STAY TRENDY!...That is the motto for those who use social media to keep up with the standards of society. Social media in sports has been completely revolutionized over the past years on all levels. From fans to players, coaches and executives social media sites such as; Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram are the most popular ways to stay connected. World class athletes are highly encouraged to use social media wisely to broaden their image. Believe it or not, social media is a tool for players to promote an athletes fan appeal contrary to the negative connotation media receives.
We all know LeBron James, world class athlete, 3x NBA Champion and how active he is on social media, whether it's Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram or now the popular, Periscope, a live streaming video chat app. LeBron has managed to incorporate social media into his daily and professional life allowing for Nike to take notice and invest huge amounts of money into LBJ, including a first ever lifetime contract that is set to be worth more than half a BILLION dollars. "James remains the biggest endorsement star in the sport with estimated earnings of $44 million this year off the court and he is still the king when it comes to moving product. Nike sold $340 million worth of James’ signature shoes in the last 12-months through January, up 13% from the prior year, according to SportScanInfo. It is nearly double the amount of the NBA’s second best seller, Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors" (BadenHausen, 2015). LeBron has worked hard to rebuild his image after "The Decision" he made on national television in 2010 which caused an uproar across the country, specifically Cleveland. Star athletes are subjected to more media exposure than teammates who do not have as much clout. Kevin Durant and Marshawn Lynch are two players who come to mind when it comes about notoriously avoiding press conferences with the media. We all remember the comical interview post-Super Bowl with "Beast Mode" when he mockingly made fun of the NFL fining him for avoiding talking to the media. ( Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmABbHSOTqQ ) Social Media is made for the players to broaden their image but who can blame them for not wanting to speak to the media after a big win or a crucial lost. MLB players get the benefit of the doubt of being able to opt out of an interview, whereas NFL and NBA players are required to speak to the media. "In the first five decades of the 20th century, when baseball reigned supreme, writers watched the game, wrote their stories, and went home, or to the bar. It wasn’t until the 1940s that a New York Daily News writer named Dick Young began to invade clubhouses in order to extract some postgame thoughts that the practice became common" (Ryan, 2015). Imagine if Hall of Fame caliber players such as Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Larry Bird or Dr. J were able to tweet their thoughts and were able to connect with their fans in their day as athletes do today. What would they say? Would they be as anti-media as Marshawn Lynch or as media friendly as LeBron James. I use Larry Bird as an example because he once was very optimistic of the media. However, he soon realized it was part of the game, something he could not avoid. “Once I got into the pros, I felt it was part of the deal,” he explained. “You have to do your share. But it works both ways. You have to set your parameters" (Ryan, 2015). References: BadenHausen, K. (2015, March 18). Forbes Welcome. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2015/03/18/lebron-james-is-nbas-top-shoe-salesman-with-340-million-for-nike-in-2014/#2326e1c92859 Ryan, B. (2015, March 1). Why do media need to talk to athletes? - The Boston Globe. Retrieved from https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/03/01/why-media-need-talk-athletes/gBpkicUJOc2UC17vmgr9PN/story.html
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AuthorMyles Jackson is from Cincinnati, OH. Where he grew up playing Baseball, Basketball and Football. Myles attended Tiffin University and played for the Tiffin Dragons as a middle infielder. Myles graduated from Tiffin in 2016 with a Bachelors in Sports Administration and is currently completing his Masters. Archives
June 2017
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