Captain Climate: Australian media coverage of Pat Cummins' climate change advocacy

Abstract

In February of 2022, Pat Cummins – the captain of the Australian cricket team and one of the world's top players – published an essay advocating for action on climate change. He would later reinforce this advocacy by refusing to appear in ads for one of the national team's main sponsors. Using a content analysis, this study sought to examine Australian media coverage and framing related to Cummins’ eco-activism. The results showed that media coverage often framed Cummins’ advocacy efforts using ‘debate’ frames – rather than ‘spectacle’ frames – while also focusing on Cummins himself. Finally, the results point to an inflection point in late 2022 surrounding his refusal to appear in ads for the main sponsor. Together, these results highlight a potential shift in how athlete activists are covered while also dovetailing with existing research that points to climate change coverage becoming more focused on individuals rather than broader movements.