Consumption of Sport
Abstract
Sport is hard to avoid. Sport-related television shows and channels, magazines, newspapers, Internet sites, films, fiction and nonfiction books, advertising campaigns, and videogames saturate our everyday lives. Sport is also a regular conversation topic for many families, friends, and work colleagues, and sport-related goods (often demonstrating sporting allegiances), such as jerseys, scarves, hats, badges, jackets, ties, cups, mouse mats, pennants, and much more, are commonplace in homes and places of work. It is evident that consumption does not necessarily have to be about economic exchange. Much of what makes someone a fan is what is located within her or his personal identity, memories, thoughts, and social interactions. Consumption has always been a part of sport support. Watching and following sport is in itself an act of consumption, but, moreover, throughout much of its history, sport support has involved other related acts of consumption. However, the question of whether sport audiences can be defined as “consumers” is fraught with controversy, and continues to be an ongoing debate.