Why Are Sports Played on Holidays?

From football on Thanksgiving to the NBA on Christmas Day, sports being played on holidays have become an important tradition around the world. Many families usually come together to: eat food, catch up on their lives, and watch sports on these days. But these athletes must be away from their families on these days, which poses the question of “Why are sports played on holidays?”.

The tradition of the NFL on Thanksgiving Day started in 1934 when the Detroit Lions played the Chicago Bears, and since then football games have been played on Thanksgiving Day. The NBA began playing games on Christmas Day in 1947 and the 2022-2023 campaign will mark the 75th edition of the NBA on Christmas Day. These athletes have worked hard all year playing games weekly, so why can’t they get holidays to spend time with their families?

People need to realize that sports on holidays not only affect the athletes, but also affect the athletic staff, entertainers, and other workers around the stadium like concession workers and janitors. This year on Thanksgiving Day the New York Giants played the Dallas Cowboys. The distance between these two states is 1,368.34 miles, which is approximately a four-hour flight.

One solution to this issue would be to have two teams based in the same state compete against each other on major holidays. For example, in 2019 the Los Angeles Lakers played the Los Angeles Clippers on Christmas Day. These two teams share a stadium which makes it easier for the players to travel to and from the stadium after the game.

NBA Christmas Day schedule pic.twitter.com/FFGwHJSuyb

— Cassidy Hubbarth (@CassidyHubbarth) August 17, 2021