Meaning transfer in sports news and sponsorship: promoting Canadian Olympic triathlete Simon Whitfield

Abstract

This paper critically examines the processes of meaning creation and transfer in sports celebrity endorsements. It uses findings from a qualitative case study that investigated how Canadian journalists covered Simon Whitfield's gold medal win in the inaugural men's triathlon Sydney Olympic Games in 2000, and how sponsors subsequently capitalised on his media image. The results highlight key factors that influence Olympic sports reporting and their implications for leveraging an Olympic athlete's media image as part of a product endorsement strategy.

Citation

Darnell, S.C. and Sparks, R. (2007), "Meaning transfer in sports news and sponsorship: promoting Canadian Olympic triathlete Simon Whitfield", International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, Vol. 8 No. 2, pp. 44-63. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSMS-08-02-2007-B006