About this product

Product Identifiers

PublisherRowman & Littlefield Publishers, Incorporated

ISBN-101442242647

ISBN-139781442242647

eBay Product ID (ePID)201593751

Product Key Features

Book TitleHow We Can Save Sports : a Game Plan

Number of Pages220 Pages

LanguageEnglish

Publication Year2015

TopicBusiness Aspects, Sociology / General, General, Sociology of Sports, Customs & Traditions

IllustratorYes

GenreSports & Recreation, Social Science

AuthorKen Reed

FormatHardcover

Dimensions

Item Height0.9 in

Item Weight15.9 Oz

Item Length9.3 in

Item Width6.2 in

Additional Product Features

Intended AudienceTrade

LCCN2014-038285

Dewey Edition23

ReviewsWe know that organized sport in America is out of control. Reed's concept of "citizenship through sports activism" is a much-needed clarion call for all of us to do something about it. More important, he provides a thorough action plan with specific strategies and actions that any citizen who cares deeply about the role of sport in our country can undertake. It's time for all of us to get in sports reform "game" and Reed has provided us with a game plan to do so., I feel like I've been waiting for this book to be written for as long as I've been in conflicted-love with the wide world of sports. For all of us who love the beauty of sports, but hate what they have become, Ken Reed's book is a Godsend. Written with clarity and grace, it's a welcome antidote to the business as usual sports analysis out there. So many among us want to reclaim sports from its worst excesses. But we need a map out of the wilderness. Now we have it., According to Ken Reed, sport allows people of all ages to transcend their day-to-day lives in ways that enliven the human spirit. Reed's passionate love of sports informs every page of his book and explains the depth of his criticism of the commercial culture that is corrupting sport from the little league level to the pros. I have never read a book that better explains how commercialism, when out of control, diminishes the joy of sport for fans and participants alike., Ken Reed's book How We Can Save Sports is reformer's guide to cleaning up sports in America. His prescriptions are worth attention if America is to put sports competition back into perspective. The book takes on the tough questions surrounding the commercialization of sports in America and raises provocative questions about the proper role of sports in our society., How We Can Save Sports: A Game Plan, by Dr. Ken Reed, a former college athlete, coach, longtime sports marketer, sports management instructor and sports issues columnist, and now the sports policy director for our League of Fans, is unlike any other sports book I've seen. There are plenty of books on the market about each of our most popular sports - football, basketball, baseball, hockey, tennis, golf, etc. There are numerous books that profile our well-known sports figures. And there are a few books on specific sports issues like concussions and taxpayer-financed stadiums and arenas. But Reed's book is different. It covers the whole waterfront of sports issues and looks at how they're all interconnected. It's basically a sports manifesto that looks at nine of the most important sports issues we face today and the red thread that weaves through them all, from youth sports to the pros., Reed's litany of problems and issues besetting American sport - from grassroots to professional levels - is not new. What is new and worthy of a careful read, are the author's compelling ideas on what individuals can do about them and why such actions are important. Those with power and a financial self-interest in sport will not be the engineers of reform. Rather, the only hope for a return to "good" sport will be the activism of those with a moral compass and love of sport who are willing to step forward in their own communities to make change happen one small action at a time., Reed's litany of problems and issues besetting American sport - from grassroots to professional levels - is not new. What is new and worthy of a careful read, are the author's compelling ideas on what individuals can do about them and why such actions are important. Those with power and a financial self-interest in sport will not be the engineers of reform. Rather, the only hope for a return to "good" sport will be the activism of those with a moral compass and love of sport who are willing to step forward in their own communities to make change happen one small action at a time., How We Can Save Sports is an ambitious book with thoughtful responses to virtually every ill facing sports in the U.S. Ken Reed has written a valuable book that is both a challenge and a joy. A must read for anyone who cares about what sports could be., With How We Can Save Sports, Ken Reed has described in straightforward, no-nonsense language how we can make our sports, from the playgrounds to the pros, better for all of us. Now it is up to everyone--athletes, coaches, administrators, kids, parents, and, yes, sportswriters--to get to work. As Reed explains, there is a lot to do., How We Can Save Sports: A Game Plan by Ken Reed, with a Foreword by Ralph Nader, is a must read for anyone who wants to right the ship we call SportsWorld which has so many current crises. I want to share it with all my students in the DeVos Sport Business Management Program., With How We Can Save Sports, Ken Reed has described in straightforward, no-nonsense language how we can make our sports, from the playgrounds to the pros, better for all of us. Now it is up to everyone--athletes, coaches, administrators, kids, parents, and, yes, sportswriters--to get to work. As Reed explains, there is a lot to do., This book's title raises a