[afarah1]

In Brazil it is not uncommon for fans to organize protests, sometimes violent, when a club starts performing poorly due to perceived slack on the players. At the same time, seemingly more pressing political issues often go unnoticed. It's beyond me how some people get more riled up by the sport, not being a sports person myself.

[hirako2000]

It's designed for this purpose. Rome was organizing those games to thrill the romans, it worked splendid. When political concerns gets on the rise, you pump the show.

It works better than your typical propaganda as players become heroes, managers and clubs make great money. Distributors get their cut. The machine is well oiled with solid monetary incentives.

Football (and other sports watching): cheap but deep rooted emotions, press here to get your dose.

[ethbr1]

Look at it the other way -- absent sports fanaticism, people with these personality traits would be involved in politics.

I'd categorically say that focusing that sort of person on sports is by far the lesser of the two evils.

Democracy only chooses as wisely as the average intelligence of its voters.

[ithkuil]

Perish the thought that our politics will turn into a low level entertainment spectacle based on primeval emotions.

[eej71]

_Rollerball_ a movie from 1975 (not the 2002 remake) is an interesting take on this. A futuristic society that promotes an increasingly violent game to entertain and misdirect the masses.

[lifestyleguru]

If only Italians treated this seriously their economy, job market, and demography. Ooops, it's too late. Enjoy your bloody football.

[lnxg33k1]

These are just so much useless phrases, don't italian treat their job market seriously? We have a referendum as soon as next month to remove laws introduced by neoliberals few years ago that removed job safety and made everyone expendables, among other things.