Assessment of the Use of Social Media for Sports Communication in South-East States of Nigeria

Abstract

In many parts of the world, the use of social media for sports communication is  increasing speedily. Individuals and organizations are expending huge time and  resources on social media sites to keep track of events or developments in the sporting world. It is on this backdrop that this paper assesses the use of social media for sports communication in Nigeria. The discourse centred on the extent social  media users in South-East Nigeria are applying the social media to create and consume sports news and information, and the  potential influence the application is having on Nigeria's sports industry. The study used the descriptive survey method to collect data  from six hundred (600) respondents drawn from the five South-East states of Nigeria. The findings show that although the use of social  media is growing across the states, the application is still below expectation. However, the study observes that social media are exerting  tremendous influence on the sports industry despite the numerous factors that stifle their application. The paper recommends that social  media users in Nigeria particularly in the South-East should be enlightened on the possibilities or opportunities offered by social  media in the area of sports.