This project examines the relationship between football, the media and the constitution and reconstitution of cultural identities within Glasgow and Liverpool. It explores the extent to which a range of contemporary religious, political and national identities can be understood by focusing on the role that football and the support for particular clubs, play in their formation. Throughout, there is a concern with the relationship between supporters, the clubs, the media and identity-formation. There is also a realisation of the importance of placing this material within an histo rical framework, which emphasises how political, economic and social changes have all shaped the specific relationships in each city. This is achieved through the use of a number of case studies. The geographical areas used for the studies are the west of Scotland and the north-west of England, with specific attention focused on the cities of Glasgow and Liverpool and the football supporters within these cities. There has long been a strong connection between football and a range of social identities in these two cities. This study examines the theoretical debates regarding issues of the formation of identity in contemporary society, and argues for the need to have contextually grounded studies informing these broader theoretical discussions. This project, focusing on religious, political and cultural expressions of collective identity, emphasises the continual need to be wary of unproblematically allocating a central role to the media in any process of identity-formation. It suggests that in the cities of Glasgow and Liverpool today a range of more socially and historically grounded factors are crucial in understanding the configurations of collective expression which football support provides for many in these cities.

MORAIS, Diego Batista de. O jogo na arquibancada: o setor alvinegro e as performances do torcer no contexto do futebol espetacularizado. 2015. 124f. – Dissertação (Mestrado) – Universidade Federal do Ceará, Programa de Pós-graduação em Sociologia, Fortaleza (CE), 2015. / Submitted by Márcia Araújo (marcia_m_bezerra@yahoo.com.br) on 2015-06-23T11:48:21Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2015_dis_dbmorais.pdf: 2534500 bytes, checksum: a764f54051a22aea905a4b2b79d76b66 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Márcia Araújo(marcia_m_bezerra@yahoo.com.br) on 2015-06-23T12:47:59Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2015_dis_dbmorais.pdf: 2534500 bytes, checksum: a764f54051a22aea905a4b2b79d76b66 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-06-23T12:47:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2015_dis_dbmorais.pdf: 2534500 bytes, checksum: a764f54051a22aea905a4b2b79d76b66 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015 / This work investigates how to set appointments among supporters and fans and what implications can be seen in their performances in the context of spectacularized soccer. Here, it is understood that there is a game going on in the soccer bleachers, where the performances of fans and supporters are communicated to the audience, but also transmitted to an indefinite number of people watching, for example, on television. This game is a cultural phenomenon (is maintained even after processing) and acts parallel to what is played on the field (the soccer match itself), containing similar agonistic elements. Disputes usually circulate around the various ways of being in the game. These differences are expressed in the ways cheer, sing, vibrate, which use the stadium, the places they choose to attend soccer matches, among other ways. This research is anthropological, mainly using up of participant observation and interviews with members of a crowd of “Ceara Sporting Club” called “Setor Alvinegro”. This crowd is named as "torcida de alento" a new meaning from the conduction another habitus to fans, as opposed to a model understood by them as traditional supporters. The approach of the game occurs in face to face interactions, usually in stages, based on a phenomenological perspective, from Schutz, and interactionism, from the influences of Simmel and Goffman. In this game, the various supporters (here understood as teams) lay pipelines (ideologies) to be performing during interactions, which creates conditions for disputes by recognition, space and power. In the meantime these disputes and attempts to appointments, there is a latent moral supporter, as thread that also allows the event of a competition around the universalization of a way of playing the game, as if there were a "real" way to demonstrate your passion for a soccer team. / Este trabalho investiga como se estabelecem as nomeações entre torcidas e torcedores e que implicações podem ser percebidas nas performances deles no contexto do futebol espetacularizado. Aqui, é entendido que há um jogo ocorrendo nas arquibancadas de futebol, no qual as performances de torcedores e torcidas são comunicadas ao público presente, mas também transmitidas a um número indefinido de pessoas que assistem, por exemplo, pela televisão. Esse jogo é um fenômeno cultural (se mantém mesmo após finalizado) e atua paralelo ao que é disputado em campo (a partida de futebol em si), contendo elementos agonísticos semelhantes. As disputas circulam geralmente em torno das diversas maneiras de estar no jogo. Essas diferenças se expressam nas formas como torcem, cantam, vibram, o que usam no estádio, os lugares que escolhem para assistir às partidas de futebol, dentre outros modos. Essa pesquisa tem caráter antropológico, utilizando-se principalmente de observação participante e entrevistas em profundidade com membros de uma torcida do Ceará Sporting Club chamada Setor Alvinegro. Essa torcida se nomeia como “torcida de alento”, uma barra brava ressignificada a partir da condução de um outro habitus torcedor, em oposição a um modelo entendido por eles como “tradicional”. A abordagem do jogo ocorre nas interações face a face, geralmente nos estádios, com base numa perspectiva fenomenológica, a partir de Schutz, e com o interacionismo, a partir das influências de Simmel e Goffman. Nesse jogo, as várias torcidas (aqui entendidas como equipes) estabelecem condutas (“ideologias”) a serem performadas durante as interações, o que cria condições de disputas por reconhecimento, espaços e poder. No ínterim dessas disputas e tentativas de nomeações, há uma moral torcedora latente, como fio condutor que permite também o acontecimento de uma competição em torno da universalização de um modo de participar do jogo, como se houvesse uma “verdadeira” maneira de demonstrar sua paixão clubística.

