Social media has become a crucial aspect of the sports industry, providing fans with a platform to connect with their favourite athletes and engage in discussions about their sports idols. It has also become a primary means for fans to follow their favourite sports exclusively or primarily on social media.
However, as athletes increasingly use social media to interact with fans, it has become apparent that they must be careful with their public comments to ensure that they maintain good public relations. The potential impact of social media on athletes’ lives is both positive and negative, with implications for their performance, sponsorships, fan engagement, and public image. Let’s explore these aspects in more detail.
How Social Media is Transforming an Athlete’s Life and Experiences
In this blog, we will take a closer look at how social media is affecting athlete lives throughout the world.
PROS
It Helps Them Build Their Personal Brand
Social media goes a long way in helping individuals develop a strong personal brand, whether they are looking to take their career to the next level or just beginning it. Their social media profiles on platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter are a representation of them as people and sports athletes. This authenticity helps athletes build engaging brand profiles while connecting with their audience and fans. And, a positive image online can help them get more sponsors and gain access to other more lucrative opportunities.
Builds a Strong Relationship with Fans
Many social media users use the platforms to share their support for athletes they admire and follow. It helps build their self-esteem and confidence while building meaningful relationships between the fans and athletes. Plus, athletes also have the chance to represent themselves as authentically as they can instead of just relying on how they are portrayed on social media.
Increases Team and League Awareness
With more socially-engaged and active players, the team or league can drive awareness, revenue and brand value. It’s a great platform to promote your services and goods. And, the same is applicable to players and the teams for which they play. With athletes being active on social media, their clubs have an increased chance to multiply their reach and boost merchandise and ticket sales too. Teams can also share their charitable interests and training regimes among other things to stand out from their competition. This can go a long way in helping them be noticed by new partners and investors and over time, build brand loyalty with their fans.
CONS
Potential for Offense and Error
As soon as someone puts something on the internet, it means that you are agreeing to be judged on the content, even it hasn’t been created by you. And, for athletes, many may have fans who might not agree with their views, or find them offensive and reject or reprimand the athletes. And, in some instances, athletes have also been suspended for the things they have shared and posted on their social media accounts. On such platforms, as soon as you upload or post something, it is accessible to everyone on the internet.
Trolling Can Take its Toll
Another major issue with the use of social media is trolling and it is one of the most difficult things that sportspersons have to deal with. And, while the different platforms can help with the athlete’s public image and career, it can just as quickly destroy it and lead to higher stress levels. Moreover, they are also frequently subjected to offensive and derogatory comments on such platforms by the users. Along with being distressing and upsetting to read, such comments can also conjure the feelings of anxiety and fear which can have long-term negative effects.
Social media has a significant impact on athletes, as it can affect their digital footprint, public relations, performance, and sponsorships. While there are benefits to using social media, it’s important for young athletes to understand its potential drawbacks, particularly in high-performing environments. Proper usage of social media can serve as a helpful tool for both distraction and development for athletes.