Abstract
This study traced fan reactions to and support of Floyd Landis over the final and dramatic stages of the 2006 Tour de France through the lens of parasocial interaction. A thematic analysis using constant comparative methodology of 1,086 fan postings on<br>cyclist Floyd Landis’s Web site (floydlandis.com) was conducted. Results indicated that fans’ interaction with Landis reflected: (a) traditional dimensions of parasocial interaction, (b) relationally appropriate behaviors, and (c) active social interaction behaviors.<br>Overall, the findings demonstrate that Internet communication technologies have shifted the nature of parasocial interaction from one-sided and passive to an approximation of actual social interaction and confirm that fans readily interact (para)socially with<br>athletes.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 182-203 |
Journal | Western Journal of Communication |
State | Published - 2009 |