Sports media is a rapidly growing industry. With social media and streaming platforms becoming so prevalent, it has really changed the sports communication landscape. When I was younger the main source of finding out the score of a game or the drama within sports was through watching ESPN with my stepfather. Now since the times have changed, I have adjusted my “diet” to prioritize convenience, engagement, and real-time updates.

Current Sports Media Diet

Today, my media consumption relies heavily on digital platforms. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube give the opportunity to have sports media right at your fingertips. Within seconds you can get highlights, statistics, breaking news, and even hot takes from fans and analysts. TikTok is my favorite space for learning more about what is going on in the sports industry. It’s refreshing to watch normal people like me give their opinions on sports, because it is relatable and can often give me a different perspective on situations.

When it comes to watching live games, I use Contour TV (which is a cable service that is offered at ODU) or other streaming platforms that I already have. The convenience of watching it on streaming platforms is incredible. The days of watching and sitting through endless commercials are long gone.

How My Diet Has Changed

As I mentioned before, when I was younger I would often times get my sports media consumption from Cable TV. My stepfather is a crazy sports fan who only wanted to watching ESPN everyday, so it kind of became part of our routine to watch together. We would watch the sports talk shows such as “First Take” or “Undisputed” for debates and analysis. It was also our way of watching live games. The problem with this was having to sit through other topics that you probably don’t want to hear, which would irritate my attention span.

There were also websites like Bleacher Report where you could easily get sports news, but still doesn’t compare to quickness social media today.

Now, I enjoy short-form and interactive content. It has drastically changed the way I engage with sports. I don’t necessarily have to watch a whole game in order to be in formed. I can go on TikTok and watch a short recap of what happened. Also, as I mentioned before I don’t have to always watch analyst break down a game. I can simply just watch other fans and even athletes are saying in real time. Sports media has quickly evolved and my consumption habits have adjusted accordingly.

My Predictions for the Next 5 Years

The sports media will evolve immensely within the next five years. Technologies such as AI and VR experiences are becoming huge within our society. AI more than likely get better at creating Algorithims for each individual fan. They would not have to scroll through a dozen post that they don’t want to see, instead they will be able to get content on their feed that is tailored specifically to them. Also, virtual reality has became really popular as well. I think they will be working towards being able to have fans attend games virtually through a VR headset, which would be insanely cool. It would give fans an opportunity to experience seeing their favorite team without leaving their home.

Lastly, I think cable sports will eventually come to an end. Streaming has been dominating the sports industry lately and I think later on down the line it will put cable TV completely out of business.

Magic Wand Change

If I could change one thing about sports media, it would be the way women’s sports and underrepresented athletes are covered. Though lately, women’s sports have been blowing up because of social medias such as TikTok and Instagram there is still room for improvement. It still seems as if their is a lag behind giving them the same airtime and respect as men’s sports.

The numbers tell it all, women’s sports do not get the same media coverage as the men do. But when they do get in the spotlight (Take Angel Reese or Caitlyn Clark as an example) they attract an audience every time. It shows that if they were given more airtime, they would be able to catch up to the hype that the men receive.