Stadiums are famous makers of identity for communities and assume a huge part in the media’s portrayal of sporting events. From reading Anthony C. Cavaiani article Rhetoric, Materiality, and the Disruption of Meaning: The Stadium as a Place of Protest illuminates the importance of stadiums functioning as place-as-rhetoric, for advocating social change. The article’s uses the case of Botham Jean and O’Shae Terry- two black men gunned down by local law enforcement officers within 5 days of each other earlier that month. Around 100 citizens of the Dallas–Fort Worth area marched in solidarity to support both men and their families around AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. The case has been followed by the more noteworthy Dallas people group as well as individuals all through the US while accumulating huge media attention. The protests outside AT&T Stadium in Dallas operated as a place-as-rhetoric to expand on the expected motivation behind the arena while briefly recreating its significance. Cavaiani furthermore explains stadiums serve as a performative space that approves new significance onto the arena and encompassing space while proclaiming it as a hero marker of social equity. I find myself agreeing with Cavaiani’s claims on stadiums being as, a site of public memory, a site of ideological images and an answer to societal issues.

Stadiums perform an important role in the development of public memory, researchers have documented on how sport stadiums can function as place of public memory, in the article the author explains more on the importance of the stadium being a place of public memory. (Butterworth ,2014) argues on how meditated sport imparted the public memorializing of the tenth anniversary of 9/11 through the screens of always remember, support the soldiers, and solidarity. He contends that these screens made a fantasy of popular government due to their over-dependence on making an enormous scope display as for the recognition of 9/11. Another point Cavaiani highlight is the way stadiums can be viewed as ideological symbols connecting it with the story of the super dome used as a place of refuge during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. (Pfau, 2017) recalls sets of ideological meanings in regard to bigotry and looting, racial exaggeration and the Bush government response, all which portrayed liberal scrutinizes of Hurricane Katrina’s aftermath. Cavaiani further, reminds us that this shows the public memory of the Superdome was moored in social rancour and disorder during Katrina and as seen in the Superdome during Hurricane Katrina can be viewed as a scene of social struggle and racial abuse. This incomprehensible importance supports the material meaning of the stadium in social justice discussion. Lastly, the stadium as an answer to societal problems. (Huberty et al., 2016) highlights that building a new stadium evokes four qualitative benefits- expanded community perceivability, upgraded community picture, incitement of other development, and clairvoyant pay.

In summary, reading the article has thus made me fully agree with the authors argument of sports stadiums serving as: a place of public memory, a place of ideological images, a place in rhetoric, and answer to societal issues etc. I have been able to know that sport stadiums can aid in amplifying demonstrator’s social justice messages. I feel like Cavaiani’s article challenges the reader to see just how powerful sport can be utilized to raise awareness on social issues. This article has helped me in understanding the dynamic relationship between communication and sport even though it is indeed complicated. After reading Anthony Cavaiani article on the Rhetoric, Materiality, and the Disruption of Meaning: The Stadium as a Place of Protest. I feel a theme discussed in one of the classes was of Social Change and Sport II as it was well represented in the article as it relates to the use of sport in trying to magnify the everyday struggle of what we face in society and how we can solve some of. these problems it made me realize sport can illuminate the complexity of society.

Reference

Pfau, M. (2017). The Louisiana Superdome and the semiotics of disaster. In Johannesen, D., Huglen, M. E. (Eds.), Iconic sports venues: Persuasion in public spaces (pp. 157–176). Peter Lang.

Butterworth, M. (2014). Public memorializing in the stadium: Mediated sport, the 10th anniversary of 9/11, and the illusion of democracy. Communication & Sport, 2, 203–224.

Huberty, L. L., Kellison, T. B., Mondello, M. (2016). Fan mobilization and the Minnesota sport-stadium campaign. International Journal of Sport Communication, 9, 191–208

Cavaiani, A. C. (2020). Rhetoric, materiality, and the disruption of meaning: The stadium as a place of protest. Communication & Sport, 8(4–5), 473–488. doi:10.1177/2167479519900161