Religion of Sports: Navigating the Trials of Life Through the Games We Love

by Gotham Chopra, Joe Levin

From the sports documentarian and executive producer of the docuseries The Religion of Sports, a memoir-meets-manifesto about the overwhelming power of sports and how they provide meaning and purpose in people’s lives all over the world. Featuring never-before-heard stories about Tom Brady, Simone Biles, Kobe Bryant, Serena Williams, and many more.

Sports is a religion.

No, really. From pilgrimages and cathedrals, gods and fallen angels, holy wars and holy ghosts, organized sports has every aspect of an organized faith. In fact, it might be even all it takes to believe is to stand and cheer.

Nobody knows this better than the preeminent sports documentarian Gotham Chopra, who just so happens to be the son of world-renowned spiritualist Deepak Chopra. While his father taught him to find faith through prayer, Gotham felt pulled towards the Boston Garden and Larry Bird instead. Tracing his unique path from being a diehard fan to witnessing miracles alongside the gods of sport, Gotham makes a compelling case for sports as a modern-day faith. And like any worthy religious text, he also doles out wisdom, which comes in the form of never-before-heard stories about some of the biggest names in sports.

Rarely has anyone had such an up-close view of greatness as Chopra, and now, he lets you come with him behind the scenes to learn how legendary quarterback Tom Brady managed the end of his career, gold medal gymnast Simone Biles struggled with the pressure of the Tokyo Olympics, Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Stephen Curry developed the greatest three-point shot of all time, and much more. Chopra weaves together stories from Kobe Bryant, Alex Morgan, LeBron James, Michael Strahan, Shaun White, and more into modern-day parables that unlock secrets of competition—and of life.

“A thought-provoking pleasure for spiritually minded sports fan” (Kirkus Reviews), The Religion of Sports is also for anyone who’s ever believed in something greater than themselves.

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction, Audiobook

255 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 5, 2023

About the author

Gotham Chopra (born Gautam Chopra) is an American sports documentarian, media entrepreneur, producer, podcast host, director, journalist, and author. He is a co-founder of Religion of Sports, Liquid Comics, Chopra Media, and the Chopra Well. He is known for his sports-centric films, having worked with athletes.

Reviews

[Kristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chopra breaks down the religion of sports into nine sections: baptism, true believers, myths, transcendence, moral codes, pilgrimage, reformation, tribes, and afterlife. In each, he focuses on a few athletes, some diehard fans, and sprinkle of anecdotal stories of his own life.

I found some stories more inspirational than others (loved the Simone Biles section), and while there is a certain reverence held toward these athletes or teams, I did feel it missed something. I expected more depth than I got. This may be because I already knew most of these stories, but I think it really came from not being able to connect emotionally to them as there isn’t enough time in a chapter to create that. Chopra has many documentaries about athletes and I’m willing to bet that with the use of visual and audio aid, those tap into the missing emotions.

I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.

[Lyon.Brit.andthebookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to have the opportunity to listen to an ALC of Religion Of Sports by Gotham Chopra. Thank you Simon Audio.

An entertaining and thought provoking look into how sports can be meaningful in our lives and communities. Diving into what it means to be a sports fan and the parallels it has to religion. I found the athletes he picked to share fascinating. Even jotted down names I hadn’t heard of to research a bit more. Loved hearing the small portion about Kobe and his mark he left on athletics in general.

If you’re a sports fan or want an uplifting read on greatness I wouldn’t hesitate to give this one a listen! Highly recommend the audio, a shorter read delivered by a great narrator!

[Eliza Pillsbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joe Levin is a machine, and I can’t wait to see what his future collaborations and endeavors entail. I won’t claim to be a “true believer” in the Religion of Sports (the Religion of Texas Football, maybe), but the heterogeneous references are compelling throughout, and the prose is strong.

Keep an eye out for a Q&A with Joe in the Alcalde soon…

[Derek Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up several times and really tried to read it but unfortunately it did not hold my interest. I know that there are readers who will enjoy this book. Thank you for the opportunity of receiving this book. I have already passed it on.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. Excellent metaphors, sports uniting and inspiring us. Recommend for anyone, even if not a sports fan! Well done.

[Demurs · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book from the heart that any true sports fan can relate to, even if they'll never have the opportunity to meet a Kobe Bryant, a Tom Brady, or a Simone Biles.

Turns out I was never an atheist, just didn't know what my religion was, up till now.

[Victor Buhler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book - reminded me of why I love sports so much. Highly recommend!

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Religion of Sports explains the author's connection to Boston teams. It explains how sports can be a meaningful aspect of a person's life. Fans of the same team often come together to celebrate wins and support each other during losses. This book highlights the importance of sports in people's lives. By following major sports teams, it gives people an opportunity to connect with other like-minded individuals. There are major sports fans across the world. It's incredible because different places have different sports, but they still follow their teams in the same way. Sports can bring all different people together. For many athletes, their participation in the sport can become their whole lifestyle. It requires a high level of motivation to stay focused on their goals. They have to be prepared for a wide variety of possibilities that can occur during a game.

