulary

  • Relations of Production: Brohm and sport as an Ideological State Apparatus (ISA)

  • Labour Struggles: Curt Flood and the concept of free agency

  • Concussion Crisis framed as class politics

The Political Dimension of Sport

• Bernie Sanders: Advocates for compensation for college athletes as workers.

• LeBron James highlights support for SB 206 allowing college athletes to be paid.

Relevant Quotes

• Walter: “You’re a millionaire and you’re complaining. In what world are you living, Jesse?”

• Jesse: “Yo, in a world where the guys doing all the work don’t get fisted!”

Understanding Socio-Economic Class in North America

• Questions to consider:

• How is socio-economic class determined?

• How many classes exist in North America?

• Common myths surrounding class distinctions.

Class Definition Criteria

• Income, types of work, consumer items, language, education, and cultural interests (including sports).

Professional Athletes and Class

• Considerations on which socio-economic class professional athletes belong to:

• Working class, Upper class, or Middle class?

• Insight from Harvey Swados: Athletes earn like the upper class but work like the working class, as they rely heavily on their physicality.

Marxist Vocabulary in Sport and Labour

• Key terms:

• Mode of Production

• Commodity Fetishism

• Alienation

• Dialectic between Labour and Capital.

Marxism & Sport

• Relations of production in sports lead to:

  • Discipline & Submission

  • Mechanization of the Body

  • Resistance to Pain

  • Division of Labour

  • Competition vs. Cooperation

Case Study: Curt Flood's Struggle

• Notable achievements of Curt Flood:

• 3-time All-Star, 7-time Golden Glove winner.

• Took action against the Reserve Clause in MLB which limited player autonomy.

• Advocated for player liberation leading to the eventual approval of free agency in 1974.

Comparisons of Sport as Employment

• Analyses the unique nature of sports jobs:

  • Lack of recognition of athletics as labor due to media, education, and politics.

Concussion Crisis and Class Politics

• Events surrounding NFL (2011) and NHL (2012) lockouts.

• Rising concerns: player suicides and premature deaths.

• Media narratives framing labor politics during sport lockouts.

Popular Press Narratives

• "Millionaires vs. Billionaires": oversimplifies conflicts.

• Emphasis on athlete self-responsibility in engaging with dangerous sports.

Self-Responsibility and Concussion Discourse

• The argument often shifts blame from leagues and owners to players:

• Treatment of injuries often disconnected from socioeconomic realities.

• Historical parallel with dangerous labor conditions in other industries (e.g., coal mining).

The Conveyor Belt Concept in Sports

• Control and discipline within athlete development, leading to conformity and lack of dissent.

• Dissonance between athletes’ experiences and the narrative of being a team player.

The Issue of Child Labour in Sports

• Concerns about child athletes facing conditions akin to forced labor.

• Critique on abusive coaching practices similar to domestic abuse dynamics.

Historical and Social Context

• Relevant conventions for child rights:

• United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child (1989).

The Role of Institutions in Sports

• Networks that marginalize athletes viewed as potential troublemakers through standardization and discipline.

The Economic Implications of Athletic Labour

• Overview of the NCAA Basketball economic environment:

• Significant disparities in athlete compensation versus income generated.

The Fab Five in NCAA Basketball

• An exploration of collective agency among the Fab Five and their impact on institutional practices.

• Questions surrounding their challenges to existing rules and representation in media.