Social media has fundamentally changed the way fans consume sports: from positive media like highlights and game updatess, to negative posts with misinformation and the verbal abuse of athletes. Fans are allowed to say anything they want without repercussions and remain anonymous.
Now, no longer do you have to watch the games to come to a conclusion; one scroll on Instagram and you already have the stats and the public reaction to the game. This is bad for the sport because if the discourse is about something that’s misinformed, a fan who does not conduct their research can further pollute the discussion by spreading false information. Rather than being a medium to share thoughts about happenings in the sports world, some fans have weaponized social media to attack players. These attacks are rarely constructive criticism, and more often than not, involve personal insults.
One athlete who has experienced this is Caitlin Clark. There had been so many controversies around her name that it would take another article to list them, however, each time she finds herself in controversy, the conversation surrounding it is rarely about basketball. She has received many attacks pertaining to her race, gender, looks and more—most of them stemming from an ordinary basketball play.
Social media, on the flip side, does have positive effects. Using the media is an easy way to keep up with your favorite team or player without relying on TV shows and reporters, and, if you missed a game, you can easily find highlights.
Overall, social media is harmless; nobody will care if people are favoring a team in an upcoming match when they should be favoring their opponent. But when sports discussions are transformed into something outside of itself, it’s a problem.
