Episode 143:  Americans’ love affair with sports is stronger than ever. According to a poll earlier this year by Pew Research, about half of Americans say they took part in organized, competitive sports in high school or college; most Americans who played sports in high school or college say their athletic experiences improved their physical health and confidence; and nearly 4-in-10 Americans follow professional or college sports at least somewhat closely.

Hosts Richard Kyte and Scott Rada discuss whether legalized gambling, the reliance on TV revenue and costly taxpayer-funded stadiums make sports less appealing.

Discussion topics:

The dark side of the sports betting boom, by Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN

Cash-grabbing power players are sending college sports Into a soulless spiral, by Pat Forde, Sports Illustrated

Stadium subsidies are getting even more ridiculous, by Dan Moore, The Atlantic

About the hosts

Scott Rada is a digital strategist with Lee Enterprises, and Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His forthcoming book, "Finding Your Third Place," will be published by Fulcrum Books.