Framing democracy: stadium financing and civic paternalism in Test Market, USA. Issue 11 (2nd November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kellison, Timothy B.; Newman, Joshua I.; Bunds, Kyle S.
• Is Part Of: Sport in society. Volume 20:Issue 11(2017)
• Page Start: 1548
• Page End: 1564
• Publication Date: 2017-11-02
• Subjects: Sports -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Sports -- Cross-cultural studies -- Periodicals; Sports -- Periodicals; 306.48305
• DOI: 10.1080/17430437.2017.1284805
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1743-0437

Abstract

Abstract: The vast majority of North America's professional sport arenas, ballparks and stadiums are publicly subsidized without direct approval from voters. In this article, we examine the discursive constitution of 'no-vote subsidies' within the public sphere, and in particular problematize the twinned production(s) of citizenship and democratic process in framing public subsidization of these sites of private accumulation. To do this, we examine the recent no-vote subsidy occurring in Columbus, Ohio – thereby providing a context-specific interrogation of the mediations of participatory citizenship, political decision-making and the institution of democracy as related to sport stadium funding. As part of this analysis, we discuss the public production of civic paternalism – a political ideology focused on urban growth and unconcerned with future electoral consequences – in the Columbus arena financing case. We conclude the article with a call for increasing scholarly engagement in, and intervention into, the political processes that result in the public subsidization of professional sport venues.