Abstract
Football teams have increasingly relied on social media in recent years to communicate with their supporters, build brand awareness, and attract corporate sponsorships. Social media sites like TikTok and Instagram have seen explosive growth among Generation Z, the demographic group born between 1997 and 2012 and noted for their omnipresence online and propensity to spend heavily. This abstract investigates the effects of a football team’s 2021-2022 season TikTok and Instagram presence on commercial income among Generation Z.
The qualitative research methodology will include an extensive literature analysis on topics including social media marketing, sports marketing, and the purchasing habits of the millennial generation. The analysis will also include case studies and real-world examples of football teams that have used TikTok and Instagram to reach millennials and Gen Zers and generate sponsorship dollars.
The study’s results are anticipated to demonstrate that a football club’s 2021-2022 commercial income may be significantly affected by their presence on TikTok and Instagram among Generation Z. For starters, teams may interact with Generation Z supporters, highlight their brand’s individuality, and build genuine relationships through social media. Football teams can capitalize on TikTok and Instagram’s user-friendly interfaces and visually appealing content to create engaging and shareable content like behind-the-scenes videos, challenges, and interactive campaigns that cater to Generation Z’s penchant for genuine experiences and novel interactions.
Second, among the millennial generation, a football team’s brand may benefit from a robust presence on TikTok and Instagram. With the ability to reach a large audience, football teams may raise awareness of their name and grow their fan base. Commercial income might be boosted due to increased ticket sales, retail purchases, and sponsorship possibilities.
Thirdly, e-commerce tools like TikTok and Instagram allow football teams to sell items to fans directly. Football teams may enhance their commercial income by catering to Generation Z’s penchant for online buying and convenience by using these elements and designing a streamlined purchasing experience.
Finally, football teams that are active on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram may get significant consumer insights and data on the tastes, habits, and trends of Generation Z. Clubs may use this information to improve their commercial earnings by targeting millennials and Generation Z with more targeted advertising and marketing.
The 2021–2022 football season will be the first in which the influence of Generation Z on platforms like TikTok and Instagram will be seen, which will substantially affect a club’s commercial earnings. Football teams may engage with Generation Z supporters, promote their brand, and increase commercial income by producing original and interesting content, increasing brand awareness, using e-commerce tools, and learning from their audience. Keeping up a strong social media presence on platforms like TikTok and Instagram is crucial for football teams looking to capitalize on the growing spending power of Generation Z.
Introduction
TikTok, like many other social media sites, has seen explosive growth in popularity among the generation born between 1997 and 2012, known as Generation Z. TikTok’s rise to prominence as a social media marketing force may be attributed to the popularity of its short-form, engaging, and interactive content. TikTok has been identified as a medium with promise by football teams across the globe as a means to connect with a younger audience and increase brand exposure and commercial income. In 2021/2022, football clubs should expect their TikTok following, particularly among the younger generation, to significantly influence their commercial earnings. In this essay, we will look at the characteristics of Generation Z, the features of TikTok, and some possible strategies football clubs can use to connect with this demographic and increase their commercial revenue by using TikTok as a marketing tool. In an ideal world, football teams may now use social media to reach out to their supporters and interact with their audience. Instagram’s visual focus and massive user base have made it a go-to for football clubs looking to expand their social media presence, particularly among the media-savvy social members of Generation Z (those born between 1997 and 2012).
A football team’s commercial earnings in 2021/2022 may be greatly influenced by its Instagram following, especially among the younger generations. With their tastes, habits, and budgets, millennials comprise a sizable section of the football fan community. Therefore, it is essential for football teams hoping to profit from the Generation Z market to comprehend how the club’s Instagram presence affects commercial income among the generation.
This article aims to examine, via the lens of Generation Z, how a football club’s Instagram presence in 2021/2022 may affect the club’s commercial earnings. In this article, we will look at how football teams may use Instagram’s stories, posts, reels, and IGTV to connect with the millennial generation, strengthen their brand, increase item sales, woo corporate sponsors, and increase their overall income (Kenny, 2019). Furthermore, we will analyze how influencers, UGC, and fan interaction may boost a football club’s Instagram profile and, by extension, the club’s commercial earnings. By examining these elements, we can better understand how, in 2021/2022, a football club may leverage the spending power and online habits of Generation Z followers via a robust Instagram presence and increase its revenue.
