“SWELCE” and “HEAT WENTZ”: The Politics, Para-sociality, and Pairing of Sports and Popular Music
Francesca Sobande / Cardiff University & Jenessa Williams / The University of Leeds
Francesca Sobande and Jenessa Williams explore the intersections of sports and popular music, highlighting the dynamics of celebrity culture, para-social relationships, and the impact of these pairings on cultural politics. Examples include the relationship between Taylor Swift and NFL player Travis Kelce and the presence of NBA player Jimmy Butler in a Fall Out Boy music video, illustrating how these cross-industry connections influence marketing, fan engagement, and cultural representation.
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