Speed And Spectacle : a qualitative case study on fan engagement within a Formula One fan community through Netflix’s Drive to Survive
(2024) MKVM13 20241Media and Communication Studies
Department of Communication and Media
- Abstract
- Since its early days, Formula One has been seen as a spectacle. Traditionally, what made the sport spectacular was the drivers who put their lives at risk during every race. However, with the acquisition of Formula One by the American media giant Liberty Media Corporation in 2017, the sport has gone through a significant transformation, where it has evolved from a purely racing-focused championship where the focus of the spectacle has shifted away from the excitement of the race to a media-centric spectacularisation with the aim of capturing the attention of a broader and more diverse audience. One of the central aspects of this transformation is the Netflix series Drive to Survive, which has offered fans a new way to engage with the sport... (More)
- Since its early days, Formula One has been seen as a spectacle. Traditionally, what made the sport spectacular was the drivers who put their lives at risk during every race. However, with the acquisition of Formula One by the American media giant Liberty Media Corporation in 2017, the sport has gone through a significant transformation, where it has evolved from a purely racing-focused championship where the focus of the spectacle has shifted away from the excitement of the race to a media-centric spectacularisation with the aim of capturing the attention of a broader and more diverse audience. One of the central aspects of this transformation is the Netflix series Drive to Survive, which has offered fans a new way to engage with the sport by offering behind-the-scenes access to the world of Formula One. By blending the drama of reality TV with motorsport, the series has not only entertained but also reshaped the way fans engage with the sport outside of the races themselves. This thesis explores the impact of Drive to Survive on the Formula One fan community, particularly how the narrative portrayals of the series influence fan engagement and online discussion among the fans.
This thesis reveals a spectrum of fan experiences through a qualitative analysis of discussions on Reddit. While many fans appreciate the added drama and deeper insight into the sport, others express concern over the biases and lack of authenticity in production and in the portrayal of certain narratives. These differing views have led to the emergence of a hierarchical structure within the fan community, where opinions on Drive to Survive function as a marker of one’s standing and identity within the fan community on Reddit. The findings of this study highlight the complex nature of fan engagement in an era where sports are increasingly commercialised and spectacularised. The research around Drive to Survive functions as a case study to explore the broader implications of this phenomena, illustrating how new media products can simultaneously attract new fans and alienate already established ones. This thesis reveals how the introduction of Drive To Survive shapes the hierarchy within the Formula One community. By analysing fan engagement with the series, this thesis adds to the academic discussion on the spectacularisation of sport, fan culture, and the changing dynamics of audience interaction within increasingly mediated sports spectacles, offering insights from an audience-centred perspective. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9173295
- author
- Böckerman, Thomas Elias LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- MKVM13 20241
- year
- 2024
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Fan community, spectacularisation, Engagement, Formula One, Drive To Survive
- language
- English
- id
- 9173295
- date added to LUP
- 2024-09-10 12:02:37
- date last changed
- 2024-09-10 12:02:37
@misc{9173295,
abstract = {{Since its early days, Formula One has been seen as a spectacle. Traditionally, what made the sport spectacular was the drivers who put their lives at risk during every race. However, with the acquisition of Formula One by the American media giant Liberty Media Corporation in 2017, the sport has gone through a significant transformation, where it has evolved from a purely racing-focused championship where the focus of the spectacle has shifted away from the excitement of the race to a media-centric spectacularisation with the aim of capturing the attention of a broader and more diverse audience. One of the central aspects of this transformation is the Netflix series Drive to Survive, which has offered fans a new way to engage with the sport by offering behind-the-scenes access to the world of Formula One. By blending the drama of reality TV with motorsport, the series has not only entertained but also reshaped the way fans engage with the sport outside of the races themselves. This thesis explores the impact of Drive to Survive on the Formula One fan community, particularly how the narrative portrayals of the series influence fan engagement and online discussion among the fans.
This thesis reveals a spectrum of fan experiences through a qualitative analysis of discussions on Reddit. While many fans appreciate the added drama and deeper insight into the sport, others express concern over the biases and lack of authenticity in production and in the portrayal of certain narratives. These differing views have led to the emergence of a hierarchical structure within the fan community, where opinions on Drive to Survive function as a marker of one’s standing and identity within the fan community on Reddit. The findings of this study highlight the complex nature of fan engagement in an era where sports are increasingly commercialised and spectacularised. The research around Drive to Survive functions as a case study to explore the broader implications of this phenomena, illustrating how new media products can simultaneously attract new fans and alienate already established ones. This thesis reveals how the introduction of Drive To Survive shapes the hierarchy within the Formula One community. By analysing fan engagement with the series, this thesis adds to the academic discussion on the spectacularisation of sport, fan culture, and the changing dynamics of audience interaction within increasingly mediated sports spectacles, offering insights from an audience-centred perspective.}},
author = {{Böckerman, Thomas Elias}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Speed And Spectacle : a qualitative case study on fan engagement within a Formula One fan community through Netflix’s Drive to Survive}},
year = {{2024}},
}