ABSTRACT

Bringing together many of the most influential scholars in sport and media studies, this book examines the diverse ways that media influences our understanding of the world’s most important sport events, dubbed sports mega-events. It sheds new light on how these events have been changed by the media, and have, in turn, adapted to media to further their brand’s cultural influence.

Focusing on the central concept of "mediatization" – the permeation of media into all spheres of contemporary life – the book presents original case studies of major events including the Olympics, FIFA, rugby and cricket World Cups, Tour de France, Super Bowl, World Series, Monaco Grand Prix, Wimbledon, and many more. Written from a truly international perspective, this is a seminal work in sport and media studies that reveals the growing political, economic, and cultural influences of sport mega-events in contemporary society.

Sport, Media and Mega-Events is an essential text for any course on the sociology of sport, event management, sport marketing, or featuring a cultural, communication or media studies approach to sport.

part I|47 pages

Framing sport, media and mega-events

chapter 1|17 pages

The Curious Case of the Megasporting Event

Media, mediatization and seminal sports events

chapter 2|14 pages

Sports Mega-Events

Mass media and symbolic contestation

chapter 3|15 pages

Media Events, Mega-Events and Social Theory

From Durkheim to Marx

part II|214 pages

Megamediasport event studies

chapter 4|20 pages

Twenty-Eight Olympic Summers

Historical and methodological reflections on understanding the Olympic mega-event

chapter 5|16 pages

Twenty-Two Olympic Winters

The media and the (non-)making of the Games

chapter 6|15 pages

The FIFA World Cup

Media, football and the evolution of a global event

chapter 7|15 pages

The Rugby World Cup Experience

Interrogating the oscillating poles of love and hate

chapter 8|15 pages

The International Cricket Council Cricket World Cup

A “second class” megamediasport event?

chapter 9|12 pages

Wimbledon

A megamediasport tradition

chapter 10|14 pages

The Masters Golf Tournament

Media mega-event, the environment and the emergence of Augusta National syndrome

chapter 11|14 pages

Tour De France

Mediatization of sport and place

chapter 12|15 pages

The Monaco Grand Prix And Indianapolis 500

Projecting European glamour and global Americana

chapter 13|14 pages

The AFC Asian Cup

Continental competition, global disposition

chapter 14|19 pages

Super Bowl

Mythic spectacle revisited

chapter 15|14 pages

The World Series

Baseball, American exceptionalism and media ritual

chapter 16|15 pages

The NCAA Basketball Championships

March Madness goes global

chapter 17|15 pages

The X Games

Re-imagining youth and sport