The football patrimonialization in Instagram: analysis of Brazilian football clubs’ profiles during the pandemic

Abstract

In 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic stopped sports competitions and football fans were left without their main moment of expression of belongness to clubs: the football match (DAMO, 2008). The result of social isolation reflected in the increasing of new followers in the clubs’ social media channels. Based on this context, this paper aims to analyze the football patrimonialization process thorough historical meaning posts (#TBT or Throwback Thursday) of the official accounts of five Brazilian football clubs with the highest number of followers in Instagram. This exploratory study is based on idea that heritage is a “thought” (GONÇALVES, 2003) as well as it could emerge from “virtuality” (DODEBEI, 2006). The data were collected by an internet date scraping software and due the selected criteria, a total of 49 posts were submitted to a group of content analysis techniques (MINAYO, 1994) and internet data categorization (FRAGOSO; RECUERO; AMARAL, 2011). The posts analysis reveals three categories of the football patrimonialization process: identification, idolatry and achievements. These narratives contribute to the preservation of traditions and collective memory of clubs and fans. Also, they reveal a symbolic dispute of representativeness, the social affirmation of the feeling community (supporters) and a power dispute in digital field through memory (historical past). The online content development for preservation and club memory communication is relegated to a secondary level or it is not fully understood as a form of expression of the club identity. Therefore, it can be concluded that clubs “develop” the digital identity around the daily routine of the professional team and the sporting activities (match and competition). The “fans” and the “memory” are elements associated to the “team” (and players), which despite their transitory character, they are “preserved” and become a permanent aspect of the clubs’ digital heritage.