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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the commodification process of extreme sports. Specifically, this study is to investigate how X-Games as a sport event has been spread among the teenagers by ESPN in order to use extreme sports commercially. The diffusion theory was utilized as a theoretical framework to explain this process because the diffusion theory is a useful perspective to explain how new ideas are spread among the members of a social system. In other words, X-Games as an innovation has been diffused through both ESPN (mass media channel) and the participants and viewers of X-Games (interpersonal channel) over time among teenagers (the members of a social system). Especially, this study focused the role of ESPN as a change agent in the diffusion process of X-Games, For the purpose of this study, a research question was suggested, "Does ESPN influence the consumption of commodities related to extreme sports?". A path model was constructed to examine this research question. This model was designed to investigate the causal link between the amount of X-Games televised by ESPN and the consumption of commodities related to extreme sports. The result indicated that the model was consistent with the data.
Parent Publication
Citation
Huh, Chang; Lee, Byoung Kwan; Yoo, Euidong. 2002. The commodification process of extreme sports: the diffusion of the X-Games by ESPN. In: Todd, Sharon, comp., ed. 2002. Proceedings of the 2001 Northeastern Recreation Research Symposium. Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-289. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Research Station. 49-52.
