A PROPOSAL TO SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT THE FUTURE OF SPORTS

A PROPOSAL TO SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT THE FUTURE OF SPORTS

Social Media platforms have practically been walking our generation on a leash since they were created. Nowadays, everyone turns to social media for news and updates- especially for sports.

Sports and social media undoubtedly go hand in hand. Fans and sports teams are able to communicate directly with one another in a matter of seconds thanks to social media platforms. People who support the same team or follow the same sports are able to share their opinions, praises and complaints with one another instantly. Replays and highlights circulate throughout social media for weeks, keeping viewers entertained and entangled with teams, leagues, and the sport, all thanks to the social media world.

Studies show that up to 80% of people use social media during a game while watching on television. This means that viewers are posting and tweeting about the sports in real time, connecting to other viewers and interacting directly sports world from their social profile. 

In the world of broadcasting, sport leagues are a high value entity with a diverse demographic and a vast community of devoted viewers. Many corporations such as FOX, CBS, and ESPN fight for the broadcasting rights to particular leagues and sporting events, from the World Cup to the PGA Tour. Due to the potential revenue and economic gain that corporations gain from showing a particular sport or event on their channel, competition for broadcasting rights is always tight. 

In recent times, we as a society have watched the decline of cable television. Streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu have begun to dominate screens in the average American household. With a Hulu + live TV subscription, you can catch up to 65+ channels, including live sports on CBS, ESPN, NBCSN, and much more. This is in addition to the extensive streaming library that Hulu already has, with thousands of popular shows and movies. 

According to Review 42, in just one year, the number of cable subscriptions in the US dropped from 143 million subscriptions in 2018 to 119.9 million subscriptions in 2019. Between 2014 and 2017, there were approximately 6.5 million Americans who cut the cable cord.

My proposal is this: social media platforms begin to cut out cable networks, and purchase the broadcasting rights to major sports leagues and events.

Social media platforms already have a massive audience of sports fans, and by making this switch they will be able to keep them on their apps. Viewers would be able to watch live sports within the app and keep up with the hype without looking up or getting distracted by social media in the first place. 

What if Twitter bought broadcasting rights to the Champions League or Facebook bought broadcasting rights to the Olympics? Sports fans would be able to watch these highly anticipated sports events from their mobile devices at home or on the go. And with the game being aired on the social media app, fans will be able to interact with other viewers in real time as the game is played, without having to switch apps or be distracted by looking elsewhere.

This would no doubt change the sports broadcasting world. With cable already on the way out the door, this would be the chance for social media corporations like Facebook and Twitter to take over for good. It sounds like the future of social media to me. 

I don't know, it's just a thought...

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat: thank me later.