By Ken Reed
I often say there’s too much “adult” in youth sports.
It’s parents and coaches that push kids to specialize in a single sport at age 9 or 10, which too often leads to overuse injuries and emotional burnout. It’s parents and coaches that bring win-at-all-cost (WAAC) attitudes to youth sports fields, courts […]
By Ken Reed
I’m an old guy. I remember when Title IX became law in 1972, opening the door — even if it was just cracked a little at the time — to more sports opportunities for girls and women.
Valerie Bonnette, a Title IX consultant, once pointed out, “Women aren’t born less interested in […]
By Ken Reed
The NFL salary cap is $224.8 million per team in 2023. That’s a pretty big investment for owners. Yet, for some reason, half of the NFL’s owners continue to use artificial turf fields that have proven to be more dangerous for players than natural grass fields.
Aaron Rodgers’ recent season-ending achilles injury […]
Spanish Players Were an Inspiration Despite the Despicable Actions of the President of Spain’s Soccer Federation
Guest Column
By Gerry Chidiac
Why do so many people enjoy sports? Perhaps it is because they challenge us to be better, and nothing is more thrilling than achieving what seemed to be impossible. Of course, life is […]
By Ken Reed
The number of pitchers getting Tommy John surgery continues to increase, from youth leagues to the Major Leagues.
According to USA Today research, of the top 64 hardest throwers this year in Major League Baseball (MLB), 30 have undergone reconstructive Tommy John surgery on their pitching elbows, or are expected to […]
While League of Fans’ sports policy director Ken Reed’s book, How We Can Save Sports: A Game Plan, was written primarily as a manifesto for sports reform in the United States, various sports reformers across the globe have also found value in Reed’s issue analysis and recommendations for change in recent years.
Malcolm MacLean, a […]
By Ken Reed
A few years ago, I wrote a book called “Ego vs. Soul in Sports: Essays on Sport At Its Best and Worst”. The stories about sport at its best (when Soul-driven) are inspiring. The stories about sport at its worst (when ego-driven) are depressing.
This week, we were given another depressing […]
By Ken Reed
The disturbing situation of multi-billionaire pro sports owners demanding that local taxpayers fund — or at least partially fund — new sparkling sport palaces in which the team’s value can appreciate and owners can become even wealthier continues unabated.
The new owner of the Washington Commanders, Josh Harris, a multibillionaire worth $7.69 […]
By Ken Reed
I like golf. I like playing it and watching it, especially the major tournaments.
As such, I’ll occasionally watch the Golf Channel. Brandal Chamblee is one of the biggest personalities on the Golf Channel. He is very opinionated. Sometimes I agree with him and sometimes I don’t. But he’s smart, and […]
By Ken Reed
What is wrong with the Los Angeles Chargers? Or, the NFL league office for that matter?
Despite flash flood warnings issued throughout the L.A. area, residents being advised not to travel by city authorities, a 5.1 earthquake earlier in the day that included after shocks felt throughout the area, MLB’s Dodgers and […]
Sports Forum Podcast
Episode #30 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: The State of College Athletics with Dr. David Ridpath: Problems and Potential Solutions – Ridpath is a sports administration professor at Ohio University and a long-time member of The Drake Group, a college sports reform think tank.
Listen on Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Anchor and others.
Follow on Facebook: @SportsForumPodcast
More Episodes on Apple Podcasts; Spotify; Google Podcasts; PocketCasts; & Anchor
Episode #29 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: The Honorable Tom McMillen Visits League of Fans’ Sports Forum – McMillen is a former All-American basketball player, Olympian, Rhodes Scholar and U.S. Congressman. We discuss the state of college athletics today.
Episode #28 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: A Chat With Mano Watsa, a Leading Basketball and Life Educator – Watsa is President of PGC Basketball, the largest education basketball camp in the world. We discuss problems in youth sports today.
Episode #27 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Kids’ Sports: How We Can Take Back the Game and Restore Quality Family Time In the Process – Linda Flanagan is author of “Take Back the Game: How Money and Mania Are Ruining Kids’ Sports and Why It Matters.” We discuss how commercialized and professionalized youth sports are hurting kids and their families.
Episode #26 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: How Can We Fix Youth Sports? – John O’Sullivan is Founder and CEO of Changing the Game Project and author of “Changing the Game: The Parents Guide to Raising Happy, High Performing Athletes and Giving Youth Sports Back to Our Kids.”
Episode #25 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Physical Education Should Be a Critical Component of K-12 School Design – Michael Horn is co-founder of the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation.
Media
"How We Can Save Sports" author Ken Reed appears on Fox & Friends to explain how there's "too much adult in youth sports."
Ken Reed appears on Mornings with Gail from KFKA Radio in Colorado to discuss bad parenting in youth athletics.
“Should College Athletes Be Paid?” Ken Reed on The Morning Show from Wisconsin Public Radio
Ken Reed appears on KGNU Community Radio in Colorado (at 02:30) to discuss equality in sports and Title IX.
Ken Reed appears on the Ralph Nader Radio Hour (at 38:35) to discuss his book The Sports Reformers: Working to Make the World of Sports a Better Place, and to talk about some current sports issues.
- Reed Appears on Ralph Nader Radio Hour League of Fans’ sports policy director, Ken Reed, Ralph Nader and the New York Times’ Tyler Kepner discussed a variety of sports issues on Nader’s radio show as well as Reed’s updated book, How We Can Save Sports: A Game Plan. Reed's book was released in paperback in February, and has a new introduction and several updated sections.
League of Fans is a sports reform project founded by Ralph Nader to fight for the higher principles of justice, fair play, equal opportunity and civil rights in sports; and to encourage safety and civic responsibility in sports industry and culture.
Vanderbilt Sport & Society - On The Ball with Andrew Maraniss with guest Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director for League of Fans and author of How We Can Save Sports: A Game Plan
Sports & Torts – Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director, League of Fans – at the American Museum of Tort Law
Books
