ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic has

impacted sport and events greatly
with a shutdown of leagues and the
postponement of events like the
2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
However, new media technologies,
such as social media platforms,
have provided an avenue for sport
organisations and athletes to
continue to engage with their
consumers and promote physical
activity during the absence of live
sport. New media technologies
allow organisations and individuals
to share user-generated content
and facilitate interactivity. This
commentary intends to stimulate
discussion, interest and research
on whether social media could be
used as a platform to inspire
Social Media and Inspiring physical activity and sport
participation and what strategies
Physical Activity During may be successful in engaging with
consumers. Olympic sport and the
campaigns National Olympic
Covid-19 and Beyond Committees have engaged in
during lockdown are the focus of
this piece. It is hoped that this piece
provides a starting point for future
research focusing on the adoption
of new media technologies, like
social media, to engage with and
inspire people to become more
active and involved in sport.

Michelle Hayes

18th July 2020

Table of Contents
Social Media and Inspiring Physical Activity During Covid-19 and
Beyond........................................................................................................................................2
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Inspirational effect and impact on physical activity and sport participation.............5
Role of social media.................................................................................................................8
Summary...................................................................................................................................12

1|Page
 Social Media and Inspiring Physical Activity During
Covid-19 and Beyond

Introduction
In late 2019, the novel coronavirus disease emerged and by 2020, the pandemic had
swept most of the globe. The impact of the disease led to the declaration of a public
health emergency by the World Health Organisation (WHO, 2020). Global
restrictions on public gathering and social distancing led the sport industry to grind to
a sudden halt. Sport and events have been majorly affected due to their ability to
spread the disease through attracting mass gatherings (Parnell et al., 2020). As
people have been forced to stay at home as the pandemic sweeps the globe, many
have been looking for ways to alleviate boredom and stay fit and healthy. However,
the COVID-19 pandemic has had major impacts on physical health behaviours
(Hammami et al., 2020), particularly with the closures of businesses such as gyms
and other fitness centres.

Due to this impact, at home workouts became the new normal due to the lack of
other options and to minimise the spread of the disease (Hammami et al., 2020).
Early indications from a study conducted with Belgium residents suggested that
some maintained the same level of exercise, while others reported small increases,

2|Page
and others decreased their level (Constandt et al., 2020). These findings were
dependent on demographics. For instance, older residents reported less exercise for
a variety of reasons including the disruption of familiar exercise routines and lack of
experience using online tools for exercise.

As athletes are typically seen as role models, the presence of athletes on social
media sites and the positive videos they publicise could be socially influential (Koh &
Leng, 2017) and assist in the promotion of positive healthy living message. Despite
the absence of live sport during the COVID-19 pandemic, sport bodies have utilised
this time to innovate and promote positive messaging through their social media
channels. After the announcement by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to
postpone the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games due to the pandemic, National Olympic
Committees (NOCs) initiated campaigns to continue to engage with their respective
communities and promote Olympism. For instance, the Australian Olympic
Committee launched the #TeamAUS and #LikeAnOlympian campaign focused on
inspiring Australians to “train like an Olympian at home” and aimed to encourage the
community to stay fit, healthy and inspired through home workouts, home skills
sessions and healthy living tips (Australian Olympic Committee, 2020). Athletes from
a range of sports contributed to the campaign by creating and disseminating a series
of positive videos providing insights to their home workouts, skills training, and
challenges against other athletes. The videos are being posted across several social
media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

Similar concepts have been evident across the wider Olympic community. For
example, the British Olympic Association initiated the #IsolationGames. Marketed as
a way to stay entertained at home and encouraging support of the British Red Cross,
the campaign attracted millions of views on the social media platform TikTok (British
Olympic Association, 2020). The campaign showcased that any sport can be
adapted to home settings and encouraged viewers to get involved by filming and
uploading their participation. Many countries have also continued their engagement
by showcasing a range of content via social media platforms including instructional
workout videos presented by athletes, insights on how Olympians are continuing to
train and prepare for the postponed Tokyo Olympic Games, and providing
flashbacks to great historic Olympic moments of their respective teams and athletes.

