The Influence Of Social Media On Athletes

What do you want to be when you grow up? That is a question that is asked throughout early childhood and early adolescence. In 2015, Forbes Magazine released an article, “What Kids In 2015 Want To Be When They Grow Up.” In the article, they said that 16% of boys wanted to be a professional athlete (Adams, 2015). This statistic is significant because it demonstrates the influence that sports and their athletes have on the population. Their influence has only grown through the evolution of social media. Social media has become a popular avenue for athletes and professional teams to connect with their fans (Moyer, Pokrywczynski & Griffin, 2015). For example, according a national survey by Catalyst Public Relations, “61 percent of MLB fans and

They use social media as a way to spread their name. If someone identifies themselves as a true fan that helps the team, which can also help their sponsors’ recognition and merchandise and ticket sales (Moyer et al, 2015). There are factors that contribute to the likeability of a fan base or the selling of a product, such as success, performance, player, coach, et cetera (Parganas et al, 2015). These factors help draw in fans because fans want to feel invested in a team that has history of success or has talented athletes. For example, fans react positively when their team is performing well versus when their team is playing poorly (Moyer, et al, 2015). Social media helps create these platforms where fans can have a place to interact with other fans that feel as passionately about their team and allow these fans the opportunity to relate to their favorite

For instance, “sports have seen their popularity spread internationally, primarily due to the rise in new mass media related technologies, but also due to sport organizations and their corporate investor’s interests in increasing their appeal and popularity internationally” (Crawford, 2004). Due to the interest internationally, multiple sporting events are now being formatted to be shown on the internet (Thorpe, 2017). These events garner millions of views on the internet from fans all around the world. Prominent soccer clubs in Europe, such as the Premier League, and the National Basketball Association (NBA) have the biggest followings on social media with fans all across the globe (Rowe & Gilmour, 2010). Social media allows fans access to events and games that they will normally not have access to. It allows them the opportunity to feel like a fan and included even though they are not able to go to experience the events in