Sports and Society Program
Sports and Society Program
Sports & Society at the Aspen Ideas Festival
Sports no longer sits on the periphery of our society, as a mere diversion in American life. The concussion crisis in football is front-page news. A civil rights historian and respected financial columnist take up the issues of big-time college athletes. Ask a female executive if she played sports – the answer is likely to be yes, and a reflection of the impact of Title IX four decades after its introduction. The Aspen Institute recognized that sports as an institution, all grown up now, both reflects and shapes our culture, by creating the Sports & Society Program.
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From June 28-31 in Aspen, Colo., the Aspen Ideas Festival dove deep into some of the most compelling storylines and pressing issues of 2012. For the first time, a full sports track was created at the AIF, where nine panels organized by the Sports & Society Program were presented featuring thought leaders from the realms of sports, media, business, medicine, government and the environment. Near the conclusion of the track, NFL legend Jim Brown, 76, offered his final thought on the dialogue he had experienced during the sessions. "I want to congratulate the Aspen Institute for including sports," Brown said, standing up in the rear of Paepke Auditorium during the audience Q&A session of the panel on the role of sports in society. "These sessions will (do more) than anything that can happen in this country to bring about positive change." Below are panel descriptions, with links to selected video of full sessions, and photo slideshows with highlight quotes: College Sports at the Crossroads: Entertainment or Education?Thursday, June 28 Paepke Auditorium |
 Michelle Kwan said she learned that sports "is not about winning." |
The NCAA is beset with scandals, anti-trust lawsuits, calls for reform, and manic conference-hopping – all signs that college sports has an identity crisis that begs to be resolved. Our panel considers the future of a beloved, embattled American institution.
Speakers:
- Taylor Branch, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and author
- Joe Nocera, Columnist, New York Times
- Wallace Renfro, Senior Policy Advisor, NCAA
- Craig Robinson, Men's Basketball Head Coach, Oregon State University
- Moderator: Tom Farrey, Sports & Society Director and ESPN Reporter
Watch
Slideshow, Quotes
How the NCAA Sees Itself and Its Future, James Bennet, The Atlantic
Competition: What's Fair Today?
|  Jim Brown and Craig Robinson said children today grow up with different notions of sportsmanship. |
Head Games: Can Football Be Saved From Itself?
Thursday, June 28
Paepke Auditorium
Football is America's most popular game. But even NFL veterans are now steering their children into alternate sports to prevent lasting injuries. Our panel considers the latest research on concussions, and cutting-edge ideas designed to manage the violence. The documentary American Man by Jon Frankel, featuring former NFL player Kevin Turner, was screened before the discussion.
Speakers:
- Dan Garza, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Orthopedic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine
- Chris Nowinski, President and Co-Founder, Sports Legacy Institute
- Kevin Turner, former NFL player, and Founder, Kevin Turner Foundation
- Jim Brown
- Moderator: Tom Farrey
London Calling: What's Our Olympic Dream?
Friday, June 29
Doerr-Hosier Center, McNulty Room
As a prelude to the upcoming Olympic Games in London, our panel considers what we want the Olympic movement to represent, and achieve, in our country, where the U.S. Olympic Committee is tasked by Congress with coordinating amateur athletic activity.
Speakers:
- Tom McMillen, Olympic basketball player in 1972, former NBA player
- Michelle Kwan, Olympic Figure Skating Medalist
- Jeremy Schaap
- Moderator: Christine Brennan, Columnist, USA Today
 Christine Brennan said roles of sports as mass entertainment and as a tool of personal development "can co-exist completely." | More Than a Game: What's the Role of Sports in Society?
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What is a Legacy Worth? Leaving an Impact Beyond the Game
Thursday, June 28
Doerr-Hosier Center, McNulty Room
A discussion that highlights the work of elite athletes who have taken significant action on social issues beyond their sport. Why have they have chosen these paths in their post-athletic careers? What is the legacy they ultimately want to leave?
Speakers:
- Michelle Kwan, member of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition
- David Breashears, Filmmaker, Mountaineer, and Executive Director, GlacierWorks
- Jim Brown, Founder, Amer-I-Can
- Moderator: Chris Heilman, US Trust
An Accidental Sports Writer: A Memoir
Saturday, June 30
Limelight Hotel
A book talk with Robert Lipsyte, whose memoir on taking an outsider's approach to the world of sports led to his nomination by Sports Illustrated's Alexander Wolff for 2011 Sportsman of the Year. Moderated by Jeremy Schaap. Watch
More than a Privilege: Should Sports Be a Right?
Saturday, June 30
Doerr-Hosier Center, Kaufmann Room
The medical costs of obesity are staggering -- $147 billion a year. Introducing more children to active, healthy lifestyles is critical to debt reduction, economic growth, even national security. So why are we pushing so many of them to the sidelines today? Listen
Speakers:
- Dr. Jonathan Fielding, Director, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
- Bob Harper, Lifestyle Coach, Quaker Oats
- Cheryl Healton, President, American Legacy Foundation
- Tom Farrey
- Moderator: Tom McMillen
In the Zone: What Does Peak Performance Require?
Saturday, June 30
Hotel Jerome Ballroom
Everyone wants to get there, but few know how. Our panel explores what it takes to achieve that state, for top athletes to weekend warriors. Watch
Speakers:
- Bonnie St. Jean, U.S. Paralympic Medalist; Author, How Great Women Lead
- Gregory Yep, Global Vice President R&D, Long Term Research, PepsiCo
- Bob Harper
- Moderator: Jon Frankel, Reporter, HBO Real Sports
