Sport in the 21st century looks wildly different to how it did a hundred years ago. In an era where this domain is digitally dominated, it has shifted away from its working-class roots. Stadiums have become “smart”, rules rely on technology to reduce human error, and the matchday experience has become completely data driven. This evolution harmonises with the perpetual rise of social media, that is continuously growing at top speed, seemingly with no limit in sight. This raises the debate of social media’s place in the sporting world. Does it always allow engagement and visibility, or does it provoke negativity in a sector that strives to avoid it?
The growth of social media has directly impacted the way we now see sport, but it has also changed how we discover it. Digital platforms have been key in the rise of women’s sport as a whole, particularly with its coverage in international tournaments.
...realistically, all we want to do is flex our Strava.
The UEFA European Women's Championship in Switzerland last summer saw an unprecedented wave of engagement thanks to digital clips and highlights shown across BBC Sport social media accounts, with a monumental 231 million total views across the competition. This goes hand in hand with the surge of athletes also becoming influencers, sharing their day to day lives as top athletes.
Ilona Maher is a great example of this, paving the way as a true trailblazer for young rugby players, and broadening exposure for women’s rugby, that has been overshadowed for so many years. On a more individual level, “GymTok”’s heavy influence positively motivates people to get out and do some sport, whatever type it may be, to share goals and progress, as, realistically, all we really want to do is flex our Strava.
Unfortunately, sports social media can sometimes miss the mark. November 2025 saw the creation, and more so the immediate removal of Sky Sports female-focused TikTok account “Halo”. The channel, that felt completely condescending towards women and girls who engage in sports on a daily basis, showcases the misogyny that is still very much prevalent in the sporting world today.
It is hard to ignore it's culture of hostility towards the athletes...
The personal aspect of digital platforms also tends to blur the line between personal lives and what is put forward for audiences to see. Members of the public are more inclined to invade athletes’ personal lives, as they consider themselves close enough to their idols and deserving of private information.
Others take it one step further and racially abuse and attack players, cowardly hiding behind a screen. It is hard to forget the shocking number of racist comments Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Bukayo Saka received after the 2020 Euros final. These people may be a part of the minority, but their comments are loud enough to echo in players’ minds, words that wouldn’t even have been heard if the platform to express them hadn’t existed.
While it is now impossible to envision the sporting world without social media, it is hard to ignore its culture of hostility towards the athletes, when sport is, fundamentally, a stage of passion and effort.