Welcome to BEA's Sports Division, established in April 2008. For a long time sports wore the tag of the 'toy store.' No serious study of the media could include a look at sports. But, times have changed. Academics as well as non-academics have seen that, for better or worse, sports are an essential element of U.S. and worldwide culture. This has led to a surge in academic organizations that recognize and embrace sports as a legitimate intellectual pursuit. A number of academic journals have been developed all devoted to sports, and schools that have sports-related classes, and even majors, are growing in number as we speak. Chair: Don Moore, Ohio University Southern Vice Chair: John McGuire, Oklahoma State University Media Coordinator: Joe Moore, University of Central Missouri Paper Competition Chair: Troy Comeau, Pittsburg State University Festival of Media Arts Student Sports Competition Chair: Bobby Chastain, Purdue University – West Lafayette Festival of Media Arts Faculty Sports Competition Chair: Denise Belafonte-Young, Lynn University
