Top-down and bottom-up authenticity: The desires and exploitations of authentic consumption in English football

The need and desire for authenticity has become a central feature of modern life as people and cultures look to access ‘realness’ across a world in which much has become increasingly commodified, virtual and/or un-real. The field of professional sport is indicative of this trend. Specifically, the marketization of the English Premier League (EPL) and adjunct fan culture edifies both the use and exploitation of authenticity in the pursuit of financial gain for its most powerful stakeholders. This article unravels this case and depicts how the battle for authenticity is played out in contemporary football consumption in the UK and internationally. From the top-down and bottom-up authenticity is displayed, contested and reappropriated across the game. This is shown by examining how and why authenticity is exploited in the interests of capital and why its potent weaponisation endures in this case and, perhaps, cultures surrounding professional sport internationally. We address important gaps in our understanding and key debates around the search for truth and reality, along with connections to the self, our communities, and our past.