Sports Communication Commons^™

A Content Analysis Of Media Framing Regarding Name, Image, And Likeness And The Transfer Portal In Men’S College Basketball, Ethan Alexander

Honors College Theses

This study investigates media framing as it relates to name, image, and likeness (NIL) and the transfer portal in men’s college basketball. This study serves as an introductory point for future framing research surrounding NIL and the transfer portal, two topics that have not been thoroughly researched up to this point. While the analysis does reveal previously unrecorded frames, the data and study as a whole serve as foundational tools for future research and are not conclusive regarding these specific topics and their usage within framing research. Through the deductive coding of articles published by ESPN throughout the last five …

Doping And The Discourse Of Crisis: A Communication Case Study Of Paul Pogba, Emmanuel Karikari

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This study examines crisis communication in elite sports through the case of Paul Pogba’s doping scandal. The study addressed the existing crisis communication frameworks, which primarily focus on strategic messaging and reputation management while giving limited attention to identity and audience interpretation. As a Black Muslim athlete and global sports celebrity, Pogba’s case provides an opportunity to explore how crisis communication, identity, and audience responses interact in contemporary digital media environments.

A qualitative case study design was employed. Data consisted of public statements, interviews, media reports, and audience responses on X/Twitter collected across different stages of the crisis. Public texts …