This book goes into detail about some of the "pioneers" of certain sports. Certain athletes had to overcome disadvantages before even making it to the field. It is important to realize that the popularity of a sport had to start somewhere. All it takes is for one person to put themselves out there and take a chance. By learning about the history of some sports, it helps to understand how it evolved over time. Being a part of a sports team can teach the athlete important lessons on and off the field. Players can learn important life skills from participating in sports. These athletes can learn about discipline, respect, and determination among other things.

This book gave me a new perspective on the reasons why people appreciate following a particular team. It can be a way of showing pride for their community. When people come together to watch a game, it can lead to positive bonds. It can give these fans something to look forward to. When people meet others who support the same team, they have someone to share their experiences with. I found this book very interesting since it helped me to look at this topic in a new light. In our current times, it is important to be part of something positive. By reading some of the examples in this book, it highlights the concept that hard work really does pay off. I gained some insight into how important it is to be a member of a team.

I highly recommend this book. It is written in a way that kept me engaged the entire time. This book gave me a whole new meaning to what it is like being a sports fan. I really enjoyed the way the information was presented to the reader. It was also eye-opening to learn about how some athletes prepare for upcoming games.

Thank you for the chance to read the advance copy.

[Momma Leighellen’s Book Nook · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Everybody has their own story of initiation into any kind of faith, a moment where the whole world comes into focus just a little bit more. A Jew's bar mitzvah. A Christian's baptism. A Hindu's apanayana. Many sports fans are born into their faith."

We are a HUGE sports family! I'm a die hard Buckeye fan and my husband used to work for both the Huskies and the Seahawks. We've had season tickets to sporting events in all the places we have lived - the Mariners, Rockies, Avs. And our three boys have played a variety of sports over the years.

So this book hits home in a lot of ways. Sports can definitely feel like a type of religion. From cult like traditions to the gathering of people from all walks of life, the rivalries and the god like status of premier athletes, sports has many aspects of an organized faith.

The Religion of Sports was fun in a lot of ways as it includes chats from fan favorites like Tom Brady, Simone Biles, and Serena Williams. Chopra is clearly passionate about sports. But some of the stories felt very much like "name dropping" and his elite lifestyle is nowhere near the experience of an average sports fan.

But I think this makes a great gift for anyone who loves sports and has a favorite team.

[Alex Haenke · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books I’ve ever read. As a diehard sports fan, this book resonated with me unlike any other. I often wonder why sports mean so much to me. Why do the victories feel so incredible? Why do the defeats feel so demoralizing? How does feeling of entering my favorite team’s stadium feel eerily similar to entering a grand cathedral? If you have ever asked yourself similar questions, this book is an essential read. The idea of sports being a religion is an excellent way to help explore some of these great queries.

[Jennifer Tressen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to enjoy the book more but it did not resonate with me...or my oldest son.

The concepts are solid and the logic behind them. Perhaps what I really missed some of the emotional context and detail I had been hoping for. There's not really a better way to say it besides "It just didn't do it for me."

Several people will love this book and it is a nice addition to have in the world of books for sports fans. I unfortunately just wasn't a big fan of this book.

[David Flapan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author shows how sports are just like religion. He convinced me early. It was exciting how there are so many parallels between the two. He also gives behind the scenes.Info on some famous sports stories and athletes.

[Keegan McMenamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grabbed this because the library didn't have the book I wanted. It wasn't what I was hoping it was going to be when I grabbed it, but nonetheless it was still pretty solid and had some good stories. I specifically enjoyed the Simone Biles chapter.

[Sal Grasso · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed learning about Gotham’s theory that sports can take on the same traits as religions. Each chapter goes into different aspects of what makes a religion and ties in how sports fit the criteria.

[Dave Cottenie · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Religion of Sports” offered some interesting looks into a variety of athletes and events. However, the case for sports as religion seemed pretty weak. Each chapter has an idea brought forward to link religion and sport which was followed by a lengthy profile or two. Not all of the profiles had strong linkage to the idea. Too often it felt as though this book was an ad for the author’s other projects that had been completed or friendships with various athletes.

[Kaleb Springer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Showed too much bias for my liking but even with the connections he had grown/earned he proved to be able to write a relatively relatable read about a topic we hold close

[EnjoyerOfTurtles]

Combining two topics I love into one book. I view sports as a foundation for society. Hell I can't think of most anologies without thinking of a sports one. Sports are a modern day religion!

[Julia Chenoweth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Felt like it should have been a TedTalk. Also he got a Detroit sports tradition wrong (we throw octopi not squids).

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really interesting. It mostly focuses on the author's favourite teams/athletes and it could have been expanded to include other lore etc but I think the stories were interesting and the athletes he did interview were fascinating.

[Akash · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jumps around from story to story a bit too much but still a very good read overall. Some cool sports-related and historical anecdotes

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging narrative on the deep connection between fans and sport. Interesting connections and deeper dives into some of the most famous athletes of their time, as well as their games themselves. Recommend to any rabid fanatic, like me.👂🏻