What is theme music in sports trying to say? The Olympic Hymn is a tune about the brotherhood of nations, the NBA track on ESPN has a trap beat, and the NFL opening songs on FOX and CBS are percussive and aggressive.

Listen closely to the sounds of the game and you'll begin to understand the myth of certain sports, and what sports TV is trying to sell.

On the first episode of Sidelines, Professor Jeffery Segrave (Skidmore College) discusses the role of music in sports. Through analyzing a handful of sports television themes, we can begin to understand how songs shape athletic events... and even define certain sports.