Sports Communication Commons^™

Rhetorical Frames In Daily Fantasy Sports Promotion: Referral-Code Creators And Official Advertisers, Garrett P. Hughes

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

In the years since the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, sports gambling and related products have become increasingly visible in U.S. sports culture. Daily fantasy sports sit within this larger environment and are often promoted as skill-based, social, and routine parts of fandom. This study examined how daily fantasy sports are rhetorically framed on TikTok by comparing official daily fantasy sports advertisements with content posted by referral-code creators, a term used here to describe TikTok users who promote platforms through referral or partner codes while presenting picks, tips, or betting advice. The guiding research question asked …

Gendered Coverage In Sports Media: An Analysis Of Espn’S Representation Of Women’S Sports, Abigail C. Leonard

Honors Theses and Capstones

Despite growing participation in women’s sports, media coverage continues to reflect significant gender disparities. This thesis examines how ESPN, as a leading sports media network, contributes to the construction of gendered narratives through its coverage of women’s sports and female athletes. Drawing on framing theory, agenda-setting theory, and social identity theory, this study analyzes headlines, visuals, language, narratives, and broadcast patterns to explore how meaning is constructed in sports coverage.

The findings suggest that while coverage of women’s sports has increased, it often remains positioned as secondary to men’s sports. Female athletes are more frequently described using language that emphasizes …