

Most powerful nation on earth.



Only 200 years old.



Considered to still be a very young
country



During the 19th Century millions of

immigrants left Europe and arrived on the

East coast of America.



Attracted by the dream of freedom and

fortune in the ‘Land of Opportunity’.



By 1890 500,000 immigrants were

arriving every year.



Resulting in a very diverse society with

many different religions and cultures and

it is still the same today.



By 1900 the nations farms and
factories were producing more than
any other country thus increasing the
power and wealth of America.



This along with the idea of
individualism meant that and economic
system of enterprise evolved.



This is known as CAPITALISM



Encourages individuals to accumulate
wealth .



This is directly influences sport in the
USA.



Gigantic profit orientated business.



Reflects the country’s culture.



In the late 1800’s European games

arrived and were adapted to suit their

new environment and rapidly evolving

culture.



New games were invented eg

Basketball.



This new ‘Land of opportunity’ with its

pioneering spirit of enterprise and drive

needed high scoring and action packed

games.



The ‘Win ethic’ dominates sport in the USA.



Coming Second is not an option.



The outcome is all that matters.



This ‘win Ethic’ is attributed to the legendary NFL

coach Vince Lombardi who famously said ‘

winning isn’t everything it’s the only thing’



There is evidence of performers being required

to perform when injured or even take

performance enhancing drugs to ‘win at all

costs’



100% commitment and sacrifice is required by

everyone.



Sport is business and is driven by
commercialism at every level.



Professional sports dominates US
society reflecting the country’s
competitive and capitalist nature.



Both private and corporate business
use sport to promote products and
achieve goodwill.



Even school sport attracts big sponsorship.



On the positive side, funding gives athletes a

better chance of success and promotes

events which might otherwise not happen.



On the negative side, only very few sports or

performers get super rich and those who do

become little more that ‘mobile adverts’ in an

arena where money determines the location,

timings and nature of sport. This can lead to

the traditional values of sport being lost.



Discuss the game of American

Football with reference to its

origins and its links with

commercialism.



You are expected to write between 400 and 500 words

for this answer.