Social media has had a significant impact on sports media by allowing for more direct communication between athletes, teams, and their fans. 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. This has all led to a more democratization of sports media, as anyone can now easily create and share content about their favorite teams and athletes. But what does this mean for the future of sports culture and media?
As athletes are able to directly voice their opinion to the world via social media, 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. The counter to this is addressing these opinions the next morning on a talk show, or inviting them to the next TV segment. Imagine Golden State Warriors’ point guard Stephen Curry is tweeting about unknown struggles in the locker room or personal issues affecting the team. ESPN would be foolish not to try having him on the next show or at least talk about the comments made. 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 which 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 narrative and connect with fans on a deeper level. Companies like ESPN and TNT do a good job of giving this insider point of view by having more former athletes talk about the game. Inside The NBA on TNT with Shaquille O’neal, Charles Barkeley, Kenneth Smith, and Ernie Johnson is such a hit because it just makes more sense to hear about sports from someone who made a living playing them at the highest level. The same can be said for the new Monday Night Football coverage hosted by Peyton Manning and a new celebrity guest each week.
The shift away from traditional broadcast television as a primary source for 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 an 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 and whether or not it comes from ESPN or an athlete’s personal media, fans are going to get it.