Focus: Sports Communication

D. Welch Suggs (2022). Esports and Governance in American Higher Education. In Hoffman, J.L., K. Varzeas, & R. Pauketat (Eds.), Collegiate Esports: Developing Competition & Community for the Higher Education Practitioner. Routledge. Abstract: An overview of the governance and organization of esports competition at college and universities amid rapid growth and an evolution of national approaches […]

D. Welch Suggs (2022). In Ream, T. (Ed.), When it is Necessary to Win: Fr. Theodore M. Hesburgh and Athletics at the University of Notre Dame. In Hesburgh of Notre Dame: Assessments of a Legacy. Taylor. Abstract: The Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh was intimately involved in college athletics as the longtime president of the University […]

Andy Kavoori (2021): Cricket, Media and the Nation: An autoethnographic exploration of three mediated moments in Indian cricket. Abstract: This autoethnographic essay explores the media and cultural construct of key Indian cricketers. It suggests that these cricketers mobilized important moments in the history of Indian cricket—through the lens of one cricket fan (the author). The […]

Hoffman, J.L. and Suggs, D.W., Jr (2021), What if amateurism turned into entrepreneurialism? Abstract: When the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the NCAA can’t limit educational benefits provided to college athletes, it amounted to dealing what might be a mortal blow to the amateurism ideal.

Abstract: Using hierarchy of effects theoretical framework, the present study investigates psychological responses to positive and negative publicity about athlete endorsers. Furthermore, this research addresses the role of brand novelty on these processes. Participants were exposed to an ad for a soft drink brand (either novel or well-established) that featured an athlete endorser. Each ad […]

Abstract: Despite the increasing size and consumption power of senior consumers, in the sport marketing literature there appears to be no published work which attempts to understand the consumption behavior differences between senior and non-senior sport spectators. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the different motives between senior and non-senior consumers who attend […]

Part of the goal of the International Paralympic Committee is to “touch the heart of all people for a more equitable society.” Media exposure of athletes with permanent physical disabilities may affect the able-bodied population’s perception of people with disabilities in general. We theorized that this change in attitude could occur following parasocial contact with […]

Abstract: The “Linsanity” phenomenon attracted an increase in attention toward the National Basketball Association (NBA) for a short period of time. Drawing on self-categorization theory to elucidate current literature on team identification, this research proposed a conceptual model delineating the social psychological process for international consumers during the phenomenon. Using an online survey with a convenience […]

Abstract: This study investigated which decision (maintain vs. dismiss endorsement relationship)will represent the most positive impact on consumers with different levels of fan identification when the celebrity endorser is involved in scandal. MANCOVA was utilized to examine the influence of team identification on consumers’ responses toward sponsors’ decisions. Results indicated that when the sponsor maintained the […]

Abstract: A limited amount of prior research has investigated perceived brand personality in the context of sport sponsorship. Using a two (Sport team performance: Win versus loss) by two (Gender: Male versus female) between-subjects experiment with two control variables (Sport team identification and self-brand connection), this study examined sport spectators’ perceptions of brand responsibility, activity, aggressiveness, […]