In this essay, Arthur Raney reflects on how decades of media scholarship have explored the importance of affective dispositions toward teams and contest outcomes to viewer enjoyment of live televised sport events. The introduction to the essay focuses on personal experiences that shaped his interests in understanding how spectator responses to mediated sport were culturally and psychologically significant. Raney reflects on his studies and collaboration with many of the scholars who were foundational in understanding how the role of affective disposition and enjoyment relates to sport media consumption. Throughout this essay, key themes emerging from empirical studies examining sports media enjoyment are identified. Further consideration is given to how new media technologies might impact sports enjoyment in the future.
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