Dynasties vs. disadvantaged: nepotism in sports

Sports are, quite literally, on a level playing field — or are they? The prominence of nepotism, both at the league-wide and individual levels, taints sports’ reputation as a meritocracy. Athletes like Bronny James have made millions cashing in on their family name en route to a professional career in the NBA, a league where many players come from nothing. Meanwhile, the million-dollar entry fee required to make it in a racing league like Formula 1 necessarily excludes everyone but the extremely wealthy. Who you know gives you access to coaching positions, roster spots and a foot in the door in the world’s most prestigious sports organizations, a process that often leads to whitewashing at the administrative levels. The name sports professionals are given can bear stigma or prestige - it’s up to them to make it their own.Plus, on this week’s Fun Friday, we share our athlete superlatives for Cutest Couple, Best Dressed, Best Captain, Drama King/Queen and Most Likely to Have a Reality TV Show.Transition track credits:Downtown Walk by | e s c p | https://escp-music.bandcamp.comMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/