{"title":"“We’ve … had to Make Ourselves more Visible Because … the Media hasn’t Done it for us”: Theorising a Visibility Bind in Relation to the Growing Prominence of Women’s Sport","authors":"Hannah Thompson-Radford, Michael Skey","doi":"10.1177/21674795251324846","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/21674795251324846","url":null,"abstract":"Women have been traditionally excluded from sport, and recent work has argued for the need to increase the visibility of both women’s sport and female athletes in order to secure public attention and commercial opportunities and encourage the next generation to participate. In this paper, we introduce the concept of the visibility bind to offer a more nuanced understanding of these debates. Here, we note that growing visibility may often operate as a double-edged sword for women operating in ‘traditional’ male domains and, largely unregulated, online spaces. Drawing on interviews with elite athletes from professional cricket in England, we show that visibility may not only lead to abuse and stereotyping, both overt and covert, but also places an added burden on players who are often expected to carry out unpaid physical and emotional labour. Finally, we draw attention to the benefits of being in a team sport where colleagues can provide advice, support and levity when dealing with such challenges.","PeriodicalId":46882,"journal":{"name":"Communication & Sport","volume":"59 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143546470","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Bridging the Virtual and the Real: The Impact of Metaverse Sports Event Characteristics on Event Marketing Communication Effectiveness","authors":"Zeyang Li, Lei Jia","doi":"10.1177/21674795251321754","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/21674795251321754","url":null,"abstract":"With the rapid development of Metaverse technology, the sports industry has gradually integrated it to enhance event experiences and fan engagement. This study aims to explore the impact of event characteristics in Metaverse sports events on event immersion, event satisfaction, and team attitude. This study used questionnaire survey, collecting data from 1208 participants of the MZ generation (age 18–42) who had experience in Metaverse sports events in Korea, including Koreans and foreigners studying and working in Korea. The SEM analysis results revealed that relational transcendence in event characteristics had a significant positive effect on relational immersion, while cognitive image significantly influenced spatial immersion. Spatial immersion had a significant impact on personal satisfaction, and relational immersion also significantly influenced relational satisfaction. Further analysis showed that both personal satisfaction and relational satisfaction had positive effects on team attitude. Additionally, low-engagement consumers showing stronger perceptions of relational transcendence and relational immersion. The immersive experiences in Metaverse sports events significantly enhance consumer satisfaction and foster a more positive attitude toward the team. Future sports marketing strategies should consider the integration of virtual and real experiences, providing deeply interactive and personalized experiences for consumers with varying levels of engagement.","PeriodicalId":46882,"journal":{"name":"Communication & Sport","volume":"35 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143546471","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Forgiving the Foul: The Role of Moral Decoupling, Emotions, and Forgiveness in Fan Responses to Sports Crises","authors":"James Ndone, J.C. Abdallah","doi":"10.1177/21674795251323193","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/21674795251323193","url":null,"abstract":"This study investigates how team identification, moral emotions, and moral decoupling influence fans’ punitive behaviors in response to sports-related crises. Using a sample of 437 sports fans, the researchers examined whether negative moral emotions (anger, contempt, and disgust) drive punitive behaviors and how team identification affects moral decoupling. Findings reveal that higher team identification is associated with increased moral decoupling, enabling fans to separate their support for team performance from ethical transgressions. Additionally, negative moral emotions were significant predictors of punitive behaviors, with perceived crisis severity mediating the relationship between team identification and fan punishment. Forgiveness emerged as a key moderator, reducing the likelihood of punitive actions among highly identified fans. However, forgiveness did not moderate the relationship between team identification and moral decoupling. Both theoretical and practical implications are discussed.","PeriodicalId":46882,"journal":{"name":"Communication & Sport","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143528383","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Shifting Sports Gambling Terrain: New Factors Within an Age-Old Activity","authors":"Andrew C. Billings, Marie Hardin","doi":"10.1177/21674795251323337","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/21674795251323337","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":46882,"journal":{"name":"Communication & Sport","volume":"22 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143470641","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Signing Off: An Examination Into Female Journalists Leaving Legacy Media","authors":"Timothy Mirabito, John Collett, Jack Talbott","doi":"10.1177/21674795251321746","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/21674795251321746","url":null,"abstract":"The role of female journalists in local television news is a tenuous space. Having women occupy jobs in traditionally hegemonically male roles enriches perspective and content. Simultaneously, the work environment can be challenging—often hostile—which leads to negative work experiences for female practitioners. The instability has led to an outflow of women opting out of the television news industry. The purpose of this study was to investigate why female local sports journalists were leaving the business. Researchers conducted 27 semi-structured interviews with local sports television journalists who left their jobs in the last four years (since 2020). The findings of this study rendered two main themes and one smaller secondary theme that offered a perspective on several variables behind these decisions and important distinctions between those factors facing women and men. Many of the variables influencing practitioners to leave were similar. For instance, almost every respondent offered low salary and bad schedules as reasons for getting out. However, findings showed that women made less money and did not serve in newsroom leadership roles, which meant they had even worse schedules. The conclusion of this study is that newsroom leaders need to address the stronger headwinds facing female journalists and need to be more strategic about fostering healthier work environments for women in the newsroom.","PeriodicalId":46882,"journal":{"name":"Communication & Sport","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143462463","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Risk, Responsibility, and