Description
Book SynopsisSports Fans, Identity, and Socialization is an eclectic collection of new studies from accomplished and emerging scholars in the fields of communication, business, geography, kinesiology, psychology, and more, who employ a wide range of methodologies including quantitative, qualitative, and critical analyses.
Trade ReviewAfter years of unexplained oversight, scholars now recognize the pervasiveness and significance of mediated sports. This collection pulls together research that will engage and open the eyes of anyone who has read a sports page, watched a Super Bowl, owned a fantasy team, or known someone who has. Read this book and you’ll learn more about yourself, your friends, and the world we inhabit. -- Jay Coakley, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, author of Sports in Society: Issues and Controversies
Sports Fans, Identity, and Socialization is a welcome addition to the growing scholarship in communication and sport. This edited volume features an impressive lineup of emerging and established scholars, drafted from a variety of disciplinary interests, including business, media studies, psychology, public relations, rhetoric, and sports management. What makes the book such a success is that it presents a broad range of methodological perspectives and addresses sports fanship across multiple sports, sites, and contexts. Sports Fans, Identity, and Socialization is required reading for anyone interested in the attitudes, behaviors, and motivations of contemporary sports fans. -- Michael L. Butterworth, Bowling Green State University
Table of ContentsForeword James R. Walker Introduction Paul M. Haridakis & Adam C. Earnheardt Part One: Fan Identity 1 Remaining Rooted in a Sea of Red: Agrarianism, Place Attachment, and Nebraska Cornhusker Football Fans Roger C. Aden & Scott Titsworth 2 The Dynamics of Identity in the Communities of Local Professional Wrestling David Beard & John Heppen 3 The 13th Man: Constructions of Fandom at the 2008 Ryder Cup John Harris 4 Farewell to the Chief: Fan Identification and the Sports Mascot as Postmodern Image Phil Chidester Part Two: Fan Socialization 5 The Social Dimension of Sports Fanship Walter Gantz, David Fingerhut & Gayle Nadorff 6 The Importance of Team Identification in Perceptions of Trust of Fellow and Rival Sport Fans Daniel L. Wann, Frederick G. Grieve, Ryan K. Zapalac, Amanda J. Visek, Julie A. Partridge & Jason R. Lanter 7 No Limits: Sensation Seeking and Fandom in the Sport Culture of the X Games Sarah Porri & Andrew C. Billings 8 Sport Fans, Athletes, and Communication: Applying Theory to Understanding if Fans Impact Athletes’ Cognitive and Physical Performance Jennifer Marmo 9 “Pronger You Ignorant Ape…I Hope You Fall Off Space Mountain!”: A Study of the Institutional Work of Sport Fans William M. Foster, Craig G. Hyatt & Mark Julien Part 3: Fans and Media 10 “Brett Favre is a God”: Sports Fans’ Perpetuation of Mythology on Newspaper Websites Kelly Berg & Allison Harthcock 11 Communicating Organizational History to Sports Fans Matthew Gill 12 The Many Faces of “Fans”: How the NBA Meets the Demands of its Different Audience Segments John A. Fortunato 13 From Good ol’ Boys to National Spectacle: Motives and Identification among Young NASCAR Fans John S. W. Spinda 14 Why Hispanic Fans Are the Lifeblood of Major League Soccer Ric Jensen Part 4: Fans and Gender 15 From Football Widow to Fan: Web Narratives of Women and Sports Spectatorship Lawrence A. Wenner 16 Football Fans Do Wear Pink: Game Day Broadcasts, Female Football Fans and Their NFL 231 Kathy Brady 17 Great Expectations: An Analysis of the Fan Base for WNBA’s 2008 Expect Great 247 Katherine L. Lavelle Part 5: Fans and Fantasy Sports 18 Fantasy Sports and Sports Fandom: Implications for Mass Media Research Nicholas David Bowman, Jessi McCabe & Tom Isaacson 19 Show Me the Numbers!: Media Dependency and Fantasy Game Participants John P. McGuire, Greg G. Armfield & Jeff Boone Index About the Contributors About the Editors
