Sports & New Media

On November 1, 2016 in my American Sport in the 21st Century class we discussed the role of new media and sports. New media can be defined as the means of mass communication using digital technologies such as the internet. In an era with more and more technological advances and more emphasis for an online presence businesses can greatly enhance fan experience through the different forms of new media. Examples of new media include websites, online newspapers, social media, blogs, and video games. New media is now the best method to keep up to date with any news since it is much faster than traditional media, like physical newspapers or radio. Social media dominates the new media rise especially Twitter and Facebook; fans can follow teams or even individual athletes and get behind the scenes information or pictures never usually available in magazines or on TV. New media has better reach than traditional media and can be viewed immediately, it is more widely accessible, and usually free to sign up for.

The Wisconsin Badgers take a Twitter selfie

Social Media Categories

• Websites where users dictate the content 
• Communication services like Facebook or blogging
• Entertainment like YouTube or Instagram
• Professional networking sites like LinkedIn
• Smart phone apps 

The use of social media can be used as a tool to bring people together and create unity through sport and build a sense of community for millions of people across the world. An article by Steven G. Mandis called Why a Community Brand like Real Madrid is so Successful goes on to describe how the hugely popular soccer team Real Madrid uses new media to "bring together a passionate global community." Mandis shares in the article that using new media to communicate with their fans they are able to create content desired by the fans fueling their connection and passion for the team and reinforce the identity association using the clubs traditions. By using this approach and listening to fans the club was able to create a sense of belonging and shared values among the fans. For the full article click here.

Video explaining how social media is changing sports

In an article titled The Growing Impact of Social Media On Today's Sports Culture by Anthony DiMoro, DiMoro shared what I thought was a great way to sum up sports fans on Twitter he describes the social media platform as "a virtual sports bar that fans flock to before, during and after the game." The article also states that sports fans are 67 percent more likely to use social media to enhance their viewing experience. Fans can communicate with fellow or rival fans in ways never seen before the 21st century. Fans can now directly interact with teams and athletes who in turn engage back, most of the time; teams even communicate with other teams within a league taking playful jabs at rival teams.Twitter gives an unbelievable presence for businesses and endorsements, if  fans sees an athlete they trust and admire using a specific brand fans will be more willing to purchase that company's product. For the full article click here.

Devience in Sports

On November 8 and 10, 2016 in my American Sport in the 21st Century class we discussed the different types of deviance both on and off the field that many professional athletes face. In class we defined deviance as an act/person that differs from the norm, especially behavior or attitudes that differ from acceptable social standards. Some examples of deviance in our society include:

Fighting is often seen as a tradition in the NHL

• Use of illegal drugs
• Violent crimes
• Stealing/robbing

Examples of deviance in sport include:

• Fighting
• Bounty hunting
• Academic cheating
• PED use
• Gambling
• Illegal recruiting practices

Both sets of examples listed above parallel each other as most of the problems in society tend to carry over into sports. Because of the similarities trying to study deviance in sport becomes more difficult mainly because what is seen as deviant outside of sport may be acceptable within some sports like fighting in hockey. Fighting in society can get you charged with assault among other crimes but in hockey fighting is seen as a momentum swing from one team to another and is completely accepted by players, fans, and the league, although is still penalized within the game via fighting penalties. With hockey being the only team sport where fighting is accepted that doesn't mean that aggression and violence doesn't occur in the other sports like football, rugby, and boxing, especially in football and boxing where aggression is encouraged.

According to an article titled Sports and Deviant Behavior by Tim Delaney  we as a society in America love to see violence in sport whether it is fights in the NHL or big hits in the NFL because they are seen as a part of the game and could be considered a grey area. Americans seem to be desensitized to violent crimes because of how exposed we are to violence from media news coverage on TV that focuses mainly on violent crimes and less on positive stories. The athletes on the field aren't the only aggressive ones in the stadiums, fans are very likely to engage with opposing fans in verbal and physical abuse. Examples described in the article include a First Round World Cup game in Moscow where Japan defeated Russia, fans went on a rampage and beat five students from Japan while two other fans were killed. One of the most recent acts of violence due to fans of a sporting event occurred after game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final in Vancouver as the Canucks lost to the Boston Bruins, Canucks fans erupted in anger and started to riot overturning cars and looting local businesses.

Angered fans set cars on fire after Vancouver lost in the Finals.

Deviance not only occurs with athletes on the field but off other field as well with recent incidences involving Adrian Peterson and Ray Rice to name a couple. Such incidences include drunk driving, and domestic violence charges even murder. To read Tim Delaney's full article click here.

Drug Use in Professional Sports

On November 10, 2016 in my American Sport in the 21st Century class we discussed the categories of performance enhancing drugs (PED's) and the reasons why athletes choose to use them in professional sport. In most cases there are six major categories of PED's and the effects it gives to the user, these six include:

1. Stimulants- athletes use these to increase alertness, reduce tiredness, and increse their competitiveness
2. Narcotic analgesics- used to numb pain and allow the athlete to get back into games
3. Anabolic steroids- increases the protein in cells which increases muscle growth much faster.
4. Beta blockers- used to slow down the athlete's heart rate giving an advantage in sports like golf or archery.
5. Diuretics- increases the production of urine which athletes may use to flush out residue form steroids.
6. Peptide hormones & analogues- usually HGH, or the human growth hormone, it spurs growth in children and also helps to regulates body composition, muscle and bone growth, and metabolism.



With these varying kinds of drugs and the benefits and advantages they can provide an athlete over their competition it seems easy why so many athletes choose to use drugs. But a big question fans tend to want to know is why? Why gamble millions of dollars using PED's?


According to an article on the website for Northwestern University of Professional Studies, one of the main reasons for PED use, at least in the short term, is to land a giant multi million dollar contract. In class we discussed the different reasoning why athletes may partake in PED's. For the full article click here.

Psychological Reasons

• To increase motivation
• To steady nerves
• To increase aggression 

Social Reasons

• Athletes are prepared to win at any cost
• The belief that everyone else is doing it
• Pressure to win by peers, coaches, or the media
• The fear of not winning

The article from Northwestern University explains the prevalence of PED's in major sports saw a rise in the mid 2000's in MLB after the league introduced a stricter drug policy.  The new policy ended the "steroid era" and star players like Jose Canseco, Mark McGuire, and Sammy Sosa all being linked to using illegal drugs to improve their performance were getting suspensions.

Jose Canseco

Recently the NFL's old "three strikes" drug policy has been replaced in 2014; teams in the NFL vary greatly in terms of suspensions given since 2012. The graph below shows games missed by each NFL team in a ten year span.

Along with the social and psychological reasons stated above are moral and legal reasons why athletes shouldn't take PED's

Moral Reasons

• Gives the athlete an unfair advantage
• Undermines the true spirit of the sport
• Reflects badly on the team, league, and others

Legal Reasons

• Against U.S. law
• Against the laws of sports

Although not all athletes believe they should be role models, which may or may not be true, children will always look up to successful athletes and try to copy them which creates a bad example for young children to follow, leading them to believe that drug use and violence is acceptable in today's society.