Term of Award

Spring 2008

Degree Name

Master of Science in Kinesiology (M.S.)

Document Type and Release Option

Thesis (open access)

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Department

Department of Health and Kinesiology

Committee Chair

Daniel R. Czech

Committee Member 1

Jonathan Metzler

Committee Member 2

Kimberly Coleman

Committee Member 3

Willie Burden

Abstract

Over 70% percent of the current National Football League (NFL) population is of African-American descent (Lapchick, 2007). Moreover, there is a disparity between sport analyst with 74% of the radio and television announcers being White, and 12% being Black (Lapchick 2006). Thus, the purpose was to examine African-American NFL players on their experiences of media interaction from a phenomenological perspective and veteran NFL reporters experiences of interacting with African-American NFL players. This study consisted of one open-ended question for each population. Data was transcribed and analyzed, and themes were identified. Themes for the NFL players consisted of a) how media coverage affects the player, b) perceptions of media personnel, c) Black quarterbacks. Identified themes for the veteran sport reporters consisted of a) how the media covers the NFL, b) interrelationships between the media and African-American NFL players, c) pressures of being a media professional, d) playing quarterback in the NFL.

Research Data and Supplementary Material

No

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