The Negative Effects of Media on Sports
I. Media and Sports Introduction A. John Wooden Quote B. The tendencies of the media THESIS: The media must take significant strides towards reforming the way they portray sports to change the current system of altering the ideals of athletes and diminishing the prestige of modern sports. II. History of media in sports
III. Publication of shameful actions A. Celebrations B. Commercials C. XFL
IV. Multimedia A. Cable Networks B. League and team-owned channels C. Video Games D. Fantasy sports
V. College and amateur athletics A. Teenage phenoms B. False views of success C. Antitrust Law D. BCS bowls
VI. Sex and media A.
Possibly the most publicized player in the league however, Chad Johnson, has performed CPR on the football, invented many dances and even played golf using the pylon as a club to hit the football (Wilner). The media now uses these celebrations as one of their main selling points for broadcasts of the NFL. Sports talk shows give out awards like “Best Celebration” and “Most Unique Player” to players with the most outrageous touchdown celebrations, making light of the issue. They also use celebrations as focal points in commercials, such as Chad Johnson’s commercial for ESPN in which he tries to think of more ways to celebrate. It is obvious that the media exacerbates the celebrations, eventually making them bigger than the game itself. If the media was not there to glorify athletes and such antics, athletes would be less likely to engage in them, because they would no longer receive the attention that initiated their behavior. Another sports ignominy came when Vince McMahon, founder of the World Wrestling Federation, introduced his entirely media-based league to the world. The XFL or Extreme Football League used sex and incredible amounts of violence to improve ratings. Unlike the NFL, the XFL had no fair-catches, no extra-point kicks, and virtually no rules whatsoever combined with immense violence and “none-too-shy” cheerleaders. The XFL often had gimmicks such as a cheerleader running a