Jan 10, 2021
There are sports that aren’t football, Rugby or Cricket! How Microblogging has brought less well known sports to a global audience, and how I found my own experience of Microblogging.
Through my use of Instagram, Facebook and Twitter- I have seen how Microblogging has just as much power as large corporations. This is clear within the sports industry.
Twitter essentially represents the essence of what Microblogging is. To give a brief of Microblogging, it is a seemingly informal way of writing short and concise messages to a microblog. With Social Media being a key source for many to read and receive news, Microblogging is bringing journalism and the news in a more informal and accessible way. When I typed in ‘what is microblogging’ into google to begin my research, I was met with this answer- “microblogging allows anyone with something to say to find an audience”. I think, this answer is the perfect way to describe Microblogging, and the ability to find an audience can be seen perfectly within the sporting world.
Sports journalism, and news around sport has always been dominated by sports with huge following and large amounts of money pumped into them. For example, in the UK football has a huge following and dominates much of the sports news. With news providers, like Sky News, having specific accounts and channels just for updates regarding football and the Premier League. Through my use of social media and research, it is apparent that the use of Microblogging has allowed lesser known sports to reach a global audience. Across Twitter, and the other social media platforms, there are hundreds of accounts that detail updates to their specialised sports.
As someone who participates in a sport that is predominantly American, Microblogging and social media accounts are the easiest way to stay in touch and updated with news regarding my sport. Accounts on Twitter, such as cheerUPDATES, act as a way for cheerleaders, fans and those interested in the sport to receive information regarding the sport. Before platforms and Microblogs, sports such as cheerleading, would find that they struggled to spread information globally. Along with this, before Microblogging information for cheerleading- and other niche sports- would only be the highly important results. For example, the results of major competitions. Now, with social media and Microblogs- any new information can be found out, like a small detail, new uniforms or even the major competition results.
My personal experience with Microblogging and social media has been interesting. Many see social media as detrimental for mental health, and damaging. Yet, it has allowed not only sports, but businesses and people to reach wider audiences and promote themselves with ease and confidence. Especially in the current world, where nearly everything is becoming digital. I found with my social media that I am not only engaging with sports I am interested in, but other sports and other accounts- which truly shows the power of social media and Microblogging.
Microblogging has also made way for a regular person to be seen as an ‘expert’ in a chosen sport or field. It has allowed regular people, whom may have an interest in the sport, or be an athlete to take on a role similar that to a sports journalist. This enables news and journalism to become more accessible to anyone, and not just those that have studied it and taken it as their chosen field of study and research.
“microblogging allows anyone with something to say to find an audience”
As sports journalism and sports updates usually revolve around the well-funded and dominant sports, microblogging and social media have made way for new ways of sports being spoken and discussed. It has allowed lesser known and publicised sports to have a global platform just like the domineering sports.
