From cliché high school sport dramas to viral social media clips, pop culture has become one of the most influential ways in shaping how people outside of the sports world view athletes, inspiring audiences to discover and connect with various sports.
For many viewers, sports films help create connections that go beyond the game itself. Physical Education teacher Pedro Martinez explained that the stories often revolve around determination and create relatability that draws in the audience.
“They teach you about perseverance. You always root for the underdog. There’s that aspect of, ‘That could be me,’” Martinez said. “You find yourself in that film rooting for that underdog to overcome obstacles.”
The sense of audience connection can give sports a personal touch, especially for those who may not follow them. Senior Bella Reyes believes entertainment can serve as an entrance for new interests.
“Shows can teach you about sports because if you’re not really interested, it gives you an outlet to look at them and fall in love with them because you’re learning it through these characters,” Reyes said.
Reyes noted that the film “Challengers” (2024) changed her perspective through its representation of tennis.
“I’m not a big fan of tennis, but the filming in that movie made it so intense, and the soundtrack made it so much more interesting,” Reyes said. “It captured my attention for the first time on that sport because otherwise, it’s not really something I’d look at.”
For students like freshman Hanna Lee, watching sports without pauses, such as extensive team strategizing or intermissions, can seem dull.
“In online videos, they cut out all the yappity parts, but when you watch it in person, you have to sit through all the talking and breaks, so it was kind of boring,” Lee said. “I like the editing on online videos and how they make it super intense. I feel like when you watch it in person, you can’t get that feeling from it.”
Celebrity involvement outside of the sports world can promote diverse audiences. Martinez has noticed an influx of football fans following singer-songwriter Taylor Swift’s relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
“You have Taylor Swift because she’s dating Travis Kelce, all of a sudden everyone loves football,” Martinez said. “Everyone is a Chiefs fan. I’m a Niners fan, but obviously there’s Swifties out there that got into football because of her, and they buy all the Travis Kelce gear and all the Chiefs gear. They’re probably one of the top selling jerseys because of her.”
Not all media, however, portray sports accurately. Junior Sammy Herrera has witnessed how films and pop culture often create misconceptions about marching band.
“(People) just think we walk around with instruments.” Herrera said. “It (“Drumline”) showed a lot of really hard training, and it did a really good job of showing people how difficult it is.”
As the media continues to evolve, its influence on sports remains significant. While pop culture can spark interest in sports, Herrera added that outside judgment can discourage some from joining specific sports.
“People should look less at what other people are influencing them to do, and they should do their own research because if I never did research about marching band, I don’t think I would have done it,” Herrera said.