Social media has made communication a lot easier and more accessible over the past 20-odd years. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a celebrity or just a normal person with something to say, it has levelled the playing field. 

As a sports marketing specialist and graduate of the Merky FC program, I’m particularly interested in how athletes and brands are navigating these polarising times – as well as looking at signs of a digital shift that could benefit fans, brands, and major stakeholders.

Barriers to relatability

If athletes are to connect with fans, they need an environment conducive to expressing themselves freely. Sadly, that isn’t always the case.

Take the example of England international winger Noni Madueke in the summer. When rumours linked him with a summer move to Arsenal from Chelsea, a small group of fans on X used the hashtag #NoToMadueke to direct abuse at him. Instead of celebrating his unique talents, trolls tried to drag him down. 

Yet his story shows why he deserves respect. Aged just 16, he moved to Wintelre in the Netherlands to join PSV Eindhoven (rejecting Manchester United in the process). Later he joined Chelsea before his latest move to Arsenal. In spite of a lukewarm reception at the Emirates, he’s arguably been the team’s best player this season, and scored his first England goal at the start of September. He’s won over his critics through bravery and being true to himself. Online he’s open about his faith, his music taste, and he’s not afraid to have a good time with teammates such as Declan Rice. 

But it’s not just fans who put up barriers, organisations can be just as guilty. A decade ago, many Gen Z fans lived on Snapchat. Fulham players Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey tapped into that energy by sharing fun behind-the-scenes content from the dressing room, leading up to the match. Recently, however, Fulham’s media team has clamped down on it and banned BTS content. 

That kind of decision risks cutting off a channel that excites younger fans and even builds partnerships - the so-called Snapchat Derby between Fulham and Nottingham Forest proved how effective it could be. Iwobi has also been building a fine music career of his own, collaborating on a single with Nigerian rap sensation ODUMODUBLVCK and 2x UK Top 40 artist Ramz - something Fulham could’ve supported and benefited from.

Fighting back

The truth is simple: athletes are people too. Just like the rest of us, they have hobbies and interests beyond their 9-5 jobs, and they should be free to share them without judgement. Brands, marketers, and fans should lean into it in an age where Gen Z values authenticity over everything else. 

Seven-time Olympic gold medallist Simone Biles is one of the best examples of leading this shift. She recently joined Religion of Sport, a production company founded by Tom Brady and two others, to spark conversations about mental health, women’s empowerment, and the black community. She understands her role as a personal brand and a point of connection for fans, once remarking, “People want to be invested. They want to feel like they’re there and they’re supporting you.” 

Tennis offers other case studies. The Australian ‘bad boy’ of tennis, Nick Kyrgios, feels like he’s unfairly characterised and has attempted to reshape his image through his Good Trouble podcast, and has even starred in a cooking video with Gordon Ramsay. 

Black Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka has also been outspoken on social media, fighting back against racial ignorance, when people questioned her citizenship due to her skin colour. A fervent supporter of Black Lives Matter, she’s felt it necessary to hit back at comments that say she should stick to sports. Her response: “By that logic, if you work at Ikea are you only allowed to talk about furniture?” That kind of courage helps others feel seen and empowered.

What lasting impact looks like

For this shift to last, brands, marketers and media need to embrace the fact that athletes are powerful storytellers that can stir up feelings with fans. They can drive virality and create positive PR if given the space to do so. Formats like Snapchat Q&As, Instagram and TikTok live broadcasts, and Reddit AMAs are great examples. 

Ahead of the Paris Olympics in 2024, French paralympic champion Arnaud Assoumani took to Reddit for an AMA session. He spoke openly about life in the athletes’ village, his love of heavy music, and even designing prosthetic arms in his spare time. It made him more relatable and showed the value of letting athletes share their full selves.

Arnaud hasn’t stopped there. He’s developed further off the track into an accomplished keynote speaker and LinkedIn top voice, who has expressed his views at TEDx, Women’s Forums, UNESCO and more, while brands including adidas, Samsung and BMW have featured him in campaigns. Sometimes he even visits schools without his prosthetic arm to underline his message: it’s okay to embrace who you are.

Follow their lead

Breaking down barriers starts with supporting athletes in being authentic. When clubs, companies and brands back them, fans will follow. Fans also need to accept that athletes have differences and learn to embrace them as authentic individuals – this is what’s conducive to a digital shift. Looking for similarities in the things they love and do day-to-day helps to see things from their perspective.

The result? A healthier, more relatable digital culture where athletes and audiences connect in ways that go far beyond sport.

At Battenhall we work with sports brands and athletes on social listening, content, reputation management and more. If you’d like to have a chat about how we can help you then drop us an email - hello@battenhall.com!