‘Safety first’: towards a security legacy and fan-oriented research agenda in the English Premier League

Abstract

It has been argued that the English Premier League (EPL) can be considered a time and space diffuse sport mega-event (SME). This article subscribes to this argument made by Giulianotti (2011). The study takes an unconventional approach by reading the EPL as a SME. Seeking to note key issues for empirical work in the future, the article looks at historical and recent security issues and securitization ‘agents’ in the EPL, whilst articulating a research agenda. In the legacy and fan-oriented agenda, three areas of EPL security issues that research, potentially, could commit to an examination of are highlighted. These include: (i) the EPL’s security legacies, (ii) impacts of security on ‘authentic’ match experiences and (iii) supporters’ emotional responses to ‘security’ and ‘safety’ in the EPL. Crucially, these areas are transferred from, and rooted in the wider need for research on the SME and security ‘nexus’, as an emerging academic field.

Keywords:

• English Premier League
• sport mega-event
• security
• ‘SME Studies’
• fandom

Disclosure statement

There is no conflict of interest reported.