ABSTRACT

This chapter discusses the ideological, economic, and political aspects of the United States that constrain how the sport system could actually exist against the Models elements. It explores the seven elements of the Model against the historical and empirical evidence. The seven elements are funding, partnerships with supporting agencies, educational, scientific, medical, philosophical, and promotional support, system of competitions and events, training centers, talent identification and development, and advanced support for each participant. Much of what people observes in the US sport system still depends on market principles and capitalist individualism. As US republicanism demands there is less government support for and oversight of sport in the US sport system, a more private sector approach shapes the way that sport is delivered and structured. This leads to economic and ideological domination by a small number of revenue-generating sports such as baseball, football, basketball, and hockey that are sold as entertainment by elite teams.