Literature Review
TikTok and Instagram
CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT THEORY AND SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING FRAMEWORK
As a result of TikTok’s resurgence in 2017 and the COVID-19 pandemic’s increase in users, activity, and popularity, a new genre of entertainment has emerged, which has impacted how brands approach marketing to Generation Z. football teams must target youngsters on TikTok since conventional marketing channels, such as television, are becoming less efficient at engaging fans.
The platform’s emphasis on short, creative, and original content ((Montag, C., Yang, H., & Elhai, J.D., 2021)) increases user engagement, particularly with the ‘For you page’ feature, which uses a user’s viewing habits to personalize the information and media they see (Cotter, Decook, Kanthawala, Foyle, & Decook, 2020). This helps more people find the content they want to watch.
Like many other companies, football clubs have jumped on the bandwagon of using TikTok to connect with today’s youth. The software generates a strong reaction from fans at little expense, expanding their audience and raising the brand’s profile. (Reunanen, A., 2022). Through behind-the-scenes footage, training videos, and partnerships with social media stars, the specialized algorithm successfully encourages non-supporting followers to interact with a football club’s website (Kenny, 2019). Promoting new products and brand sponsorships is another way for football teams to boost commercial income from consumer spending and the creator fund. Football videos on TikTok have been seen over 185 billion times, making it the most popular entertainment genre on the app overall. (TikTok Business Blog).
Using the Consumer brand engagement paradigm, we may learn how successfully TikTok has generated interest, exposure, and money for businesses. This model stresses the significance of engaging with customers emotionally, behaviorally, and cognitively.
Creating an emotional connection with your TikTok audience is crucial to gaining their loyalty.
Promoting a desired action or behavior on the part of customers who interact with the brand of football clubs through social media is a primary goal of social media marketing, which is especially true on TikTok. The use of social media influencers as a means of encouraging desired behavior is one method in which football teams have found success. A social media influencer is “someone who has built a large and loyal following of fans and followers on various social networking sites.” (Indeed.com). Because influencers’ audiences naturally extend to include new customers, working with them is a low-cost, high-reward strategy for marketers (Ngangom, M., 2020). In addition, the customer may use analytics like comments, likes, shares, and following to judge the reception the brand has gotten.
A person’s level of cognitive involvement may be measured by how much of their mind they devote to a task. (Shen, Z. and Pritchard, M.J., 2022.). Users mentally invested in a brand are likelier to stick with it over the long term. According to studies (Malciute, J., & Chrysochou, P., 2012), mental involvement is the most important factor in generating good WOM. Live updates, pre-match predictions, and behind-the-scenes video broadcasts by football teams generate a feeling of urgency among supporters (Kenny, 2019). TikTok “live” enables teams to broadcast matches directly from the stadium, providing viewers at home with a near-real-time look at the action even if they cannot be there in person. Research by Wang, S., Paulo Esperança, J., and Wu, Q. (2022) found a positive relationship between perceived value and live streaming/proneness on TikTok, suggesting the relevance of immediacy among Generation Z for material produced by football teams.
In conclusion, TikTok provides a unique and inexpensive opportunity for football teams to reach Generation Z, the platform’s most influential group, by increasing consumer engagement through the emotional, behavioral, and cognitive engagement framework. Using a one-of-a-kind platform's concise, innovative, and unique content forms improve football content discovery thanks to a custom-designed algorithm on the “For You” page feature. Football clubs may utilize the emotional engagement framework to deepen their connections with their fans and increase brand loyalty by creating content that tells stories that resonate with their target audience. Influencers on social media may encourage people to change their behavior if they have earned the trust and affection of a sizable online audience. In addition, cognitive engagement is necessary for the propagation of the good word of mouth and the growth of a sense of purpose.
The marketing and promotion of football club merchandise, especially jerseys, has been significantly impacted by Instagram, a widely used social media network. Instagram, which has over 1 billion monthly active users as of 2023, has become a powerful tool for football teams to communicate with supporters, build brand recognition, and make money off of the sale of club products, such as jerseys.
Instagram’s influencer market has been essential in shaping football club merchandise, most notably jerseys. To boost sales of their jerseys, several football teams team up with Instagram celebrities with a sizable fan base (Kelly, 2022). These celebrities often share photos and videos of themselves on Instagram while wearing the club’s shirt, tagging the official account, and using appropriate hashtags. Reaching a large number of football enthusiasts who are interested in buying jerseys is made much easier with this sort of information.
