Trump's "Sports-Fan-in-Chief" Strategy for Brand and Voter Appeal

Key Quotes

"President Trump has built a brand as the sports-fan-in-chief, attending roughly a dozen major sporting events so far this year. We discuss how professional men’s sports align with Trump’s political brand."

This quote introduces the central theme of the podcast episode, framing President Trump's engagement with sports as a deliberate political strategy. Tamara Keith, Franco Ordoñez, and Domenico Montanaro aim to explore how this "sports-fan-in-chief" persona is cultivated and how it connects with his broader political brand.

"what does going to a sporting event do for the president yeah i mean i think it offers a few things on a very basic level i mean as you noted he's a big sports fan he likes being part of the big games and he also likes seeing himself on the big stage i mean you saw that when he inserted himself into the celebration of the fifa club world cup instead of stepping aside to allow the chelsea players to kind of soak up the spotlight lift the trophy with their teammates he remained amongst the team members as the trophy was lifted"

Franco Ordoñez explains that attending sporting events serves multiple purposes for President Trump, ranging from personal enjoyment of the games to a strategic desire for public visibility. Ordoñez highlights Trump's tendency to remain at the center of attention, even during celebratory moments like the FIFA Club World Cup trophy presentation.

"i mean i think that there's also something to the fact that it is scripted and trump likes a show right he likes to be able to put on a big show if anybody's seen any of his rnc speeches the big light behind him and the silhouette from the first rnc in 2016 it felt like an event"

Domenico Montanaro draws a parallel between scripted entertainment like WWE and President Trump's public persona and events. Montanaro suggests that Trump's preference for "a big show" aligns with the theatrical nature of wrestling, noting how his rallies and speeches often have a similar performative quality.

"yeah i mean just for a second going i mean domenico is absolutely right i was also at a lot of campaign rallies where it absolutely felt like a sporting event as well i mean the super bowl was definitely emblematic of how trump's reception is at so many of these events i really feel like it's kind of a a mixed bag at the super bowl it was a mix of cheers as he kind of appeared on the jumbotron we were all on the field as it happened and you see that in many other sporting events that he's been at"

Tamara Keith corroborates Domenico Montanaro's observation about the performative aspect of Trump's events, extending the comparison to campaign rallies. Keith describes the reception Trump receives at sporting events as a "mixed bag," indicating a varied response from attendees, as exemplified by the Super Bowl experience.

"i mean we saw then president obama fill out his march madness brackets on espn for both the men's and women's tournaments he was even on the campaign trail with the university of north carolina basketball team where you would see him kind of taking part in practice them taking it easy on him you know but he was somebody who liked sports as well and was in the middle of it but nothing quite to the extent of how trump goes about this"

Franco Ordoñez contrasts President Trump's engagement with sports to that of former President Obama. Ordoñez notes that while Obama also participated in sports-related activities, Trump's involvement is of a significantly greater magnitude and intensity.

"i mean that is an allegory for his politics he's all about winners and losers tough guys and weak people he doesn't want any part of the weak doesn't want any part of the losers and he doesn't want really part of people who don't like him and that kind of goes along with everything else he's all smiles wants to show up at the event as long as he's catered to"

Domenico Montanaro interprets President Trump's approach to sports fandom as a reflection of his political philosophy. Montanaro argues that Trump's preference for "winners" and his aversion to "losers" and those who disagree with him are consistent themes in both his political dealings and his engagement with sports.

"i do agree i mean i think the only time that trump is really talking about women's sports is when he's you know campaigning against the transgender issue and arguing that he's supporting women's sports you know and trying to protect them from transgender athletes so there is a remarkable thing that's going to happen in the next three years just the sheer number of sporting events that president trump is going to be able to preside over"

Franco Ordoñez points out that President Trump's public discourse on women's sports is primarily linked to his stance on transgender athletes. Ordoñez also highlights the significant number of major sporting events scheduled during Trump's potential presidency, suggesting a continued prominent role for him in the sports landscape.

"i think you can apply that to some of what trump is doing where he has such strong disapproval of him by half the country and you know if he's out there at these events everyone is watching he can try to round the edges sand them down and say i'm not as bad as these liberals think i am"

Domenico Montanaro suggests that President Trump's attendance at major sporting events can be viewed as a form of "sports washing," similar to how countries with questionable human rights records use sports to improve their image. Montanaro posits that Trump uses these events to soften his public image and appeal to a broader audience, countering negative perceptions.