Tech's Impact on Sports via Light Bulb

I think Thomas Edison’s invention of the incandescent light bulb has had the most significant technological impact on sports. Since being invented in 1879 the light bulb gave sports suddenly the ability to be done at night. The time period for playing or teaching sports gained many just by this invention. This allowed sports to have crowds for night sporting events thus changing the sports landscape forever. This invention came at a time where many Americans began moving to cities and demand increased as a new need for recreational activities arose.

There was a need for activities that brought people together and sports became an option for many. Across the country during the late 1800’s light bulbs became readily available to most Americans. Most were able to light their homes thanks to this great invention. Indoor sports now became a thing at night. Sports like basketball and hockey now gained the ability to be played indoors. Many people could now form teams locally and create leagues in certain sports.

This began the tradition of sports for many families and allowed it be passed down through generations. Many people began to stay up later so that made social gatherings and sport events later at night. Socially the light bulb allowed for gatherings to last later into the night. The lightbulb also made sports safer during times of the day that it may be getting dark. The light bulb also paved way for many other future inventions that impacted sports like the radio and television.

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These inventions were the main outlets for early american sports heroes. Baseball and football games could be broadcasted live to viewers. This began a major American tradition of following your favorite sports team and attending their games. Sports stars like Babe Ruth and the Yankees were seen as the first celebrities on screen and heard on the radio.

I think the progress of sports of would have been greatly slowed if the light bulb had never been invented. I think sports would not have nearly the size of viewers that it does without the light bulb. There simply would not be as large as an economic impact of sports without the light bulb. There definitely would not be sellouts of over 50,000 people at a night time baseball game without the light bulb. Since the light bulb made late night events more accessible without it society would definitely operate much differently. Without the light bulb I think there would be less sports that were created and time would be devoted to sports differently. Without the light people would be less likely to play sports during twilight hours. The times we are used to sporting events starting might be different. Sports we watch now would all have to be played in the daytime. All starting times would be in the midday or else nobody would be able to watch because of work. There would be many strains on the sports we love today if light was never invented.