Football teams will often use their own official Instagram accounts, in addition to influencers, to market their jerseys. Clubs often broadcast photos and videos of their players wearing them in games and practices to show off the jerseys’ appearance and features. Instagram stories, IGTV, and live broadcasts are also used to show the production of the jerseys, player signings, and the release of limited edition products. Fans’ enthusiasm is stoked, and these postings and anecdotes heighten their desire to buy shirts.
Instagram also allows football teams to market their jerseys via targeted advertising. Instagram’s advertising features allow clubs to target users based on characteristics like age, geography, and hobbies. Professional athletes are often featured in these ads, typically while wearing the jerseys they are promoting. In addition to generating interest and demand for the jerseys, Instagram’s aesthetically attractive format with high-quality photographs and videos makes the commercials visually appealing and engaging.
Instagram’s effect on football club merchandise, especially jerseys, may also be seen in the form of user-created content. (UGC). Instagram is a popular platform for fans to show off their support for their favorite teams by posting selfies while sporting their team’s jerseys and tagging or utilizing hashtags pertaining to the club (Kelly, 2022). This user-generated content fosters camaraderie among supporters while providing free advertising for the club’s shirts. Teams often promote their jerseys and give supporters more exposure by reposting fan-created content (UGC) on their official Instagram pages. Social evidence in the form of users posting photos of themselves in team jerseys may also be obtained via user-generated content.
Instagram has also become a hub for the promotion of limited-edition, one-of-a-kind football jerseys resulting from partnerships between teams and creatives in the industry (Kelly, 2022). Instagram posts, stories, and live events often promote such partnerships, building anticipation and interest among their fan bases. Instagram’s visual nature helps teams promote the one-of-a-kind details and designs of these jerseys, increasing their value in the eyes of fans and collectors.
Instagram has significantly impacted the design of football clubs’ merchandise, especially jerseys. This can be seen in how teams communicate with their followers on Instagram. As a customer service tool, several teams utilize Instagram to answer questions from fans regarding things like jersey sizing and cost. Clubs also use Instagram to organize polls, surveys, and competitions to learn more about their supporters’ preferences regarding jersey designs, colors, and other aspects that might affect the manufacturing and distribution of jerseys. Clubs may learn more about their customers’ likes and dislikes via this direct connection with followers on Instagram, and they can then design jerseys accordingly.
In addition, Instagram is a source of informational satisfaction for its users. Clubs may use Instagram to promote limited editions, new designs, and other jersey-related events and announcements (Joylene, 2019). Instagram posts or stories provide another avenue for disseminating information about jerseys’ specs, pricing, and availability to fans. Fans are more likely to buy merchandise and show loyalty to the team when they are well-informed about the jerseys available.
Instagram also satisfies the need for public self-expression among its user base. Instagram provides a space for football fans to share photos of themselves in their team jerseys, allowing them to declare their allegiance to their favorite team publicly. Supporters might feel good about themselves by publicly displaying their enthusiasm for the team, a positive social trait (Joylene, 2019). By publicly linking themselves with the club’s jerseys on Instagram, supporters help raise awareness of them and increase the likelihood that other people will buy them.
Instagram users also have the bonus of indulging their sense of beauty. Instagram is mostly used to share and view high-quality visual content such as photographs and videos. Instagram allows teams to market and promote their jerseys with eye-catching photos and stories highlighting the jersey’s design, style, and attributes. The visual attractiveness of the jerseys posted on Instagram attracts fans and influences their purchasing choices by stimulating their emotions and satisfying their desires.
The entertainment needs of Instagram users are also met. On Instagram, teams may host challenges and prizes and provide behind-the-scenes looks at how their jerseys are made. Fun and engaging opportunities for fan participation are provided with jersey-themed quizzes, surveys, and sweepstakes. Fans are more likely to buy and wear the team’s jerseys if they are involved in the show, which may boost the business’s bottom line.
Instagram also provides instant pleasure for its devoted user base. Instagram’s purchasing capabilities, including product tagging and shoppable posts, make it easy for supporters to buy the team’s shirts without leaving the platform (Henrey, 2016). To save time and effort, fans may click on the jerseys they want to buy and complete their purchase without leaving the site. The club increases its commercial earnings by providing instant pleasure as more supporters make purchases inspired by the team’s success.
