Sports are among the most popular of all recreational activities. Sports are usually governed by some sort of code or traditions, that allow fair play, and ensure consistent adjudication of the outcome. In other organized sports, records of past performance are kept, and in popular sports, such as baseball, these statistics can be openly announced or reported by the sports team, or at the very least, widely reported in sports media. However, even in these arenas of organized sports, certain rules and regulations regarding how and when certain activities can be performed arise. These are called “standards” because the games are primarily governed by them, for the purposes of fairness and proper play.
Organizing a sport is not an easy task. To begin with, it involves tremendous planning and organization. The specific event concerned must be carefully chosen, with particular regard to time and venue. The purpose behind hosting the event is also important, whether it is to benefit the organizers directly, or to make the sports event known and popular among the audience. Moreover, sports events can be hosted in special issues, such as festivals, carnivals, or competitions sponsored by influential people, institutions, or groups. In addition, some events may be held in response to an existing or perceived public concern or need.
For these reasons, organizing sports events has become a very involved task. It requires a lot of resources, both financial and human, that can only be effectively used by those who specialize in it. In fact, specialized groups have been created over the years to address these and other concerns about the sport of choice. Such specialized groups are commonly known as advisory committees, sports management consultancies, sports advisory committees, sports law firms, sports organizations, sports policy development teams, and sports administration consultancies.
One example of a specialized group is the advisory committee on sport and physical activity. The main function of this committee is to assist the organizations in making decisions that will best protect their athletes, maintain their competitive standing, while still permitting them to participate in various voluntary activity that complements their professional sports activities. This committee usually meets at least twice annually, for a minimum of six weeks. At its meeting, members would discuss issues concerning their sport and physical activity community, such as issues that affect their athlete’s health, safety, participation, revenue, marketing, and government regulation of their sport and physical activity industry. Other relevant matters would include issues regarding youth participation, high school athletics, college athletics, participation in international sports events, the Olympic committee, and issues that affect the association between sports and health and wellness.
Another example of an advisory group is the coordinating committee on mind sports and physical activity. The coordinating committee meets quarterly, with the first meeting scheduled for May. The purpose of this group is to create and maintain guidelines for sport and physical activity professionals within the state. The committee meets to discuss issues that affect sport and physical activity professionals and to make recommendations for those professionals to state and implement according to the needs of each state. Consistent state policies are needed for these experts, as well as guidelines and policies that are specific to the needs of each state. The coordinating committee also makes recommendations for future growth and development within the mind sports and physical activity industry.
Other specialized advisory committees may also be established to deal with issues specific to individual sports and other related activities, such as those that deal with child, family, and social sports activities. These committees aim to create opportunities for social interaction and cultural awareness through sport-based activities. Within non-profit organizations, these committees may also deal with issues specific to issues that affect sport and physical activity in the society in general. These committees work in collaboration with the sports and recreational industry, in order to create long lasting and sustainable changes to the industry that benefit sport and physical activity enthusiasts around the world. These committees may collaborate with other nonprofit organizations that also serve sport enthusiasts.