Why does sport captivate us?

I am often asked why people become so passionate about the achievements of sports teams and individual athletes. First of all, I want to point out that sportsman or sportswoman, as they used to be called years ago regardless of the sport, have always sparked strong passions. Just think of the many experiences such as the duels between Coppi and Bartali, or Gimondi and Merckx, the matches of the great Torino, and the debates about Mazzola and Rivera.

Top-level sport is made up of events—competitions—where the best athletes battle it out and distinguish themselves from others through the quality of their performances. I believe this is what captivates people: seeing excellence emerge, thanks to both personal and team qualities. If you think about it, these are among the few human performances where, in a short and defined time—the duration of the competition—you can witness truly unique achievements, such as world records. We see these performances as they happen; the only other examples with similar characteristics might be theatrical performances and live musical performances.

Sport reminds us of the importance of experiencing positive emotions that help us feel good. Daily life is often stingy in providing us with these feelings, so athletes’ performances come to meet this need, offering us moments of well-being, often shared with those close to us, like family and friends.