Effect of Social Media on Sports

Effect of Social Media on Sports Abstract Today the sports media world is completely driven by social media and the internet. There are both positive and negative effects of sports being so influenced by social media. In this paper we explore both sides. Not only do players and teams have their own social media pages, but there are so many different media outlets that have their own pages. One of the media theory’s this paper is going to focus on is the Hypodermic Needle Theory, which states that the media can “inject” their own agenda and influence how people perceive different players and teams. The research in this paper finds negative impacts that social media has on sports such as sports gambling companies using social media to appeal to the younger generation and get them involved. Along with that it finds that fans are unable to form their own opinions on teams and players because everything is framed to them in a way that the media wants it to be. Lastly, the research discusses how players and teams have to grapple with how to properly use social media while protecting their image. On the positive side the research finds, information technology and the internet have a positive impact on an athlete psychologically. Along with that, video games can cause a sports addiction which can be a positive thing both mentally and physically. Lastly, positive fan interactions are a large deal in sports and it gives the fan a sense of empowerment to keep up with their favorite player on social media.