When Does Sport Become Art?

January 27, 2025

Forgive me for a minute if you think I’m going off script, but I have to point out something that I saw this weekend that was purely artistic. Watching Patrick Mahomes lead the Kansas City Chiefs was like watching a great actor, ballet dancer, musician or visual artist in the studio doing their thing.

Sports has become such a dominant part of our culture. While I grew up consuming as much as I could on a daily basis, over the last 10 years my recreational interests have expanded in so many ways that I engage in sports at a much more subdued pace. But I remain in awe when I see greatness and watching Patrick Mahomes quarterback his team and attempt to win their third Super Bowl in a row fits that bill.

Yes, I’m rooting for Kansas City to win the Super Bowl and yes, I think if Patrick Mahomes wins his third Super Bowl, he is the GOAT. The question is: is he also an artist? I think so.

Matt Ross

Matt Ross is the Founder of One River School of Art + Design. Since 2012, One River has grown from one location in Englewood, NJ to fifteen schools in six states with a goal to “transform art education” across America. Prior to One River School, Matt was the CEO of School of Rock, where he built the company into the world leader in music education for kids. Prior to his experience with School of Rock, Matt held a variety of management positions in broadcasting, working for diverse media companies such as Clear Channel, CBS and Viacom. He is also active in promoting Autism awareness and supporting emerging artists and is passionate about collecting Contemporary Art with a focus on painting, mixed media and drawing.