Tech Trends
Aarhus University
The Commercialised Professional Darts Corporation Darts Arena as a Live Event Space : The Site of the Televised Sports Spectacle
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Leon Davis
Since the late 2000s, the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) have created a circuit of live darts events in a variety of venues across the globe which has developed into a hugely popular multi-million pound television spectacle. The fans are one of the central focuses of the live events, with a variety of media outlets regularly showcasing commercialised, performative fandom. Although the popularity of the live PDC darts events has been highlighted in news media and by the likes of Chaplin (2009) and Davis (2018; 2020) in academia, the actual sites of live PDC darts events have not been explored. Via qualitative research, using a number of ethnographic methods when attending live PDC darts events across three seasons. This presentation analyses the intricacies of the physical PDC darts arena as an event space, explaining the structure of the PDC darts arena and how these venues allow fans to create the revered atmospheres across sites in different continents. Explaining the structure and nuances of the PDC darts arena, compared to purpose-built sports stadia, helps to ascertain why the PDC, as a governing body, rely on the performances of the fans to create an atmosphere to continually develop their product.
Fit for Politics?: How Life Time Fitness Found Politics and Framed the Pandemic View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Emma Nelson
The onset of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 left health clubs shuttered for months and subject to significant restrictions for much of the year, pushing many fitness companies into politics. This study identifies the issue framing strategies used by Minnesota-based health club chain Life Time, Inc. in communications to members and the general public as they became increasingly involved in politics. Unlike many groups previously studied in the context of political science and framing theory, fitness companies are not widely known as established political players. Accordingly, this research offers insight into the emergent role of gyms in policy, disease prevention and public health, and its implications for interest group and sport studies. The data for analysis comes from official communications, press releases, videos, emails, blog posts and press coverage of Life Time, Inc between the dates of March 1, 2020 and January 31, 2021. Using content analysis, descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analysis, I delineate and interpret the relationships between problem identification and other issue framing strategies. The results model the creation and evolution of distinct issue frames as Life Time entered the political arena. When Life Time identified the virus as an issue, they were more likely to choose apolitical, information-based issue frames, in keeping with their established role as a fitness company. The problematization of policy brought forth economic, political, epidemiological and moral issue frames. These conclusions demonstrate that newly political interest groups must create, then adapt issue frames to suit their evolving agenda.
