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Through qualitative interviews with rugby players and coaches from England, Australia, and Aotearoa/New Zealand, this study examined whether players were now performing a more caring and respectful form of masculinity, as inclusive masculinity theorists have proposed. Results illustrated that players gained pleasure from linking themselves to hypermasculine performances through celebration of violence, drunkenness, and overt displays of heteronormativity. Moreover, the players distanced themselves from homosexual desire and displayed sexist tendencies. Yet, findings also revealed a modest reduction in on-field violence and greater acceptance of female rugby players and diverse sexualities. These modest and seemingly incoherent shifts in the performance of masculinities were traced to the effect of multiple sociostructural changes, such as rule changes, rather than a broad rise of an inclusive “form” of masculinity.

In this paper, I examine the ethical landscape surrounding tackle football, exploring the moral permissibility of the sport and the myriad ethical considerations it entails. This examination comprises the use of an ethical decision-making framework to analyze four key aspects: relevant empirical facts, affected parties, salient moral values/disvalues, and potential options. In pondering these aspects, I identify the ethical conflicts arising from factual disagreements, conflicting interests, and divergent values/disvalues concerning players’ decision to partake in gridiron football. In addition to emphasizing the importance of understanding and addressing such aspects and conflicts to devise potential solutions, I contend that ethical issues related to the permissibility of football ultimately stem from value-related conflicts, highlighting the necessity of examining and reconciling conflicting moral principles.

The image repair theory, alluded to by the situational crisis communication theory, assumes two conditions that require a public oral rhetorical defense. The conditions are that (a) an act is reprehensible and (b) the person or organization is responsible for the act. However, those theories have been largely tested in the Western world, where individualism has primacy over the community. In this work, we argue that rhetorical defenses during image crisis and repair cannot escape the cultural dictates of its social environment. We advance situations in Africa and the United States that demonstrate the differences in the concept of collectivism and individualism and their impact on image and crisis situations. In the African example, we use Blessing Okagbare’s drug-testing case to demonstrate involvement of her community or collective, and in the Western cultural example we use Sha’Carri Richardson’s drug-test case to compare. The key point, overall, is to demonstrate that image-repair incidences in Africa and the West are not encountered similarly, and thus, a universal process of the image repair theory and situational crisis communication theory is not recommended. Instead, we recommend modification of both theories to account for the cultural differences.

Social media platforms offer a direct channel for broadcasting live content to followers, emphasizing the immediacy of interaction. Social live-streaming services present a unique opportunity for niche sport organizations to engage with their communities in real time, providing new opportunities for interaction and engagement. This paper employs a case study of the 2022 CrossFit (CF) Games to understand how social live-streaming services influence consumer engagement in niche sports. Using an online survey and content analysis, the study finds that viewing the CF Games inspires participation and that viewers with a stronger connection to CF are less likely to engage in chat functions. These insights highlight the potential for niche sports to leverage social live-streaming services for enhanced engagement, offering a viable alternative to traditional broadcasting. Although the focus is on CF, the findings may provide valuable lessons for other niche sports facing similar challenges in visibility and audience engagement.