The Aspen Institute Presents - Sports and Society: More than a Game

The Positive -- and Negative Impact of Sports Today

November 20, on Public TV's WORLD Channel

WASHINGTON, Nov. 13,  2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Sports is no longer on the periphery of our society as a mere diversion, but an institution that both reflects and shapes our culture. On November 20, at 8:00 p.m. ET, The Aspen Institute Presents -- Sports and Society: More than a Game, dives deep into some of today's most compelling sports-related topics:

A discussion on the cluster of issues around college sports and the larger role of sports and competition in society includes record-setting NFL running back Jim Brown, addressing the NFL's changing attitude towards game injuries (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GfmPiOS3jw), Oregon State University head basketball coach Craig Robinson, and ESPN Executive Vice President John Walsh.

NFL veteran Kevin Turner talks about how the violent impacts of football could be causing life-changing injuries. Turner was diagnosed with ALS in 2010, at about the same time as scientists began to believe that the concussions of contact sports were to blame for many traumas.  The episode also includes a clip from American Man (americanmanthemovie.com/story.html), the documentary about Turner, and a discussion with Turner and filmmaker Jon Frankel.

To watch a 30-second clip from Sports and Society: More than a Game, please visit  http://www.aspenideas.org/presents/.

If you are interested in viewing the full episode and remaining episodes in The Aspen Institute Presents series, please contact Jennifer Myers at the Aspen Institute,     j[email protected], for a password to the vimeo link.

Sports and Society: More than a Game
Featured Speaker Biographies:

• Jim Brown
• Craig Robinson
• John Walsh
• Wallace Renfro
• Beth Brooke
• Kevin Turner
• Jon Frankel
• Jeremy Schapp
• Tom Farrey

visit  http://www.WORLDchannel.org  for film-related content and to join discussions on Facebook or Twitter.

About WORLD
WORLD is produced by WGBH Boston, in partnership with WNET New York Public Media and American Public Television (APT) and in association with the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and the National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA). The WORLD channel is available in markets representing more than 55% of U.S. TV households, and 13 of the top 25 markets, including New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Dallas, Boston and Atlanta.  Funding for WORLD is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).       

About The Aspen Institute
The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, D.C. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues. The Institute has campuses in Aspen, Colorado, and on the Wye River on Maryland's Eastern Shore. It also maintains offices in New York City and has an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.

SOURCE The Aspen Institute