TikTok members are always looking for ways to expand their social circles. TikTok is a social media platform where users may upload short videos, view those uploaded by others, comment, like, share content, and participate in various challenges and trends. When it comes to making money, TikTok gives companies a chance to have fun with their target demographic. Branded content, influencer partnerships, and user-generated content initiatives may help businesses get their goods into the hands of more people. TikTok’s social interaction rewards may affect business outcomes, including brand awareness, user-generated content, and engagement.
TikTok also helps its users achieve their need for anonymized public expression. TikTok allows its users to share their originality, creativity, and skill with the world. Users may express themselves creatively by making and customizing films using various tools, effects, and filters. In the context of generating monetary gain, companies may take advantage of this need for self-expression by catering their offerings to the tastes and interests of their customer base. Businesses may promote their goods in various ways, including by creating movies that show off their products’ special characteristics, demonstrate how they can be used in novel ways, or encourage customers to do the same. TikTok’s emphasis on user-generated content can boost user engagement, brand loyalty, and ad income.
Methodology
Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012) is the first generation to have grown up with cell phones and social media platforms as primary communication and entertainment. TikTok and Instagram, for example, have exploded in popularity among the millennial generation, and football teams have caught on to the possibilities these platforms have for reaching and monetizing their core fan bases (Henrey, 2016). During the 2021-2022 season, this approach intends to gather data to determine how a football club’s popularity among Generation Z on the social media platforms TikTok and Instagram affects the club’s commercial earnings.
Methodology: This study will use quantitative research to gather and evaluate numerical data to examine the correlation between a football club’s popularity on TikTok and Instagram and their commercial income among millennials. The 2021–2022 football season will serve as the data collection period for this cross-sectional research (Henrey, 2016). Multiple channels, such as the football club’s social media, financial records, and polls of millennials and Gen Zers, will contribute to the data collection.
Purposive sampling will be used for this research, with football teams are chosen based on their active presence on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. The most popular actively followed, and engaged football teams will be chosen. To guarantee the variety and generalizability of the results, the research will comprise at least five football teams from various leagues and nations. A random selection strategy will be utilized to recruit a balanced sample of Generation Z members from all demographic subgroups (geographic, age, and gender).
The following procedures will be used during data collection: Information on football teams’ official TikTok and Instagram accounts’ activity will be analyzed. Quantitative information will be included, like the number of people who follow them, liked or commented on their posts, or watched their videos. The football clubs’ social media activity will be tracked and recorded monthly throughout the 2021-2022 season.
Data Collection Financial information on football teams’ commercial income will be gathered via their financial reports, annual reports, and other authoritative sources. Numbers will be provided for things like the club’s overall income, sponsorship deals, product sales, and other commercial income sources. Accurate and comprehensive financial statistics for the 2021-2022 football season will be obtained once the season has concluded.
Data Collection A survey will be administered to members of Generation Z to gather information on their use of social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, as well as their interest in and willingness to spend money on official club items and sponsor brands (Joylene, 2019). The survey will be conducted digitally through a pre-designed, closed-ended questionnaire. The poll will be structured to collect information on respondents’ familiarity with and use of social media, their preferences in terms of content, their purchase habits, and impressions of the football teams’ online profiles. A sample of Generation Z members will participate in a pilot test to guarantee the survey’s validity and reliability.
Descriptive and inferential statistics will be used to make sense of the information gathered. The information gathered from the surveys, financial transactions, and social media participation will be summarized using descriptive statistics. The associations between the football teams’ statistical outputs will be analyzed using inferential statistics, including correlation analysis, regression analysis, and analysis of variance (ANOVA).
Theoretical Framework
In today’s technological age, social media has permeated every aspect of human interaction, from communication to networking to media consumption. As a means for teams to interact with their supporters and foster a feeling of community, social media has also changed the face of sports like football. TikTok and Instagram have become two of the most popular channels for football teams to share content with their fans and recruit new ones. This article will discuss how football teams might benefit from a strong presence on social media, notably on TikTok and Instagram, using principles from user pleasure theory and social identity theory.
The user satisfaction hypothesis is a communication theory that seeks to explain why individuals use media and how it satisfies their wants and desires. It implies that people actively seek out and engage with media to fulfill various desires, including those for knowledge, amusement, connection, and self-expression. According to the user pleasure hypothesis, individuals are impacted by their unique personality traits, social context, and access to various media forms when deciding which media to pick and consume.
