Lisa Doris Alexander
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- March 2014
- ISBN:
- 9781604737516
- eISBN:
- 9781604737523
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Mississippi
- DOI:
- 10.14325/mississippi/9781604737516.003.0002
- Subject:
- Sociology, Sport and Leisure
This chapter explores how Barry Bonds became one of the most hated athletes in baseball history. It traces the fans’ contempt for Bonds during his first years in baseball in 1985, as they got the ...
More
This chapter explores how Barry Bonds became one of the most hated athletes in baseball history. It traces the fans’ contempt for Bonds during his first years in baseball in 1985, as they got the impression that he was cocky, noting that he rarely acknowledged his teammates and he was vocal about his talents. It explains that Bonds’ reputation plummeted when he became involved with the performance-enhancing drugs scandal that plagued Major League Baseball. It adds that his reputation did not recover even after beating the all-time record for having the most home runs in baseball in 2007, as his team, San Francisco Giants, did not renew his contract even after achieving such a feat.Less
This chapter explores how Barry Bonds became one of the most hated athletes in baseball history. It traces the fans’ contempt for Bonds during his first years in baseball in 1985, as they got the impression that he was cocky, noting that he rarely acknowledged his teammates and he was vocal about his talents. It explains that Bonds’ reputation plummeted when he became involved with the performance-enhancing drugs scandal that plagued Major League Baseball. It adds that his reputation did not recover even after beating the all-time record for having the most home runs in baseball in 2007, as his team, San Francisco Giants, did not renew his contract even after achieving such a feat.
Brian F. Harrison and Melissa R. Michelson
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- March 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780190654740
- eISBN:
- 9780190654788
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780190654740.003.0003
- Subject:
- Political Science, American Politics
Chapter 3 examines the power of sports fan identity. Despite ongoing issues of homophobia in professional sports, increasing numbers of fans and professional athletes are supporters of LGBT rights, ...
More
Chapter 3 examines the power of sports fan identity. Despite ongoing issues of homophobia in professional sports, increasing numbers of fans and professional athletes are supporters of LGBT rights, including marriage equality. The chapter describes five experiments testing the power of priming a sports-fan identity among both sports fans and non-fans. This includes an experiment conducted at a San Francisco Giants baseball game and among Wisconsin supporters of the Green Bay Packers football team as well as more general experiments among fans of professional football and hockey. The results show that when primed with a sports fan identity and presented with an unexpected cue of support for marriage equality, many fans are motivated to reconsider their attitude on the issue.Less
Chapter 3 examines the power of sports fan identity. Despite ongoing issues of homophobia in professional sports, increasing numbers of fans and professional athletes are supporters of LGBT rights, including marriage equality. The chapter describes five experiments testing the power of priming a sports-fan identity among both sports fans and non-fans. This includes an experiment conducted at a San Francisco Giants baseball game and among Wisconsin supporters of the Green Bay Packers football team as well as more general experiments among fans of professional football and hockey. The results show that when primed with a sports fan identity and presented with an unexpected cue of support for marriage equality, many fans are motivated to reconsider their attitude on the issue.