spectator sport

American  

noun

1. any sport that can be watched by spectators, as football or basketball, usually for a fee.

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spectator sport British  

noun

1. a sport that attracts more people as spectators than as participants

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Etymology

Origin of spectator sport

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

As a venture investor, Parillo developed a thesis on trading competitions becoming a spectator sport long before he participated in one.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

Americans began to hold their own by the 1920s, and professional golf has increased in popularity as a spectator sport to this day.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 29, 2025

For the last three decades, badminton has been a competitive Olympic sport, and with "bird" speeds topping 300 mph in "smash" shots, it certainly makes for exciting spectator sport.

From Science Daily • Jan. 9, 2024

Entrance is free — you only pay to surf — which turns even your intro lesson into a spectator sport.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 28, 2023

I wondered if I should have brought along my boyfriend to make the experience feel more real or important, but I hadn't expected it to be a spectator sport.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi