SPORTS COMMUNICATION

Overview

Sports communication is a tier of communication studies that focuses on communication within a sports environment. It encompasses interpersonal and organizational communication as well as verbal and non-verbal communication within a sports setting. Sports communication is impacted by sports news networks, fans, players and commentators as well. Sports communication is prevalent in every level of sports, from middle school basketball to professional football. Sports communication is a dynamic process that changes based on the context of the situation at hand. ^[1] The context of sports communication can revolve around the success of a team/organization, the treatment of players within teams/organizations, and even improper descriptors used by media hosts and commentators. Andrew Billings and Zachary Arth outline the use of proper and improper descriptors in Major League Baseball in Touching Racialized Bases. Through the use of cultivation theory, the notion that watching or listening to enough media will cause an individual to trust what the media portrays, the article looks at the results of players described based on their race. ^[2]

Process

The process of sports communication is multifaceted and can be affected by one or more influencers. Communication within the sports realm can be positive or negative, as the process of any type of communication is always changing. An example of positive sports communication is the positive outpour of support the players receive after above average performances. Derrick Rose received an ovation on Twitter from the likes of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Kobe Bryant for his 50-point game after suffering multiple injuries in recent seasons. ^[3] An example of negative sports communication would be internal fighting of players on a team or within an organization. LeBron James, formerly of the Cleveland Cavaliers and J.R. Smith who is currently on the Cavaliers roster, shared a moment in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals where Smith did not take a shot to win the game in regulation after he thought his team had the lead. James was visibly upset on the Cavaliers bench heading into overtime and went as far as breaking a whiteboard with his hand, which he later revealed to be broken. ^[4]

Media

Sports media plays a large role in whether a player, organization, fanbase or storyline is associated with positive or negative criticism. The environment of the media will also dictate the type of criticism the subject receives. For example, the Dallas Cowboys are known as "America's Team" due to their success during the 1970s and the 1990s as well as the frequency that they appeared on television. However, ESPN analyst and co-host of ESPN's First Take, Stephen A. Smith constantly ridicules the Cowboys and their owner, Jerry Jones. Being that Smith is not a fan of the Cowboys, if a viewer enjoys First Take and Smith's opinions, based on cultivation theory, it is possible that his media outlet could influence the viewers opinion of the Cowboys. Likewise, if you already identify as person who dislikes the Dallas Cowboys, you may be more inclined to watch or listen to Smith on First Take or ESPN radio. A negative aspect sports communication in the media realm is when slander is given to a certain person or subject in the sports world. An example is the NFL's incident with former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. During the first game of the 2016 NFL preseason, Kaepernick knelt during the playing of the national anthem. Kaepernick stated after the game that he was protesting police brutality among other injustices and would continue to kneel during the anthem as a sign of solidarity. ESPN's SportsCenter picked up the story and has continued to have an ongoing interest in Kaepernick and his interests. This disinterested a good amount of SportsCenter viewers for various reasons. SportsCenters ongoing involvement in the life of Kaepernick has caused fans to stop watching the show altogether due to lack of interest in hearing about the quarterback so often. Although Kaepernick's actual comments do not dictate negative sports communication, the spotlight on his life created by SportsCenter and other media outlets has caused some negative communication within the sports world. Current Carolina Panthers safety Eric Reid was also among the protestors standing with Kaepernick. Both Kaepernick and Reid took legal action with the NFL for blackballing them from teams because of their protesting. ^[5]

Franchises

Owners of sports organizations to head coaches to the players on the team are all an integral part of the communication that goes on within a sports franchise. Communication in a franchise has a hierarchy just like any other organization. However, the impact of the communication can be more detrimental or impactful since sports organizations are comprised of smaller groups than most organizations. Donald Sterling is the former owner of the Los Angeles Clippers and is currently serving a lifetime ban from the NBA. On August 25, 2014, TMZ released an audio recording of Sterling making racist comments primarily about former Los Angeles Lakers point guard Magic Johnson, to his girlfriend. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver implemented Sterling's ban and fined him $2.5 million. ^[6]

Fans, Service and Support

Player and fan interactions are vital to the success or failure of sports communication with fan bases. Players like Odell Beckham Jr., Donovan Mitchell and JJ Watt have been recorded interacting with fans before and during games. One of the most famous fan interactions comes from Green Bay Packers players doing the Lambeau Leap. The Lambeau Leap is named after the Packers' stadium Lambeau Field. The celebration consists of players jumping into the stands to celebrate with fans after scoring a touchdown. ^[7] Community service and outreach are also important to most sports leagues and franchises. One of the most notable programs is the NBA Cares program. The program works on improving important social issues in the communities surrounding the franchises. Incidents like the Treyvon Martin shooting in 2012 and the death of Eric Garner in 2014 have influenced athletes to wear articles of clothing in support of the victims. Players from the NBA, primarily LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Kyrie Irving wore black hooded sweatshirts during warmups to symbolize their attitude towards the death of Martin, who was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt at the time of his death. Eric Garner's death also received support from athletes as they wore "I CAN'T BREATHE" shirts during warmups and postgame press conferences. The phrase "I can't breathe" were Garner's infamous last words as New York police officers arrested him while using an unauthorized choke hold. The NBA Cares program is run by the league front office, however many players do their own philanthropic work as well. LeBron James opened his I Promise school on July 30, 2018. James' school is geared towards helping underprivileged children stay in school. Incentives like free tuition, free uniforms, free bicycle, free breakfast lunch and snacks, and even GED and job placement services for parents are available through the I Promise School. ^[8] The NFL also shows gratitude towards philanthropic work by honoring 1-2 players every year with the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, which is given to the player or players who do outstanding work in their community. Past recipients include Charles Tillman, Eli Manning, Jerome Bettis and JJ Watt.

Career Opportunities

All of the following are available positions that use sports communication.

• President of a franchise
• President of operations
• General manager
• Head coach
• Project media specialist
• Social media manager
• Game operations coordinator
• Athletic director
• Events coordinator

References