Five Ways Social Media Has Changed Sport

The use of social media by athletes has changed massively over the past 10 to 15 years. Apps such as Instagram, X, YouTube and TikTok have become a part of everyday life and allowed people from all walks of life to connect directly. From unregulated tweets to athletes doubling up as social media influencers. 

Here’s five ways social media has changed in sport. 

Before agents and media agencies took over many athletes’ social media accounts, we saw real opinions and thoughts. Some expressed political opinions whilst some showed that they are just young adults with money to spare and time on their hands. 

Kenyan and ex-Premier league midfielder Victor Wanyama back in 2012; used X, formerly known as Twitter, to discuss his love for spaghetti and his dislike for horror films.

Despite agents now controlling players' media platforms, there is still opportunity for humorous mistakes. Victor Anichebe tweeted an all-time great by posting “Can you tweet something like: Unbelievable support yesterday and great effort by the lads! Hard result to take! But we go again!”

It’s not just sport that has adapted to social media, brands have too. Social media marketing has become a major tool in the arsenal of brands. Brands often use athletes or teams to showcase their products. The marketing can range from a cheeky mention on an Instagram story or a full video on YouTube. 

A recent video on YouTube showed West Ham United players making cocktails in a deal for Nemiroff Vodka. This video however did not go down well with it coming at a time where the club had not won a game in 2 months. 

Social media marketing has added to traditional deals. Kookaburra have used their sponsored players in YouTube and social media content to add value to their brand but also grow more engagement with fans. 

Social media has not just changed the relationship fans have with players and brands but also the way that fans consume sporting events. Live twitter blogs and immediate highlights mean that fans no longer have to wait for highlights shows on television to see the goals and major moments in games. 

Some fans prefer to view sport through others. Watch alongs have soared with content creators like Angry Ginge and Mark Goldbridge profiting massively after live streaming their reactions to Manchester United games. 

Alternately, highlights from unique angles uploaded by the organisation such as a league themselves offer fans a different perspective than usual. The Premier League and A-League ref cam allows fans to feel involved in the game and witness it from the point of view from the referee at the key moments. 

Social media is all about playing the algorithm in order to reach a wider audience. Social media trends are a great way of expanding the audience on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. Sometimes the trends can be used to promote a message but sometimes they can just be used to have some fun. 

This has created iconic moments such as the teammates trend with England football's “the weather” from a video with Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard. 

Athletes showing a personal side helps fans to feel like they know their idols. Answering questions about personal topics gives fans a sense of parasocial relationship and increases engagement, allowing players to express themselves and grow their personal brand. 

The rise of YouTube and TikTok has allowed for players and clubs to increase their engagement of fans. Cricketers such as Amanda Jade-Wellington and Tony De Zorzi use YouTube to showcase the daily life of an athlete. It allows for fans to engage with athletes and see the insight into what it is like to train and play as a professional cricketer. 

Some clubs and national teams use these platforms to showcase fans what they are doing in training and inside camps. It allows for players to once again build their brand by showcasing themselves in a relaxed environment being themselves. 

It also allows for alternative areas of sport to be explored. England rugby’s chef has grown on social media massively in recent years after showing off and exploring the food eaten by international rugby players in camp. It helps fans make healthy changes to their life but also feel as though they are involved with the squad.