Theory and Social Media in Sport Studies

Abstract

A key feature of a robust academic discipline is that its homegrown theories and investing in theory contribute to building good research. In the field of sport and social media research, the rigorous utilization of theory is one of the areas where the field is still facing “disciplinary pain.” In fact, the unique features of social media provide researchers in the sport research community with a valuable opportunity for proposing, testing, applying, critiquing, comparing, integrating, and expanding theories. In this commentary, the authors, based on their own experience (as researchers, readers, and reviewers of social media in sport), contend that reference resources are lacking on this topic to help young (or existing) researchers locate appropriate theories for their research. Hence, this work identifies, documents, and discusses the theories used, advanced, and developed in social media research for sport studies. Furthermore, a compilation is brought together of different theories from various disciplines that researchers in this community may consider for their future work.

The more we post, the better? A comparative analysis of fan engagement on social media profiles of football leagues

“…Theoretical background and literature review Social media and football: a growing symbiotic relationship Social media, defined as "a group of Internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0, and that allow the creation and exchange of usergenerated content" (Kaplan and Haenlein, 2010, p. 61), have become deeply integrated into our lives (Kaplan, 2015) due to their capacity to rapidly convey information interactively (Flores-Vivar, 2009). The realm of sports has also embraced the proliferation of social media, establishing itself as an inseparable facet of sporting culture (Abeza and Sanderson, 2022). Social media and sports interaction has evolved into a mutually beneficial relationship, as sports entities foster and sustain robust consumer relationships via these platforms (Pegoraro et al, 2017).…”

The quest for sustainable sports management: evidence from the football industry

“…From a forward-looking perspective, more matches and competition intensification appear to be confirmed as well as the considerations regarding new sales channels and ticket/bookings services, still to be explored (cf. Abeza and Sanderson, 2023;Varmus et al, 2023).…”

Spor Takipçilerinin Facebook ve Instagram'da Spor Kulüpleriyle Etkileşim Kurma Motivasyonu Ölçeğinin Geçerlik-Güvenirlik Çalışması ve Spor Takipçilerinin Çeşitli Değişkenlere Göre İncelenmesi

“…Araştırmaya Facebook ve Instagram uygulamalarında farklı spor kulüplerini takip eden 552 kişi katılmıştır. Ölçeğin Türkçe versiyonundan elde edilen verilere %27'lik alt ve üst gruplar arası ortalama farkına dayalı madde analizi, doğrulayıcı faktör analizi uygulanmış alt boyutlara ilişkin iç tutarlılık gibi alanları etkilemekle birlikte spor alanında da önemli dönüşümlerin gerçekleşmesine neden olmaktadır (Abeza, 2023;López-Carril, Escamilla-Fajardo, González-Serrano, Ratten ve González-García, 2020).…”