Over the past decade, the sports industry has changed in several ways. One of the main is the presence of sports stars on social media. Many athletes have created big platforms on different apps to engage fans, make revenue, promote themselves, or just have fun.

Interacting with fans can be very difficult for famous athletes with busy schedules and millions of fans. Many athletes turn to social media to make their fans feel heard and connected to them. Athletes can interact with fans across the world which was unheard of until the 19th century.

Platforms including Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok create an opportunity so that “athletes can now share their daily lives, training routines, and behind-the-science experiences with their followers in a more intimate manner”. This is crucial in having a strong fan base and loyal support because fans can see the authentic lives of their favorite athletes.

However, this can be hard for athletes to put so much of their lives on the internet, and it forces them to be aware of what they are sharing because it could come back to harm them.

Athletes can also create platforms for other reasons. Having an audience online is important to some athletes so that they can use their voice to spread awareness on certain topics.  They can take a stand on certain social issues and support causes. This allows athletes to have their voice apart from their sport, and use their platforms for societal good. 

Lebron James uses social media to focus more on social activism, and using his platform for change. He often posts about the LeBron James Family Foundation which focuses on empowering kids through education and community support.

Some of the top skilled athletes who have created big platforms across social media include Christiano Ronaldo, LeBron James, and Lionel Messi. Ronaldo has the largest following in the world, and posts content about his training, family, luxury lifestyle, and brand deals. From this, he became one of the biggest ambassadors for Nike and has a long-standing partnership with them. Messi and LeBron share similar content showing their balance of family and professional life. 

Often professional sports teams use social media to create platforms too. They create content as a key method of reaching and engaging their audience. Some teams that have grown big platforms online include the Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bulls, and AC Milan. They post anything from game highlights to humorous memes to catch fan’s attention.

Younger athletes in college have also recognized the importance of building a social media presence as athletes. The Cavinder twins, Haley and Hanna, were collegiate basketball players who began posting on TikTok and Instagram about their daily lives. They got a lot of attention on social media and began bringing in brand deals including Under Armour and GHOST.

They were receiving so much income off of their NIL deals that they forwent their last year of NCAA eligibility at the University of Miami to focus on social media full time. These twins show the impact that being on social media can have on your future.

Senior Maya Evens, committed to playing volleyball at the University of Notre Dame, explains that any revenue that posting on social media as an athlete brings in is something she would be interested in. She believes the key to having success on social media is to be your authentic self and show your personality.

She enjoys following basketball player Jared McCain on social media because he uses his humor to engage fans. She knows many people already at Notre Dame who have paid partnerships with brands, and she would love to use this type of money to “ pay off any college money or give back to my family.”