3|Page
These campaigns have been timely as the IOC strengthens ties with the World
Health Organisation to advocate healthy lifestyles, especially during the pandemic,
and as the world hopes to recover and return to some form of normality (IOC, 2020)

4|Page
Inspirational effect and impact on physical activity and sports
participation
Hosting mega-sport events is often linked to increases in participation in sports and
other physical activities (Frawley & Cush, 2011). Participation in sport or physical
activity can have follow-on effects on other areas such as community health and
well-being. As a result, a key focus of event legacy research has focused on mass
participation legacies, including participation at the grassroots level of organised
sport and/or physical activity, and the structural developments required to cater for
and/or encourage increased participation (Thomson et al., 2019).

However, non-host countries may also see rises in community involvement in sport
or physical activity as participation legacies are often suggested to be influenced by
athletes who are viewed as role models (Wicker & Frick, 2016). Although positive
messaging regarding physical activity can be delivered by a range of stakeholders
(e.g. personal trainers, life coaches, school physical education teachers), athletes
have a unique platform due to the exposure they receive from media (Giuliano et
al., 2007). The inspirational effect of athlete role models is engrained in the trickle-
down effect which presumes that people are inspired to participate in sport or
physical activity by elite sport, sportspeople or sports events (Hogan &
Norton, 2000). According to the trick-down (or demonstration) effect, a causal
relationship between the elite sport level and amateur sport participation should
exist. Specifically, grassroots participation should be influenced by three aspects of
elite sport: sporting success, athletes as role models, and hosting major sport events
(Wicker & Frick, 2016). However, there is an ongoing debate as to whether athletes
should be role models and whether they have an impact on sport participation.

5|Page
Weed et al. (2009) highlighted that there is some evidence for the trickle-down effect
on sport participation immediately following events, yet, it is not applicable to all
groups and is difficult to sustain. Specifically, the trickle-down effect cannot inspire
those who have not previously engaged in sport to initiate new behaviours such as
taking up physical activity or joining a sport team or club. Instead, the trickle-down
effect can encourage those who already participate to increase their participation
levels, reignite those who lapsed their participation, and potentially lead to switching
activities or trying new sports. Furthermore, Weed et al. (2009) noted that insights on
target groups can be identified using the trickle-down effect and assist organisations
to target messages and engage target groups more efficiently. Further evidence
demonstrates that hosting events is not sufficient to increase participation. Rather,
organisations need to direct strategic marketing efforts to aide sport participation
outcomes of events (Misener et al., 2015).

Despite the ongoing debate, Lenskyj (2020) noted that the Olympic role model
rhetoric has long been targeted at youth and that “among the intangible and
unquantifiable aspects of the Olympic legacy – civic pride, community engagement,
and group cohesion – is the claim that homegrown “role models” will inspire children
and youth to follow their example and play more sport” (p. 127). Importantly, those
who have role models during childhood are more likely to play sport at higher levels,
suggesting that these role models could have an impact on consumers engagement
in sport (Giuliano et al., 2007). Further, the experience of attending mega-sport
events can inspire increased participation in sport or physical activity, with one of the
key influential factors being the athletes (Ramchandani & Coleman, 2012). There is
also an expectation that increased media presence and attention during mega-
events will lead to sport participation legacies (Misener et al., 2015).

However, with the inability to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020 due
to bans on public gatherings and the resulting postponement of the event, NOCs and
other sport organisations have had to look at other options to showcase athlete role
models, their achievements, and maintain interest in their sports. One of those
options has been the creation of inspiring social media campaigns. Given that young
adults have also been affected by the pandemic (e.g. school closures and
cancellation of community sport events and leagues), an opportunity for sport

6|Page
organisations to inspire young adults to increase their physical activity by providing
encouraging social media content exists. Campaigns have thus far appeared to
focus on home workouts and staying active, while also showcasing how some
athletes are engaging in training exercises relevant to their sport. However, as
consumers have not had the opportunity to sign up for sports they may have been
exposed to in these campaigns due to the lockdown, sport organisations face the
challenge of maintaining interest and engagement when local sport activities
recommence. Due to the absence of the Olympic Games in 2020 and the traditional
media coverage that is relied on to showcase the event and sports, social media
could be used to continue engagement and the promotion of sports (Ramon, 2018).

