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Cricket See also: World Series Cricket
Field hockey Football (Soccer) see also:Football
Rugby Football See also Football, history of rugby league, History of rugby union
In 1893, Yorkshire rugby football clubs complained that southern (gentlemen) clubs enjoyed over-representation on the RFU Committee and that committee meetings took place in London at times which made it difficult for northern members to attend. By implication they argued that this affected the RFU's decisions on the issue of "broken time" payments to the detriment of northern clubs who at the time made up the majority of English rugby clubs. ("Broken time" payments involved a proposal put forward by Yorkshire clubs that players receive a payment of six shillings when they missed work due to match commitments.) When the RFU voted down "broken time" payments, widespread suspensions of northern clubs and players began.
On August 29, 1895 representatives of the northern clubs met in the George Hotel, Huddersfield to form the "Northern Rugby Football Union" (usually termed Northern Union or NU), a professional body which played an "open" code of rugby which became known as Rugby League. The dispute about payment also affected soccer and cricket at the time. Each game had to work out a compromise; Rugby proved the least successful at doing this. Over a century would elapse before Rugby Union became an "open" code and would allow players who had played a game of Rugby League (even at an amateur level) to play in a Union game.
Gambling Some sports developed as pofessional sports so that betting could take place. The pressures of potential loss of bets encouraged the emergence of champions and their incentivisation -- often with money.
Horse Racing see also Horse racing
Boxing see also boxing
Wrestling see also wrestling
Blood sports The sports of cock-fighting and similar sports.
Mercenaries Under feudal conditions sport and military training often coalesced. Knights practised jousting as training for the heavy cavalry charge, archers perfected their skills in preparation for battle. As mercenary armies supplanted the feudal levy, so too the practice of surviving militaristic sports may sometimes have become associated with payment.
Criticism
Some would argue that the money being spent on professional sports and professional althlete salaries would be better spent in other areas, such as fighting poverty.
Criticism II Some would argue professional sports today are being held hostage by the athletes themselves. This criticism is directed to the athletes and their lack of desire, heart, and commitment. Not directed to the sport itself. With todays outlandish salaries that are demanded and given to professional athletes, it's no wonder athletes lack these key traits.
Whatever happended to the days when athletes played hurt and gave it their all for the team? Committment in todays terms means to the sport, not the team. It obviously is a case of whatever the market will bare. Todays professional athletes will switch teams in a heart beat; whoever has the biggest checkbook, they'll go.
If nothing else, the lack of committment has sure killed the trading card business.
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