Sport consumption across cultures

This chapter examines how sport consumption operates across cultural contexts in an increasingly globalized world. Drawing on Robertson's (1994, 1995) concept of ‘glocalization,’ it explores the complex interplay between global sporting phenomena and local cultural practices and meanings. Through case studies ranging from the Indian Premier League to European football consumption in Asia, the chapter demonstrates how sport consumption involves both homogenizing and heterogenizing forces, with local cultures playing a vital role in shaping how global sports are consumed and understood. The chapter then explores how the rise of digital technologies and social media has further complicated this dynamic by enabling new forms of ‘prosumption,’ where fans simultaneously consume and produce sports content in real time, across traditional cultural borders. The chapter concludes that understanding contemporary sport consumption requires examining the ongoing negotiation between global forces and local cultural contexts, particularly as digital technologies continue to transform how sports are produced and consumed.