Since the invention of Twitter, human interaction has increased tenfold, especially between celebrities and the average person. There is no doubt that social media has opened a door to Hollywood that society has never witnessed before. Generation Y has opened the ears of Hollywood stars by hearing the public’s opinion but there is a point where people go too far and our generation needs to restrain from abusing the great privilege that technology has given us.
Hollywood is not the only place where fan the celebrity interaction is happening, as it is very prevalent in the world of sports. Before social media, the only way to interact with your favorite players was by going to see them play. Now, sports icons of Generation Y like Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter and former Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis are now available via Twitter. A fan can literally post something on a player’s Twitter page with the hopes of responding back. Cleveland Browns wide receiver Nate Burleson and St. Louis Rams running back Daryl Richardson are the most notable players to praise their fans’ support of them and their respective franchises.
“The increased communication between the average person and athlete is great. This is really the only way fans can interact with athletes and it gives fans the opportunity to show their support for their favorite players. It’s really the only way fan voices can be heard and lets fans actually get their opinion heard,” said Corey Maino, a junior sports management major.
The NFL has been the center of social media conversation in the sports world. Recently, Atlanta Falcons Wide Receiver Roddy White made a bet with a fan on Twitter during the NCAA Tournament. Sports fan Dylan Hoyt bet White that Mercer University would upset Duke in the second round of the tournament. White said that if Mercer upset Duke then he would give Hoyt season tickets right on the 50-yard line first row. Mercer did beat Duke that day and White gave Hoyt two season tickets, two tickets to the Super Bowl, a sideline pass to a Falcons game and an opportunity to be a VIP guest at training camp.
Unfortunately, sports fans also abuse the privilege of social media by going too far. During the 2013 NFL season, Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice and Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson received criticism from the fans for underperforming in games which hurt the fans fantasy value or just hurt their team’s chance to win.
Michael Ames, a sophomore sports management major, sees the negative outcomes that can come from these fan-to-athlete interactions.
“I think its great that the average joe can easily communicate with an athlete. However, working for multiple professional sports teams I know that there is a very strict social media policy set by the leagues and the teams that can often get players in trouble. It’s cool to get re-tweeted by your favorite athlete but it would also suck if he got suspended or fined for reacting to something that a fan said,” Ames said.
Whether you are constantly refreshing your Twitter feed to find out what Peyton Manning ate for breakfast or find the whole social media scene to be a waste of time, it’s sheer impact can be denied. The degree of separation between people is exponentially increasing and will only continue to increase.
We live in a world where we can find out what our idols are doing with the click of a button. Who needs an autograph when your favorite athlete retweets you on the daily?
Phil Novotny can be reached at phil.novotny@spartans.ut.edu.