Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2013
Abstract
Superficially, it appears paradoxical that the city of Los Angeles does not have a National Football League (NFL) franchise, especially considering the city’s status as the second-largest media market in the United States. Currently, the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) is leading a proposal for a new, state-of-the-art, 68,000-seat outdoor football stadium in downtown Los Angeles, along with a significant renovation of the neighboring convention center, in order to return the NFL to the city. According to official documents, the $1.2-billion project would be financed completely through private investment (Pamer & Healy, 2012). In addition to the familiar criticisms aimed at nearly every major sports facility proposal, pro-stadium officials must disassociate the present plan from past Los Angeles football endeavors. In this study, we analyzed AEG’s organizational perception management strategies through a content analysis of the proposed stadium’s official website and authorized social media outlets. Four primary themes emerged from an analysis of website social media communications. These themes represent AEG’s primary communicative objectives and include: legitimating the project; educating citizens about the project; connecting to Angelenos; and calling potential advocates of the plan into action. Implications of this study and directions for future research are provided.
Recommended Citation
Kellison, T. B., & Mondello, M. J. (2013). In the continued pursuit of stadium initiatives following past failures: An analysis of the Los Angeles Farmers Field proposal. Journal of Venue and Event Management, 4(2), 34–45.
Comments
Originally published in
Kellison, T. B., & Mondello, M. J. (2013). In the continued pursuit of stadium initiatives following past failures: An analysis of the Los Angeles Farmers Field proposal. Journal of Venue and Event Management, 4(2), 34–45.
Posted by permission.