Improving Digital Communication and Its Effect on Football Industry

featured image from wikipedia.com

Hey everyone, this is my very first post for my blog, and as I mentioned in my about page, I want to write about the impact of improving technology on the football industry. Speaking of the improving technology, nowadays we live in a global village according to McLuhan, where everyone seems interconnected to each other via different media channels such as twitter, facebook and Instagram.

These media channels allow people to connect in a digitally communicated world where you can always message your friends and family and also be able to see what they are doing, eating, wearing etc. These devices and media convergence have changed a lot. I mean if you go back to 1980s there were only cell phones. However, now there are tablets, laptops and smartphones everywhere, and it is much more comfortable to be interconnected in that digital world with the other engagers. Where all you need is an internet connection, a device can use that, effortless thanks to the new high-tech around. These improvements in digital communication have a very significant impact on the football industry. Now clubs are more engaged with the fans many Europe football clubs actively on different media channels such as youtube, twitter and Instagram. Via these media platforms, clubs are more involved with the fans and their players by merely sharing videos and photos from training sessions and games, small quizzes and surveys. Many things fans like to see other than just watching the games of the club they support, which is quite engaging both clubs and fans. Furthermore, clubs communicate not only with their fans and players but also other clubs and players as well.
For example, after beating the Ipswich town 4-0 away, Aston villa official twitter account has shared this mocking tweet about Ipswich town victory.

Leaving Ipswich with all three points like…?#AVFC #UTV pic.twitter.com/KufsP5YudF

— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) April 21, 2018

It may look offending, but I think a little humour here shows us that it just a game and it is only for entertainment so small jokes should not be a big problem even though you are an Ipswich fan in this case. There are more many more mocking football tweets out there if you like to see more.

Media convergence  has a significant impact  as well on football is

becoming even more popular. People now can watch football games quite easily on different platforms whereas games were live via television and radio only in the past. Today, with a device that has access to the internet is all you need to be able to watch almost any major football leagues.

Not just leagues and games but also it is possible to follow football players on social media. I know many players have fans and fans like to support their favourite players. Under this, it is likely that social media, well more likely advanced digital communication made the football industry much more engaging both fans and players.

While social media channels seem very engaging, they also have the potential to reveal many things in seconds to anyone who can connect to the internet. These platforms very fast and fun, but it could be a troublemaker for football players as well.

Bernardo Silva got banned and fined because of his twitter post

Manchester City player Bernardo Silva got banned for one game and fined for 50.000 pounds due to his twitter post. He shared a picture of a chocolate brand and his teammate Benjamin Mendy’s childhood photo. This post has received much criticism that it was a racist post. Even though Bernardo Silva claimed that it was a joke, he still got fined.

Leicesters Hamza Choudouri also has been in trouble with his offensive, sexist and racist social media posts and have been charged by FA back in 2013/14. Some of his tweets included a gender-based approach to women as he said ” that has to be the worst advert sums up women football to be honest” in his twitter post. Not sexist but also racist social media posts he also made back in the day as he says that he knows why black people are fast because of the slow ones in prison.

Conclusively, digital communication and especially media convergence made football industry interconnected more than ever. Many data is on social media channels, and many people have access to it. While it is fun and engaging for the whole industry and football fans, I think famous players must be more cautious with what they share on social media thanks to advanced digital communication.

Hope you enjoyed my first post for my blog because I enjoyed while writing it. Check out my social media accounts as well to make sure you don’t miss future posts and more content!