Prevention in Injury Management: Implications of Concussion (mis)education on Youth Athlete Knowledge Uptake","authors":"Kaleigh Pennock, Braeden McKenzie","doi":"10.1177/21674795251321759","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/21674795251321759","url":null,"abstract":"Concerns over the short- and long-term health implications of concussions has led to a surge in concussion education materials, resources, and modalities to educate youth athletes as a first line of defense in injury prevention. In this paper, we argue that this over-emphasis on concussion education–and a reliance on static, sensationalized, and culturally disconnected messaging–fails to consider the sociocultural implications of concussion education and the subsequent uptake and impact of this information by/on youth athletes. To do so, we present research involving semi-structured interviews with youth athletes in Ontario, Canada ( N = 28; aged 13-18-years-old) focused on understanding experiences with concussion knowledge and education. Through our analysis, we highlight three important domains related to athletes’ experiences with concussion education concerning (1) sufficient education, (2) scare tactics in education efforts, and (3) equity, access, and responsibility. By problematizing education as an effective mode of injury prevention, we draw attention to a gap within current sport-related concussion literature concerning knowledge uptake, education, and behaviour with the social and cultural realities of concussion experiences.","PeriodicalId":46882,"journal":{"name":"Communication & Sport","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143435240","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Super “Soul” Parties: Building Civic Inclusion Through Fandom","authors":"Whitney Gent, Emily Sauter","doi":"10.1177/21674795251315343","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/21674795251315343","url":null,"abstract":"Despite a widespread belief that sports can build community and help lift people out of violence and poverty, scholars have yet to establish a definitive relationship between marginalized communities and sports fandom as a pathway to social inclusion. In this study, we examine publicity surrounding a series of “Super Soul parties,” Super Bowl parties for people experiencing homelessness, to show how sports fandom can be rhetorically positioned to create a sense of belonging. We argue that Kay’s use of the Super Bowl is a strategic utilization of sports as a tool for rhetorically creating 1) visibility, 2) legibility, and 3) dignity. However, we also find this strategy is tenuous; over time, Super Soul parties’ housed attendees revert from seeing homeless people as fans to understanding them as others in need of service. For sports fandom to successfully provide dignity and inclusion, advocates must find ways to avoid reinscribing traditional service hierarchies.","PeriodicalId":46882,"journal":{"name":"Communication & Sport","volume":"55 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143072368","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Selfie Scores: A Scoping Review of Research on Athlete Social Media Self-Presentation","authors":"Qingru Xu","doi":"10.1177/21674795251315832","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/21674795251315832","url":null,"abstract":"This study conducts a scoping review of the literature on athlete social media self-presentation (ASMSP), aiming to map the current state of research, identify gaps, and propose directions for future studies. The review of 99 journal articles reveals a significant expansion over the past two decades, with studies exploring diverse aspects such as difference comparing across athlete groups, identity negotiations, brand building, and interactions between ASMSP and professional outcomes. Based on the syntheses, we recommend future scholars advance theoretical perspectives, examine identity negotiation among male athletes, explore diverse sport and geographical contexts, refine the measurement of athlete popularity, and move beyond descriptive patterns to explore causal relationships. By consolidating the existing body of literature, this review serves as a roadmap for future research and offers insights for practitioners to refine strategies for athlete branding.","PeriodicalId":46882,"journal":{"name":"Communication & Sport","volume":"124 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143056595","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Natalie Brown-Devlin, Jingyue Tao, Chris Imbrogno, Nicole Butterbaugh, Xiaotong Liu, Leonard Memon, Yara Acaf, Josh Anderson
{"title":"Examining Sports Media Credibility, Bias, Political Identification, and Fandom Using a Repeated Cross-Sectional Survey","authors":"Natalie Brown-Devlin, Jingyue Tao, Chris Imbrogno, Nicole Butterbaugh, Xiaotong Liu, Leonard Memon, Yara Acaf, Josh Anderson","doi":"10.1177/21674795251314383","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/21674795251314383","url":null,"abstract":"Two studies utilizing a repeated cross-sectional survey were conducted over a three-year period to measure the source credibility and media bias ratings of six sports media brands (i.e., NBC Sports, ESPN, FOX Sports, CBS Sports, Bleacher Report, Yahoo Sports). Study 1 found sports media brands’ source credibility has been rated more positively since 2021 and ratings of media bias have decreased since 2021. Guided by social identity theory, Study 2 analyzed how respondents’ social identity labels (i.e., political identification and sports fandom) affected their media bias and source credibility evaluations, noting the importance of sports fandom. Notably, sports fans report lower levels of media bias when their fandom level is high.","PeriodicalId":46882,"journal":{"name":"Communication & Sport","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143056598","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Why Do People Collect Sportscards? Fan Motivations for Collecting Miniature Sports Media","authors":"Scott Parrott","doi":"10.1177/21674795241309844","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/21674795241309844","url":null,"abstract":"The sports card industry boomed during the COVID-19 pandemic when sports fans lacked access to sporting events. Estimates now place the value of the sports card industry in the billions. Sports cards raise compelling questions concerning fan behavior: Why collect cardboard photos of athletes? This study examines fan motivations for collecting sports cards by examining comments on Reddit, a social media platform centered around shared interests. Informed by the Uses & Gratifications approach, a thematic analysis was used to examine 326 comments concerning user motivations for collecting sports cards. Seven reasons were identified: Fans collect sports cards because (1) sports cards are educational; (2) fans identify with athletes; (3) sports cards can be a financial investment; (4) sports cards are addicting; (5) sports cards nurture social connection; (6) sports cards are entertaining, and (7) sports cards provide escape from mundane and stressful life events.","PeriodicalId":46882,"journal":{"name":"Communication & Sport","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142987312","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}