The Experiential Aspects of Sport Stadiums: an Examination of Emotion and Memory
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The Experiential Aspects of Sport Stadiums: An Examination of Emotion and Memory DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Kiernan Orion Gordon, M.S. Graduate Program in Education The Ohio State University 2013 Dissertation Committee: Professor Sarah K. Fields, Advisor Professor Brian A. Turner Professor Timothy J. Curry “For even now it is games which give us something to do when there is nothing to do. We thus call games ‘pastimes’, and regard them as trifling fillers of the interstices in our lives. But they are much more important than that. They are clues to the future. And their serious cultivation now is perhaps our only salvation.” -Bernard Suits, The Grasshopper: Games, Life and Utopia Copyrighted by Kiernan Orion Gordon 2013 Abstract Sport stadiums have become important municipal and cultural landmarks within American society. Although their primary function is to serve as the spaces within which our favorite athletes and teams compete, we often imbue stadiums with a level of significance beyond their primary function. As spaces intended for large social gatherings, sport stadiums have the potential to be sites of enjoyment, anger, anticipation, fear, and a host of other emotions and experiences. Moreover, as municipal landmarks, sport stadiums have the potential to be important to our identities as members of a city, community, or subculture. This project attempts to provide an explanation as to why, how, and to what degree sport stadiums are significant in peoples’ lives through an interdisciplinary examination of our interaction with them. The interdisciplinary emphasis inherent within this examination integrates elements from sport sociology, sport geography, and sport management. Synthesizing elements from these sport subdisciplines promotes a theoretical and applied nexus, the result of which has the potential to promote future research and practice. This project consists of three articles, where each subsequent article builds on the assertions and implications of the previous one. While the specific focus of analysis may differ from article to article, the general emphasis on the relationship between emotions, ii memory, and the experiential aspects of sport stadiums is consistent throughout. An introduction and a conclusion surround these three articles to present a cohesive project. The primary theoretical thread throughout this three-article project is a microsociological framework called ‘interaction ritual’, or ‘IR’, theory (Collins, 2004). IR theory centers on the role that emotions and memory play in our choices to engage in various social situations every day. It emphasizes the interconnectedness of human relationships as the foundation of larger social structures and processes. IR theory is a grand unified theory that enables scholars to examine a variety of human experiences and institutions, such as love, conflict, education, government, and sport, through its emotionally- and memory-derived prism. As such, it appears in each article and does so differently, as its breadth allows for nuanced application to a variety of circumstances. These three articles all complement each other and fill a niche not previously explored within the sport-based scholarship. Moreover, this project represents a new application of theory and methodology primarily to the field of sport management. Through an interpretive, interdisciplinary approach, the results of this project have the potential to stimulate future scholarship. iii Acknowledgments Many people influenced and contributed to the completion of this project. To them I owe a great deal of gratitude. I began my time in the sport humanities program at The Ohio State University eager to study sport as holistically as possible and possessing a strong interest in microsociology. The faculty members with whom I came into contact during my time as a graduate student provided me with an academic experience that greatly challenged and shaped my understanding of sport in ways I never dreamed. Dr. Sarah Fields, my advisor, has been supportive of me, and my ever-evolving interests, throughout my tenure as her doctoral advisee. She displayed a great deal of trust in me and my educational process, which allowed me to have a truly interdisciplinary experience. Her pragmatic sensibility and accessibility has also been encouraging and helped influence this work. Dr. Brian Turner exposed me to sport marketing and sport consumerism, and the chapter examining sportscape consumption is largely a reflection of his guidance. Dr. Timothy Curry was kind enough to indulge my desire to study with him and the emphasis of this project on the intersection of sport and microsociology is an extension of his influential scholarship on the topic. I also received a great deal of support from the recently retired Dr. Melvin Adelman. He facilitated my first introduction to sport history. That, along with