The Attention Gap in College Sports

In The Attention Gap in College Sports, Joshua Woods delves deeply into data on social media activity amongst college teams and college athletes and critically examines the ways attention, and attempts to gain it, are reconfiguring power and profit in college sports.

Since a landmark ruling in collegiate athletics granted student athletes the right to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL), thousands have pursued endorsement deals and business ventures. Important shifts in the time since have accelerated the rise of what this book refers to as an “attention economy,” wherein the value placed on athletic performance and success have moved perceptibly online and in the direction of public visibility and influence. Chapters in this book seek explanations for the uneven distribution of NIL opportunities and how these are driven in part by gender and race, and it also considers the broader ways in which these opportunities are reshaping college sports, fan engagement, and athlete well-being. The book’s analysis theorizes relationships between attention capital and other forms of capital and builds a sociological perspective on attention, why it matters in the field of college sports, and its far-reaching implications in other fields and across society.

Grounded by its command of social media data and its discerning view, The Attention Gap in College Sports is a valuable look at consequential issues happening within college sports. Its important discoveries about social media use in this competitive landscape contribute meaningfully to conversations about sport and society, sports media, and sports business and management.