question: what sports are to be saved--professional, university, school, children's, community? Reed's answer is all, for both participants and fans, by keeping sport policies and social responsibilities from being dominated by profit/political interests and a win-at-all-costs philosophy. Topics discussed include the "ego and greed" of professional franchises that receive taxpayer-provided arenas and ongoing tax benefits and then move their teams if further demands are not met; concussions suffered by athletes; the role of adult egos in youth sports; treatment of student-athletes and other problems in college sport; content and philosophy of school physical education; undesirable coaching styles; needs in women's sports; opportunities for disabled athletes; and the symbiotic relationship between sports media and commercial interests. For each area, the author outlines and analyzes the existing situations and proposes solutions to improve them. He advocates the establishment of a national sports commission, which would play an important role in development of the nation's sport policy and a national code of sports ethics and coordinate research on sports issues. . . .Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers. of a national sports commission, which would play an important role in development of the nation's sport policy and a national code of sports ethics and coordinate research on sports issues. . . .Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers. of a national sports commission, which would play an important role in development of the nation's sport policy and a national code of sports ethics and coordinate research on sports issues. . . .Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers. of a national sports commission, which would play an important role in development of the nation's sport policy and a national code of sports ethics and coordinate research on sports issues. . . .Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers., This book's title raises a question: what sports are to be saved--professional, university, school, children's, community? Reed's answer is all, for both participants and fans, by keeping sport policies and social responsibilities from being dominated by profit/political interests and a win-at-all-costs philosophy. Topics discussed include the "ego and greed" of professional franchises that receive taxpayer-provided arenas and ongoing tax benefits and then move their teams if further demands are not met; concussions suffered by athletes; the role of adult egos in youth sports; treatment of student-athletes and other problems in college sport; content and philosophy of school physical education; undesirable coaching styles; needs in women's sports; opportunities for disabled athletes; and the symbiotic relationship between sports media and commercial interests. For each area, the author outlines and analyzes the existing situations and proposes solutions to improve them. He advocates the establishment of a national sports commission, which would play an important role in development of the nation's sport policy and a national code of sports ethics and coordinate research on sports issues. . . .Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers., If you see yourself as a citizen more than a spectator, this book provides a game plan for organizing and preserving sports that are ethical, fair, and humane. Beyond identifying the major challenges confronting sports today, Ken Reed outlines strategies that will revive and sustain sports as a source of pleasure and meaning in our lives. His call to action is hard to ignore if you care about sports., More than ever in this new gilded age of sports we need Ralph Nader's cold, clear-shooting eye and a game plan for taking back the birthright of athletics. The League of Fans is our best hope., Ken Reed's book How We Can Save Sports is reformer's guide to cleaning up sports in America. His prescriptions are worth attention if America is to put sports competition back into perspective. The book takes on the tough questions surrounding the commercialization of sports in America and raises provocative questions about the proper role of sports in our society., What Reed does well in this 'sports manifesto' is capsulize the biggest problems into well-reasoned, readable, and exceptionally well-resourced accounts, using academics and journalists both in and out of sport who have weighed in on these issues to bolster his case. Then, he provides a handful of recommendations at the close of each chapter. Befitting any manifesto worthy of that label, the recommendations are really the soul of the book. . . .There were many times in these pages where I thought to myself that I would have liked to have written this book. Maybe Reed's effort will make it that much easier for subsequent books, articles, and policies to be written by those who care, and most importantly lead to sustained action that will not just save sports but also create a more physically active and healthy society., The American sports institution and school-based physical education programs are in crisis. The rising tide of red ink burdening elite collegiate sports programs, the lockouts, strikes, and in some instances, the outright fiscal chaos stalking some professional franchises and leagues, are all hallmarks of current circumstances. Ralph Nader's League of Fans project potentially focuses, escalates, and expands the dialog and debate concerning the core questions at issue here and holds the promise of bringing the broadest spectrum of sports stakeholders into the discussion. On these grounds alone, the League of Fans initiative is not only welcome and needed, it is a national service.

