by By Beau Hewatt
Social media has allowed for more direct communication between athletes, teams, and their fans making a direct impact on sports culture. According to the 2020 Sprout Social Index, 45% of fans are on social media while actively watching a sporting event. This has also allowed fans to have more access to their favorite athletes and teams, as well as the opportunities to engage with anybody else interested in the topic. There is now more democratization of sports media. Anyone can share and influence the public with their own takes on the game. But what does this mean for the future of sports culture and media?
Just this last week we have seen Twitter explode over the Memphis Grizzlies’ fall to the LA Lakers. Prior to the series Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks expressed their feelings toward their competitors in the west. Brooks claimed “LeBron is old” and that he won’t be respecting anybody until they come and “give me 40”. It is these kinds of comments that resurfaced online after a tough loss in the playoffs. In fact, some are saying that he won’t be on an NBA team after the tension he started with one of the best in the game. It is hard to believe that if it weren’t for certain comments going viral and receiving such backlash, Brooks’ standing with the Grizzlies and the rest of the league would not be as bad.
As athletes are able to directly voice their opinion to the world via the internet, big media corporations need to adjust to the attraction of hearing opinions straight from the player. Of course, former and current athletes have always been involved in the media through interviews and guest shows, but there is no longer a script when players can freely add their own two cents about whatever the hot topic may be. In a way, this new channel of social media is a blessing for anybody in the sports media industry and they should be taking advantage of it. Players like Draymond Green and JJ Reddick have started podcasts that gained huge traction over the past season. Watching players talk one on one about the game in their own respective environment, with no high-pressure script, is something unique to sports culture. This unfiltered and personal experience allows athletes to create their own narratives and connect with fans on a deeper level.
The shift away from traditional broadcast television as a primary source of media should not be a surprise. Bigger sports media needs to put their foot in the door on this more personalized in-depth form of tuning into sports before it is too late. Why watch a stats analyst talk about why the Cowboys have failed in the playoffs for twelve straight years when you can hear it straight from the quarterback? People are looking for on-demand content straight from the source allowing for a deeper connection with fans. Whether or not it comes from ESPN or an athlete’s personal media, fans are going to get it.
Social media has taken over society, regardless of the field or profession. When looking at in from a sports perspective, it has become a part of the game. There are now sports shows completely dedicated to what people are talking about on Twitter, and many sports broadcasts show tweets from other athletes across the screen during games. As you said, they have the freedom to voice their opinion to the public. Therefore any athlete that voices their opinion must realize that whatever they say not only reflects themselves but also their team and their sport. You make a great point that people are starting to care less and less about what analysts say when we can hear exactly what the athletes think on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc.
Social media has become a young part of sports. Most, if not all, teams have some sort of social media account where they are actively posting clips from the games or interviewing their favorite player. I like the shift that now athletes are able to voice their opinion directly on social media rather than having a third party to do it. It gives these players a chance to say what is truly on the mind. I also think it brings a different aspect towards sports, which can either be good or bad. In the case you brought up about Dillion Brooks, we are no seeing how social media usage could be bad.
Social media plays a large role in sports, especially its ability to direct connect athletes with fans. The freedom athletes have to voice their opinions to the public can be positive and negative. It is positive because of the potential to give athletes a space where they can share their values, thoughts, and personal life. However, sometimes the things they say such as Dillon Brooks’ comment on Lebron can be a negative result of social media in sports. His comment reflected poorly on his character and he was immediately held accountable for his words after losing. I think athletes need to be more careful with what they say on social media because they are in the spotlight and constantly being watched.