ABSTRACT
Sports and the communication around informal and formal sporting events play a significant role in the culture of contemporary society. From commercialized professional leagues to pick-up games in neighborhood parks, sports and sport communication have become an integral part of life around the globe by impacting cultural, political, economic, community, and interpersonal relationships. Whether focusing on the business and community negotiations that take place around planning major national and international events, such as the Olympic Games or the Super Bowl, or the relationships between a team, its fans, and their opponents, the underlying communication around these events is critical to shaping our lives whether we are directly or indirectly impacted by the events. As such, academic studies into sports and sport communication need to be pursued using strict social scientific methods and theories that help contextualize the phenomenon to see how they impact society.
