The are judged by there athletic performance on gameday chick.....Not which team has the prettiest uniforms. Or the most proportional helmets!
I, too, am judged on performance...not the color of my trunks, or my hair style.
Different types of "athletic performance", don't dictate whether or not something is considered a sport....golf, football, baseball,gymnastics, platform diving, bodybuilding and running a marathon all require completely kinds/ levels of athleticism