As mentioned in my previous post, some aspects of social media have the chance of hindering sports television networks. Not only does YouTube pose a threat the networks, but so does Twitter. Twitter, the micro-blogging site for anyone who feels the need to speak their mind in 140 characters or less, is now becoming a concern for sports television networks. Why? Because people now have the ability to follow the games via Twitter, both from fans, other broadcasting agencies, and the athletes themselves. In fact, following athletes on Twitter is so popular, there are websites dedicated to finding the Twitter profiles of professional athletes, and posting them on the site for other fans to follow.
Athletes themselves have already found out the pros and cons of using Twitter on their own time, both professionally and personally. Twitter allows them to connect with fans and increase their popularity, which in turn can increase viewer ratings. However, it can also decrease them. Some athletes, like Tiger Woods, have said negative comments or inappropriate statements on Twitter, often causing scandal or negative feedback. Red Skins’ quarterback Donovan McNabb thinks it’s an all around poor idea for athletes to use Twitter, specifically to express their views on current games. McNabb feels it’s unprofessional and any negative feeling towards other player should be handled on the field, not the Twitter account.
In a study done by Clark Greer and Douglas Ferguson for the Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic media, it was found that the majority of television stations don’t use Twitter to promote their stations. However, the stations do use Twitter to connect with their audiences, which has been found to add an increase. So, the real debate becomes who will win the attention of the tweeters? The athletes or sports stations? Unfortunately, only time will tell.
stephzajac 