2026/01/01 by Vincent Peña, Patrick Crowe, Ever J. Figueroa
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · #American Sports and Literature #Rhetoric and Communication Studies #Sports, Gender, and Society
paper · doi:10.1123/ssj.2025-0154
openalex publication_date 2026/01/01 · openalex created_date 2026/05/21 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/11
This study examines the media coverage of Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White’s domestic violence, an occurrence that featured a video showing White slapping his wife. We analyzed coverage ( N = 163 articles) across major sport media platforms, conducting a critical discourse analysis that reveals a stark disparity compared with how other sports figures who have committed similar acts have been covered. Despite White’s stature, many major sports media outlets provided minimal coverage, and White faced no significant professional or reputational consequences. Sports media accepted his apology with little follow-up coverage, and prominent figures publicly defended him. Notably, despite prior research indicating that video evidence significantly influences media narratives of domestic violence, White’s case stands as an exception as neither the video nor his admission altered the tone or extent of coverage. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on racial bias in sports media and the intersection of power, privilege, and discourse in sports journalism.