Social Media and Athletes Examining Social Media’s Impact on Professional Athletes Jimmy Pastena- Rutgers University

Social Media Twitter Facebook Instagram Micro-blogs (tweets) 140 character maximum displays thoughts on live stream Facebook Compilation of pictures and posts (statuses) on a newsfeed that can be seen and shared with and on your friends feeds Instagram Picture dominated social media site, where friends see and like each others posts on a timeline

Professional Athletes Involvement With Social Media How did this idea come about? Watching ESPN one day and saw that Lebron James (NBA player) sent an ill-advised tweet that stirred up some controversy Most athletes use social media just like each of us do, but their difference is that what they post is magnified into the national spotlight

Positive or Negative Effects on Athletes? Social Media has a broad impact on athletes, so the effects that social media has are extensive Through blogs, case studies, scholarly articles, and videos, I found the best sources to fit my project My research included finding the cognitive effect social media has on people to the effect it has on the sports industry as a whole, to the specific topic of the effect on athletes.

Lit Review- Themes Connectivity Communication Athlete-Fan Interaction Marketing Positive Effects v. Negative Effects Influential v. Low Ranking Decision Making

Negative Effects Pressure Decision Making Repercussions Athletes have pressure to perform, on and off the athletic fields Seen as role models, so everything they post on social media is under a microscope Decision Making Athletes are competitive people, and sometimes they let their competitiveness escape the private realm and enter the shark tank that it the public eye Repercussions A simple “I’m sorry” does not always work. Employers see these posts on social media the same way fans do, and sometimes coaches and General Managers are not so understanding. (fines, suspensions etc.)

Video Mashup https://youtu.be/-XBtU6mVJOU

Positive Effects Connectivity Athletes Can Promote Their Own Brand Social media allows athletes to connect with fans. It shows the human side of athletes, which can make them more desirable for fans, who indirectly sign the players paycheck Athletes Can Promote Their Own Brand Social media gives freedom for people to express themselves how they please. Athletes have short careers, so why not promote your brand while you can? Protection From the Physical Media Not all people have the ability to think on their feet and answer questions in front of people. This leads to emotional decisions. Trying to answer questions after a loss or tough game is even more difficult. Social media allows for time to think and respond in a professional manner. ( example: Cam Newton)

Conclusion There are both Positive and Negative effects of Social Media on Athletes Social media has more power than we think it does, which is why our athletes sometimes get into trouble Focus on reaching out to young aspiring athletes Social media can seem like your best friend at times, then turn around and stab you in the back Focus on Self-Promoting Brand Themes Advocate for More Stringent Social Media Guidelines