Dewey Decimal796.0973

Table Of ContentForeword by Ralph Nader Preface Chapter One: Our Sports Have Been Seized By the Forces of Ego and Greed Chapter Two: Transition to Community Ownership Model Needed to Empower Fans Chapter Three: Concussion Research Can't Be Ignored Chapter Four: It's Time to Take Adult Egos Out of Youth Sports Chapter Five: College Sports: Where Do We Go From Here? Chapter Six: PE and Sports for All Students Chapter Seven: Sports World Needs More Humanistic Coaches Chapter Eight: Clear Actions Need to Be Taken to Ensure Equal Opportunity in Sports for All Americans Chapter Nine: It's Time to Establish a National Sports Commission Chapter Ten: Sports Media is Dropping the Ball on Social, Cultural, and Economic Issues in Sports Chapter Eleven: Calling All Potential Sports Reformers Appendix: Action Plan and Resources About the Author About League of Fans

SynopsisMany sports fans are conflicted-they may love the games, the players, and their communities, but may be alarmed by issues including academic corruption, athlete health, and the overarching emphasis on winning and profit at all costs. From disturbing new research about the long-term impact of sports concussions to publicly financed stadiums that drive profits to team owners but not communities, author Ken Reed argues that much of our sports culture is broken, driven by ego and greed. How We Can Save Sports is written to inform and empower sports stakeholders who care deeply about the impact of sports today on individuals and society as a whole. Reed, sports policy director for the League of Fans, introduces readers to ten of the most pressing problems in sports today and shows how they largely derive from the mentalities of profit-at-all-costs and win-at-all-costs. Chapters dig into issues such as concussions, overzealous adults in youth sports, the disappearance of PE from many school curriculums, the focus on profit objectives in college sports, discrimination in sports, and more. Each chapter outlines key challenges and provides concrete steps that readers can take to work for change. The book includes lists of helpful resources for readers interested in change at various levels-from youth and high school sports, to AAU and college athletics, to professional sports., From disturbing research on concussions to publicly-financed stadiums that benefit wealthy team owners, Ken Reed argues that much of our sports culture is broken, driven by win-at-all-costs and profit-at-all-costs values and policies. Reed outlines the most pressing challenges in sports today and offers practical solutions for change., Many sports fans are conflicted--they may love the games, the players, and their communities, but may be alarmed by issues including academic corruption, athlete health, and the overarching emphasis on winning and profit at all costs. From disturbing new research about the long-term impact of sports concussions to publicly financed stadiums that drive profits to team owners but not communities, author Ken Reed argues that much of our sports culture is broken, driven by ego and greed. How We Can Save Sports is written to inform and empower sports stakeholders who care deeply about the impact of sports today on individuals and society as a whole. Reed, sports policy director for the League of Fans, introduces readers to ten of the most pressing problems in sports today and shows how they largely derive from the mentalities of profit-at-all-costs and win-at-all-costs. Chapters dig into issues such as concussions, overzealous adults in youth sports, the disappearance of PE from many school curriculums, the focus on profit objectives in college sports, discrimination in sports, and more. Each chapter outlines key challenges and provides concrete steps that readers can take to work for change. The book includes lists of helpful resources for readers interested in change at various levels--from youth and high school sports, to AAU and college athletics, to professional sports.

LC Classification NumberGV706.5