The Game Behind the Game

For many sports fans, watching a game is a happy diversion from the regular stressors of life, a chance to revel in the mesmerizing spectacle of athletic achievement. In the last few years however, it has been difficult to watch any sport with this kind of cherubic naivete. Bitter labor strikes, billionaire owners continuing to get publicly financed stadiums, and the issue of paying college athletes serve as blunt reminders that there is always more going on than just the game itself, and have forced fans to start paying closer attention.