Yeah, typically underclass sport compared to football these days 'ey?
Strange! Entertainers/jesters (just like footballers should be classfied as) used to work for their bread & butter, and be belittled/laughed at by the public not too many years ago. The idolized occupational groups were teachers, scientists, doctors, priests and the like.
What do we have now? And does this lead our society forwards? Extremely doubtful IMO!