7|Page
Role of social media
Social media use is one of the most popular online activities, with approximately 2.95
billion people using the various platforms in 2019 and an average consumption time
of 136 min per day (Statista, 2019). These numbers have dramatically increased
during COVID-19 across many countries with people utilising social media platforms
to connect with each other and keep themselves informed (Hutchinson, 2020).

With a large proportion of people using these platforms, social media have enabled
closer fan-athlete interaction than ever before (Kassing & Sanderson, 2010). The
proliferation of social media means consumers and fans can engage with their
favourite athletes (or their role models) and receive an insight to their personal and
professional lives. Leng and Phua (2020) suggested that athlete role models can
leverage the power of social media to spread positive messaging and encourage
appropriate behaviours. Further, sport organisations have accepted social media
platforms and have recognised the need to share quality and relevant content to
engage and develop connections with fans (Eagleman, 2013; Thompson et
al., 2014).

Behnoosh et al. (2017) noted that engaging in promotional techniques, like celebrity
endorsement, can be used to attract attention and increase the impact of social
campaigns, such as those focused on increasing physical activity and sport
participation. Importantly, attitude, intention and perception of physical activity
campaigns are more positively influenced when endorsed by an athlete (Behnoosh
et al., 2017). This may be extended into the social media realm, as an athlete’s
influence on the platforms has been suggested to impact participation rates in sport.

8|Page
Chmait et al. (2020) noted that consumers can discover sports through social media,
and in particular, certain athletes with an influence on the platforms. Therefore,
young individuals may be incentivised to commence playing the sports they are
exposed to on social media (Chmait et al., 2020).

Athletes have adopted social media platforms for a variety of reasons which has
resulted in a large amount of attention from researchers. Studies have found that
athletes use social media for self-promotion, communicating with friends, family, and
fans, and to manage their own image (Geurin, 2017; Hayes et al., 2019; Scott et
al., 2017). Yet, little is known about whether athletes are promoting health messages
related to physical activity in online spaces, and if so, what these messages contain.
A more traditional approach consists of athletes engaging with school students
through school visits to promote the benefits of physical activity, which was impacted
during the lockdown with the closure of schools and social distancing requirements.
To address this issue, some organisations have turned to digital spaces. For
example, the Victorian Institute of Sport in Australia partnered with School Sport
Victoria to continue the school speaker program, “Be Fit. Be Well”, in an online
environment (Victoria Institute of Sport, 2020). The program consisted of Olympic
hopefuls engaging with students to promote the benefits of being active on their
mental well-being and how this can assist in other aspects of their life. The
messaging appears to be consistent with Government initiatives and other leading
bodies, such as the United Nations, regarding the benefits of physical activity for
mental well-being and overall health (United Nations, 2020).

9|Page
Social media also plays a role in providing a platform for athletes who have typically
been overlooked by traditional media coverage, such as female and para-athletes,
which could result in a wider range of role models available to the community.
Recently, growth in participation among women and girls has been linked to the
increased visibility and success of elite female athletes who are now acting as role
models to children (Hinds, 2020). Social media has afforded female and para-
athletes opportunities to increase their coverage that has not been typically afforded
to them by traditional media outlets (Geurin, 2017; Geurin-Eagleman & Burch, 2016;
Pate et al., 2014). The introduction of social media has enabled female athletes and
para-athletes to take control of their own narratives, choose how they are presented,
provide insights, and promote their sporting journeys. With people spending more
time using social media during the COVID-19 pandemic, the availability of these role
models having an online presence may result in the attraction of different groups to
sports and physical activity.