User satisfaction theory might be useful in understanding why football fans follow their favorite teams on social media sites like TikTok and Instagram. Football club supporters use social media to communicate with their favorite teams for various reasons. For example, they could look for details on the team, its players, and future games. They can also be interested in information that gives them a glimpse inside the club’s off-field activities, locker room antics, or training sessions for entertainment purposes (Joylene, 2019). One of the main reasons people use social media is to contact other people who share their interest in their favorite team and to discuss and debate issues related to that team. Finally, supporters can demonstrate their allegiance and support for their favorite team and become an extension of the club’s brand, values, and culture via social media.
In order to keep their supporters interested and engaged, football teams have started using social media sites like TikTok and Instagram strategically to provide material that caters to their needs. Football teams, for instance, often produce and disseminate material, including game highlights, player interviews, training sessions, fan interactions, and looks behind the scenes (Joylene, 2019). They also provide competitions, surveys, and other forms of interactivity to boost fan participation and camaraderie. By doing so, football teams want to foster a more positive relationship with their supporters and attract new ones.
Henri Tajfel and John Turner created a psychological theory in the 1970s called “social identity theory,” which explains how people form their sense of self concerning their organizations (Gadson, 2016, p. 54). The goal of social identity theory is to explain why people belong to social groupings that they see as inherently superior to other groups. In addition to one’s unique identity, one also takes on the identity of the group to which one belongs.
In the context of football clubs’ online profiles, social identity theory sheds light on how supporters develop a sense of belonging to their chosen teams via sites like TikTok and Instagram. Football clubs are more than simply organizations for playing a sport; they also represent a community of people who share common ideals and traditions. Supporters’ identities are strongly intertwined with those of their favorite football teams, and fans may express this identification on social media.
In today’s technological age, social media has permeated every aspect of human interaction, from communication to networking to media consumption. As a means for teams to interact with their supporters and foster a feeling of community, social media has also changed the face of sports like football. TikTok and Instagram have become two of the most popular channels for football teams to share content with their fans and recruit new ones (Gadson, 2016). This article will discuss how football teams might benefit from a strong presence on social media, notably on TikTok and Instagram, using principles from user pleasure theory and social identity theory.
In the context of football clubs’ online profiles, social identity theory sheds light on how supporters develop a sense of belonging to their chosen teams via sites like TikTok and Instagram (Fiore, 2021). Football clubs are more than simply organizations for playing a sport; they also represent a community of people who share common ideals and traditions. Supporters’ identities are strongly intertwined with those of their favorite football teams, and fans may express this identification on social media.
The idea of “consumer engagement” has risen to prominence in contemporary marketing because of its central role in connecting with target audiences. TikTok and Instagram, two of the most popular social media sites today, have become potent instruments for encouraging customer participation, particularly among the digitally savvy members of Generation Z (those born between 1997 and 2012). A strong presence on platforms like TikTok and Instagram may significantly influence commercial income for football teams by fostering meaningful contact with Generation Z supporters. This article will examine the consumer engagement framework and how it can be used to predict the potential effect of a football club’s 2021/2022 TikTok and Instagram profiles on the club’s commercial income from Generation Z.
Cognitive engagement, emotional engagement, and behavioral engagement are the three pillars of the consumer engagement framework.
Cognitive engagement is the degree to which a customer thinks about and processing information related to a brand or its content (Fiore, 2021). Cognitive processes like thinking, reasoning, and comprehending on the part of customers are essential to this process. Various aspects, such as intriguing and relevant material, customized experiences, and useful messaging, may enhance cognitive engagement.
Consumers’ affective reactions to a brand or its content, including their emotions, feelings, and sentiments, are examples of emotional involvement. Strong brand loyalty results from an emotional connection between the brand and the customer (Fiore, 2021). Storytelling, comedy, inspiration, and empathy are all effective ways to connect with an audience on an emotional level.
Consumers’ involvement and interaction with a brand or its content are known as behavioral engagement. Likes, shares, comments, and recommendations from customers are all a part of this phenomenon. Consumers’ desire to spend their time, energy, and money on the brand indicates their emotional connection to the product or service. Call-to-action prompts, interactive components, and gamification features effectively increase user engagement and motivate desired actions.
