How to Watch Sports
Will be published approx. on 29. September 2026
Book
Hardback
368 pages
978-1-4798-3025-1 (ISBN)
Description
36 original essays on sports media and culture
Sports are frequently romanticized as a pure escape from the daily grind, but in reality, the stadium is a mirror reflecting our most contentious cultural and political battles. How to Watch Sports disrupts the comfortable narrative of passive entertainment, presenting thirty-six original essays that challenge readers to critically engage with the global phenomenon of sports media.
Moving beyond the highlights, this comprehensive volume utilizes case studies of iconic teams, athletes, and events to illuminate the unseen structures of the industry. Leading scholars unpack diverse topics, ranging from the aesthetics of Steph Curry's play style and the cultural impact of Air Jordans to the labor politics inherent in the Madden video game series. The collection fearlessly navigates hot-button issues, including the national debate over trans inclusion, the rise of Barstool Sports and betting culture, and the gender pay gap.
Structured to guide readers through the nuances of form, social representation, industrial practice, and evolving technology, the book demonstrates how media shapes our understanding of athleticism. Whether analyzing the colonial implications of the Olympics or Simone Biles' advocacy for mental health, the authors provide the tools necessary to decode the messages behind the spectacle. How to Watch Sports is an essential field guide for students and fans alike, offering a vital framework for understanding the deeper meanings of sport and reimagining what it means to be an informed, accountable spectator.
Sports are frequently romanticized as a pure escape from the daily grind, but in reality, the stadium is a mirror reflecting our most contentious cultural and political battles. How to Watch Sports disrupts the comfortable narrative of passive entertainment, presenting thirty-six original essays that challenge readers to critically engage with the global phenomenon of sports media.
Moving beyond the highlights, this comprehensive volume utilizes case studies of iconic teams, athletes, and events to illuminate the unseen structures of the industry. Leading scholars unpack diverse topics, ranging from the aesthetics of Steph Curry's play style and the cultural impact of Air Jordans to the labor politics inherent in the Madden video game series. The collection fearlessly navigates hot-button issues, including the national debate over trans inclusion, the rise of Barstool Sports and betting culture, and the gender pay gap.
Structured to guide readers through the nuances of form, social representation, industrial practice, and evolving technology, the book demonstrates how media shapes our understanding of athleticism. Whether analyzing the colonial implications of the Olympics or Simone Biles' advocacy for mental health, the authors provide the tools necessary to decode the messages behind the spectacle. How to Watch Sports is an essential field guide for students and fans alike, offering a vital framework for understanding the deeper meanings of sport and reimagining what it means to be an informed, accountable spectator.
Reviews / Votes
"How to Watch Sports is an incisive collection that redefines what it means to "watch" sports within an increasingly mediated world. Adam Rugg and Benjamin Burroughs's rigorously curated collection brings together an impressive range of scholars. Attuned to issues of identity, representation, and political economy, the essays move fluidly between textual analysis and sociocultural critique, illuminating the complex entanglements between sport, media, and everyday life. This collection exemplifies the vibrancy of contemporary sports scholarship and offers indispensable frameworks for understanding the mediated dynamics of sport in the twenty-first century." - Samantha Noelle Sheppard, author of Sporting Blackness: Race, Embodiment, and Critical Muscle Memory on Screen"Brings a consequential, timely update to sports studies. A useful guide for budding scholars in sports and media studies, How to Watch Sports assembles an excellent collection of expertise to serve as a wide-ranging handbook for approaching sports in our contemporary media environment." - Travis Vogan, author of The Boxing Film: A Cultural and Transmedia History
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Trade binding
Illustrations
25 b/w images
Dimensions
Height: 254 mm
Width: 178 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-4798-3025-1 (9781479830251)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Adam Rugg (Editor)
Adam Rugg is Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at Fairfield University, where he is also Director of the Sports Media program. His work has been published in Critical Public Health, Communication & Sport, Journal of Sport and Social Issues, and numerous others.
Benjamin Burroughs (Editor)
Benjamin Burroughs is Associate Professor & Graduate Coordinator in the Department of Journalism and Media Studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His writing has been published in journals including New Media and Society, Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, International Journal of Sport Communication, and Games and Culture.
Adam Rugg is Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at Fairfield University, where he is also Director of the Sports Media program. His work has been published in Critical Public Health, Communication & Sport, Journal of Sport and Social Issues, and numerous others.
Benjamin Burroughs (Editor)
Benjamin Burroughs is Associate Professor & Graduate Coordinator in the Department of Journalism and Media Studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His writing has been published in journals including New Media and Society, Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, International Journal of Sport Communication, and Games and Culture.