“The American Outlaws Are Our People”: Fox Sports and the Branded Ambivalence of an American Soccer Fan at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup
A summary of the article:
The article "The American Outlaws Are Our People: Fox Sports and the Branded Ambivalence of an American Soccer Fan at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup" explores how Fox Sports represented the American Outlaws, the primary supporters’ group for U.S. soccer, during the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The study analyzes how this supporters' group, with its predominantly white, male membership, was portrayed as a symbol of American soccer fandom. Fox Sports used the Outlaws to represent a broader, more diverse, and inclusive fan base while obscuring the group's inherent masculine and exclusionary characteristics. The media coverage aimed to appeal to a mass audience, but it also highlighted the tension between the growing popularity of women’s soccer, known for its progressive politics, and the traditional masculine sports culture embodied by the Outlaws.
The study suggests that Fox Sports sought to present soccer as an upscale, cosmopolitan sport in the U.S., despite its reputation as being a sport for affluent, white audiences. The portrayal of the American Outlaws allowed Fox to walk a fine line between celebrating the progressive nature of women’s soccer and maintaining the image of a mainstream, nationalistic sports fandom. This duality in branding catered to both the niche audience of women’s soccer fans and the broader, more commercially valuable group of American sports viewers.
Key Takeaways:
Tension between progressive and traditional sports cultures: Fox Sports' portrayal of the American Outlaws highlighted the contradictions between the progressive politics of women’s soccer and the masculine sports culture.
Use of the Outlaws as a brand symbol: The American Outlaws were used to represent a more diverse fan base, even though the group largely reflects traditional white, male sports fandom.
Soccer as an upscale American sport: Fox Sports framed soccer as a cosmopolitan and elite sport, marketing it to affluent, liberal-minded audiences despite its wider appeal.
Author: Charlotte E. Howell
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