Ludvigsen, J and Millward, P (2019) A Security Theatre of Dreams: supporters’ responses to ‘safety’ and ‘security’ following the Old Trafford ‘fake bomb’ evacuation. Journal of Sport and Social Issues. ISSN 0193-7235

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Abstract

On May 15, 2016, reports emerged of a “suspect package” inside Old Trafford minutes before kick-off in Manchester United’s game versus Bournemouth. The “suspect package,” causing a full-scale evacuation, and match postponement, turned out to be a “fake bomb” accidently left following a security exercise. Minimal social research investigates responses from supporters to “security” and “safety” at large sports events. Although the “suspect package,” fortunately, never “materialized,” it represents an important case in English football. Theoretically, this study adopts a frame analysis technique pioneered by Erving Goffman and it empirically examines supporters’ responses to security during the chaotic hours of the “fake bomb” incident, as articulated on an interactive message board. Overall, supporters were satisfied with police and security management’s handling of the incident, although it was questioned how the “fake bomb” was not detected. Importantly, supporters agreed that “safety comes first.”

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	1608 Sociology, 1504 Commercial Services
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology > HV697 Protection, assistance and relief
Divisions:	Humanities & Social Science
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Date Deposited:	21 Nov 2019 12:23
Last Modified:	04 Sep 2021 08:27
DOI or ID number:	10.1177/0193723519881202
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/11770

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