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Journalism of Courage
Over the years, India’s favourite sport, cricket, has evolved into different forms. And, so have the fans and how they enjoy their favourite sport. While earlier fans were merely spectators, today owing to social media they are engaging with tournaments like never before. This is true for all sporting events as social media platforms have emerged as a driving force behind the shift in sports consumption. Fans today have unprecedented access to their favourite games, teams, players, and tournaments.
Social media giant Meta is at the forefront of this revolution. The Mark Zuckerberg-led platform has used social media to redefine sports consumption experience. Paras Sharma, director, content and community partnerships at Meta, shared the company’s approach in an insightful interaction with indianexpress.com.
“Meta’s family of apps enables different types of fan engagement – from having deeper conversations on Threads, to seeing behind-the-scenes athlete content on Instagram/Reels, watching highlights/clips on Facebook/Instagram, accessing exclusive superfan content in community channels, and getting latest news updates on WhatsApp channels,” he explained.
According to Sharma, this diversified offering caters to the diverse needs of modern sports enthusiasts, who long for a dynamic experience that goes much beyond spectatorship. Fans can now engage in meaningful discussions, gain exclusive insights into their idols’ lives, and stay on top of the latest developments, all within the seamless ecosystem of Meta’s platforms.
Sharma revealed that the numbers speak volumes about the impact of this approach. During the 2023 Cricket World Cup, Meta’s platforms witnessed a surge in engagement, with a whopping 16.9 billion views and an impressive 1.3-1.4 billion engagements across their apps. “The Australia vs India final got around 70 million views, and Virat Kohli breaking a record got 30-40 million views,” Sharma shared, highlighting the key moments that resonated with fans worldwide.
Interestingly, the most-watched piece of content didn’t even feature an Indian player. As Sharma revealed, “The most watched single piece of content was a 123 million view reel by creator Princy Parikh featuring Kane Williamson.” This remarkable statistic underscores the power of social media to transcend geographical boundaries and foster a global sports community.
At the heart of Meta’s strategy lies a strong network of collaborations and partnerships with key stakeholders in the sports industry. “Meta partners with key stakeholders like governing bodies (ICC, BCCI), broadcasters (Star Sports), teams, and athletes to create unique experiences tailored for different fan cohorts across their platforms,” Sharma explained. This synergy enables Meta to deliver a comprehensive and immersive experience that caters to every type of fan, from casual observers to die-hard enthusiasts.
The ongoing impact of social media in sports consumption is also owing to the new breed of content creators. Using Facebook and Instagram, these creators are shaping the narrative around sports on social media. “Engaging sports fans doesn’t have a specific trick, but in our comedy genre, we aim for maximum humour. The funnier the video, the more fans will engage. So, the technique is simple: keep it funny and focus on quality content,” shared Dhruv and Shyam, the duo behind Funcho, who are known for their comedy as well sports-themed content.
When it comes to engaging the fans, they emphasised the importance of authenticity and passion, stating, “Our passion for these topics makes our content better, and it gives our audience something they enjoy. So, basically, we choose what to cover based on what we love.”
However, navigating the world of sports content creation on social media comes with its own set of challenges, as Funcho acknowledged: “When creating sports content in India, whether it’s focused on a franchise or a player, it’s crucial to tread carefully due to their immense fan following. Even when aiming for light comedy or entertainment, fans can be highly sensitive.”
Yet, despite these obstacles, the reward of connecting with a passionate audience makes it all worthwhile. As Funcho shared, “Following the IPL, our focus has shifted to the T20 Cricket World Cup, a monumental event. We’re gearing up to travel to the US to capture exciting content surrounding the matches, all in support of Team India.”
Sports content is not as easy as other content that spreads like wildfire, it involves a lot of creativity and originality as most fans are well-versed with their favourite events. “When it comes to selecting a topic, I look at what is happening at the moment. For instance, if it is IPL or some big news about a sports legend’s retirement I weave in the content accordingly. Mostly, it’s about what’s happening in the sporting landscape. Besides, I also work on a lot of content where I discuss landmark matches, interesting old stories and anecdotes. All of these involve my unique way of storytelling,” said another creator Drog Baba.
When asked about what specific techniques he uses to engage the fans, Drog Baba said that live streaming has been quite effective. “With live streams, communities interact directly, and they find it very useful. Additionally, you have to be open to feedback. They comment on your videos about what they want to hear, which really helps. They find it very good for engaging with the community,” Baba explained.
With evolving sports consumption, platforms like Meta and others are partnering with creators to offer exciting fan experiences across multiple formats and touchpoints. Although challenges persist around fan polarisation and ever-changing nature of trends, the creator community continues to find innovative ways to engage with audiences.
