eSports – Parked

Chapter 1: Disc Golf, Like Paul McBeth, Is an Underdog in the World of Sports

June 21, 2021July 12, 2021 by Parked, posted in Rise of An Unknown Sport

By Josh Woods ~

Watch the essay here:

Chapter 1 Video Version

Back in 2017, Paul McBeth dropped a sympathy bomb on social media. He was like, check me out. I’m only five and a half feet tall and I weigh less than a panda. I’ll never be the favorite in sports. I’m the OG underdog. Send me some love.

Of course, he didn’t say it quite like that, and he had just dropped out of the Green Mountain Championship due to an injury that was only going sideways. And so, his fans did send love.

Continue reading →

Why Disc Golf Is Pandemic Proof and Other Sports Are Not

April 27, 2020April 13, 2021 by Parked, posted in Opinion, Public Health

By Josh Woods ~

Cover art A baseball dimond behind a locked gate. Photo Robert Rosales — The familiar sight of a baseball diamond behind a locked gate. Photo Robert Rosales.

Live sports are currently on pause due to the Covid-19 pandemic, leaving the $160 billion US sports industry in a tailspin. Only about half of all sporting events that were originally scheduled for 2020 will likely take place, per a new report.

While all sports will take a hit, some will weather the storm better than others. The esports industry, for instance, will probably do okay. The big stadium events are on hold, but gobs of gamers and fans are still nestled safely online.

Disc golf has a few obvious advantages in the “Don’t-Stand-So-Close-To-Me” era. Continue reading “Why Disc Golf Is Pandemic Proof and Other Sports Are Not” →

Risk of Brain Injury from Disc Strikes Is “Negligible,” New Research Finds

December 4, 2019June 2, 2021 by Parked, posted in Public Health

By Josh Woods, PhD ~

Cover Art — Photo Menickelli et al., 2019.

Life is inherently risky. And if you play sports, injury risk lurks around every corner. Even athletes of esports, who compete while sitting down, face significant health problems.

Though seen by some as a whimsical game, disc golf can be a menace to the flesh. Having dealt with several problems myself, I reviewed research on the prevalence of disc golf injuries in two previous posts in Parked—one with an early interview with Disc Golf Strong and the other on stretching. Simply throwing a disc repeatedly, sans ankle turns or catastrophic falls, can wreak havoc on the fibrous tissues that connect muscle to bone. Continue reading “Risk of Brain Injury from Disc Strikes Is “Negligible,” New Research Finds” →

The Disc Golf Revolution Will Not Be Televised (But It Will Be Fun)

September 27, 2019June 2, 2021 by Parked, posted in Grow the Sport, Social Movement

New Study Examines the Moneyless Rise of Disc Golf

By Josh Woods ~

Three years ago, I quietly jettisoned my sociological research agenda on terrorism and immigration and began thinking about the growth of disc golf and other emerging sports. The two-part question that has held my curiosity longest is this one:

Is the popularity of disc golf growing, and if so, why? Continue reading “The Disc Golf Revolution Will Not Be Televised (But It Will Be Fun)” →

The Future of ‘Golf’ May Not Be on the Links

September 21, 2018November 1, 2018 by Parked, posted in Grow the Sport, Opinion

By Josh Woods~~

{This article appeared first in The Conversation}

Could disc golf become more popular than ball golf by 2028?

Ask disc golfers and they’ll say, “You bet – our sport is growing like crazy.”

But for most Americans, the answer is, “What’s disc golf?” And the typical ball golfer will likely respond, “No – and stop calling my sport ball golf.” Continue reading “The Future of ‘Golf’ May Not Be on the Links” →

Disc golf is trending in U.S. newspapers: Supporting evidence for disc golf’s “fast-growing sport” claim

May 1, 2017July 19, 2017 by Parked, posted in Grow the Sport, Media

Newspaper Logos — Disc golf is the fourth-fastest growing sport in newspaper coverage

As a kid, I loved NFL football. The walls of my childhood room were plastered with Sports Illustrated photos of New York Giants. Before falling asleep each night, I gazed at the shadowy outlines of Phil Simms, Joe Morris and Lawrence Taylor. On Sundays, I attached myself to the TV set, full of awe and expectation, waiting for the next touchdown or sack.

Yet, sadly, I never actually saw the Giants play. Continue reading “Disc golf is trending in U.S. newspapers: Supporting evidence for disc golf’s “fast-growing sport” claim” →