How to enter your Sporty Spice era

Reality dating and professional sports are not as different as you’d think.

Brittany is in her Sporty Spice era – she watched the NBA playoffs, she’s following World Cup games, and she’s watching the New York Liberty play their WNBA season. These games are daily – and so is the reality dating show Love Island. And she noticed that the two formats are not very different at all. Defector.com staff writer and co-owner Kelsey McKinney came to the same conclusion – so the two of them discuss why these games of athleticism and love can bring us together… and why they get valued differently in our culture.

(00:00) Brittany enters her Sporty Spice era
(02:02) 'Love Island USA' vibe check
(05:07) Why 'Love Island' is sports
(07:47) The 'Terrible Son' theory for sports fandom
(11:39) How sports and reality TV bring people together
(14:25) Is sports fandom open to everyone?

For more episodes on sports and reality TV, check out:
Get rich or die trying: how sports betting is changing our love of the game
Is this the end of reality TV?
The ugly truth of America's expensive homes

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