José-Luis Rojas-Torrijos e-mail(Login required)

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José-Luis Rojas-Torrijos e-mail(Login required)

Abstract

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Sports media coverage of mega-events is partly oriented to gamification, the use of game elements and game design techniques in non-gaming contexts. This infotainment approach to events has been developed by media outlets as an original and effective way to capture wider audience attention and to place events in context before a competition starts. This article examines 28 gamified sports pieces developed by media outlets from seven countries during the last two Olympics (2016 Summer Olympics in Rio and 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang) and Football World Cups (2014 in Brazil and 2018 in Russia). This sample comprises two categories following Ferrer-Conill (2015): “gamified pieces” (game like elements that are part of a bigger interactive feature) and “newsgames” (more sophisticated pieces often included in complex graphics or multimedia content). The results show that, despite its entertaining formula, gamification serves mainly informational purposes and adds value to sports coverage. Especially in the Summer and Winter Olympics, gamified sports pieces tend to be explanatory and data-driven in order to inform the audience about nonmainstream sports.

Keywords

sports journalism, digital journalism, gamification, newsgames, graphics

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Appendix

List of newsgames analysed and mentioned in this article.

and 2018 FIFA World Cups

El País (2018, May 14). ‘La porra del Mundial’. Retrieved from https://elpais.com/especiales/2018/mundial-de-futbol/la-porra/

Five Thirty Eight (2017, December 1). ‘Which World Cup Team Should You Root For?’. Retrieved from https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/world-cup-quiz/

La Nación (2017, November 30). ‘Pronóstico del Mundial’. Retrieved from https://www.lanacion.com.ar/deportes/pronosticos-del-mundial-acerta-los-resultados-y-gana-con-el-simulador-de-la-nacion-nid2132956#/

L’Équipe (2017, June 6). Quels Bleus au Mondial de 2018? Faites votre liste. Retrieved from https://www.lequipe.fr/special/compose/ton-equipe-de-france-pour-la-coupe-du-monde-2018/

Marca (2018, June 11). El pronunciador. Retrieved from http://especiales.marca.com/mundial-rusia-2018/pronunciador.html

O Globo (2018, May 11). Copa cabelo & bigode. Retrieved from https://infograficos.oglobo.globo.com/esportes/copa-cabelo-e-bigode.html

The Guardian (2014, June 24). ‘World Cup 2014: knockout stages planner’. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jun/24/world-cup-2014-knockout-stages-planner

The Guardian (2018, May 30).’World Cup all-time XIs’. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/football/series/world-cup-all-time-xis

The Irish Times (2018, June 19). ‘Spot the Ball’. Retrieved from https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/world-cup/spot-the-ball

The New York Times (2014, June 19). ‘Spot the Ball’. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/spot-the-ball/2014/06/19?smid=tw-nytimes

The New York Times (2018, June 26). ‘Spot the Ball’. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/06/26/sports/world-cup/spot-the-ball-round-1.htm

The Telegraph (2018, March 1). ‘World Cup 2018 Wallchart Predictor’. Retrieved from https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/world-cup-2018-wallchart-predictor/

and 2018 Olympic Games

BBC Sport (2016, August 10). ‘Who is Your Olympic Body Match?’. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/36984887

Financial Times (2016, August 12). ‘On Your Marks’. Retrieved from https://ig.ft.com/on-your-marks/

La Nación (2016, August 19). ‘Río 2016: corré la carrera de 200m y enfrentá a Bolt desde el teclado de tu computadora’. Retrieved from https://www.lanacion.com.ar/deportes/atletismo/rio-2016-corre-la-carrera-de-200m-y-enfrenta-a-bolt-desde-el-teclado-de-tu-computadora-nid1929616

O Globo (2016, February 25). ‘Você consegue escalar um time melhor que o Dream Team’. Retrieved from https://infograficos.oglobo.globo.com/esportes/rio-2016/voce-consegue-escalar-um-time-melhor-que-o-dream-team.html

RTVE (2016, August 21). ‘Juega a identificar los sonidos olímpicos de Río’. Retrieved from http://lab.rtve.es/rio-2016/match-game/juego-sonidos-olimpicos/

RTVE (2016, August 16). ‘Qué sabes de…’. Retrieved from http://lab.rtve.es/rio-2016/que-sabes-de/

RTVE (2016, August 10). ‘Match Game’. Retrieved from http://lab.rtve.es/rio-2016/match-game/

The Boston Globe (2016, August 23). ‘Do You Know what the Olympics Really Sound Like?’. Retrieved from https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/olympics2016/2016/08/23/you-know-what-olympics-really-sound-like/bIsafsMYbmBzL9epZYCgDL/story.html?p1=Team_LeadArticle

The Guardian (2016, August 6). ‘RioRun’. Retrieved from https://riorun.theguardian.com

The New York Times (2016, August, 9). ‘Olympic Bodies: Can You Guess their Sport?’. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/08/09/sports/olympics/olympic-bodies-can-you-guess-their-sport.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur&_r=0

The New York Times (2016, August 18). ‘Olympic Races, in Your Neighborhood’. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/08/18/sports/olympics/olympic-races-near-you.html

The New York Times (2016, August 13). ‘Can You Beat Usain Bolt Out of the Blocks?’. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/08/13/sports/olympics/can-you-beat-usain-bolt-out-of-the-blocks.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur

The Wall Street Journal (2016, August 4). ‘Armchair Olympian’. Retrieved from http://graphics.wsj.com/armchair-olympian/

The Washington Post (2016, August 10). ‘What Olympic Sports Fit Your Body?’. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/sports/olympics/olympic-body-types/??noredirect=on

The Washington Post (2018, February 2). ‘The Speediest Winter Olympic Sports’. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/sports/fastest-winter-sports/?utm_term=.8024269b2a1f

The Washington Post (2018, February 14). ‘Do You Know How to Judge Figure Skating?’. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/sports/judging-figure-skating/?%3Ftid%3D=sm_pg&utm_term=.91e565c4b425

Other sporting events coverage

Le Monde (2016, May 30). ‘Roland Garros: saurez-vous reconnaître ces joueurs de tennis à leur cri?’. Retrieved from https://www.lemonde.fr/les-decodeurs/article/2016/05/30/saurez-vous-retrouver-qui-a-pousse-ces-cris-sur-les-courts-de-roland-garros_4928938_4355770.html

The Guardian (2010, August 2-2011, December 11). ‘Spot the Ball’. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/sport/series/spot-the-ball

The New York Times (2013, September 2). ‘Sounds of Exertion’. Retrieved from http://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/09/02/sports/tennis/tennis-grunts-soundboard.html

The Wall Street Journal (2015, August 31). ‘Are You Good Enough to be a Tennis Line Judge?’. Retrieved from http://graphics.wsj.com/are-you-good-enough-to-be-a-tennis-line-judge/

The Wall Street Journal (2016, May 18). ‘French Open. Are You Good Enough to be a Tennis Line Judge?’. Retrieved from http://graphics.wsj.com/are-you-good-enough-to-be-a-tennis-line-judge-french-open/

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