ATHLETES AND THEIR INCREASED TWITTER USAGE

Athletes and Their Increased Twitter Usage Matthew Geslin Queens University of Charlotte

Abstract In todays time, it is estimated that over 700 athletes have a Twitter account that they can use to communicate with their fans. The athletes have been using Twitter to their advantages as well as their disadvantage. LeBron James was one of those athletes who saw both the advantage and disadvantage of connecting directly with his fans. However, he isnt the only one who has seen the impacts. The major sports leagues are taking serious action over the use of their athletes and employees. The National Football League has recently implemented a policy and rule that states athletes cannot use Twitter, before, during and after games. The article is pointed at presenting the case that athletes should be more focused on just performing rather than trying to please their fans and spectators. Keywords: LeBron James, Twitter, Athletes and Twitter, NFL Twitter Policy

ATHLETES AND THEIR INCREASED TWITTER USAGE According to a report by Erick Schonfeld: Twitter is now attracting 190 million visitors per month and generating 65 million Tweets a day. (Schonfeld, 2010)With the increase in the amount of people using different social media networks, there has also been an increase in the amount of use by the professional athletes. Many people want to know more about their favorite players or their favorite villain and they are using Twitter to get that information. In a story by Colleen Canty

back in January of this year, the professional athlete with the most Twitter followers was Shaquille ONeal with over 2 million (Canty, 2009). Athletes have been more than willing to acknowledge their fans requests and interest. When speaking with Jennifer Ludden on NPR in August 2009, Mr. Pablo Torre said that there are nearly 700 athletes on Twitter. So fans want to be able to communicate and know their favorite players better, but then when they the professional athlete does something or says something wrong, the reaction from the general public explodes e.g the whole LeBron James incident after the Decision. Before the Decision, LeBron was considered one of the most popular athletes in July. However, since his announcement that he would join the Miami Heat, Jamess popularity has dropped to only 14 percent who see James as a positive figure and 39 percent who see him in a negative way, according to an article written by Patrick Hruby for ESPN. (Patrick Hruby, 2010) This drop represents a drop from third to sixth on the most popular athletes in America according to an Associated Press release in June of 2010. (Associated Press, 2010) It also shows a 10-percentage point drop from his rating in January of the same year according to a Fox Sports article. (Fox Sports, 2010) Not

only has his popularity dropped, but he has also received hate driven tweets on his Twitter account: a big nosed big lipped bug eyed [racial slur]. Ur greedy, u try to hide ur ghettoness. As well as: why don't u speak by laying ur head under a moving car. (Melissa Rohlin, 2010) These are just a few of the examples of how turn their back and show their displeasure. Since there is such a big shock and reaction when athletes dont do what fans think is right, then fans shouldnt expect or shouldnt pay attention to the athletes lives. Just focus on them as players. Although athletes certainly have been targeted whenever there has been controversy or poor play, there hasnt been such close contact or connection with athletes as there is now. If you look at the course of media and digital media history, the only way that an athlete could have been bashed was through the newspapers or by fans booing them at games Since the creation of social-media and the use of it by the athletes themselves, they have allowed their fans to directly interact, or tell them how they feel about them instead of reading a newspapers take. Fans are able to really tell players how they feel, something newspaper may not or cannot do all the time. There have also been other problems caused by the increase in Twitter and social media usage by athletes. With the increasing amount of Twitter usage by athletes, teams are worried that they will not be able to control what is told to the media: Drew Brees, quarterback of the New Orleans Saints, enjoys West Coast trips because it allows him to stop at In-N-Out Burger. Antonio Cromartie of the San Diego Chargers was not particularly satisfied with the food that his team served during the last training camp. Michael Beasley, the second

ATHLETES AND THEIR INCREASED TWITTER USAGE pick in last years NBA draft by the Miami Heat, suffers from substance abuse. While these tidbits range from trivial to significant, they become available for public consumption through Twitter. The gatekeeping

authority that sports franchises have always relied on to control the flow of information is in jeopardy. (Aaron J. Moore, 2009)

