Routledge handbook of sport and social media

Abstract

Seven (7) technical-focused themes (ie, systems, operations), or people-centered themes (i.e., human beings, culture), or both, emerge through this exploration and thereby reflect the persisting, growing impact of social media upon the global sports landscape. With the growth of sports and social media usage, communication is on the rise as brand reactions, viral activity, athlete influence, and sponsorship ethics are being explored on a wider scale. [...]the implications of the Handbook show how social media propels the globalization of sport thereby allowing athletes and leagues to reach new markets. Because digital platforms become powerful tools for advocacy, or mis-information, or both, they are more likely to expose athletes to harassment and backlash requiring stronger need for protections that policies offer.

Billings, A. C., & Hardin, M. (Eds.). (2025). Routledge handbook of sport and social media. Routledge. Print ISBN: 9781032666198. eBook ISBN: 9781032666228.

Synopsis and Evaluation

The Routledge Handbook of Sport and Social Media (2025) is a comprehensive and timely exploration of how social media 1s reshaping the global sports landscape. Utilizing various theoretical and practical lens, leading international scholars in this handbook examine the intersectionalities of sport, media, and digital culture. Seven (7) technical-focused themes (ie, systems, operations), or people-centered themes (i.e., human beings, culture), or both, emerge through this exploration and thereby reflect the persisting, growing impact of social media upon the global sports landscape. How the audience comes to perceive the diversified impact of sports becomes critical toward understanding the broader implications for on- and off-field play (Abreza, 2023; Sanderson, 2023).

Technical-focused Themes

One technical-focused theme, digital transformation of sport, from the handbook highlights the perception of sports involving both traditional outside field play (1.e., Football, Basketball, Baseball, etc.) and non-traditional indoor play (1.e., Madden 2025, NB2K25, MLB The Show 25, etc.). The existing distinctions demonstrate an evolving and changing consumption of sports and how the diversified forms of play and subsequent viewership become an influential factor for sports outcomes in the virtual age.

Another technical-focused theme 1s the impact of platform politics and algorithmic influence, tending to boost or bury content either going viral or not. Such significance 1s based upon an algorithm involving those athletes or moments that go viral, which also, in effect, are independent of traditional means of media coverage. Particularly, within this realm of social media and sport, questions emerge about fairness, visibility, and the role of tech companies in shaping the day's sports narrative.

A third emerging technical-focused theme from the handbook 1s ethics, inclusion, and power. This theme exemplifies how marginalized voices in sport use social media to gain visibility, challenge dominant narratives, and show how these components bring truth to power. Such significance through social media gives marginalized athletes and their leagues a platform to advocate, empower, and discuss various issues, both inside and outside of sports.

A final technical-focused theme is that of crisis communication and controversy. With the growth of sports and social media usage, communication is on the rise as brand reactions, viral activity, athlete influence, and sponsorship ethics are being explored on a wider scale. Significantly speaking, as incidents occur, both good and bad, single gestures, when amplified by social media, bring the power of athletes as influencers as well as the volatility of brand-sports relationships in the digital area paradigm.

People-centered Themes

One people-centered theme is the branding of athletes and their identities showing that athletes are not just performers. The brand of athletes expands beyond the court to now the fact that they are influencers, activists, entrepreneurs, and change agents. Such emerging significance allows athletes to be part of verbal discussion with various topics and actively engaged with varying activities. This outcome reflects a fundamental shift in how athletes control their narratives, connect with fans on a personal level, and extend their reach into the global community.

A second people-centered theme is fan engagement and participatory culture. Fan engagement and participatory culture utilize social media interactions with TikTok dances, memes, and threads on different platforms as well as make fans co-creators of the sport culture. Memes, reactions, and commentary help to shape public perception and influence media coverage through storytelling from both the audience and producers.

A third-people centered theme is globalization and cultural exchange. For example, globalization of sport has grown through the years from the 1992 Barcelona, Spain, Olympic Games with the "Dream Team of USA Basketball" to the present. The cultural exchange is inclusive of global fandoms transcending national boundaries into places all around the world while enabling transnational fandoms to transcend language and geography. In effect, this particular people-centered theme challenges traditional notions of national loyalty in sport.

Thirty-one (31) chapters in the Routledge Handbook of Sport and Social Media (2025) offer a unique opportunity to understand technical-focused and people-centered themes involving social media and the global sports landscape. Technical-focused areas consider the internal systems and operational aspects of social media while the people-centered areas highlight the external components of social media for sports. In effect, what becomes evident is how these themes provide insight into the varying dynamics of sports both on- and off-field in a global context.

Implications

The implications of the Routledge Handbook of Sport and Social Media (2025) indicates the need for sports organizations to operate like tech companies. Such an approach serves to leverage Al (artificial intelligence), data analytics, and platform integration to stay relevant. Athletes are becoming media entities in their own right, and in many ways, this empowers them to bypass traditional gatekeepers (i.e., journalists, broadcasters) but also increases pressure on them to manage constantly their image and content output. The implications of the Handbook also reflect how fans are no longer passive consumers; they are now co-creators of sport culture, which can challenge leagues to manage brand consistency and misinformation. And, to the end, the visibility of sport content becomes increasingly controlled by opaque algorithms raising concerns about fairness. Finally, the implications of the Handbook show how social media propels the globalization of sport thereby allowing athletes and leagues to reach new markets. Because digital platforms become powerful tools for advocacy, or mis-information, or both, they are more likely to expose athletes to harassment and backlash requiring stronger need for protections that policies offer.

In the Author's Own Words

"Over the past two decades, the rise of social media has affected various aspects of the sport industry, including marketing, sales, public relations, media coverage, athlete branding, and athlete welfare. This growing influence has led to a significant increase in scholarly interest from various disciplines, examining the role and impact of social media in sport" (Billings & Hardin, 2025, p. 10).

Reviewer's Details

Howard Bartee, Jr., Ed.D. ([email protected]), is an Assistant Professor in the School of Public and Allied Health at Prairie View A & M University, in Prairie View, Texas. His area of expertise 1$ in Education with a specialization in Sports Management. His research interests include sports management and communication, sports analytics, and organizational behavior within the context of health and kinesiology.

Sidebar

To Cite this Review

Bartee, H., Jr. (2025, Spring). Review of Routledge handbook of sport and social media, ed. by A. C. Billings & M. Hardin. Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 17(1), 105-107.

References

References

Abeza, G. (2023). Social media and sport studies (2014-2023): A critical review. International Journal of Sport Communication, 16(3), 251-261.

Sanderson, J. (2023). Critiquing the social media scholarship in sport studies: Looking beyond content and adopting critical approaches. International Journal of Sport Communication, 16(3), 262-265.