his iv corresponding guidance, has truly made the discipline valuable and enjoyable for me. Dr. Susan Bandy’s course on the philosophical aspects of sport remains one of my favorite courses throughout my entire experience in graduate school. She, too, has always been willing to provide guidance regarding my work. My fellow graduate students, specifically Melissa Wiser, Lindsay Pieper, Ali Brian, Spencer Fee, Chris Torres, Michelle Thall, Vince Lyons, Heather Preston, Andrew Linden, Dain TePoel, and the late Beth Emery; as well as Drs. Drew Czekanski, Lauren Brown, Chris Barnhill, Amy Kim, Ye Hoon Lee, and Maria Gies provided empathetic ears and encouraging advice at several points throughout these past four years. The Ohio State University has been a wonderful place for me to learn and the opportunity to study sport at an institution that values it so highly, both academically and athletically, has enabled me to have a great experience. The opportunity and resources have been tremendous. I am grateful to the staff in the William Oxley Thompson Memorial Library and the School of Physical Activity and Educational Services, particularly Darlene Oglesby, for their assistance in the process associated with this project, as well as to the individuals who participated in my research. Furthermore, throughout my four years as a graduate teaching associate, I have had the privilege of teaching hundreds of students who have challenged me to not only master the appropriate content, but to deliver it in an insightful and inspiring way. From them I learned much; I hope they found the experience mutual. I was fortunate to have influential instructors prior to my experience at Ohio State, as well. During my brief undergraduate tenure at the University of Rochester, Dr. v Thomas Smith first exposed me to microsociology and sparked my interest. Dr. Candace West, my independent major advisor at my alma mater, the University of California at Santa Cruz, embraced my passion for the interpersonal processes of interaction. Her work in ethnomethodology/conversation analysis and my related studies with her helped me to understand the depth inherent to everyday life, which became the precursor to this project. My advisor as I pursued my master’s degree at High Point University, Dr. Joe Ellenburg, provided a friendly, supportive ear and much needed advice. His holistic understanding of sport and recreation administration encouraged my choice to pursue further graduate work. As a long time collegiate basketball coach and administrator, I have had the incredible opportunity to influence and be influenced by dozens of former players. Moreover, my involvement with a variety of camps and clinics all over the country have put me face-to-face with children of all ages. They, like my Ohio State students, have taught me a great deal and made the experience incredibly fulfilling. Several members of my family have inspired, not just my love of teaching, learning, or sport, but the person I have become. Unfortunately, space does not permit me to acknowledge them all, though I am particularly proud to be a fifth generation educator on the paternal side of my family, and consider it to be both a wonderful honor and privilege to continue in ‘the family business’. The path to education for my great- grandmother, the late Dr. Audra Weber, has always been particularly inspiring. Her open-mindedness and love for learning still resonates with me. My late grandfather, Mr. Richard Gordon, also took an unconventional path to education. His work ethic vi continues to serve as a model for me and makes me proud to share his last name. I recalled the tenacity that both these people were known to display during their educational pursuits and was correspondingly motivated whenever I hit the proverbial ‘bump in the road’. My father, Donald Gordon, facilitated my love and appreciation for sport at a young age and as a child, he always made time to ‘play catch’, ‘kick the ball’, or ‘shoot hoops’. He coached me in several sports throughout my life, including high school, and remains the best coach for whom I have played. My mother, Paula Page, has been a huge supporter of mine throughout my many sport and academic ventures and her interest in my work has meant so much to me. Among her many strengths, she is, undoubtedly, the best unpaid editor with which I have ever worked. My much younger sisters, Tory and Dana Gordon, were unwittingly my first students and now I enjoy watching them pursue their own paths, as well. My lovely wife, Lori, has been an incredible asset to my life and a wonderful partner. To whatever extent this project may be considered a success, however one defines the term, is a direct reflection of her love, support, and patience. I have no doubt whatsoever that this work could not have been completed without her affirming presence. I am grateful for the influence and contributions of the aforementioned individuals and hope that they enjoy reading the final product as much as I have enjoyed my relationships with them.