The political importance of sport

Australia was a pioneer in making sport into a profitable industry. The English economist William Stanley Jevons, based for a few years in Sydney, wrote home in 1857 how about a quarter of Sydney's population turned out to watch a cricket match. As Australian society developed, so the citizens had more time for sporting pursuits.

In recent decades, public interest – and additional personal income of the average citizen – has become so significant that sporting personalities can earn salaries undreamt of only a few decades ago. One way of becoming one of the richest people in a country is to be good at sports. It can reach such a point that a star need no longer win events to earn money; simply turning up on the day will attract crowds and so make money.

Another source of revenue is commercial sponsorship. Companies have recognized that being linked to some sporting events can boost their image (much the same way as elite goods like to be linked to artistic events).

To conclude, sport is now politically important: it brings countries together, it increases national pride, it reinvents politics and it makes money. This is a lot better than waging war.