Thesis (MTech (Sport Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2015. / This research investigated the relationship between Social Capital created by Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives and organisational performance at Ajax Cape Town FC a professional football club in the South African Premier Soccer League (PSL). A mixed methods approach was selected for data collection and interviews, questionnaires and content analysis were the tools used to collect data.The data collected suggested that Ajax Cape Town FC employed CSR initiatives that successfully created social capital, and consequently enjoyed various benefits from these activities. The CSR activities facilitated access to the club’s target market, developed and improved mutually beneficial relations with the community and subsequently Ajax Cape Town FC experienced increased trust, a positive brand image and stronger loyalty from their fans and the broader community. The outcomes of this study provided an insight into a South African professional football club and demonstrate how CSR initiatives can be used to successfully improve organisational performance.

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M.A. (Fundamental Communications) / This research study investigated different practices defining and yet differentiating soccer supporters in various parts of Johannesburg. It highlights the major converging and diverging practices of the fanatics when communicating within the same and with different groups, publicly united by the objective of watching soccer. Participant observations and in-depth interviews were the two major techniques used to gather data which was thematically and comparatively analysed. While the foundational goal of the research were significant communication practices amongst soccer fans, findings from the study were more skewed towards diversity in socio-cultural attributes as evident amongst the fans the researcher engaged with. These were encountered at public places where soccer lovers from the north, south and central Johannesburg get together. There were Zambian, Zimbabwean and the dominant South African amongst the different groups of soccer fans. There were men and women speaking the English language in diverse accents with some even seeking pardon for diluting it with their native languages. Soccer teams that they support such as Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa, as well as English and Spanish teams in Liverpool and Barcelona respectively, all exemplified multiplicity. The neighbourhood, within which each PVA is located, where individuals converge at Maponya Mall, Rosebank Bowling Club, Joubert City Park, Dollars Pub & Restaurant in Berea, and Mbanjwa.s Place in Naturena, south of Johannesburg, also determined the kinds of fans the researcher encountered, and the way they converged and/or diverged in their communication.

Soccer has a global reach and is entrenched in the lives of millions of people throughout the world, but the culture surrounding it is not as strong and never has been in the United States. Nonetheless, there is a recent emergence of American supporters groups that exhibit characteristics similar to those outside of the US. This ethnographic study focuses on one such group, the Timbers Army, to explore how they construct their own unique supporter identity and to understand how participants come to see the group relative to their understanding of the world at local and global levels. To explore this, this work employs globalization theory, in particular that of cultural hybridization and glocalization. In turn, through an iterative, grounded theory approach, the findings elucidate key concepts related to these theories. Briefly, the findings show how the Timbers Army's particular identity is constructed through multiple influences including an attachment to the city of Portland, a fierce regional rivalry, national references and recognition, and an awareness of and interaction with the global socio-cultural institution of soccer. This work is the first to acknowledge the burgeoning movement of American soccer supporters and provides a starting point for further inquiry into groups that exhibit both a strong local attachment and an outward looking global perspective.

This study investigates Zambians’ construction of identities based on their following of the English soccer premier league. The study seeks to understand how Zambian supporters of this league construct their identities based on their encounter with foreign teams/players and how they appropriate the meanings obtained through such viewing in their daily lives. The study is informed by the theories of fandom. Using an ethnographic critique of the media imperialism thesis, the study attempts to explore the meanings that the fans of the English soccer league in urban Lusaka make of the mediated soccer games, while in and outside the viewing spaces – the bars – where the games are ritually watched in groups. Based on the qualitative methods of focus group discussions, individual in-depth interviews and observations, the study probes the phenomenon of the consumption of English premier league football in countries abroad, focusing specifically on the experiences of fans in Lusaka, Zambia. Observation of this phenomenon in Lusaka reveals that fans find pleasure in the tactics that the teams in the league display, the professionalism of the players, goal scoring and self-empowerment for the few women supporters. This study probes these issues in greater depth. The foremost conclusion of the research is that it neither completely rejects nor accepts the media imperialism thesis. Instead, meanings should be understood within the context of the lived experience and reality of the fans.

