Power play: Media's influence in shaping modern sports

Is social media going to keep changing the way we view sports?

The role of the media is to not only inform citizens, but to educate and entertain. But what else does it do? The media tends to shape how society views things such as sports.

The role of the media in shaping sports culture has been crucial. “Social media has also transformed the culture of sports consumption, changing from an individual activity to a group or community-building activity”, states Jessica Swarm, account supervisor of Boston University PRLab.

The rise of social media specifically in the younger generations influences how fans perceive sports and interact.

Additionally, social media has altered sports journalism, allowing fans to become citizen reporters and post content to help shape how people view sports.

However, by allowing fans to create their own content and become citizen reporters, an issue arises of fans having the desire to know personal information, online harassment and misinformation.

Methods

This study aimed to take a more in-depth look into not only how much the media influences sports culture, but specifically the sports and athletes with the fans’ perspectives.

In this study, there was a mixed method of data using both qualitative and quantitative. Sources varied from a survey, videos and scholarly articles.

To gain more knowledge about the influence of sports and the media, the data received was created to ask Texas Christian University students. In this survey, there were a series of questions about media intake, specific sports questions and what specific media the respondents use.

The variables included most popular sports, least popular sports, media intake, influence of opinions and wanting more diversity of coverage between all sports.

I received 75 responses from students, with a wide range of ages and home states. Receiving a variety of answers from different states, I believe helps to hone in on how influence certain sports are depending on how popular it is in their state. However, all states had the same sense of responses.

Empty seat at Amon G. Carter Stadium. (Photo by: Allie DeSimone)

Paul DeSimone watching a football game while attending a banquet in January 2020. (Photo by: Allie DeSimone)

Paul DeSimone watching a football game while attending a banquet in January 2020. (Photo courtesy: Allie DeSimone)

TCU fans covering the Santa Monica Pier for the College Football Playoff Championship Game on January 8, 2023. (Photo by: Allie DeSimone)

ESPN news about Caitlin Clark, a guard at the University of Iowa. (Photo by: Allie DeSimone)

ESPN news about Caitlin Clark, a guard at the University of Iowa. (Photo by Allie DeSimone)

Media and fanbase

Many people say that sports is becoming more of a religion than religion itself. Sports fans are spending more and more time focusing on religion when it comes to their daily lives. Some fans do not even know if they do or not.

“That is ultimately the value in sports, it gives you community and identity and gives you a field for belief.”

_{Dr. Michael Serazio, associate professor at Boston College and author}

Serazio continues to talk about how sports and religion are “soulmates” and will always have that label. And thanks to the media, this is intensifying even more.

For fans to be able to feel like a part of a community, is something that they strive for. Being able to walk down the street and see someone wearing a TCU sweatshirt and say, “Go Frogs,” is something that unites fans no matter where they are in the world and no matter what team they are supporting.

Whether many people know it or not, many consume more sports-related media every day. That can be scrolling on TikTok, X, Instagram or Facebook, however, hours of sports content are consumed more on social media rather than television broadcasts.

But how influential is the media when it comes to sports? And which sports do they push?

When it comes to shaping public opinion about athletes and teams, the media can be substantially influential.

“It is also easy for fans to curate their social media feeds to their specific preferences, i.e. following only their favorite teams.”

_{Jessica Swarm, account supervisor at Boston University College of Communication PRLab}

With the power of social media, fans can filter what kind of news and stories they want to see about certain teams and players. This can lead to affecting perceptions of individual athletes and teams. Just like the Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift saga in the 2023 NFL season.

Fans from all over the world are split down the middle when it comes to Kelce and Swift. But how exactly did this have an impact on the 2023 season?

Dr. Krisite Bunton, dean of TCU’s Bob Schieffer College of Communication, provided some insight as to how the media is shaping sports culture and everyday culture.

"And what this is due to the power of not just the media organizations like ESPN, which clearly had a stake in getting us to watch women’s basketball because they sold all those ads, and that’s how they make their money.”

_{Dr. Kristie Bunton, dean of Bob Schieffer College of Communication at Texas Christian University}

In years past, Super Bowl viewership numbers tend to be between 100-115 million viewers across all platforms.

However, with the influence of the media and dragging in Swift fans to the game, across all platforms the Super Bowl had a total of 123.7 million viewers.

