Social media and sport – does it serve up the right results?

Social media and sport – does it serve up the right results?

For some, social media is a pervasive part of society and our modern consumer culture. However, sports scholars have noted a distinct lack of knowledge and understanding when it comes to using social media among sports teams and brands.

Dr Ashleigh-Jane Thompson, of Massey’s School of Sport and Exercise, recently graduated with a PhD with her thesis exploring how Facebook and Twitter were used by the four Grand Slam tennis events – Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open.

Her findings reveal the events are deliberately and proactively using social media, playing two key roles: creating social and emotional connections, and cultivating a brand image and experience. She also identified two unique challenges faced by sporting brands – providing value to meet fan expectations, and organisational adaptability. Dr Thompson says in a 24/7 social media landscape, there is a unique aspect to the sporting context – the notion of an off-season.

“This is a time where limited attention is directed to the sport property, which is an inherent challenge for the Grand Slam organisers as these events only run for two weeks annually. I discovered there was a significant decrease in the number of brand-driven interactions and communications outside of the event period. Fans’ comments revealed they wanted more by providing content like historical match highlights, interviews with key staff, photos and videos of ground and venue preparations – all ways to increase brand-consumer interaction to encourage active participation and provide value to fans.”

Dr Thompson says challenges associated with the need for brands to be adaptable and flexible on social media relate to having a planned versus unplanned strategy, and being organisationally nimble, to support the changing dynamics and fast-paced nature of communication and interaction in the social space.

A unique multi-perspective, multi-method approach involving interviews, content analysis of Facebook and Twitter posts and online surveys provided Dr Thompson with rich data to carry out her research.

She says her research has significant practical implications, providing one of the first examinations into how social media assist sports event brands.

“Social media sites provide opportunities for companies to create a quasi-virtual brand experience, representing an online substitute for the live event. Facebook and Twitter allow fans to interact with these events regardless of their geographical locations, enabling opportunities to enhance consumer-brand knowledge, while providing positive brand experiences that can build into meaningful relationships.”

Dr Thompson says unlike some other sporting events, such as Golf’s Ryder Cup, tennis events demonstrated an openness to encourage users to share their own content.

“Prior to the 2014 Ryder Cup, PGA officials announced they would ban players and fans from publishing photos of the event to social media. But after a slew of public debate, they retracted this policy within days. The original ban appeared to be driven by fear of the potential damage to their long established brand. Officials wanted to ensure any content posted to social media was reflective of the brand’s distinct principles and identity.”

Dr Thompson says this openness from tennis brands was evident in comments from event personnel who revealed they want to give fans the ability via social media to play a part in moulding the brand. “This approach empowered fans with a sense of ownership, which may result in the development of greater emotional bonds, and ultimately stronger consumer brand relationships.”

Her findings indicate the strategic use of social media might help brands create an authentic connection with fans, and develop social bonds not be easily copied by competitors. “This highlights the relevance of social media and its role in changing the dynamics of consumer brand relationships, so much so that fans forgot they were communicating with a company.”

She says for global sports events brands, international fans represent an important segment of the market. “Social media’s lack of geographical and temporal boundaries makes it possible for fans to feel like they are part of the tournament, even if they are thousands of kilometres away. It allows the events to cultivate a positive brand experience for their virtual fans and followers, by replicating the live experience online. Numerous fans revealed their social media experience was the closest it came to actually being there.”

But Dr Thompson warns there is also a downside to having fans purely in the virtual world. “Organisers must be careful they don’t create such a powerful online experience through social media that fans begin to question the value of paying large sums of money to see the event live.”

Twenty-nine-year-old Dr Thompson, originally from the Wairarapa, started studying at Massey in 2004, later graduating with a Bachelor of Information Sciences with Honours. In 2009 a trip to Wimbledon and Roland Garros ignited a new focus for a career in sport. Dr Thompson completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration at Massey, taking papers related to sport management, marketing and media. After a project with Tennis New Zealand, Dr Thompson developed an interest in sport marketing and communication, specialising in social media and its impact in the sport industry.

Dr Thompson will be attending the Social Media and Society Conference in London next month to present work exploring athlete self-presentation on Instagram, along with Dr Ann Pegoraro, Director of the Institute for Sport Marketing from Laurentian University, Ontario, Canada.

ENDS

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