Rethink the Game
A Periodical for the Global Game
The aim of Engrossed in Football is to give the game and its followers the respect they deserve.
The concept behind EiF is related to the resurgence of independent publishing in response to a problematic modern media environment. The global diffusion of social media platforms has now been followed by their exploitation for political purposes in a radically altered socio-political landscape. There is a demand for credible alternatives to the ways in which information and content sustain a dynamic where the consumer is the product.
Football is emblematic of wider society when it comes to media coverage. Football writing in the UK press continues to be dominated by a privileged, mono-cultural and anglo-centric cohort of journalists, while the move by established broadcasters and publishers in recent years to pre-empt the so-called death of print and pander to social media and digital advertising has led in many cases to a debasement of football journalism.
In reaction, more and more followers of the game are turning elsewhere to indulge a lifelong passion. High quality independent outlets — particularly podcasts and print publications — succeed in addressing the nostalgia for bygone eras of older fans, while many younger people now see collectable magazines of “coffee table quality” as a novelty that restores attention and offers a welcome escape from addictive screen time.
Privileging the written word
EiF represents an antidote for football fans and keen readers in general.
Moreover, we want to provide a platform for established and emerging football writers to express themselves on the issues important to them. We aim to publish articles about the contexts of football in all corners of the globe, with a view to including diverse voices and perspectives on key themes around the world game.
You can support our work and help us grow as a positive force for change on the football media landscape by subscribing to our new content via Substack.
You can also submit work for publication on eifmagazine.com and in forthcoming print editions. Please see our submission guidelines.