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- Creators: Department of Marketing
- Creators: Mack, Robert
- Member of: Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection
Description
Drawing on existing scholarship as well as primary analytical materials, the research within this report demonstrates Wile E. Coyote's character is reliant on human connectivity and is evocative of the human condition, reflecting his disciplined and stylized design he possesses. Comprised of literary, film/media, and rhetorical elements, this report illustrates how Wile E. is an individual whose character holds various influences that provide dimensionality to his existence. The research within this report is both primary and secondary through observational recordings about the cartoons Wile E. appears in and through thorough analysis of texts elaborating on the elements comprising Wile E.'s character. Primary research from the initial observational recordings provides direction for the secondary research after viewing multiple cartoons and films containing Wile E. Coyote in his Warner Brothers Studios appearances and noting unique moments in his cinematic career. The notes from this viewing of Wile E. in his natural "habitat" drive the secondary research to focus on specific aspects of Wile E.'s character through the analysis of supporting texts which ultimately leads to the findings within this report. Research in the fields of literature, film/media studies, and rhetoric shape the analysis of Wile E.'s character as this report studies the various components compiled within the cartoon coyote. As a multifaceted individual, Wile E. illustrates a complexity within a stylized character that allows viewers to connect to his plights and to identify with his struggles. Through his emulative form, Wile E. embodies vital elements of character creation that allow him to become a memorable and prominent character that resonates in viewers and artists. From Wile E. Coyote's example, future generations of story tellers, regardless of their medium, can learn how to create similarly iconic and timeless characters within their works. Such stories can then contribute significant additions to popular narrative and characterization.
ContributorsGarza, Christopher Aaron (Author) / Baldini, Cajsa (Thesis director) / Mack, Robert (Committee member) / Sandler, Kevin (Committee member) / Department of English (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
The sport of football has become one of the most widely loved and watched sports in the United States. Fans of football are extremely dedicated to the sport and form very personal, emotional attachments to teams within the National Football League. Through studying these fans, three main analysis topics will be addressed in this thesis: the established fan knowledge that creates rules within the fandom on how a fan participates and the exceptions to those rules, the need that fan's who do not fit into the normative patterns of the fandom feel to explain their motivations, and the degree of fanship that can be measured through a fan's explanation for their deviant behavior. For this fandom analysis, two sets of data will be referenced throughout the discussion. The first is anecdotal data pulled from various reddit threads on the personal experiences of each fan as well as some opinion sharing about the National Football League fandom. The second set of data is primary data that I have compiled via a survey. The established fan knowledge within this fandom is two fold: First, fans choose their team for a specific reason (usually based off of the team their parent's are a fan of or the state they grew up in), which typically takes place by age twelve. Secondly, once a fan chooses a team, they should stick with that team through their entire fanship. This second piece of fan knowledge is the most important rule within the fandom. This idea of loyalty is what guides fan participation. Identifying this rule led me to my main question about this fandom \u2014 if fans are so dedicated to their chosen team, what does it mean when someone switches to a new team. I feel that this breaking of a bond that seems so personal to fans is important and should be researched. This brought me to researching these fans that have switched teams, learning why, as well as what this group of fans can say about the National Football League fandom as a whole.
ContributorsGutierrez, Brooke Kathleen (Author) / Eaton, John (Thesis director) / Lee, Christopher (Committee member) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
In this undergraduate thesis, I explore the relationship between politics and popular culture through an ethnography of Justice League Arizona, a cosplay ensemble devoted to costumed civic activism. While existing scholarship addresses cosplay ensembles and political theory, there is very little that examines how the act of cosplay can be a form of politics and what the impact of that interpretation has on both individuals and the community at large. Through both participant observation and interviews with members of the ensemble, I discovered that cosplay has the ability to intensify aspects of the self, the ability to expose new aspects of the self, and the ability to bring one closer to a particular character. I also found cosplay to be political through the sensibility and situated knowledge that proves to be in practice during cosplay, ultimately having the power to be used as a form of political resistance.
ContributorsBurrus, Ella Rene (Author) / Mack, Robert (Thesis director) / Behl, Natasha (Committee member) / School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (Contributor) / Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
Description
Sports have always incited an emotional response in fans unlike anything else and creates a special relationship between fans and their favorite sports team. However, in the current age, attendance numbers have started to fall, due to games being available on multiple platforms for viewers to watch in their own homes, along with the increased competition in the entertainment industry. Teams are seeking new ways to leverage that relationship with their fans in order to draw fans into their games. This study will look at the history of fandom and reasons why people remain loyal to “their team” year after year. In turn, fan loyalty and increased attendance translates to increased revenue for teams across all sports. As part of this study, existing literature was reviewed covering the following areas of fandom: fan loyalty, memory association, and team actions that will impact fans. This research will aid in developing hypotheses to test on why fans remain fans and how their fan dedication develops. A questionnaire was then developed to find the reason why a fan is so dedicated to their favorite team. Respondents are asked to self- identify as a fan type in order to quantify the label of “fan” and build a deeper analysis within the questions being asked. The three fan options are diehard, casual and social fans. The following analysis explored why people are fans and what factors influence their level of fan loyalty. From that, recommendations were developed for professional sports teams to take advantage of the factors found in the analysis. The hope is that they will be able to translate psychological factors and an emotional connection into a concrete strategy to drive ticket sales and revenue.
