Sport, Media and Mega-Events

Bringing together many of the most influential scholars in sport and media studies, this book examines the diverse ways that media influences our understanding of the world's most important sport events, dubbed sports mega-events. It sheds new light on how these events have been changed by the media, and have, in turn, adapted to media to further their brand's cultural influence."Lawrence Wenner and Andrew Billings have managed to assemble a team of first rate scholars whose expertise in the mega-events examined in the book is beyond doubt. By considering a broad range of sports, this volume illustrates the need for a comparative perspective that pays attention to the diversity of traditions, cultural contexts and politics. Moreover, the contributions make evident that the politics of meaning in the context of mega-events are in flux and that critical scholars might have to revise their theoretical frameworks. Finally, mediatization might fail and/or bring about adverse effects depending on complex interactions of social forces. Thus, any scholar interested in these issues should pay attention to the book. Last but not least, the chapters represent excellent introductions into the mega-events covered." - Henk Erik Meier, Nordic Sport Science Forum, http://idrottsforum.org