SPORTS IS rarely discussed in an academic setting, unless it’s in the PE department or in the context of media studies, where the impact of sports consumption is analyzed.
At times, social scientists discuss the role sports play in society.
That’s why a recent gathering at the UP College of Mass Communication to discuss a slice of the sports scene was a welcome departure from the usual academic agenda.
Last Wednesday, UP journalism professor Tessa Jazmines presented a paper entitled “Sport’s Swell: It Sells! The Growing Fortunes of the UAAP and How Media Coverage Fans the Flames” at the faculty colloquium series of the college.
In the audience were communication majors and faculty, mostly from the journalism and broadcasting tracks.
I was invited by Prof. Claire David, director of the UP Mass Com Office of Research and Publication, and her assistant Irene Zamora to be a “discussant” for the topic. In academic parlance, that means I would briefly comment on the paper before an open forum.
If there’s one person who can write about college sports, it’s Jazmines, having viewed the sports world from different perspectives. Her paper was a delightful flight through college basketball history, tracing the roots of the UAAP and the NCAA.
Jasmines also explained how the NCAA was once, arguably, more popular than the UAAP. Of course, many things have happened over time, like La Salle and Ateneo leaving the NCAA and the UAAP now enjoying immense popularity.
Being a media topic, the paper also focused on the UAAP’s early struggles to find television coverage to its present popularity boom.
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The open forum was a candid discussion on the possibility of merging the UAAP and the NCAA, the emphasis on basketball and the role of other sports.
Inevitably, talk turned to UP’s UAAP efforts and an analysis of why the State University has not won the basketball title since 1986.
Professor-softball coach Kiko Diaz was in attendance and shared the struggles of UP to stay in step with well-funded programs of other schools. He pointed out that despite problems, UP has performed well in the UAAP, finishing in the top three consistently in the general championship race.
A clamor for a stronger performance by UP in sports stems, no doubt, from the school’s inherent passion. Being a leader in the academe, it’s understandable that UP also wants to do well in other endeavors like sports.
To its credit and despite its problems to get better equipment and training facilities, UP has always been a force to deal with in collegiate sports. For example, UP softball, athletics, soccer and even volleyball teams have done well through the years.
Nevertheless, it’s important for the UAAP to have a competitive UP basketball squad. Having a reasonably well-prepared team will attract its community and its illustrious alumni, many of whom are in prime positions in government and business. The UP gallery has always been a lively, spirited side and seeing more of that augurs well for the league.
We need more studies like Jazmines’ to understand not only sports but how it affects the school communities that play as well.