Exploratory analysis of the role of mediatisation in the growth of transnational football fandoms in Africa

The development of football, together with its attendant fandom, has been synonymous with the development of the media industry. Globalisation has made European football more accessible across Africa, including in rural spaces where fan identities related to the games have emerged. The growth of sa...

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Main Authors: Washington Chirambaguwa, Manase Kudzai Chiweshe, Isaac Choto
Format: Article
Language:Portuguese
Published: Coimbra University Press 2022-09-01
Series:Mediapolis
Subjects:
Online Access:https://impactum-journals.uc.pt/mediapolis/article/view/10509
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author Washington Chirambaguwa
Manase Kudzai Chiweshe
Isaac Choto
author_facet Washington Chirambaguwa
Manase Kudzai Chiweshe
Isaac Choto
author_sort Washington Chirambaguwa
collection DOAJ
description The development of football, together with its attendant fandom, has been synonymous with the development of the media industry. Globalisation has made European football more accessible across Africa, including in rural spaces where fan identities related to the games have emerged. The growth of satellite television and the evolving digital access to football have influenced glocalised practices and patterns of fandom among Africans in both rural and urban spaces. This explorative analysis explains the role of mediatisation in cultivating European football fandom across Africa. It builds an analysis of localised forms of transnational fandoms grown out of increased access to European football. Football reflects society and the paper argues that the exponential growing of transnational fandom across the continent mirrors ongoing mediatisation processes affecting all spheres of life in contemporary African societies. It shows that there are distinct, evolving and unique fan cultures based on following European football teams. Additionally transnational football experienced through the tri-cast platforms of television, computers and mobile phones has negatively affected domestic African leagues almost without exception. The paper utilised a desk research approach to explore how the process mediatisation can explain transnational fandom across Africa. The study calls for continued study of mediatisation and its effect on specific aspects of African society
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spelling doaj.art-dd1dde1c37e748d480b69f0dd101b8cb2022-12-22T04:04:23ZporCoimbra University PressMediapolis2183-60192022-09-011510.14195/2183-6019_15_5Exploratory analysis of the role of mediatisation in the growth of transnational football fandoms in AfricaWashington Chirambaguwa0Manase Kudzai Chiweshe1Isaac Choto2Chinhoyi University of TechnologyUniversity of ZimbabweChinhoyi University of Technology The development of football, together with its attendant fandom, has been synonymous with the development of the media industry. Globalisation has made European football more accessible across Africa, including in rural spaces where fan identities related to the games have emerged. The growth of satellite television and the evolving digital access to football have influenced glocalised practices and patterns of fandom among Africans in both rural and urban spaces. This explorative analysis explains the role of mediatisation in cultivating European football fandom across Africa. It builds an analysis of localised forms of transnational fandoms grown out of increased access to European football. Football reflects society and the paper argues that the exponential growing of transnational fandom across the continent mirrors ongoing mediatisation processes affecting all spheres of life in contemporary African societies. It shows that there are distinct, evolving and unique fan cultures based on following European football teams. Additionally transnational football experienced through the tri-cast platforms of television, computers and mobile phones has negatively affected domestic African leagues almost without exception. The paper utilised a desk research approach to explore how the process mediatisation can explain transnational fandom across Africa. The study calls for continued study of mediatisation and its effect on specific aspects of African society https://impactum-journals.uc.pt/mediapolis/article/view/10509Mediatisationtransnational fandomsglobalisationEuropean footballAfrica
spellingShingle Washington Chirambaguwa
Manase Kudzai Chiweshe
Isaac Choto
Exploratory analysis of the role of mediatisation in the growth of transnational football fandoms in Africa
Mediapolis
Mediatisation
transnational fandoms
globalisation
European football
Africa
title Exploratory analysis of the role of mediatisation in the growth of transnational football fandoms in Africa
title_full Exploratory analysis of the role of mediatisation in the growth of transnational football fandoms in Africa
title_fullStr Exploratory analysis of the role of mediatisation in the growth of transnational football fandoms in Africa
title_full_unstemmed Exploratory analysis of the role of mediatisation in the growth of transnational football fandoms in Africa
title_short Exploratory analysis of the role of mediatisation in the growth of transnational football fandoms in Africa
title_sort exploratory analysis of the role of mediatisation in the growth of transnational football fandoms in africa
topic Mediatisation
transnational fandoms
globalisation
European football
Africa
url https://impactum-journals.uc.pt/mediapolis/article/view/10509
work_keys_str_mv AT washingtonchirambaguwa exploratoryanalysisoftheroleofmediatisationinthegrowthoftransnationalfootballfandomsinafrica
AT manasekudzaichiweshe exploratoryanalysisoftheroleofmediatisationinthegrowthoftransnationalfootballfandomsinafrica
AT isaacchoto exploratoryanalysisoftheroleofmediatisationinthegrowthoftransnationalfootballfandomsinafrica