Social media has changed the way that we look at many things in today’s society, including how we look at sports. Many people are now looking at social media to help them find sports results, chat with other sport fans and even follow or like their favorite sporting stars, all options which a few years ago would not have even been possible.
Millions of people log onto a range of social media sites every single day, whether it be Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and many more. Here are some of the many ways how social media has had an impact on sports.
Live streaming: Social media can be a great platform to stream some of the biggest games, races, and matches in the sporting world. By using social media, all the fans can be found in one place with the ability to interact with each other during and after the event.
Club pages: Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter have become a popular way for football fans to follow the club or team that they support and stay up to date with all the latest news and results. This has become one of the easiest ways for fans to get information about their team.
Sports stars: Fans have found that following their favorite sporting stars on social media is a great way to get close to them and find out more about them. With instant access to photos, news and personal posts, it is one of the best ways to be inspired by your favorite athlete.
Content: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube are all full of different types of sports content including short match clips, interviews, and pre-match footage as well as training ground footage, some of which are exclusive to social media.
Sports fans love the chance to discuss match results and player progress with other similar minded people and social media provides an easy way to find and get in touch with fellow fans globally.
The bottom line is, sport has the power to unite people in a way that little else does and social media is indeed the icing on the cake in this context.
*Stefan Ngolo is a sports enthusiast and sports education scholar. He can be reached at ngoloset@gmail.com