This is a debate that people have tossed around for years. Exactly what defines a "sport?" To me, this is how I define them and some reasons why other activities and competitions are not included in my list of sport.
1) Sports must have 2 sides. Offense and defense. And both sides must have equal opportunities. The roles can change throughout the compettion, but both sides must have an opportunity to be both offense and defense.
****this negates hunting, fishing and other activities (that may be indeed athletic at times) that involve the capturing or killing of animals. The animals never get to play offense, and are hardly n an equal footing with someone and their high powered gun or othre implement of destruction.
2) All participants in the sport must always play to win. Even within anything that is defined as a sport, if one side "tanks" or plays not to win, for whatever reason, that individual contest would not be a sport at that moment.
*****this eliminates auto racing. as especially on the larger circuits like nascar, where drivers make deals to block and such. the best example of this (off the top of my head) is when a driver let dale jr. win a race right after his father's death. also, winning isn't even emphasized so much in nascar as is points gathering which makes it more of a game than a sport. Horse racing also gets eliminated here, and similar competitions where jockeys or the person in control will throw a horse off stride cause the odds are bad or for whatever reason.
3) a ball is not necessary.
******that means hockey is a sport. that means boxing is a sport. that means curling is a sport. all have offense and defense. all play to win.
Other things that do not qualify as sports in my mind....
1) equestrian competitions (no defense)
2) bowling (no defense)
3) golf (again, no defense)
Now, when I say that these things do not qualify as a sport. Many take that as an insult. Especially golfers, hunters and nascar fans. Understand that by them not being defined as a sport, that does not qualify them being put-down in any way. Most of the things that wouldn't qualify as sports in my mind, I would call 'athletic competitions." And some of them are more demanding than some sports. For example, hiking up a mountain is probably more strenuous activity than a 1st baseman will see in a typical game. And you probably have to be fairly strong and skilled to knock a golf ball 300 yards vs how strong a basketball player needs to be to get a basketball up a mere 10 feet.
Bowling is tough. To be a really good one takes a lot of practice and skill. I'm guessing it takes more practice and skill to do that than to pummel another into the canvas. Some might argue with that, but I believe I learned how to punch someone a lot easier and earlier than it took me to get my 1st strike on the lanes.
So again, please don't take me calling something an "athletic competition" or "game" or "contest of skill" as an insult. As some are extremely gruelling or take some time and skills to master. But they are still not a sport. And if something is a sport, it has no inherent superiority to things that are not. Just a different definition."