As we all know, social media is one of the most prominent (if not THE most) forms of media in the world today. We only have to look at Twitter and Facebook to see the huge user base that social media platforms command. Furthermore, you can guarantee that 4/5 of your friends have a Facebook profile and use at least one social media network on a daily basis.
Due to the prominence of social media, many different industries are being affected by their popularity. The sports industry, for example, is seeing great changes due to social media and the interactions they allow between supporters, sports organizations and even professional athletes themselves. They have taken sports to a new level and in many ways improved interaction and engagement.
Fans can now get live updates, news, and stats on their favorite sporting players, events, and teams. If you check Twitter, for example, during one of the upcoming FIFA World Cup games, you will see thousands of posts containing interesting stats, interviews, and even live coverage in some instances. Top sports sites even state that a few NFL games were recently livestreamed on Twitter, a luxury for which the social network ended up paying a whopping $10 million. Traditional news outlets have to utilize social media too, as people are using Twitter and Facebook as a news source instead of visiting their websites.
Furthermore, fans now have the chance to interact with their beloved teams and superstars directly. For example, you can search Twitter and find real athletes and sports superstars who maintain personal accounts. You can even send them messages and direct tweets! Never before have fans had this level of potential communication with their idols and home teams.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. Social media is also being used for sports promotional purposes, and even to stream live events in some instances.
The infographic below provides additional insight into this fascinating subject:
