Directly after the Cincinnati Bengal’s critical loss in the AFC Championship game, the camera focused on the emotional defensive end, Joseph Ossai, as he sits on the bench following a game losing penalty.
Ossai’s spotlight is just one example of how sports media magnifies and capitalizes on the vulnerability of athletes. Whether it brings frustration or excitement, sports media is quick to jump onto moments of intense emotion.
This media practice on the national level was exposed to Davenport Southeast Little League when they made their run to the Little League World Series.
In order to keep the team focused, Coach David McFate had to make sure the players knew why they were there. “We focused on baseball and taking one play at a time,” he said. “I’m sure the boys got sick of me saying one play at a time.”
The coach was aware of sports media and how it could portray the athletes on the field. “I personally don’t take issue with it, as we knew what we were signing up for from the beginning,” McFate continued. “It helps tell the story in showing the emotion.”
While the sport is the primary focus of the programming, the emotion is what captures the sports audience with its human element. There is much more to a sport than just the box score, and it is the sports media’s job to capture the bigger story that hides behind the sport itself.
The larger message behind the sport is what the media uses to capture the audience and create their stories. “What makes journalism compelling is getting to know the individuals beyond what people see on the court or field,” says regional sports editor for the Quad City times, Matt Coss. “If someone can see maybe they’re going through the same struggles I am or dealing with problems I know somebody else is going through, it helps them relate to the athletes on a deeper level.”
It is not an exposing of the athletes weakness, but rather a reminder that the athletes we are watching are human and share the same struggles we do. “Often times, the best stories are ones where athletes are willing to speak about hardships they’ve had to endure to succeed and ones that will tug at a reader’s heart,” Coss concluded.
Vulnerability and emotion is shown through sports media as a way to tell a story and recognize the athlete. The vulnerability gives an inside look that allows the audience to connect emotionally and be engaged in the story. This aspect is what makes sports media unique and much more than just a rundown of scores and stats.