When selecting athletes for physical activity campaigns sport organisations need to
acknowledge that the more a role model and a consumer are similar, the more likely
that the athlete’s behaviour is relevant which could lead to imitation. If a role model is
not both relevant and their behaviour reasonable, demotivating effects may occur
(Meier, 2015). For example, sport organisations may utilise female athletes if they
are attempting to engage young women or girls in physical activity or involvement in
their sport. However, sport organisations need to be cautious of the potential

10 | P a g e
negative impacts of promoting athletes in online spaces. Although social media allow
organisations to promote messages to a wide audience, the platforms can result in
adverse effects such as cyber bullying and harassment (Sanderson & Truax, 2014)
which could overshadow the positive messages originally desired. This means that
organisations will need to be cautious of the toll on the athletes they are promoting
by leveraging them in online spaces and provide support should bullying or
harassment occur. Sport organisations may also need to consider how they respond
to athlete transgressions if they are involved in physical activity promotional
campaigns. For example, a doping violation could contradict the messaging
delivered through physical activity campaigns and alter public opinion in a negative
way (Solberg et al., 2010).

These issues aside, sport organisations appeared to have recognised an opportunity

to capitalise on a range of athlete role models and present powerful and inspirational
images and videos in an attempt to help people become more physically active
during the COVID-19 lockdown and the absence of live and community sport. The
challenge for sport organisations moving forward is identifying how to convert those
engaging with these social media campaigns to definitive increases in participation of
such activities long-term.

11 | P a g e
Summary
It is evident that the COVID-19 pandemic has forced sport organisations to adapt
and find innovative ways to promote their sport and maintain interest among
consumers. Social media appears to be a key avenue that can help disseminate
powerful messages to a larger audience and attempt to inspire people to participate
in physical activity and potentially sport in the future. As social media appears to be
strongly engrained in the sport industry, opportunities for sport organisations and
athletes to continue this type of engagement will exist when the pandemic finally
ends.

It will be interesting to see whether campaigns such as #LikeAnOlympian and those

similar have an impact on physical activity or sport participation rates among
communities during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Naturally, the measurable
impact of social media campaigns aimed at inspiring physical activity will take some
time, and if there are any increases whether this is sustained over time or if people
lose interest once their lives return to some form of normality. It will also be
challenging for sport organisations to develop measurable goals and evaluate
whether these are met for these campaigns. Annual participation surveys carried out
by sport governing bodies (e.g. the Active Lives survey in England and the AusPlay
survey in Australia) could aide in the evaluation of these campaigns if the
appropriate data is collected to reflect the use of social media.

Individual sport organisations may adopt similar approaches to those used in other
mass media physical activity promotions to evaluate the success of their campaigns.
For instance, after reviewing the evaluation strategies of mass media campaigns
aimed at physical activity, Leavy et al. (2011) recommended several components for
optimal evaluation design. These components consisted of formative research to
inform theory and/or conceptual frameworks, campaign content, and evaluation
design choice (e.g. use of a cohort study design with multiple collection points, use
of valid measures, and dedicated sufficient evaluation resources).

However, if strategic social media content incorporating athletes could facilitate

increased interest in physical activity and potentially sport beyond the pandemic, the
implications for the sport and event industries could be influential. For instance, if

12 | P a g e
athletes are able to engage with those not typically interested in physical activity or
sport by using digital spaces during the postponement of mega-events, governing
bodies may seek to utilise these strategies during non-Olympic years when
traditional media coverage is often non-existent or very minimal. Furthermore, if
social media proves to be an effective avenue for inspiring or encouraging increases
in sport and physical activity among the population, mega-event host cities or
potential hosts may seek to incorporate more focus on developing strategic social
media campaigns in their legacy planning and community engagement when mega-
events are able to recommence.

As we have noticed in the past months, the limited ability to engage in different sport
activities due to the social distancing needed to slow the spread of COVID-19 has
posed some challenges for many sports organisations. Nevertheless, this could
present an interesting area of future enquiry by researchers due to the potential
positive implications of social media on physical activity among the community
during the COVID-19 pandemic.

13 | P a g e