The world’s most antivirus sport?

Framing professional esports practices during the covid-19 pandemic

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4013/fem.2023.251.01

Abstract

This study discusses the narrative production about the changes and impacts on the professional practice of esports during the period of social distancing imposed by the covid-19 pandemic. The considerations are based on a set of consultants' reports and articles published by the specialized press in Brazil and abroad. The occurrence of four narratives is identified, thus named: suspension, immunity, immateriality and reconfiguration. In addition to the importance of materiality and physical space for the practice of esports, already mentioned in the previous literature, the analysis highlighted the centrality of the spectacularization of the media for the viability of professional sport in a capitalist context. The restrictions imposed by the pandemic also underlined that, although widely mediated, this spectacularization relies heavily on the convergence of people to a single physical location.

Author Biographies

Tarcízio Macedo, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)

Doutorando em Comunicação e Informação pela Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Mestre em Comunicação, Cultura e Amazônia pela Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA), com período sanduíche na UFBA e UNEB. Especialista em Comunicação Científica na Amazônia pelo Núcleo de Altos Estudos Amazônicos (NAEA, UFPA) e jornalista pela Facom/UFPA. Membro da Rede de Pesquisa em Jogo e Cultura Política (Metagame) e associado ao Chapter Brasil da Digital Games Research Association (DIGRA-Brasil). Pesquisador vinculado ao Laboratório de Artefatos Digitais (UFRGS), ao Grupo de Pesquisa em Inovação e Convergência na Comunicação (UFPA) e ao Grupo de Pesquisa Comunicação, Consumo e Identidade (UFPA).

Suely Fragoso, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)

Professora Titular-Livre da Faculdade de Biblioteconomia e Comunicação da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (Fabico, UFRGS). Pesquisadora 1D do CNPq e presidente do Chapter Brasil da Digital Games Research Association (DIGRA-Brasil). Estágio pós-doutoral sênior (Visiting Scholar) na Jagiellonian University, Cracóvia, Polônia (2019). É Ph.D. em Communication Studies pela University of Leeds (Reino Unido, 1998), Mestre em Comunicação e Semiótica pela PUC-SP (1992) e arquiteta pela USP (1987). Coordena o Laboratório de Artefatos Digitais (LAD, UFRGS).

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Published

2023-06-21

Issue

Vol. 25 No. 1 (2023): Janeiro/Abril

Section

Articles

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