The Future of Sports

One thing I often think about is how sports will be in the future, especially after my last post about injuries, and how they are changing the rules. So, what exactly does this hold for the future of sports? I think it will include new sports, equipment advances, and rules changes.

New sports is something I know will happen. My friends and I will make up games all the time during recess. New events are being added to the Olympics all the time too. For example, luge team relay and women's ski jumping, as well as many others, will be added for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. I am curious to see if these games will become more popular than other professional sports. One example is how the Xgames have started to become a more televised event than some sports like hockey. I also want to see how people who create new games will get them to be played by others. But there is one thing I know for sure, new sports are coming, so be ready.

The next thing I want to talk about is equipment. Equipment has been changing ever since a sport has been created. In hockey players have had to start wearing helmets, and have gotten carbon fiber sticks instead of wooden. With technology advancing so much and at such a fast pace, what will the future of players' equipment hold? Will they be able to see behind them? Can we eliminate concussions, or for that matter injuries completely? We will have to wait to find out.

Then there is the unfortunate part, rule changes. For example, they have taken out certain hits in hockey and football (i.e. blind side hits) to make the game safer. How will all these changes play out in the future? Will they in fact make the game safer, and people will still like to watch them? Or will the worst happen, will they ruin the games we love and have the profession (NHL, NFL, etc.) completely destroyed?

I am excited (and a little nervous) to see what the future holds for sports. I guess the only thing we can do is watch, wait, and hope for the best.