“Dabo Wears Male Rompers”: Examining Expressions of Hegemonic Masculinity and Identity in ESPN’s College GameDay

Abstract

It has long been held that sport functions as a site of identity and belonging. Identity is also a key element that lays the framework for elite sport and social gathering as well as fan identification with teams and athletic figureheads (athletes and coaches) associated with their favored team. Sports fans often exercise identity in the communal bonding experiences of sport, including watching and attending games and other sports programming in groups. Outside of sporting events themselves, perhaps the most prominent sport-centric community and identity-building spectacle is ESPN's "College GameDay." First aired in 1987 as a rundown of college football scores and commentary, the popular show is now known for its in-depth analysis of high-stakes football match-ups, predictions of game outcomes, celebrity guest pickers who select the team they believe will win during the morning show, and the quirky signs made by fans who strive to be televised or featured on GameDay's social media platforms. I argue that these popular elements of the show offer fans the opportunity to enact and express identities of hegemonic masculinity in widespread and potentially problematic ways.