The Polarisation of Sport

In the last third of the twentieth century, Western society transitioned from being in an industrial to a post-industrial phase, making it increasingly focused on the production of services and knowledge instead of large-scale industrial production. The fact that traditional industrial jobs were phased out and the service sector, not least the public sector, expanded instead increased the middle classes’ numbers. The transition to the post-industrial society also heavily affected gender relations. While traditionally male jobs in the industry diminished, numerous women were instead employed in the service sector—not least in the public service sector—as, for instance, teachers, social workers and administrators. Consequently, sport was greatly affected by these societal changes; in this chapter I will particularly highlight four factors that led to sport being polarised. Obviously, commercialism affected sport.