I understand why people watch sports; they want to see the pinnacle of human evolution. Unfortunately, as you mentioned, the best of the best benefit from other sources--namely Marion Jones, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, and Floyd Landis who happen to have been the best in their respective sports in our era and a couple all time. Still, the results are exciting to watch.

What I don't understand is why people so passionately follow teams that they can't relate to one bit! Nowadays with the amount of trades and free agency in the major sports few team stay the same for many years. So once a team has a roster makeover what exactly are you a fan of? The color of their jersey? Sure it's your city, so it's your team. The only problem is that in the major sports its not very often that players play in their hometown.

I can see why you would be a fan of a player and inturn root for their respective team. For instance, I was a huge fan of Brett Farve because he was one of the greatest of all time despite the fact that he played for Green Bay and I live in California. I'll probably also root for Desean Jackson (rookie WR w/ Eagles) because I played w/ him in highschool, but I see few other reasons to follow a team so passionately.

Keep in mind, I'm speaking of professional teams, I can see why someone might root for their national team, that makes a little more sense.

As far as the money goes...well it's a huge part of our economy and they do give back (though not nearly as much as they make). As long as people are willing to pay, they deserve to make the money.

I realize I went all over the place, but hey you asked ;)

The reason people follow sports so passionately is because we thrive on competition. It's fun to have a favorite sports team: root for them, hate the competition and talk lots of crap. This has been going on since the beginning of man in some form or another.

I think it's just grows into habit over time. When you're little, your parents take you to your first football or baseball game. You feel the rush and find that you like it. Then you decide what teams you like and who is good statistically...next thing you know you can't help but follow them.

I admit it, I don't care at all about other people performing sports. It just doesn't interest me at all.

I'm not talking about playing a sport yourself and supporting your team to the max - totally understandable. But why on earth do millions watch total strangers run after a ball? (it wouldn't be so hard to come up with a different excuse to get drunk and eat food that clogs up your arteries).

And the ridiculous amounts of money the "players" make - that all comes out of our pockets: Expensive Tickets and expensive consumables that finance advertisement. And even worse, my tax money also supports this billion dollar enterprise :(

And in the end it turns out those guys are not really that good - they had to take performance-enhancing, illegal drugs that might kill them, to perform, what they did. Supporting this in any way seems immoral to me.

There are several ways to look at this depending upon how exactly they follow sports and to what degree.

First, sports are a modern substitute for battle. War has always been humanity's second-favorite pastime--surpassed only by sex.

Next, people tend to do what their friends, family, and peers do. If everyone is watching sports, people will want to become a part of that to be socially acceptable.

Once one has become accepted in the society, some become competitive even within the observation of competition. This is again another aspect of human nature.

Beyond competition, some become addicted. The social acceptance and the emotional highs and lows stimulate the pleasure and reward parts of the brain. This can cause some to go as far as tatooing their team logo to their body--for example.

Another addiction can stem from betting--formally or informally. Even without a bookie, most sports fans banter verbal bets over who will do what to who when, where, and how.

Finally, there is the pyschosocial fascination that most humans have with VIPs and the interesting lives they live. Sports fans vicariously participate not only in the sports but in the lifestyle through their favorite player or team.

A more interesting question might by why don't many folks (like myself) feel any attraction or interest in watching complete strangers get paid large sums for repetitive yet unpredictable physical exertion?

I think it is because they can become buds with the guys and don't have to worry about making too much noise.