>Have they "decided" though? The reason for their existence is largely historic. I don't think people are really aware of the costs, both monetary and non-monet

>Have they "decided" though? The reason for their existence is largely historic. I don't think people are really aware of the costs, both monetary and non-monetary. [...] I've brought it up before. I was told that it's good because students can then get athletic scholarships. When I brought up that the sum of the scholarships received this was was very well below the budget of the athletic department, I didn't receive an answer. Again, if the status quo is not to your liking, attempt to change it. If you think people are unaware of the costs, educate them. Personally, I am aware of both and find them satisfactory. Perhaps those people did as well. > No, chess club has very little external costs. As the comment I was responding to said, one school cancelled later times (something everyone would benefit from) due to sports. Also, chess matches aren't a major "social event". Sure, but if all schools adopted later start times (as they should), it would no longer be a problem for sports to find scheduling. And my point is that kids are going to do something as an after-school activity, and that sports are perfectly fine as one of them. > Which skills? Don't say "team work" or "diligence" or something. Good workout routines and general ways of keeping physically fit. Tactical planning and how to effectively and efficiently fill roles. Teamwork, which I am saying anyway because that is absolutely a valuable takeaway from team sports, I'm not sure why you think that isn't good enough. Are these things exclusively learned from team sports? No, but nothing is really exclusively learned from anything else. >It's not about me disliking them, it's about me having it shoved down my throat and me, as a taxpayer, paying for it. I don't like everything my taxes are spent on either, but that's the price we pay for living in a civilized society sometimes. >By the way the sports culture was a major factor in the Columbine shooting This is in absolutely no way, shape, or form relevant to the discussion, and you should be ashamed for even considering to compare people who think sports have value in society to mass murderers in an otherwise civil discussion.