What does the phrase 'fade into spectacle' mean?

No real fan would speak of sports that way-as governed by totally arbitrary rules and having no real object or point. If this were true, sport would fade into spectacle, a source of amusement rather than a subject of appreciation.

What does 'fade into spectacle' actually mean? Does it imply relegating sport from something inspiring to just a show?

Solution 1:

In the film making vernacular Fade into is a description or direction for the image to fade and then change into another image. The expression is that sports would fade into, or change or descend into spectacle. Here spectacle being only show and glamorous activity with no underlying purpose. So what else is new.