In March 2006 an invention by Jack Dorsey, an undergraduate student at New York University, came along that would change sports media, as well as social networking as a whole, forever. It was dubbed "Twitter" and it was an online networking service and microblogging application that enabled its users to send and read text-based messages of up to 140 characters, known as "tweets." Where were you when you first heard the terms "trending" or "tweeting?" I must admit I thought it was a big joke until just a few years ago. However, many in sports did not take it as a joke, and have used it for branding and self-marketing purposes nearly since its inception. Below is the first-ever 2006 tweet by Dorsey.
Shortly afterward, Jack began inviting coworkers — and the rest is history.
Since both athletes and fans alike make up a nice percentage of overall Twitter users, the question arises, "Is Twitter good or bad for sports today?" My response to that question is it depends on who you ask. Some feel Twitter is a way to give back to the fans. Fans would love to see pictures of the clubhouse and what meals the players eat before the game begins. Twitter is great for bridging the gap between athlete and fan. This past summer's Olympics showcased Twitter as it gave followers of athletes such as Michael Phelps and Missy Franklin, an inside view of what was going on in the UK during the entire 17-day summer games. This is a Twitter image of Lebron James with his kids.
However, Twitter has not been all fun and games for professional athletes. Many athletes have gotten in trouble with their coaches and teams for tweeting during games. Other athletes have posted inappropriate comments which have resulted in fines and other disciplinary actions from their leagues. Engaging fans is one thing, but athletes should always remind themselves to keep professional images whenever interacting with the public. Chad "OchoCinco" Johnson, the most tweeted athlete in pro football (3.78M followers), recently lost his wife and job with the Miami Dolphins as a result of Twitter indiscretions.
Chad 'OchoCinco' Johnson Scores Dates on Twitter, third Mistress He picked up There is Revealed!
Twitter not only benefit the players and fans, but it is also a must have essential for sports reporters and journalists. Instead of waiting for big stories to be broken the following morning on a sports television or radio show, stories are now broken instantaneous on Twitter. Sports writers can access Twitter on their computers, cell phones, blackberries, etc. and it's a great way for the media to relay information in a quick, clear manner to the fans. http://www.realclearsports.com/lists/twitter_tweets_in_sports/intro.html
Although athletes are followed by a large number of fans, their numbers pale in comparison to other celebrities, still proving that nothing compares to hollywood's sensationalism. A good example is the most followed celebs on Twitter today are Lady Gaga (30M followers) and Justin Bieber (28.6M followers), while the most followed athlete on the planet is Cristiano Ronaldo (13.5M followers), a Spanish soccer players. Below are other athletes with high number of followers:
Shaquille O'Neal (NBA) - 6.347M followers
Tiger Woods (PGA) - 2.69M followers
Serena Williams (Tennis) - 3.216M followers
Alex Morgan (Soccer) - 998K followers
Floyd Mayweather (Boxing) - 3.78M followers
It appears Twitter is not just a flash in the pan and is here to stay. Now over 6 years since its inception, Twitter is still growing at an alarming rate. On March 21, 2012, Twitter celebrated its sixth birthday while also announcing that it has 140 million users and sees 340 million tweets per day. This number of users is up 40% from just September 2011. If athletes continue to user Twitter the right way, it should continue to be great application for fans and followers. On the flip side, athletes who uses Twitter inappropriately, should do so with understanding the consequences of their actions.
Melvin Pitt
I find out more and more that twitter can be a bad thing. When these athletes end up twitting dumb comments and then lose sponsers because of it, like Rashard Mendenhall. I personally don't really care what any of these people say because to me it is a bragging outlet more than anything. Only those who use their status for good things do I think this tool can benefit our society.
ReplyDeleteChristopher Todd
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