I'm not really what you would call a sports fan. But I think this did a really good job at highlighting and explaining for the naysayers the dilemmas (and the facts behind them) of why some people who ARE sports fans struggle with certain elements. From players convicted of crimes playing again, to leagues that place profits over players' health, to the astronomical and ridiculous PUBLIC costs of vanity stadiums, to the dearth of support for players from marginalized identities, to the challenges with the Olympics. Admittedly they don't have all the answers, but it's a well-reasoned, well-researched, well-rounded look at these issues. There were also a lot of anecdata from people within the sports field, both players and reporters.

A good amount of this book definitely went over my head when it came to game rules, etc. (especially that chapter on baseball free market...) and I am not really a sports "fan" so the chapter about stadiums only made me even more enraged than I already am about that fun aspect of sports, but this book captures a lot of the reasons why I'm NOT a big sports fan. Admittedly, though, I can't say that would still be the case if it was a family or traditional pastime. I am able to separate myself from that fanaticism because it wasn't grown into me, which is much easier.