Footballers’ citizenship during COVID-19: A case study of Premier League players’ community support

• Published in: International review for the sociology of sport Vol. 57; no. 6; pp. 980 - 997
• Main Author: Smith, Dr Charlie V L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01-09-2022; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Athletes; Case studies; Citizens; Citizenship; Community support; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Pandemics; Professional soccer; Public health; Soccer; Social support; Social systems; Well being; COVID-19; soccer; athlete citizenship; community; professional footballers
• ISSN: 1012-6902; 1461-7218
• DOI: 10.1177/10126902211045679

This paper demonstrates the community support of Premier League football players during the first COVID-19 national lockdown in the United Kingdom (March to May 2020). Given the global popularity and influence of footballers’ behaviour, it shows that they play an important role as citizens in supporting wider communities during circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic. A content analysis of 376 Premier League football players (80% of those registered) comprising 3877 posts on Instagram and Twitter is presented. The findings show 12 athlete citizenship roles during the pandemic which collectively illustrates players fostering support for fans and citizen's public health compliance, wellbeing and lives. Players also conveyed how they coped with the pandemic with their athlete mindset and were hopeful for a better future. The discussion and conclusion suggest that COVID-19 has presented an opportune time to renegotiate the complex social systems of which athletes are a part, identifying how they can engage in citizenship and future community support embracing the fullest range of their sporting profession.