sort of experience is mostly a thing of the past. Sports fans will watch games collectively, interconnected with their fellow supporters through a vast digital web of social platforms proliferated with words, images, gifs and memes that turn every moment into a conversation. As fan commentary and hashtag- driven content become a standard contributor to the sports broadcast noise, broadcasters and streamers are trying, where possible, to encourage fans to interact directly with what they’re watching. But as social media becomes more deeply embedded in the viewing experience, an important question emerges. Is integration with social platforms genuinely the answer to the fan engagement challenge? Drilling into the data Data suggests that social media’s influence on sports consumption is already deeply profound. Studies consistently show that over 80%
of sports viewers use a second screen while watching live events, most often a phone. Rather than distracting from the broadcast, this is only symbolic of a big change in how fans like to experience sport. They see it less as simply a tournament or match and more as something to be shaped collectively through discourse and, well, memes. This is particularly notable among the demographic that’s taken meme culture to a new level: Gen Z. For these audiences, social media isn’t supplementary to sport any more, it’s the crux of it. According to studies, more than 90% of Gen Z fans consume sports content via social platforms, with many encountering highlights and
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