ContributorsTassinari, Isabella (Author) / McIntosh, Daniel (Thesis director) / Eaton, John (Committee member) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
This paper is a study on the portrayals of seven main Moomins characters across five revivals of Tove Jansson's Moomins. This study also examines popular fanon of the current Moomins fandom as well as a historical analysis of how each revival work was adapted to fit in the culture and time-period of their creation.
ContributorsChemello, Bellana Aurora (Author) / Ingram-Waters, Mary (Thesis director) / Mack, Robert (Committee member) / School of Earth and Space Exploration (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
Description
While sports have been around for thousands of years with ranging popularity across the globe, they are a stronghold in American culture. The “big four” sports in the United States are American football, basketball, baseball, and hockey, although Major League Soccer (MLS) has made a push within recent years for soccer to become the fifth. While it is being welcomed into the world of sports in America it is lacking popularity compared to its stronghold within cultures throughout the world. In this thesis we explore possible reasons as to why soccer and Major League Soccer is not as popular in the United States as it is in other countries as well as compared to the other major sports in the US. This is done through an extensive literature review, followed by an online survey to answer questions that were not answered using past research. The data collected was then analyzed through testing six hypotheses. All of the information collected is then used to formulate five major recommendations for MLS to grow the popularity of Soccer in the United States. These recommendations include building a community of soccer in the US, enhancing the fan experience at games by building soccer specific stadiums, raising the caliber of players playing in the US within MLS, building awareness of the sport through the reach of hosting the 2026 World Cup, and finally furthering this research by looking into the US Women's National team.
ContributorsDahlin, Amanda (Author) / Tvelia, Emily (Co-author) / McIntosh, Daniel (Thesis director) / Neto, Rivadavia (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor)
Created2022-05
Description
While sports have been around for thousands of years with ranging popularity across the globe, they are a stronghold in American culture. The “big four” sports in the United States are American football, basketball, baseball, and hockey, although Major League Soccer (MLS) has made a push within recent years for soccer to become the fifth. While it is being welcomed into the world of sports in America it is lacking popularity compared to its stronghold within cultures throughout the world. In this thesis we explore possible reasons as to why soccer and Major League Soccer is not as popular in the United States as it is in other countries as well as compared to the other major sports in the US. This is done through an extensive literature review, followed by an online survey to answer questions that were not answered using past research. The data collected was then analyzed through testing six hypotheses. All of the information collected is then used to formulate five major recommendations for MLS to grow the popularity of Soccer in the United States. These recommendations include building a community of soccer in the US, enhancing the fan experience at games by building soccer specific stadiums, raising the caliber of players playing in the US within MLS, building awareness of the sport through the reach of hosting the 2026 World Cup, and finally furthering this research by looking into the US Women's National team.
ContributorsTvelia, Emily (Author) / Dahlin, Amanda (Co-author) / McIntosh, Daniel (Thesis director) / Neto, Rivadavia (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor)
Created2022-05
Description
As fan demographics of major professional sports continue to increase in age, research on youth fandom continues to be a topic of interest for researchers. There are relatively few studies in the space that adequately address the issue of an aging population of fans and highlight the importance of growing fandom starting at a young age. There have been previous studies that have looked at sports fandom and age demographics on a broader scale. This thesis aims to add on to that research by focusing more closely on younger fans and their experience with baseball prior to their college years. The data presented in this thesis was conducted through a predominately qualitative online questionnaire. This research is primarily focused on investigating three topics of interest within the consumer behavior realm of the sports industry. First, to provide a baseline understanding of what factors in childhood potentially impact a person’s likelihood of fandom as they age. Second, to look into promotions and activations that could potentially influence a consumer's behaviors and likelihood of attendance at a Major League game. Third, to provide a comprehensive look at whether or not the understanding of baseball impacts if a person is a fan of the sport. With the data collected from this research, the MLB and individual professional baseball teams can look into ways to capitalize on the findings of the research to promote youth fan engagement. Furthermore, this research identifies a significant need for the league and/or teams to invest in youth fandom and fandom enhancement opportunities.
ContributorsGonzales, Aubrianna (Author) / McIntosh, Daniel (Thesis director) / Eaton, John (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor)
Created2023-05