Social media's impact on athlete activism
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Abstract
There are countless examples of athletes engaging in activism on and off the field. Numerous scholars have studied athlete activism and motivation behind it. There are also many studies that examine athlete’s use of social media. The rise in athlete activism on social media present a new area of study. This study examines the relationship between athletes social media and its influence on athlete activism. Using data from 20 in-depth interviews conducted with professional and former college athletes, the study examines athlete perception of social media activism, the potential influence social media places on their motivation to engage in social media activism and what barriers stand in between athletes and social media activism. Results showed that there are many factors that positively and negatively affect an athlete’s motivation and opinion of social media activism. The study also found that the biggest barrier that stands between an athlete and their engagement of activism on social media is often the athlete themselves.