Uninspired: Framing Wheelchair Basketball and Able-Bodied Basketball in College News Sources

Abstract

Guided by framing theory, this study identifies qualitative differences in the coverage of college wheelchair and able-bodied basketball teams. The sample consisted of 160 wheelchair basketball and 160 able-bodied basketball articles published over five seasons in seven online, student-led news sources at universities with wheelchair sports programs. This analysis contrasts previous studies of adaptive sports coverage, which focused primarily on professional journalists’ portrayals of the Paralympics. The framing of wheelchair basketball players as high-performance, physical athletes was scarce when compared to the coverage of able-bodied athletes. Overall, wheelchair basketball was portrayed as lacking legitimacy. When performance of wheelchair basketball players and teams was noted, references to performance statistics, emphasis on the physical and psychological demands of the sport, and the use of literary devices were scarce. In contrast, able-bodied players were framed as talented, legitimate athletes and warriors fighting important battles for their teams. Critical disability theoretical implications are discussed. A discussion of practical implications for adaptive sports journalists, student sports reporters, and collegiate wheelchair basketball concludes the study.