Mainly to see Swift on the screen or "Swift's boyfriend." How about the NCAA's Women's Basketball Final or the World Series?

Negative impacts on athletes

While allowing fans to be able to report on games, social media can have a positive and negative effect on athletes and their teams.

Dr. Phillip Esposito, kinesiology associate professor of professional practice at TCU, provided some insight into how social media and live broadcasting can affect athletes.

“When there is a lot of media, people they know are watching, it changes how they perform. There is a different level of anxiety added and pressure to increase the stakes a little bit.”

_{Dr. Phillip Esposito, associate professor of Professional Practice at Texas Christian University}

Negative impacts can lead to anxiety and a level of pressure that athletes can feel while they are on or off the field.

There is always this sense of pressure that they need to post on social media about a political issue. They have this feeling of being under a microscope, constantly being watched.

Fans are also free to leave negative comments under athlete's accounts, or even make comments on a fan's account.

Carson Callender, an equipment manager for TCU football, talks about how with the rise of 24/7 sports coverage, there is an impact on how fans perceive athletes.

“We definitely see athletes more as celebrities, than just normal people that are really good at a sport. This is partly due to the fact that while sports are a competition, they are definitely still entertainment.”

_{Carson Callender, TCU football equipment manager}

Athletes are just like ordinary people. If something is hanging over their heads, it will affect their impact to perform and be in public.

The rise of social media can also lead to a rise in mental health issues that athletes can start to face if they are in the spotlight.

TikTok video from @nswswifts about comments posted on female athlete's accounts. (TikTok @nswswifts)

Football coach and players at Linfield Christian School in Temecula, California during a game in September 2019. (Photo by: Allie DeSimone)

Carson Callender during a TCU football game. (Photo courtesy of Carson Callender)

Sports fandom and media interaction

When it comes to sports fandom and shaping the opinions of fans, the media tends to influence how they interact with the fans. Especially when trying to push a certain opinion.

Fans now have the role of citizen reporters, allowing people to report their own content about what they want to see and hear.

According to RollingStone, having social media at our fingertips, allows fans to have “real-time” updates, highlights and viral moments which can be shared across any platform.

Ethan Hurwitz, manager and account owner of GilletteNation (Instagram and X), gave some insight into how social media has changed the dynamic of sports fans and interaction.

“Because there is so much more media – anyone can create their own X account or website – it allows for everyone to become a reporter. It allows for people who would have been casual fans to become more engrossed in the sport.”

_{Ethan Hurwitz, manager and account owner of GilletteNation (Instagram and X)}

By allowing fans to be able to create their own content, it allows for fans to be able to interact with one another as a way to connect, debate and share their opinions about athletes and teams.

Ethan Hurwitz, manager and account owner of GilletteNation, reporting on Mac Jones, quarterback of the New England Patriots in August 2023. (Photo courtesy of Ethan Hurwitz)

Future

The TikTok app logo is displayed on a screen, Sept. 28, 2020, in Tokyo. A spokesperson for TikTok confirmed Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, that the social media platform is laying off dozens of workers in its advertising and sales unit, becoming the latest tech company to trim roles in the new year. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File)

Social Media

Is social media going to keep growing? Are teams going to adapt to this?

With Generation Z, everywhere we turn there is some sort of social media, whether we know it or not.

But, is it going to get to the point of consuming our everyday lives?

With social media being in everything we use, we are likely to acquire addictive behaviors which makes it hard to step away from technology to engage with one another.

Adam Botkin a football TikTok influencer, records a video for a post at Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula, Mont., on Monday, May 1, 2023. Botkin, a former walk-on place kicker and punter for the Montana Grizzlies, gained notoriety on the social media platform after videos of him performing kicking tricks went viral. Montana became the first state in the U.S. to completely ban TikTok on Wednesday, May 17, when Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed a measure that's more sweeping than any other state's attempts to curtail the social media app. (AP Photo/Tommy Martino)

Influencers

Sports outlets are going to start inviting influencers to many different sporting events, just to grab the attention of the younger generations.

But how much revenue is that going to bring and how big of an influencer are they?

Are we ever going to see another Swift/Kelce situation again?

With Generation Z growing up, social media is starting to see a rise in influencers who are invited to events by companies to bring in revenue.