Athletes, fans and the teams that support them rely on social media to stay connected and engaged. And, in the case of athletes, to promote their brands and themselves. Social media gives sports organizations and athletes the ability to connect with fans in a two-way conversation that can reach global audiences. This provides an opportunity to build brand loyalty and increase ticket sales, merchandise sales and sponsorships.
The 2020 Sprout Social Indexopen_in_new found that consumers cited watching and following sports as their favorite reason for using social media, followed by celebrating personal milestones and holidays at the same time. Whether they’re at the stadium or watching from home, sports fans want to feel like insiders. They want to see the behind-the-scenes, post-game emotion, and the story of their favorite team and athletes. This content also serves as a form of authentic marketing, which is more trusted by fans than any paid promotion or endorsement.
For many athletes, fans are critically important to their careers, especially among Gen Z and millennials. Increasingly, these fans are the main source of revenue for both athletes and their teams, with ticket and merchandise sales, broadcasting contracts, and sponsorships bringing in most of a team’s income.
As such, it’s important for athletes to think carefully about their social media use and how they manage their online presence. Having clear goals and engaging with followers in a meaningful way can help them to build their personal brands, boost fan engagement, and manage negative publicity. Athletes can also benefit from the training some colleges and universities now offer about appropriate content sharing.