?Twitter has become such a large part of today's social media realm.? This social networking site allows people to keep up with what is going on, basically wherever they are.? People can access it on their computers, netbooks and cell phones.? Tweeters can post on this microblogging service via website interface, mobile phone apps, or SMS.? They can virtually follow everyone from their friends to celebrities to professional athletes to their neighbor that lives down the block.? Twitter has many different uses for many different people.? For example, some companies may use it for advertising and marketing, while a presidential candidate may use it as another way to voice political views and campaign updates.? For people who are well known in today's society, they may have verified accounts.? These people tend to attract a great deal of followers.? This is the case for many athletes, sports teams, and the sports industry in general.
?This popular social networking service has provided fans the chance to follow their favorite athletes and sports teams.? They are able to keep up with what is going on in the sporting world without sitting in front of their television and reading the newspaper.? Twitter has allowed for sports fans to get updates on their favorite teams no matter where they are or what they are doing.? An example of this that I witnessed firsthand was when the PSU Nittany Lion Football Team was playing UVA.? Our team was on the bus on the way back from our game in Philadelphia.? Over half the team was on Twitter on their phones checking for updates on the game.? Because I have been a student-athlete at both schools, I follow both football teams, both school newspapers, numerous sports bloggers, and plenty of other student athletes that were watching the game. Not to brag, but I am sure I was getting more tweet updates than some of my teammates.? Every time one of us read a new update about the game via Twitter we would announce it to the whole bus.? It was like we were getting play by play straight from the broadcasters; that's how fast we were receiving updates.
?Twitter is also useful for simply following your favorite sports team or athlete.? If someone is not sure of the team's schedule they may just check Twitter to find out.? It is also fun to follow your favorite athlete or athletes.? Professional sports teams can use Twitter to advertise or promote upcoming events.? After working in the Sports Marketing and Promotions Office at UVA, I realized how useful Twitter may be for attracting fans to events.? You may advertise for contests or promotions that can attract followers that may not have planned on attending the event originally.? For example, the other day PSUFH's Twitter account advertised free wings for students who attended our game.? This may have made the game more appealing for a number of followers and even those who were not followers.? This is where "re-tweeting" comes in handy.? Not only does a follower see the tweet, but if they re-tweet about the wings then all of their followers will also view the tweet.? Such a great promoting tool!
?While there are many positives to social networking by way of Twitter, there can also be negatives.? Athletes who use Twitter must be conscience of what they tweet because the great number of fans and critics that are viewing said tweets.? An example of one controversial tweeter is professional soccer player, Hope Solo (her Twitter account is shown below).? Solo has been known for speaking her mind, but more recently, during the Olympics, she began bashing former U.S. Soccer Player Brandi Chastain.? Chastain was providing commentary for numerous games during the Olympics and was very critical of Team U.S.A.'s play during one match.? Solo did not appreciate Chastain's comments and began voicing her opinion on Twitter that Chastain needs to become more educated.? Her tweets became big news and people were looking for Chastain to retaliate and the U.S. team to have problems.? This is an example of how Twitter can have negative effects, but luckily the U.S. pulled through and won the gold medal.
?Comments are not the only thing athletes need to be conscience about post.? Pictures and links can also portray them negatively.? Just the same, professional athletes are not the only ones who may be scrutinized over Twitter.? Collegiate athletes build up a fan base, also.? Many of these fans are young children who come to their games and support their team.? Therefor, these student-athletes cannot be tweeting inappropriate images and words that will reflect them negatively.
?It is not alway athletes doing the tweeting, however.? Many fans and critics will tweet about the athletes or coaches themselves and the tweeting is not always supportive.? For example, yesterday when the PSU Football kicker missed a number of field goal opportunities, fan of Penn State and others who were simply watching the game began tweeting about him.? By typing his name in the search window people could find tweets insulting him and his kicking abilities.? This is a case where athletes cannot read too much into Twitter and the things people say because it could negatively affect their play in the future.
?Twitter has become a great tool for following events when fans are not able to watch the live broadcast.? For some people, however Twitter can ruin events.? Tivo has become very useful tool for fans who do not want to miss a single second of a competition.? They can simply record the match and watch it when they have time.? However, they need to be careful not to check Twitter because there could be a chance that the outcome may be publicly announced by one of the accounts they follow.? Another case where events have been ruined on Twitter was the Olympics.? Because of the time change, many people waited to watch the events in the evening.? Unfortunately, news stations, like NBC Sports, were tweeting the outcomes and winners of medals throughout the day, which ruined it for those viewers who were planning on tuning into the taped version that night.? I remember listening to numerous complaints about not being able to watch and experience the thrill when Michael Phelps and the U.S. Gymnastics Team won their gold medals because the result had been ruined on Twitter earlier that day.
?Although there are negative aspects of Twitter in the sporting world, I very much agree that the positives outweigh the negatives.? Sports are such a huge part of the American society.? Who wouldn't want to follow their favorite athlete or sports team?? Twitter allows its users to connect with the people that they admire and entertain them.? It makes the user feel as though they are part of the team and more involved, as well as allowing the athletes to connect with their fans without actually interacting with them.? Twitter is really a win-win situation for both, the fans and the athletes.
trisomy 18 ozzie guillen ozzie guillen buster posey eric holder eric holder carole king
No comments:
Post a Comment