In 2002, eight scholars working in the area of communication and sport attended the initial Communication and Sport Summit at Arizona State University’s west campus. The purpose of this meeting was to showcase research in the area and to strategize about promoting the study of sport within the broader discipline of communication studies. To that end the one day workshop was divided into two sessions. The morning session involved research presentations and the afternoon session working discussions about the future of communication and sport. An agenda for promoting communication and sport emerged from the afternoon session, which included: (a) publishing a Communication Yearbook piece, (b) securing special issues on communication and sport, and (c) developing a Communication and Sport Division at NCA.

 

The working group of eight scholars involved in this initial meeting published a chapter in Communication Yearbook in 2004. They also put forth a petition to NCA to add a division of communication and sport. Unfortunately, the division proposal has been held up as NCA revisits policy dictating the creation and establishment of new divisions. It has been on hold for several years as a result. In the interim, members of the initial group hosted a pre-conference at NCA in 2003.

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Additionally, the group successfully proposed a special issue on communication and sport at the Western Journal of Communication. This marked the first time a disciplinary journal devoted an entire issue to communication and sport research. Bob Krizek served as editor and received over 50 manuscripts. The issue was published in 2008 (Volume 72, Issue 2). In 2009, four of the articles from that issue ranked in the top ten downloaded articles for all years of the journal.

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In 2006, Arizona State University West hosted the 2nd Communication and Sport Summit. Over 20 scholars from across the country attended. Jeff Kassing acted as the program planner.

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In 2008, attendance doubled at the 3rd Communication and Sport Summit. The 3rd Summit was held at Clemson University with Andy Billings serving as the program planner.

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In 2010, the 4th Communication and Sport Summit was hosted in Cleveland by program planners Adam Earnhardt from Youngstown State University and Barb Hugenberg from Kent State University. (do not have details on attendance, etc.).

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More information on previous Summits coming soon...

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