As a chronically online teenager in the sports space, I see a lot of trends. So today, I would like to talk about social media. Sports is very pop culture heavy, and as social media evolves, even more so.
I wrote previously about public opinion on athletes, and that is the first thing I want to address. Public opinion and discourse about athletes in online spaces. I understand better than anyone how serious things regarding your favorite athletes feel. However, as social media has grown, it has normalized a certain level of emotional abuse online. And on the other hand, has allowed the glorification of skilled athletes despite criminal history. So, the sports space is a bit hairy now. Teams having to go as far as posting statements online asking for rhetoric about their players to stop being spread.
It seems as if the modernization of sports has ruined the community. No matter the space, you hear older fans speak about the way things used to be, the sense of community originally felt by enjoying sports together. Sports bars and watch parties used to be the standard. Instead, we've replaced a comforting space, meant to have fun, with a space where everything is an argument and nobody cares about anyone else's feelings.
I want the sports community to return to one of the early 90’s, when sports was the culture, and it wasn’t about who you cheered for, just that you were cheering together.