The Sport Star: Modern Sport and the Cultural Economy of Sporting CelebrityWhy are sport stars central to celebrity culture? What are the implications of their fame? Proceeding from a broadly based discussion of heroism, fame and celebrity, Smart addresses a number of prominent modern sports and sport stars, including Michael Jordan (basketball), David Beckham (football), Tiger Woods (golf), Anna Kournikova and the Williams sisters (tennis). He analyses the development of modern sport in the UK and USA, demonstrating the key economic and cultural factors that have contributed to the popularity of sport stars, while examining issues such as race and gender, the impact of professionalization, growing media coverage, the role of agents and the increasing presence of commercial corporations providing sponsorship and endorsement contracts. This book situates the sport star as the embodiment of the various tensions of age, class, race, gender and culture. It argues that sporting figures possess an increasingly rare quality of authenticity that gives them the capacity to lift and inspire people. The book is a major contribution to the sociology and culture of sport and celebrity. |
Contents
Heroism Fame and Celebrity in the World of Sport | 1 |
The Development of Modern Sport in Britain and America | 19 |
The Professionalisation of Modern Sport | 42 |
Media Sponsorship and Sport Stardom | 65 |
Corporate Culture and the Branding of the Sport Star Mike Michael Jordon and Tiger Woods | 103 |
Cultures of Sport Stardom David Beckham and Anna Kournikova | 144 |
Concluding Remarks Sport Stars Authenticity and Charisma | 191 |
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Other editions - View all
The Sport Star: Modern Sport and the Cultural Economy of Sporting Celebrity Barry Smart Limited preview - 2005 |
The Sport Star: Modern Sport and the Cultural Economy of Sporting Celebrity Barry Smart Limited preview - 2005 |
The Sport Star: Modern Sport and the Cultural Economy of Sporting Celebrity Barry Smart Limited preview - 2005 |
Common terms and phrases
achieved adidas advertising African-American amateur American football Anna Kournikova appeared associated athletes attracted authenticity ball baseball basketball became become began brand broadcasting BSkyB campaign career championship Chicago Bulls commercial competition corporations cricket David Beckham described economic emergence endorsement contracts England exemplified fans feature forms game's global golf golfer Grand Slam Halberstam 2001 hero high profile impact increased increasingly individual industry Leifer lucrative Manchester United marketing matches Michael Jordan million modern sport Nike Nike's nineteenth century organisation Oriard performances play potential prize money professional sport prominent promote Rader Real Madrid recognised reported Rosaforte 2001 season Serena Serena Williams significant social spectators sponsors sponsorship sport events sport stars sporting figures sportswomen success Suzanne Lenglen television coverage tennis players Tiger Woods tion tournament transformed twentieth century Venus Venus Williams Whannel Wimbledon women's tennis World Cup world of sport