A few weeks ago Canadians celebrated their victory over Russia in World Junior Hockey Championship. Ten teams took part in the tournament from nations around the world. While thousands of Canadians were able to attend the games in Montreal and Toronto, and thousands of others travelled the long distance from their own countries, millions more tuned in to watch the games on television. While sport is primarily a community activity, over the last century and a half it has expanded its international reach considerably. It has managed to straddle the local and global with remarkable ease.