Fan engagement in sports broadcasting. A Case Study of the Comment Section of Tomorrow Golf League (TGL) on YouTube

Abstract

This thesis investigates fan engagement with the Tomorrow Golf League (TGL), through a thematic analysis of YouTube comments. The research is situated at the intersection of sports media and digital fandoms. The research explores how fans interact with TGL content on YouTube and how these interactions evolve. Drawing from fan studies, fan labor, and anti-fandom theory are the base of the analysis. Through a thematic analysis of 263 comments. Eventually, four central themes were found: community building, sports enthusiasm, feedback provision, and resistance. The findings reveal an initial surge of positive engagement marked by communal practices and constructive feedback, which gradually declines into disillusionment, sarcasm, and resistance.

Ultimately, this suggests the emergence of what is conceptualized here as the “entitled fan.” This fan expects reciprocal influence over content development. And withdraws engagement when feedback is unacknowledged. The study contributes to ongoing discussions on the digital transformation of sports media, audience agency, and the blurred boundaries between fans, non-fans, and anti-fans. It offers practical insights for media professionals on the sustainability of fan engagement within platform-driven sports content.