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Honors lecture discusses technology’s effects on fitness

Last updated on April 1, 2015

by Austin Kemp// Contributing Writer

A lecture was open to all faculty, staff and students of Volunteer State Community College March 18.
The presentation was held in the Rochelle Center located in the Thigpen Building at 12:30 p.m.
Philip Williams, instructor of Sociology, gave a lecture centered on the integration of technology into sports over the past century and the changes that occurred as a result. “Basketball isn’t basketball and football isn’t football anymore,” said Williams.
Sports are changing with the times.
Williams specified three areas where technology has affected sports: equipment, medicine and communication.
Advancements allowed for safer equipment over the years resulting in the protective gear that audiences are familiar with today such as padded helmets rather than the traditional leather of the early 1900s, which provides a higher level of safety to the player.
Because of steps forward in sports medicine athletes were presented with a better caliber of healthcare to preserve their wellbeing.
The invention of MRIs and X-Rays allowed for better treatment towards sports related injuries.
With the introduction of radio, television and the Internet, sports have become more easily accessible across the world allowing a person in Colorado the opportunity to watch a soccer match in Ireland.
Social media outlets such as Twitter have also closed the gap between athlete and spectator communication as fans may directly address their favorite players.
The Q&A following the lecture brought out many diverse opinions about the pros and cons of technology’s partnership with sports.
“Ticket prices are so high because people all over the world have access. It makes it harder to get there,” said Todd Griffin, the production manager of Media Services.
Increased ticket prices are a result of the global access to ticket sales provided by secondary sellers on the Internet.
“I can actually watch the World Series of Cricket now. I can get away from the capitalism and get back to the purity of sports,” said David Fuqua, assistant professor of Economics.
As Williams stated throughout his presentation, the integration of sports and technology is designed primarily for the maximization of profit.
Along the way it simply manages to entertain.
Williams, said it has “created a more level playing field that comes with good and bad.”

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