Twitter allows readers to share news and stories while also proving that MLB still relates to the younger generations.
We’ve seen the Twitter world explode since it’s inception in 2006. The social media platform is one of the most popular ways to share all kinds of media in one easy location.But Twitter has done something far more important than share stories and create conversations about current events. It has helped humanize MLB athletes and make the sport of baseball great again.
Think about it. MLB has been constantly working to create more of a spectacle to attract younger generations of fans. Those younger fans are often drawn more towards football and lacrosse, sports that provide non-stop action and excitement.
Baseball is not like that, whatsoever.
I can preach all day about how valuable the sport of baseball is to the nation, but I will not. Baseball is a sport that involves patience, a word which a lot of younger fans do not know the meaning of. With instant gratification serving as top priority for the younger generation, baseball falls off the list.
That is, until Twitter comes into play.
Twitter has served as a form of instant gratification for those who might not sit and watch a whole baseball game. They are updated in real-time when an exciting event happens, prompting some further interest in the game.
Perhaps, more importantly, Twitter has provided the chance for professional players to interact with their fans. It has allowed fans and normal folk to get a peek into the lives of these superstars.
At the heart of it all, Twitter has given these athletes a chance to show that they’re human too, no matter how many millions of dollars they make playing the sport they love.
This humanizing of the sport has given fans an opportunity to see a professional athlete as both a superstar and a down-to-earth person who may share similar interests with their fans outside of the sport. They share their thoughts, hopes and dreams directly with their fans and let them into their surprisingly normal lives.
Take Noah Syndergaard for example.
The ace of the New York Mets has made it a habit to post on social media often. On the mound, he is as serious as they come. On Twitter, not so much. Oftentimes, we think of Thor as the consistently stoic pitcher on the mound, even thought that is not the case off the field.
On Twitter, Thor builds his following by showcasing his personality, one that might not surface during a start. Sure, he may be a CY Young Award candidate, but deep-down he’s also a sarcastic, hilarious and Mr. Met-hating human being.
All eyes have been recently on Clint Frazier’s Twitter as well. The New York Yankees prospect posts videos of his impressive off season workouts, as well as inspirational musings about his journey to the Major Leagues.
Frazier is a highly-touted athlete. However, he’s also 22-year-old chasing down his dreams. He’s just like us.
Future generations of fans get to see that their idols can still be idols … but they’re human too. And those humans doing superhuman things on the field makes it more relatable.
We get a taste of their lives outside of the sport and our interest in these players make watching baseball more entertaining. Fans now have the opportunity to relate to world-famous athletes, instead of only seeing them on the field.
Sure, baseball will never have the action of other sports. However, America’s pastime is making strides to attract the younger audience.
Who knew that all it would take was a social media platform and some real personalities?