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology: Sport Management in the Faculty of Business at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2013 / Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA) initiated a national Club Development Programme (CDP) in 2006. Its aim is to increase sport participation, physical activity, talent identification and fast-track the development of community clubs in South Africa. The CDP has numerous sporting codes: football, netball, cricket, athletics, rugby and aquatics. Football is the main focus for this study because the majority of clubs in the CDP are football associated. There is a perception amongst football clubs that some clubs receive more attention and support in terms of development as compared to others in the CDP. Therefore, the aim of the research is to identify key factors that affect the delivery of the CDP within selected football community clubs in the Cape Metropole. In total, nineteen CDP community football clubs were studied. In each club, key stakeholders such as the chairperson/president, secretary/administrator, captain/vice captain and volunteer/coach were targeted to receive questionnaires, totalling seventy six with fifty seven usable questionnaires returned. Fourteen face-to-face structured interviews were conducted with experienced and key CDP officials representing the three spheres of South African government. The respondents indicated that the CDP has not exceeded their expectations, mainly because of the following: community clubs are still waiting for equipment; a lack of experts to identify talent; lack of motivation from the CDP officials; lack of competency of the CDP officials in terms of their capacity to liaise with stakeholders and develop mechanisms to review the programmes’ impact. CDP appears to be largely ineffective within communities due to a lack of communication, qualified and competent personnel, talent identification, motivation from the CDP coordinators, education and training as well a review mechanism system. Therefore, it is critical for CDP management to ensure that communication systems improve; qualified and suitable personnel are recruited to assist with the programmes’ implementation; talent identification programme is developed; there should be incentive programmes and ongoing sustainable activities throughout the year, as well as structured social leagues in communities where people live; all CDP coordinators need to undergo training to improve their implementation skills; the review mechanism system needs to be developed and effectively implemented within the communities; and the mechanism system should be periodically monitored and evaluated to objectively assess the impact of the programme within communities.

Thesis (MTech (Tourism and Hospitality Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017. / The hosting of 2014 FIFA World CupTM was an ideal opportunity for Brazil to enhance its international image. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact on Brazil and on Rio de Janeiro (as a host city and major tourist destination) of mainstream media reporting on the hosting of the 2014 FIFA World CupTM. It provides a picture of how Brazil and Rio de Janeiro were reported in selected newspapers at different stages of the event: pre-, lead-up, during, and post- the 2014 World Cup. The study also seeks to ascertain whether the major objectives of the Brazil World Cup bid were met in the hosting of this mega-event. A media content analysis was conducted in four key tourism markets: Argentina, USA, Germany and Portugal. These countries were chosen because they represent Brazil’s main tourism markets and reported significant numbers of ticket sales for the event. The methodology used was qualitative analysis, including content sourcing, content identification and the use of Leximancer, an analytic tool for large amounts of textual data. The study examined online newspapers with the largest readership and circulation numbers in the selected markets. In total, 1961 online newspaper articles relevant to Brazil’s hosting of the 2014 FIFA World CupTM were analysed. The findings revealed both positive and negative sentiments associated with Brazil’s hosting of the event. A key finding from the analysis was that for all markets, there was a shift from relatively positive sentiment in the pre-World Cup period, to more negative sentiment in the lead-up, followed by a return to positive sentiment during and after the World Cup. Having shifted to a more negative view leading up to and during the event, the USA market was dominated by media attention to social unrest and corruption. The period immediately prior to the tournament recorded an increase in both positive and negative media coverage in the US, German and Portuguese markets, but became more positive in the Argentinian market. Thus, the lead-up period was particularly significant in all markets. Safety and security concerns expressed in the lead-up period decreased significantly during the hosting and post- periods, and a positive image of the country was noticeable in the international media. Therefore, while the positive sentiments emerging during the event should be capitalised on, Brazil should also address the lurking concerns and negative perceptions that continue despite its successful hosting of the mega-event. By doing this the nation can consolidate its brand’s position in a sustained and positive way. As different reporting tones were noticed in the different markets across the time periods, it becomes important to consider these changes in the future event marketing and positioning of Rio de Janeiro as the leading tourism destination and events capital for Brazil, especially in relation to Rio de Janeiro’s hosting of future events.

Football as the most popular sport, serves as a medium through which development issues can be addressed in a variety of ways. The potential and limitations of sport as a vehicle for change are widely recognized for informing YDF and partner organisations for change and capacity building at all levels of engagement. The YDF on HIV prevention project brought about a close working relationship between GIZ/YDF, Volkswagen groups South Africa, NGO’s, federations and government institutions. Volkswagen formed a PPP (Public Private Partnership) to promote HIV prevention among the youth in the Eastern Cape Province. The aim of the cooperation was to raise awareness and improve the knowledge of the youth on HIV prevention. The project combined peer education through football with life-skills education on HIV Prevention in schools. The present study aimed at evaluating the impact and effectiveness of the YDF project in addressing HIV prevention awareness in the selected schools of Nelson Mandela Bay. The sample consisted of fifty grades six and seven learners of the ages of twelve and over. In this mixed methods research, both qualitative and quantitative methods were used and data was collected by means of questionnaires and interviews where pre and post-test studies were conducted. The results suggest that there has been an improvement in the learners’ awareness and therefore the YDF on HIV prevention programme has been effective in improving the participants’ level of HIV prevention awareness in Nelson Mandela Bay. These findings should make a meaningful contribution to the debate on sports based participation programmes on HIV/AIDS education, with regard to the stakeholders and implementing parties, as well as to the public.