Six‐day racing entrepreneurs and the emergence of the twentieth century arena sportscape, 1891‐1912

Abstract

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to explore twentieth century sportscapes and their role in the development of urban arenas as places of sport. Design/methodology/approach -Utilizing frame theory and sport business history scholarship, the author examines entrepreneurs' development of six-day bicycle races at Madison Square Garden. The main primary sources include autobiographies, morgue files, and newspapers. Findings -In this paper, it is argued that entrepreneurs' shaping and marketing of six-day races and their sportscapes resulted in a popular sporting spectacle and helped to promote arenas as spaces and places of sport. Originality/value -The paper demonstrates the process and development of "frame management" in urban arenas and their transition to spaces and places of sport. By exploring six-day bicycle races at Madison Square Garden, the paper shows the importance of a now-forgotten cultural event to the development of the multi-billion dollar sport industry and to one of the world's most iconic arenas. The paper adds to scholarship on bicycle racing and marketing history, as well as the historiography of the sport industry.

Religious tourism – a review of the literature

“…Alternately, researchers have discussed religious shades in visits to Museoparks such as Oceanogra´fico (Mencarelli and Pulh, 2012), Olympics (de Wilde, 2012) and amusement parks (Milman, 2010). This is a unique and interesting take on places/events not normally associated with religion.…”

Sporting Entertainments, Discarded Possibilities and the Case of Football as a Variety Sport, 1905–1906

“…At Madison Square Garden in New York City in the same period, entrepreneurial promoters of the six-day cycling races 'provided a promotional model…to use indoor arenas as sporting venues rather than as generic performance and storage locations', and this was alongside indoor boxing and wrestling matches attracting large crowds at indoor venues. 101 A successful footballing venture would provide another incentive for speculative building of such arenas for indoor sports. Football did not have to be played outdoors, but the outdoors played an important function for how the F.A.…”