Over the past few months, this Sports Communication class has not only expanded my knowledge but has also reshaped how I view the role of communication in the sports industry. From exploring multiple sports articles to completing assignments on media strategies, athlete branding, and social media personas, I’ve developed a broader understanding of how communications directly influence the sports world. 

What stood out most to me during the semester was recognizing just how powerful the role of communication is in shaping the entire sports experience. It’s not just about covering games or updating fans; communications are a central part of building trust, shaping narratives, and creating connections between teams, athletes, and fans. This insight has made me more aware of how strategic and intentional communication has to be in the sports industry. 

With the popularity of social media, and with it continuing to be a go-to space for sports media, athletes and sports organizations have the ability to directly engage with fans. This is a shift from traditional sports media, where coverage was mostly one-way and where media outlets were controlling the narrative. Athletes and teams can now directly engage with fans, building a more personal connection. Social media creates a space for athletes to show more of their personalities and connect with fans in real time. This direct communication has made it easier, especially for collegiate athletes, to build their personal brands and control the narrative surrounding both their personal and professional lives.

With the changing landscape of communications, this class has provided me with insight on how to navigate journalism in the sports industry, and how to adapt to the growing role of digital and social media. As the sports world continues to lean more into these digital platforms, understanding how to resonate with fans has become more important. The skills that I’ve learned in this class, like how to write content in the modern sports media environment will be valuable in my future career, whatever that may be. 

As someone in marketing who is constantly writing blog posts, this class has helped me improve my ability to craft more engaging and targeted content. By learning how to structure narratives that speak directly to the audience’s interest, I feel like I have gained more skills to connect with readers on a deeper level. Whether I’m writing a blog post for a sports team or creating promotional content for marketing, the lessons that I’ve learned in this class will play a significant role in building brand loyalty and connection. Overall, I really enjoyed this course and have learned a lot about how communication shapes the sports industry, both from a media and marketing perspective.