Topic: Extreme Sports Question: Mainstream sports media shape the perception of skateboarders as less legitimate athletes than track and field competitors Introductory Paragraph Despite its inclusion in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, skateboarding continues to receive far less media coverage than traditional sports like track and field. Media representation plays a pivotal role in constructing legitimacy within sport, influencing which athletes and disciplines are recognized as symbols of athletic prowess. Although an activity may qualify as a sport based on institutional, structural, and normative criteria (Suits, 1978; Morgan, 2006), this does not guarantee equal media coverage or public recognition. Traditional sports such as track and field are widely regarded as benchmarks of athletic excellence and receive consistent exposure, largely due to historical visibility and patterns of media circulation, leaving emerging sports like skateboarding underrepresented (Ronen et al. , 2015). Consequently, skateboarders are represented by mainstream sports media as less legitimate than track and field competitors because media coverage shapes public perception, cultural framing reinforces subcultural stereotypes, and commercialization prioritizes instituional sports over action sports. Thesis: Skateboarders are represented by mainstream sports media as less legitimate than track and field competitors because media coverage shapes public perception, cultural framing reinforces subcultural stereotypes, and commercialization prioritizes instituional sports over action sports. I.
Body of Argument A. Background information Skateboarding emerged in the mid-20th century as a recreational activity rooted in youth subculture and urban environments. Unlike traditional sports such as track and field, which developed within formal institutions and structured governing systems, skateboarding evolved outside these frameworks. Its development has emphasized individual creativity, personal freedom, and informal participation rather than standardized competition. Only in recent years has skateboarding gained institutional recognition, most notably through its inclusion in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. This distinct pathway to legitimacy demonstrates how differences in the development of sports can shape their positioning and contribute to the underrepresentation of certain activities within mainstream sports media. B.
Reasons or Evidence to support your claim 1. Claim (Media Coverage): Mainstream sports media shape public interest and audience perceptions rather than merely reflecting them. Evidence 1: Sports media shapes public interpretation/ perception o Jimmy Sanderson & Marion Hambrick (2012) Citation: Sanderson, J. , & Hambrick, M. E. (2012). Covering the scandal in 140 characters: A case study of Twitter’s role in coverage of the Penn State saga. International Journal of Sport Communication, 5(3), 384–402. Https: //doi. Org/10. 1123/ijsc. 5. 3. 384 (PDF link) Quote: “Sports journalists routinely frame sports stories to guide specific audience interpretations, a task that translates into digital as well as traditional forums” Evidence 2: Sports media predicts viewer’s attention/ interest o Mingyang Zhang & Yuyue Liao (2025) Citation: Zhang, M. , & Liao, Y.
(2025). Social media impact on public attention: Paris Olympics case study. PLOS ONE, 20(11), e0336136. Https: //doi. Org/10. 1371/journal. Pone. 0336136 Quote: In the study Social Media Impact on Public Attention: Paris Olympics Case Study, Zhang and Liao (2025) found that nearly 90% of public attention could be explained by media coverage, indicating a strong relationship between media exposure and audience interest. 2. Claim (Cultural framing): Mainstream sports media must reframe skateboarding as a culturally legitimate sport rather than a countercultural pastime, recognizing its athletic skill and subcultural significance alongside traditional sports like track and field. Evidence 1: Skateboarding is framed as a subcultural, lifestyle activity rather than a formal athletic sport. O Lain Borden (2001) Citation: Borden, I. (2001). Skateboarding, space and the city: Architecture and the body. Berg Publishers. Quote: Skateboarding has traditionally been represented as a subcultural activity emphasizing style, urban space, and alternative practices rather than formal athletic competition. Evidence 2: Structural and cultural differences position skateboarding as informal and less institutionalized compared to traditional sports like track and field. O Kellett, Pamm & Russell, Roslyn (2009) Citation: Kellett, P. , & Russell, R. (2009). A comparison between mainstream and action sport industries in Australia: A case study of the skateboarding cluster. Sport Management Review, 12(2), 66–78. Quote: “The action sport industry is a high growth sector that has evolved in an organic, almost chaotic manner very different to that of the mainstream sports industry