Social Media in Sport

Social Media in Sport: Analysis and Application Across Contexts provides a comprehensive exploration of the intersection between sport communication and social media, examining case studies from various stakeholder perspectives, including fans, athletes, organizations, and media. Utilizing a diverse set of social media platforms, such as Twitter/X, YouTube, Reddit, Weibo, Facebook, and Instagram, the text presents a detailed analysis of social media's impact on sports culture and discourse.

The book's 16 case studies incorporate multiple theoretical approaches, ranging from moral foundations theory to relationship management theory, and a mix of traditional and computational methods to examine the complexities of social media interactions in the context of sport. The inclusion of accessible data sets and step-by-step guides for computational techniques offers unique pedagogical aids that speak to contemporary issues in sport and social media research.

Recommended for both undergraduate and graduate courses in sport communication, media studies, and social media analysis, Social Media in Sport methodological diversity and theoretical rigor make it an essential resource for those interested in the dynamic relationship between sports, media, and society.

Contents and Contributors Include:

Preface
Chapter 1. Introduction

PART I Perspectives on Fans’ Use of Social Media
Chapter 2. Examining YouTube Comments About Hockey Players’ Refusal to Participate in Pride Night Events - Gregory A. Cranmer and Brandon C. Boatwright
Chapter 3. The Complexity of Saudi Arabia’s Sporting Aspirations: Examining Public Response on Social Media - Gashaw Abeza and Yoseph Mamo
Chapter 4. When the PGA Tour and LIV Golf Became One: Framing an Oil and Water Relationship on Twitter and Reddit - Andrew C. Billings, Joshua R. Jackson, and Jessica Payne
Chapter 5. The Uses of Social Media in a Female-Dominated Sports Fan Community: A Social Identity Approach - Qingru Xu

PART II Perspectives on Athletes’ Use of Social Media
Chapter 6. Travis Kelce’s Use of Social Media as Personal Branding: An Application of Source Credibility Theory - Karen Freberg
Chapter 7. Exploring College Football Recruits’ Use of Social Media in an Era of Name, Image, and Likeness: A Thematic Analysis of Athletes’ X Accounts - Jason Stamm
Chapter 8. A UFC Fighter’s Use of X as a Site for Building Dissent Community Around Fighter Pay - Gregory A. Cranmer, Md Enamul Kabir, and Brandon Boatwright
Chapter 9. Underscoring Image Repair Approaches and Effectiveness for Scandalized American Football Athletes - Robin L. Haislett

PART III Perspectives on Sport Organizations’ Use of Social Media
Chapter 10. The Wild, Wild West: How College Sports Fans on Reddit Discuss Donations to University Athletics and NIL Collectives - Virginia S. Harrison and Marissa Bennett
Chapter 11. Reproductive Rights Are Human Rights: NWSL Social Media Statements and Policy Framing in Response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade Ruling - Jeffrey W. Kassing, Travis C. Harrick, Sakura Gee, and Diana M. Rodriguez
Chapter 12. Expressing Organizational Culture on X - Greg Armfield and Duli Shi
Chapter 13. Social Media Theory and Analysis Within Sport Communication: Network Theory and Organizational Use of Social Media - Marion E. Hambrick

PART IV Perspectives on Sport Media’s Use of Social Media
Chapter 14. This Is Truly Some of the Sickest Stuff I’ve Ever Heard: X and Sport Cultural Conversations Towards Hazing in Football - Jimmy Sanderson
Chapter 15. The Public Interpretation of Welcome to Wrexham: An Application of the Narrative Paradigm in Social Media Theory and Practice - Brandon C. Boatwright
Chapter 16. Ahead of the Pack: How a Nonprofit News Outlet Sparked Social Media Reaction to the Brett Favre Public Funds Scandal - Bryan Denham and Molly Riddell
Chapter 17. Who Received the Blame for Tua Tagovailoa’s Head Injury?: Attributions of Responsibility in YouTube Videos From Legacy and Nonlegacy Media Sources - Joseph McGlynn and Zane A. Dayton
Chapter 18. Conclusion

Index
About the Authors and Editors