A Sociology of the World Rally Championship : History, Identity, Memories and Place

Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies and has companies and representatives throughout the world. Palgrave® and Macmillan® are registered trademarks in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries. This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed and sustained forest sources. Logging, pulping and manufacturing processes are expected to conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin. Drawing upon interviews with key people in the World Rally Championship as well as trans-local ethnographic research, this book explores questions of commerciality and sporting identity, tackling the sport's controversial handling of the shift into 'the commercial age'. It is essential reading on combining sporting heritage and commercial progress. From its inauguration in 1973 until today, the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) has been transformed from a little-known series to a pop-cultural roadshow worth millions of euros. In a promotional context this has spurred a debate between those who want rallying to be what it was historically and those who desire a real shift into 'the commercial age'. Drawing upon interviews with key people in the sport and trans-local ethnographic research from rallies, spectator cultures, the inner life of a WRC team, and the media production facilities, this book explores these questions of commerciality and sporting identity, arguing that the WRC's sporting identity is in fact a promotional asset. Placed at the intersection of sociology and sports management, A Sociology of the World Rally Championship is essential reading on how to combine sporting heritage with commercial progress "From its inauguration in 1973 until today, the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) has been transformed from a little-known series to a pop-cultural roadshow worth millions of euros. In a promotional context this has spurred a debate between those who want rallying to be what it was historically and those who desire a real shift into 'the commercial age'. Drawing upon interviews with key people in the sport and trans-local ethnographic research from rallies, spectator cultures, the inner life of a WRC team, and the media production facilities, this book explores these questions of commerciality and sporting identity, arguing that the WRC's sporting identity is in fact a promotional asset. Placed at the intersection of sociology and sports management, A Sociology of the World Rally Championship is essential reading on how to combine sporting heritage with commercial progress"-- Provided by publisher Front Matter....Pages i-x Introduction: The Paradox of Commercialism....Pages 1-23 The Promotional Context....Pages 24-54 Imagining the Story....Pages 55-85 The Sense of Place in Rallying....Pages 86-115 The Spectator Culture of Rallying....Pages 116-149 The Legacy of WRC Cars....Pages 150-177 Heroes behind the Wheel....Pages 178-207 The WRC’s Promotional Value....Pages 208-232 Back Matter....Pages 233-260