Abstract for final project:

Communication & Technology: Impact on Hockey Fans in Edmonton
Sunil Agnihotri

Fans of professional sports support their teams and players by attending games, buying merchandise and expressing their passion for the sport. With a long history in the city of Edmonton, the game of hockey is deeply engrained within Canadian culture and has a large and passionate fan base. With the development of various user-friendly communication technologies and the cost of using these tools decreasing, fans have been able to develop information regarding their sport and share their ideas within a community.

Using sociocultural theory in conjunction with various relevant case studies in Edmonton, the study will examine the impact communication and technology has had on hockey fans. A mixed methods approach will be used to examine the types of technological tools and the frequency of usage.  This method will also assess the behaviours, expectations and experiences of fans individually and as a part of a group. This study intends to shed light on a topic that has not been researched and will contribute to the field of sports communication.

My final research paper “SuperFan 2.0: Exploring the produsage qualities of hockey fans” examined the participatory culture of online hockey fans and their blogging activity. The full research paper including a brief abstract can be accessed through the University of Alberta’s Education and Research Archive.