Olan Scott, PhD

Associate Professor, Sport Management

Office: STH 446
905 688 5550 x4989
oscott@brocku.ca

Dr. Olan Scott is an assistant professor in sport management at Brock University. His research into sport media particularly focuses on the mainstream media and fan engagement in social media. He is heavily involved in industry-focused research including social media marketing, fan development, strategic planning, and brand-awareness market research

  • Social Media
  • Fan Engagement
  • Sport Media
  • Olympic Studies
  • Media Analyses

My research is interdisciplinary with foci on the mediation of consumers through discourse and social media marketing.

First, I investigate the story lines that are embedded into the coverage of events by the media in an attempt to capture, build and maintain consumers for the duration of an event. In particular, my research has focused on global sporting events that take place over a longer period of time, in which sustained consumption is important to commercial media outlets as the audience is on-sold in the form of ratings or readership to advertisers and sponsors. Thus, my media research has implications on the management, marketing, and sponsorship of sport telecasts, because it provides an indication into framing, agenda-setting, and scripting during these events.

My second research focus analyses how social media can engage both consumers and students. The initial study that I conducted investigated how the use of social media in the university classroom could foster enhanced engagement with course materials. Further, I have completed research projects with a variety of scholars and industry partners, wherein we investigated the types of social media messages that engaged fans most effectively. We also segmented the social media following of these sport teams using an existing theoretical framework. In addition, these industry partnerships and resultant projects have implications for the marketing, sponsorship, and engagement with fans on social media, because it provides practitioners and academics with insider information on which types of messaging is most engaging to fans.

Book Chapters:

Scott, O. K., M., Naylor, M. & Bruffy, K. (2017). Social Media, Fan Engagement and Global Sport.  In N. Scheulenkorf & S. Frawley (Eds.). Critical Issues in Global Sport Management (pp. 141-151). London, UK: Routledge.

Scott, O. K., M., Naylor, M. & Bruffy, K. (2016). The importance of social media in sport organizations. In T. Byers (Ed.), Contemporary Issues in Sport Management: A Critical Introduction (pp. 363-379). London, UK: Sage Publications.

Journal Articles:

Li., B., Scott, O., K., M. & Dittmore, S. (in press). Twitter and the Olympics: Exploring factors which impact fans following American National Governing Bodies. International Journal of Sport Marketing and Sponsorship. DOI not yet available.

Sharpe, S., Beaton, A. & Scott, O., K., M. (in press). Considering Ongoing Professionalization in Sport Organizations: A Case Study of the ACT Brumbies Super Rugby Club. Journal of Global Sport Management. DOI not yet available.

Scott, O., K., M., Billings, A., C., Xu, Q., Sharpe, S. & Lewis, M. (in press). Relaying Rio Through an Australian Gaze: Australian Nationalistic Broadcast Focus in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. Communication & Sport. Accepted 19 December 2017. DOI:10.1177/2167479517753117

Billings, A., C., Scott, O., K., M., Brown, K.A., Devlin, M.D., & Lewis, M. (in press). The patriotism down under: Nationalized qualities and Australian media consumption of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. International Review for the Sociology of Sport. Accepted 8 June 2017. DOI:10.1177/1012690217717945.

Xu, Q., Billings, A., C., Scott, O., K., M., Lewis, M. & Sharpe, S. (in press). Gender Differences through the Lens of Rio: Australian Olympic Coverage of the 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games. International Review for the Sociology of Sport. Accepted 26 April 2017. DOI: 10.1177/1012690217710690.

Scott, O., K., M., Billings, A., C., Harris, J. & Vincent, J. (in press). Using self-categorization theory to uncover the framing of the 2015 Rugby World Cup: A cross-cultural comparison of three nations’ newspapers. International Review for the Sociology of Sport. Accepted 7 February 2017. DOI: 10.1177/1012690217697476.

Li, B., Dittmore, S. & Scott, O., K., M. (2017). Points of attachment on social media: Exploring differences between Chinese and Western sport fans. Asia Pacific Journal of Sport and Social Science, 6(3), 201-215.

Sharpe, S., Kunkel, T., Scott, O., K., M. & Beaton, A. (2017). Managing digital content for a professional sport team: An Interview with Bill Yole, Social Media Coordinator and Webmaster of the ACT Brumbies Super Rugby franchise. International Journal of Sport Communication, 10(3), 318-324.

Scott, O., K., M., Beaton, A., Kunkel, T. & Sharpe, S. (2017). Media strategies to engage stakeholders and navigate crises: An Interview with Paul Glover, Media Manager of the ACT Brumbies Super Rugby Franchise. International Journal of Sport Communication, 10(2), 224-232.

Li, B., Stokowski, S., Dittmore, S. W., & Scott, O., K., M. (2017). For better or for worse: The impact of social media on Chinese sports journalists. Communication and Sport, 5(3), 311-330.

Pegoraro, A., Scott, O., K., M., & Burch, L. (2017). Strategic use of Facebook to Build Brand Awareness: A Case Study of Two National Sport Organizations. International Journal of Public Administration in the Digital Age, 4(1), 69-87.

Kunkel, T., Scott, O., K., M. & Beaton, A. (2016). Interview with Michael Lahoud, professional soccer player: Lessons of personal athlete branding via social media. International Journal of Sport Communication, 9(4), 415-423.

Scott, O., K., M. & Kunkel, T. (2016). Using self-categorisation theory to uncover the framing of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of two national newspapers. Journal of Sports Media, 11(1), 123-144.

Li, B., Stokowski, S., Dittmore, S. W., & Scott, O., K., M. (2016). How Mediated Sporting Events Constituted Nationalism? An Analysis of Chinese Newspapers Covering the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. International Journal of Sport Communication, 9(1), 79-96.

Willson, G., Sanders, D. & Scott, O., K., M. (2015). In the news: An investigation into Australian print media reports on Bali. Journal of Tourism Challenges and Trends, 8(2), 105-122.

Scott, O., K., M. & Stanway, A. (2015). Tweeting the lecture: How social media can increase student engagement in higher education. Sport Management Education Journal, 9(2), 91-101.

Scott, O. K. M., Hill, B., & Zakus, D. (2014). Framing the 2007 National Basketball Association finals: An analysis of commentator discourse. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 49(6), 728-744.

Scott, O., K., M., Bradshaw, R. & Larkin, P. (2013). Exploring ways in which social networkers contribute to online groups: A case study of one Facebook group’s discussion of Australian broadcaster Channel 9 during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. First Monday, 18(4), http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/4316/3426.

Scott, O. K. M., Hill, B., & Zakus, D. (2012). When the home team is not featured: Comparison of commentary between two television network broadcasts of the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Sport Management Review, 15(1), 23-32.

  • North American Society for Sport Management
  • Sport Management Association of Australia and New Zealand
  • Sport Marketing
  • Sport Sponsorship
  • Ethics in Sport
  • Public Relations

I am currently accepting graduate students whose research interests align with mine for September 2018.

Prospective students should email me to discuss graduate study opportunities.