Full Description
Sports are not what they used to be. New publicly funded stadiums resemble shopping malls. Fans compete for cash prizes in fantasy sports leagues. Sports video games are now marketing and public relations tools and team logos have become fashionable brands.
The larger social meanings sports hold for fans are being eclipsed by their commercial function as a means to sell merchandise and connect corporate sponsors with consumers. This book examines how the American consumer culture affects professional and collegiate sports, reducing fans to consumers and trivializing sports themselves.
Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.
Contents
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Preface
Introduction: Sports, Democracy and Consumer Culture
One—Welcome to the Consumer Arena: Sports Stadiums and Consumerism
Two—The Sports Gaming Culture
Three—Does It Have to Be in the Game? Sports Video Games and Sponsorship
Four—"It's Not How You Play, but How You Look": Sports Merchandising and Consumer Spectacle
Five—Sports, Consumer Culture and the Prospects for Change
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index
