If as the saying goes, “There’s no crying in baseball,” shouldn’t we hold athletes from all sports to the same standard? Only, I want to take this mantra one step
further—to social media.
Since sport began, we learned to settle our scores on the field, but with the advent of social media, we’ve changed our approach. Now, rather
than players letting their game do the talking, they air out their grievances and beefs online—mostly over Twitter. You know what we call those guys? We call them paper tigers.
We were meant to use social media as a platform for individual expression. Athletes, in particular, have the opportunity to influence others with their voice and creativity. Instead of
using social media for good though, most end up making a mockery of it to extend their post-game banter.
Athletes are capable of contributing so much more and creating
worthwhile content for their millions of fans. Some are already doing so and showing us the real value that lies beneath. Let’s explore the real champions of social media and how more athletes
can take advantage of it.
The Tom Brady of Social Media: Tom Brady
I know people will say I’m a homer for saying this, but Tom Brady is easily the best athlete I’ve seen at creating entertaining and engaging social media content. Yes, he had four weeks to work on content
during his suspension this year, but he’s been churning out great content for years!
TB Times: A new content piece this year, Tom Brady has begun to post satirical
headlines to Facebook following each Patriots win summing up the game and their opponent. It’s a fun way to engage fans after games and do so in a positive manner, rather than denigrate the
opponent.
Fun With Friends: Following your favorite athletes on social media should provide a glimpse into their lives. Hopefully, it gives you an opportunity to live
vicariously through them. For Brady, he uses social media as a chance to interact with and throw playful jabs at his teammates and even include them in fun photos or videos like this Anchorman parody. This video even spurred responses from several of his
teammates!
It’s All For the Fans: Chad Ochocinco
Chad Ochocinco was one of the fiercest competitors in the NFL during his career and was never short
for words when it came to his opponents. One thing I admired though is that he didn’t use social media to extend his trash talk, but instead used it to form a deeper connection to his fans.
He used it for good, whether that was providing a pick-me-up to a fan in need, or taking challenges from his fans to play FIFA
online. Players like Ochocinco aren’t required to make the fans a priority, but doing so has clearly impacted several fans personally and has humanized him to millions more.
Brand Building and Social Awareness: Martellus Bennett
I know, I’m going with another Patriots player here, but Martellus Bennett has been a social media
star since his days on the Bears. What distinguishes him from others is that he uses his social media presence to bring change and help others view the world differently.
A creative
and outspoken individual, Martellus is an active user of Instagram. Through this platform, he shares photos of his family, but also his more creative side (inner-child) with his unique animations and
drawings. Often, these photos are tagged with #TheImaginationAgency which is a multimedia agency he founded himself.
Through his creative outlet, he was able to release his own children’s book and interactive app. He uses Instagram and Twitter as a means to promote not only his brand, but also
literacy among our nation’s children. It’s gratifying to see the good that comes from this social awareness.
Final Thoughts: Athletes are entitled to
expressing themselves in the manner they see fit, especially via social media. Not everyone is going to use social media for good, but they all have the opportunity to positively influence
millions of impressionable fans.
Athletes need to keep the trash talk to the playing field and use social media for what it was meant for—making a positive impact on their
fans and community. Is that too much to ask for?