Sports organizations and athletes are being urged to prioritize social media as their primary fan engagement tool, according to a new Meta report, “Beyond the Highlights”, produced in collaboration with the National Research Group.
The findings underline a structural shift: fans are no longer turning to social media just for highlights — they are using it as the first, and most consistent, touchpoint before, during, and after live sporting events.
Meta’s Numbers: Consistency Across the Game Day
Meta claims its platforms (Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, Facebook, and Threads) dominate engagement at every stage of the fan journey:
- Before events: 96% of fans use Meta platforms
- During events: 96%
- After events: 96%
By contrast, traditional media shows sharp spikes and drop-offs. TV use jumps from 28% pre-game to 68% in-game, but falls back to 32% post-game. TikTok follows a different trajectory, starting at 22% pre-game, holding 24% in-game, and climbing to 43% post-game as fans consume highlights and behind-the-scenes content.
“Home of Sports Fandom”
According to the study, 60% of fans view Meta platforms as the most trusted destination for sports content, ahead of:
- YouTube: 40%
- Traditional TV: 29%
- Sports streaming platforms: 21%
This dominance is tied to Meta’s multi-format ecosystem:
- WhatsApp & Messenger → private conversations among friends and family
- Instagram, Facebook & Threads → public engagement through short-form video, stories, and community interaction
As one US fan put it: “I can follow specific athletes and gain insight into their daily lives.” A Brazilian fan echoed this sentiment, highlighting the value of “real-time routines through stories.”
Rising Competition
Despite Meta’s leadership, competition in digital sports engagement is intensifying:
- YouTube is betting on longer-form shows and live rights, partnering with creators such as Mark Goldbridge (That’s Football) and Gary Neville (The Overlap), which recently secured Bundesliga content.
- TikTok continues to dominate short-form, highlighted by its partnership with the British & Irish Lions, producing behind-the-scenes content during the Australia tour.
- X (formerly Twitter) is investing in premium sports storytelling, such as Burnley FC’s “Keeping The Faith”, a 20-part behind-the-scenes docuseries produced under the X Originals banner.
Engagement Growth
The report also revealed that fans are engaging more with sports content across nearly all platforms compared to a year ago:
- Meta platforms: +55%
- YouTube: +52%
- TikTok: +47%
- Sports streaming platforms: +42%
- Traditional TV: +36%
- X: +33%
The consistent theme is clear: digital platforms — and especially social-first ones — are rapidly becoming the primary arena of sports consumption and fandom building.
365247 Insight
The report underscores a wider truth: social media is now the front door of sport.
- For sports organizations: Treat Meta, YouTube, and TikTok as primary broadcasters of culture, not secondary highlights channels.
- For athletes: Fan connection increasingly depends on authentic storytelling — day-in-the-life content, routines, and personal insights resonate more than match recaps.
- For brands: Sponsorship ROI lies in multi-platform integration. Investing only in live rights ignores the post-game and day-to-day conversations where fandom actually grows.
365247 POV
Meta’s report makes one thing clear: the battle for fan attention isn’t being fought in stadiums or even on television. It’s happening in feeds, chats, and stories — 24/7, across multiple platforms.
The winners in this next phase of sports media will be those who stop treating social platforms as add-ons and start designing end-to-end digital ecosystems where fans live.
