Americans do love their sports, as do many other nations and their populations across the world. America has about 29% of the population considered as avid fans and 46% as casual fans (Statista, 2023). Another source reports that Americans consider themselves sports fans in general at 63% versus Europeans at 69% (YPulse, 2023). I surmise that there are many other studies and reports on this topic that will sway far and wide depending upon the researchers and intent for the studies. I think this is important to note due to the question of separation between sports and religion. Additionally, I do think that many Americans feel that they do not have to have an affiliation to sports or religion, where the two can very much be mutually exclusive of each other. Or, where either of these two elements of American culture are related in ways that would make the others incompatible or null to the other. Many do not want to see their own involvement in sports, on any level to be labeled as a religious relationship. However, when analyzed for specific similarities in components of various religions, such as rituals, initiations, use of symbols, conformity to the group and groupthink, superstitions, adherence to uniforms/clothing/hairstyle, and particular jargon, sports fans often have all these boxes checked. So do many branches of the military in the US and worldwide. Many of these facets exist in liminal groups of particular sects and brotherhoods (Kottak, 2019). Ironically, these components are often the same criteria that are evaluated in labeling particular groups as cults or cult-like. “Culture” is often used for more positive contexts. “Cult” is a word that gathers a much more negative response. Being labeled as a cult can have significant consequences for any religious institution, sports team/group, or various other groups and their members, even in countries that are openly committed to religious freedom and freedom of speech (Peretz, et al., 2021).

This topic of recreational activities and religions strikes a nerve with me as I have had firsthand experience and knowledge, in participation within various groups that have received the “cult” label. Church groups (Christianity, Taoism, Scientology), sports teams/groups/fans (baseball, football, cheerleading, rowing), and fitness trends (martial arts, yoga, Falun gong) have all been labeled to outsiders of these groups as cults on some levels large and small. Consequently, I have come to understand that one person’s culture is another person’s cult. Similarly, one person’s sport may be seen as religious to others not in that group.

I do think that a benefit and disadvantage of modern society is the need to assign a label to every single thing, big and small, animate and inanimate, real or imagined, etc. While striving to have clear definitions for all things, we often fail in the realization that not everything is either black or white, or absolute. Rather, all things are in a constant state of flux and/or change, relative to their unique set of circumstances at a given time and place. People in Salem were labeled as witches and burned to death a few hundred years ago. Religious groups worldwide still to this day kill one another to prove who is more righteous. While the US does have its many problems, fortunately, we do have these sometimes-considered pesky little words of the 1st amendment that allow us the right to express ourselves rather in speech, freedom to worship, or freedom to be fanatical in sports and recreation activities as long as it does not infringe upon another’s rights.

Someone may enjoy watching or participating in sports activities but does not necessarily need to be a fan(atic). Similarly again, not all religions need to be labeled as cults, nor are all cults religious. Much grey area as everyone is free to have their own perspectives on these issues here in the US, for now at least. Some places elsewhere in the world cannot even openly engage in this conversation. Sports and religion, despite their similarities, serve different roles in society and culture. Therefore, I agree that religion and recreation can be separated.

References:

Statista. (2023, May 4). Sports fans share in the U.S. 2023. https://www.statista.com/statistics/300148/interest-nfl-football-age-canada/

YPulse. (2023, June 15). NA vs WE: Who Are the Bigger Sports Fans?  – YPulse. https://www.ypulse.com/article/2022/05/19/we-na-vs-we-who-are-the-bigger-sports-fans/

Kottak, C. P. (2019). Mirror for Humanity: A Concise Introduction to Cultural Anthropology.

Peretz, E., & Fox, J. A. (2021). Religious Discrimination against Groups Perceived as Cults in Europe and the West. Politics, Religion & Ideology, volume 22, no. 3-4, pages 415–435. https://doi.org/10.1080/21567689.2021.1969921