Baseball vs. Radio, October 1921: The War that Both Sides Won

Panel Submission Type: Panel/Research Presentation Session

Abstract

October 2021 marks the hundredth anniversary of the inaugural radio broadcast of the 1921 World Series between the New York Giants and the New York Yankees, an event that arguably established radio as the world’s premier medium for news, entertainment, and advertising. As a technological innovation, radio was a medium in search of a purpose as well as an audience. This panel will explore how broadcasting of baseball helped fuel the growth and development of radio as a dominant medium of communication. Using Diffusion of Innovation Theory and the Technology Acceptance Model as theoretical foundations, the presentations will examine how the challenges of broadcasting baseball led to development of radio networks, national advertising, and audiences. Parallels will be drawn to the current diffusion of streaming services, driven in large part by proprietary content with strong similarities to the first adoption of baseball broadcasting.

Sub Unit

• History

Moderator

• Lance Liguez, University of Texas - Arlington

Panelists

• Tom L Ingram, University of Texas - Arlington

• Tom Christie, University of Texas - Arlington

• Andrew M. Clark, University of Texas - Arlington