I wanted to first comment on a section by Skinner and Edwards. The authors say, "A person’s
definition of a situation tells him or her how to assign meaning in constantly shifting conditions," (Skinner and Edwards, 2008, p. 406). They use an example of a fan and the ever-changing climate in which a fan is subjected. The social reality that a fan lives in tells him to buy apparel, wear a team jersey and attend games with other fans. This creates an atmosphere that allows a fan to adhere to a different set of socially acceptable rules. For example, it is most likely frowned upon for an individual to scream and cheer in a hospital. However, this behavior that is so disdained one place is perfectly acceptable within the realm of a stadium, field or arena. What the authors explain, however, is that the relationship a person has with a team is not a fixed relationship. As we've seen recently with the team formerly known as the Seattle SuperSonics, franchises can sometimes be relocated. This has been true with many organizations throughout the years of professional sports. Do you think the Browns fans of the 80s cheered the same for the Baltimore Ravens during the period of time when the Browns were absent from the NFL? I would highly doubt it, because that relationship had basically been terminated. I also believe that this relationship also fluctuates with the success of the team. Most people are fickle, fair-weather fans in the long run. I'll use the Browns as an example again. People still cheer for them and hope for them to do well. But when the expectations of a team become so low, the same excitement is not generated for fans. So while these people are still fans, the level of excitement and dedication to the team isn't as high as it would be if they were in the playoff hunt (perfect example: my boss was recently looking for a parking pass for this weekend's game against Green Bay on eBay. He found two tickets and a parking pass for 20 dollars. This is because of the lack of interest).
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Hi Steven,
ReplyDeleteI know we may be meeting tonight (depending on whether you received the message from Dr. Weight), but if not, I will post my comments on your blog for now. First, I was wondering why certain words are underlined twice in green? When I clicked on those links, it took me to advertisements, which I presume you did not link. I think they may have appeared on some of my posts as well.
How did you like the Skinner and Edwards article? So far, it seems to be the only one I could find that specifically addresses Qualitative Research in Sport Management.
I can definitely relate to the fan example of the Cleveland Browns (and it could also be extended to the Cleveland Indians--sadly). I think a lot of fans are still invested in those teams, but their frustrations make it very difficult to be as passionate as they would be about a winning team. So instead, they call talk shows and vent, and perhaps look for other outlets/teams with which to affiliate.
Back to Skinner and Edwards, I see this example as relating to the importance of context. We cannot understand a phenomenon apart from its social context. Thus, if the USA Men's Olympic hockey team were to beat the former USSR team in the Olympics, it would not mean nearly as much as it did in 1980. Which brings me to a question related to this reading. How do you see it as possibly relating to your research interests? What are you hoping to do in your research for your final project? It would be good to elaborate on this question in your blogs.
Dr. Spencer