What does consolation mean in sports?

Appropriate sports consolation is reserved for the athlete who loses but did not receive an unfair penalty or who made a mistake. The goal of consolation is to offer the athlete some hope for a better outcome in their next competition. It’s important to note that there is no room for the athlete to state an opinion or express a point of view about the specifics of their game, especially if it involves support for the opposing team.

What does consolation mean in football?

When people talk about consolation in football, they're usually referring to the game's playoffs. If your team made the playoffs but didn't make it to the championship game, consolation can be a nice way to say good-bye. A consolation game is often just a regular game — often, it's just a matchup between two teams that finished with the same regular-season record but didn't get to face off in the championship game.

What does consolation mean in NASCAR?

In NASCAR, the consolation prize is given to the driver who has the best qualifying time but did not make the cut for the next round of the race. The winner receives a small consolation prize purse and will receive some recognition on the race’s official website.

What does consolation mean in soccer?

In sports, consolation is given when a team wins but loses by a large margin. Appropriately, the term dates back to the days of the Roman gladiatorial games. When an athlete was defeated, the losing side would give the winner a small amount of money or some other trinket to show their appreciation.

What does consolation mean in basketball?

A consolation game is a lesser game played when a higher-seeded team is defeated in their championship game. In high school sports, consolation games are usually held for teams that made it to the playoffs but did not win their respective region. In college sports, teams that make it to the NCAA tournament can sometimes play a consolation game if they are not able to advance to the next round.