Athletes and sports leagues can leverage social media as a marketing tool that increases team and sponsor engagement, drives audience and revenue. When athletes are able to authentically engage with their followers, it creates a self-perpetuating cycle of loyalty that benefits both the athlete and their teams and sponsors.
However, there are also pitfalls associated with social media in sports, especially for young athletes. Using smartphones to post social media content can distract students and interfere with their ability to focus on training and competition. It is critical that youth and high school coaches and organizations focus on getting phones out of the locker room and provide education to students about the negative impact of social media on their physical and mental health.
Social media is a popular outlet for fans to share real-time updates during live sporting events and track their favorite teams’ performances. This engagement has helped fans build communities, celebrate victories, commiserate defeats and support their athletes with a unique sense of camaraderie that isn’t possible when watching from home on TV.
For many young athletes, seeing a professional athlete’s social media posts can be inspiring and motivating. In addition, some athletes such as Simone Biles speak openly about their mental health struggles on social media, which helps to reduce stigma and provides a network of support for other athletes.