Sports have always been a part of my life and as my children move through their sports I have begun to see a pattern in what I see as a shift to the popularity of “Active” sports from “Passive” sports. This seems to be related to our ever increasing fast-paced world, where we are constantly bombarded with information and stimuli, and our attention spans become shorter. This shift in our collective social attention span has had a profound impact on the way we consume entertainment, including sports.
I think of “Active” sports as those where there is a much greater opportunity for scoring on every play, which keeps viewers engaged and on the edge of their seats. This is in contrast to passive sports, where there is often more playing time between scores. Volleyball and basketball are great examples of "Active" sports while baseball is an example of a “Passive” sport. Between these extremes are very popular sports like football, hockey and soccer where scoring may not be as often as basketball or volleyball, but there are much more scoring opportunities compared to baseball.
In recent years, there has been a noticeable trend towards the popularity of active sports, such as volleyball and basketball, over passive sports, such as baseball. This trend can be attributed to a number of factors, including the rise of social media, the increasing availability of live sports content, and the growing demand for instant gratification.
Active Scoring and the Compulsion Loop
In today's society, we are used to getting what we want immediately. This demand for instant gratification has made us less tolerant of slow-paced activities, such as passive sports. Active sports, with their constant scoring opportunities and fast-paced action, are a better fit for our modern attention spans. The constant scoring opportunities in active sports create what is known as a "compulsion loop." This is a psychological phenomenon that occurs when an activity is rewarding and reinforcing, which makes us want to keep engaging with it. In the case of active sports, the excitement of the game and the anticipation of the next score create a compulsion loop that keeps viewers glued to their screens. This same loop is seen in how many of us interact on social media, with constant scrolling through post to see the next trending video or image.
The Impact of Social Media
The rise of social media has also played a role in the popularity of active sports. Social media platforms allow fans to share their reactions to games in real time, which creates a sense of community and engagement. This real-time sharing also helps to promote active sports to a wider audience.
The Availability of Live Sports Content
The increasing availability of live sports content has also made it easier for fans to watch their favorite teams and players. This is especially true with the rise of streaming services, which allow fans to watch games on their computers, phones, and tablets.
What “Passive” sports have done
Most sports have some sort of time limit between plays to keep the game moving along. This is most noticeable in active sports. As we see the popularity of “Active” sports with “active” scoring, changes have been made by leagues to keep their attention and fill their compulsion loop. Baseball, seen as a “passive” sport, has instituted a pitching clock to speed the game and keep fans’ attention.
Where does this lead
I think as society continues to change and speed up and our attention spans continue to shorten, the continued popularity of “active” sports will increase as they mimic our overall need for constant fast paced action and excitement.
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