In the article by Moore, he talks about how with the new era that we live in with constant media attention affects how teams can discipline and keep track of their own players. The teams and the leagues are OK and actually encourage the players to post tweets like those of Brees. The leagues either provide fines or policies to notify players of the rules and tweets that they can or cannot post. The leagues are conscious of and value their images. An example of this has been the new Commissioner of the National Football League (NFL), Roger Goodells stance on the personal conduct policy as well as cleaning up the game of dirty hits or plays. The league is holding players accountable for representing the league in a certain way. So when Chad Ocho-cinco and Terrell Owens tweeted during games, The NFL drew the line and was forced to come up with a new policy against the use of Twitter: The NFL said that it will let players, coaches, and other team personnel engage in social networking during the season. However, they will be prohibited from using Twitter and from updating profiles on Facebook and other social-networking sites during games. (Don Reisinger, 2009) A professional athletes life is already complex and difficult enough and should not require or force them to have to keep adding to it. In an article in USA Today, Steve DiMeglio followed the professional golfer and lovely

Natalie Gulbis. The following is her morning as well as afternoon schedule as experienced by Steve: As she does nearly every sunrise, Natalie Gulbis tees off her day at 5:30 a.m. On this day the magnetic LPGA draw and one of the top young stars in women's golf will play 18 holes with a former head of state, shoot a TV spot, tone a body fit for calendars and screensavers, hone her swing, sign 46 autographs, pose for 21 pictures and hear a marriage proposal. All before noon. The afternoon and evening bring meetings, a long workout, phone calls and more up-close encounters with the public. (Steve DiMeglio, 2007) With this as a typical day, how can or why should athletes have to appeal to the demands and needs of a fan who is waiting for a Tweet update about how Natalies round went? The fact is, fans should stay out of the personal lives of athletes and just enjoy them for what their purpose is. To entertain us, and make us gawk at some of the things that they can do on the field of play.

ATHLETES AND THEIR INCREASED TWITTER USAGE References List Don Reisinger (September 1, 2009) NFL bans tweeting, before, during, after games Cnet News http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10322904-2.html

Moore, A. (2009). Pro-active: A game plan when athletes tweet. Public Relations Tactics, 16(12), 16. Retrieved from Business Source Premier database. Patrick Hruby (September 15, 2010) Good news, LeBron: You re unloved ESPN.com http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/commentary/news/story?page=hruby/100915 Melissa Rohlin (October 20, 2010) LeBron James re-tweets hate messages LA Times http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2010/10/lebron-james-re-tweetshate-messages.html Erick Schonfeld (June 8, 2010) Twitter Now Has 190 Million Users Tweeting 65 Million Times A Day Tech Crunch http://techcrunch.com/2010/06/08/twitter-190-million-users/ Jennifer Ludden (August 27, 2009) Why So Many Athletes On Twitter? NPR http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112286202 Colleen Canty (January 29, 2009) Some Athletes Twitter Reputations Are Expanding Faster Than the Universe NESN http://www.nesn.com/2010/01/meet-the-athletes-whose-twitter-reputations-areexpanding-faster-than-the-universe.html Associated Press Sports Staff (July 20, 2010) LeBron Jamesin a preThe Decision pollpopularity falls; Kobe Bryant ties Tiger Woods as fan fave Associated Press http://www.cleveland.com/ohio-sportsblog/index.ssf/2010/07/lebron_james_--_in_a_pre-the_d.html

Fox Sports News Core (September 15, 2010) LeBron now sixth-most unpopular athlete Fox Sports http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/LeBron-James-popularity-plunges-butKobe-Bryant-still-more-disliked-athlete-091410 Steve DiMeglio (May 22, 2007) A day in the life: Teeing it up with Natalie Gulbis USA Today http://www.usatoday.com/sports/golf/lpga/2007-05-21-gulbis-focus_N.htm