A Two-Study Investigation Into How Television News Frames the Steroid Scandal in Major League Baseball and Fans’ Support for Bonds, McGwire, and Palmeiro’s Pending Induction Into the Baseball Hall of Fame

Under the guidance of social categorization theory (SCT), this project analyzed news coverage of steroid use in major league baseball (MLB), and fans’ perceptions of three players indicted for using steroids—Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, and Rafael Palmeiro—should be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Study 1 results revealed that widespread attention was given to issues of legality with fewer reports regarding the health costs of using steroids between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2011, with Bonds receiving the most negative coverage for his alleged use. Study 2 examined fans’ support of Bonds, McGwire, and Palmeiro’s pending Hall of Fame inductions by drawing from the theory of reasoned action (TRA) and cultivation theory. The results revealed that player likability, similarity, attitudes, and subjective norms predicted support for each player with differences emerging between each player. The results are discussed with an emphasis on how SCT was used to intersect the health, media effects, and race literatures.