Media Framing and Sources Quoted in Coverage of the Name, Image, and Likeness Debate

Authors

  • Peyton Woods Richmont Graduate University
  • Adam Love University of Tennessee https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5864-945X
  • Jeffrey A Graham University of Tennessee

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17161/jas.v9i1.18990

Abstract

Athletes competing at NCAA institutions acquired the ability to profit from the use of their name, image, and likeness (NIL) on July 1, 2021. The time period leading up to this point was marked by contentious debate about college athletes and “amateurism” in the sports media. To better understand the nature of this mediated debate, the current study investigated framing in media coverage of NIL rights with a particular focus on the types of sources quoted by journalists during a two-year period from 2019-2021. A total of 113 media articles were identified for analysis. NCAA officials were the most consistently quoted sources in this media coverage, appearing in 59.3% of articles. Overall, media coverage often privileged the NCAA’s viewpoint that any disruption to the amateur “collegiate model” would be detrimental to the future of college sport. In contrast, current college athletes were quoted in just 5.3% of articles. Although other sources, such as politicians (quoted in 47.5% of articles), often spoke on behalf of college athletes about the rights they should be entitled to, the actual voices of athletes themselves were largely absent from this mediated debate. The exclusion of athletes’ voices is relevant given ongoing discussion about amateurism and the rights of college athletes.

Author Biographies

  • Peyton Woods, Richmont Graduate University

    Peyton Woods is a graduate student studying Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Richmont Graduate University. He is a former NCAA Division-I basketball player who earned a master's degree in sport management from the University of Tennessee in 2021.

  • Adam Love, University of Tennessee

    Dr. Adam Love is an associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies at the University of Tennessee.

  • Jeffrey A Graham, University of Tennessee

    Dr. Jeffrey A. Graham is an associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies at the University of Tennessee.

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Published

2023-11-06

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Woods, P., Love, A., & Graham, J. A. (2023). Media Framing and Sources Quoted in Coverage of the Name, Image, and Likeness Debate. Journal of Amateur Sport, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.17161/jas.v9i1.18990