Major in sport?

Interesting commentary on the radio, by Frank DeFord. We let actors and musicians study their field, but not athletes. Why not major in football?

The difference I note between theatre and football is that football is competitive. But so is political science. Is there a double standard, or is there a legitimate distinction as to why sport isn't an academic enterprise?

Are academics elitist, refusing to respect the genuine accomplishments of athletes, or is sport an essentially different enterprise, not worthy of university study? Physical labor is not usually studied in university. Plumbing is a skill with great complexity (which I hope to never have to do more of again,) but it's taught and learned in a totally different way than physics.