Does Social Media Make Athletes Too Popular On Campus?

Once an athlete reaches the point when they accept a scholarship to represent a college, they are almost immediately exposed to constant public scrutiny. It is quite likely that student athletes will have thousands of followers on social media where a non athlete may have just a fraction of that.  Typically these followers fall into one of two groups.  First are the people who want to be associated with a popular person. The second group are filled with jealousy or envy.  Both groups will post or video the student athlete’s every move.  This can be overwhelming.

Most Athletic Directors are aware of the troubling stories linked to student athletes’ use of social media and the significant impact that these stories can have on the school itself.  What about the impact on the particular student athlete?  Are the student athletes ready for this popularity, both emotionally as well as socially?  In both cases, athletic performance may be impacted.

In fact, College ADs have every reason to feel concerned about their department’s reputation in the age of social media, but even more so for the welfare of their players. Because as today’s student athletes have grown so accustomed to inviting online followers into their private moments, they unwittingly welcome those broadcasted opinions to extend to the most intimate aspects of their lives.