As social media has reshaped the sports experience, teams, athletes and fans need to keep up. Whether that’s sharing the right highlight for the right fan, identifying the next viral trend or jumping into conversation as it happens, social media is where teams can amplify the passion of their fans from game to game and season to season.
Athletes need to be able to communicate with friends and family, especially those who can’t attend every practice or game. Social media platforms also allow players to share personal and professional content, humanizing them and making them more relatable to their audiences. This authenticity has the added benefit of attracting more fans, as it gives them a reason to follow and support an athlete—and that audience loyalty can translate into ticket sales, merchandise conversions and even sponsor value.
While these benefits are clear, social media can present challenges for some athletes. Athletes can be subject to online criticism and negativity, which can have a negative impact on their mental health and wellbeing. They may also have to navigate privacy issues, as they must balance public profiles with private lives. For these reasons, it’s important for coaches to offer guidance and tools to help athletes understand how to use social media in a healthy way. A good place to start is by opening the discussion with curiosity, rather than concern, and expressing interest in who their athletes are following and what information and content they’re consuming.