Spectator Sounds in Football

The sounds of spectators at football (soccer) are often highlighted - by spectators, tourists, commentators, journalists, scholars, media producers, etc. - as crucial for the experience of football. These sounds are often said to contribute significantly to the production (at the stadium) and conveyance (in televised broadcast) of ’atmosphere.’ This book addresses why and how spectator sounds contribute to the experience of watching in these environments and what characterizes spectator sounds in terms of their structure, distribution and significance. Based on an examination of empirical materials - including the sounds of football matches from the English Premier League as they emerge both at the stadium and in the televised broadcast - this book systematically dissects the sounds of football watching.

Nicolai Jørgensgaard Graakjær is Professor of Music and Sound in Market Communication in the Department of Communication and Psychology at the University of Aalborg, Denmark. His has served as the Editor-in-chief of MedieKultur: Journal of Communication Research (2010-2014) and he is the current Editor-in-chief of the book series MÆRKK - Æstetik og Kommunikation. His publications include Analyzing Music in Advertising (2015), Sound and Genre in Film and Television (2010, Co-editor), and Music in Advertising (2009, Co-editor).