Sport and Corporate Nationalisms

The world of sport is saturated with the signs and images of multinational corporations. But what effect does the relationship between sport and international corporate capitalism have on national identities? From the growth of women's soccer in the US to the corporate use of sport after 9/11, sporting events and their corporate partners have a profound impact on collective imaginations. Sport and Corporate Nationalisms explores the logics and practices underlying the marketing initiatives of major conglomerates and their influence on the shaping of national cultures. Corporations depend on sport as a vital marketing vehicle for inserting their interests into the lives of local consumers. This book puts forth convincing arguments that relate the role of sport-marketing complexes to national cultural markets in a global age. Sport and Corporate Nationalisms provides a much-needed analysis of the evolution of marketing strategies in the world of sport.

Michael L. Silk is Assistant Professor, Sport, Commerce and Culture, University of Maryland.

David L. Andrews is Associate Professor of Sport and Cultural Studies, University of Maryland.

C.L. Cole is Associate Professor of Kinesiology, Gender and Women's Studies, Afro-American Studies, Sociology, and The Unit of Criticism and Interpretative Theory, University of Ilinois.