A sports drama is a fictional movie genre which makes use of popular sport as the main theme of the movie. It’s a fictional production where a sports event, sporting competition, player, or fan of particular sport are heavily involved, and that depend largely on sport for their major plot resolution or motivation. As the name suggests, many movies made on this theme are sports related, even if the events aren’t occurring on a real-world sports arena. For instance, many movies centered on baseball are considered to fall under this category, although there are also many films about baseball which take place entirely on virtual fields or in other non-sports arenas. Another type of movie which falls under this genre is the movie about a team – particularly a fictional team – who try to get a win against an rivals.
This definition of sports drama can vary depending on who you ask. Some people define it as any storyline which revolves around a sport. Other people define it as only stories that focus on rivalries between sports teams or competitors, and there are even some stories which are told from the point of view of a player or participant. Still others would define it as any story which takes place on an actual sports arena, and which is based around physical skill or agility competitions.
One important aspect of this definition is that it requires that the storyline is based on a physical contest. For instance, if a boxing ring is to be depicted as a sports drama, then it must involve physical exertion, strength, skill, etc. Similarly, a battle between two teams which takes place in an athletic arena cannot be deemed to be a sports story, as the characters don’t have to engage in any kind of physical exertion or skill.
Often, this definition includes any sort of physical activity which takes place during the course of a sports competition or game. The modern definition has evolved into something much more inclusive, but it is still widely accepted amongst most dictionaries and writing manuals. In fact, there is very little which precludes including this in a given definition of sports. Most of these words are not used in the modern sports context, as many would describe a certain event or competition which requires intense physical activity and mental acuity, and not necessarily the kind of exertion which is generally associated with sports.
For example, one could take the phrase’manly’ as an adjective and use it to describe any sort of athletic activity that requires extreme strength or agility. Of course, there is nothing wrong with this. In fact, most athletes would agree that it is not a good attribute for a football player to be described as manly. However, the modern day definition has evolved to include any sort of competitive or sporting activity which involves at least some degree of physical contact between competitors. So, for example, a football game may be referred to as being men’s sports, whereas a sprinting competition between two runners may well be described as being’men’s sprinting’. Such a distinction is recognised by dictionaries, but it is not always used in practice.
For a clear definition of the term, it is necessary to look beyond the borders of the dictionary and consider where sporting activities themselves fit into the definition of sports. It might help to look at world games such as the Olympic Games, which are a case study in how sporting activities are often regarded as sports. International sporting events, such as football World Cup, for example, attract massive global interest, as well as substantial financial output. Even when the games are played within countries using different sporting codes, the general principle of fair play still applies, since competing teams show equal commitment to their sport, both in terms of sporting ability and respect for the opponent.