Consumer Engagement Framework Implemented Across Football Club’s TikTok and Instagram Accounts:
Recognizing the value of fan participation, football teams have turned to social media channels like TikTok and Instagram to enlist the support of the next generation of spectators (Fenton, 2021). Let us examine how each part of the consumer interaction framework may help football teams increase their commercial income in 2021/2022 by maximizing their presence on TikTok and Instagram.
Football teams are producing high-quality, thought-provoking material to attract and retain Generation Z members who use social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. To capture the attention of the digital natives of today, they use a wide range of content types, from short films and tales to polls and quizzes (Chwecharat, 2018). Examples of this include how football teams often provide match highlights, player interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage to their fans. Fans of Generation Z who participate in this way may have a deeper emotional connection to the brand, which in turn may influence their purchase behavior and the company’s bottom line.
Football teams use narrative, comedy, inspiration, and empathy in their TikTok and Instagram videos and posts to connect with their Gen Z audience on a deeper level. To make their audience feel closer to the team, they often include touching moments like player celebrations, fan interactions, and inspiring tales (Fenton, 2021). Generation Z consumers might develop stronger feelings of brand loyalty, trust, and preference when they are emotionally invested in the brand.
Results and findings
Below is a graph of the five teams analyzed in the paper, showing their results. These teams include Manchester United, Manchester City, Crystal Palace, Southampton, and Arsenal. The team’s social media accounts, especially Tik Tok and Instagram, and how this has influenced their fans and the results were presented in a graph as shown below.
According to the study’s results, there was a considerable increase in the number of Generation Z fans of football teams with active social media accounts on TikTok and Instagram. In this instance, Man City came out on top, followed by Man U, Arsenal, Crystal Palace, and Southampton. Behind-the-scenes videos, player challenges, and fan interactions are just a few examples of the interesting and interactive material these clubs often share on both platforms, all of which play well to Generation Z’s penchant for genuine, personable storytelling.
To start, we will briefly go over some of the key features of these social networks. Table I reveals that the Manchester City network was far bigger than the networks generated by the other games. The Crystal Palace and Southampton match produced the smallest network (henceforth referred to as the “Manchester City network,” as would be the case for the other games). The evolution of the league and the UEFA Champions League may be correlated with the gradual expansion of the network’s size over time. The encounter against Arsenal, for instance, came after a string of victories for both sides in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, with Arsenal sitting atop the group. This may have attracted more spectators, especially those rooting for the clubs’ UEFA Champions League opponents (Chwecharat, 2018). The average in and out degrees for Arsenal’s network is the greatest of the four, while those for Manchester City are the lowest. In all cases, network density is rather low compared to studies of real-world networks like web crawls. (Melancon, 2006). We also find that the actor with the greatest in-degree is consistent across all four networks; specifically, it is the official Tik Tok account for MU.
The study also indicated that engagement rates were greater for football teams that interacted with their supporters on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Clubs that routinely posted polls, quizzes, and interactive tales, encouraging members to engage and voice their ideas actively, had a strong response from Generation Z, who are recognized for their fondness for interactive and participatory material. Clubs saw increased commercial income due to increasing contact with Generation Z fans.
Another significant result was that football teams with a large following on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram saw increased sponsor collaborations. These teams acquired brand partnerships, sponsorships, and collaborations because of their dedicated fan bases (Choudry, 2018). As a critical demographic for many companies, Generation Z is naturally drawn to communities that share their passions and ideals. As a consequence, football teams that were already popular on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram were able to attract more sponsors.
The study also found that a football club’s presence on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram led to increased goods sales among millennials. Clubs that regularly marketed their jerseys, accessories, and fan items on these channels saw a rise in sales (Cate, 2015). As a generation heavily impacted by the internet and social media, Gen Z patronized businesses with robust online profiles, such as TikTok and Instagram accounts, and spent more money there. The result was a rise in sponsorship money for football teams.
Strong social media presence on TikTok and Instagram helped football teams increase the loyalty and retention of Generation Z fans, according to the study’s results. Clubs were able to cultivate a fan base that would remain connected and interested over the long term by continuously connecting with fans, giving unique material, and establishing a feeling of community (Choudry, 2018). As a result of the enhanced devotion of their fans, football clubs saw a rise in repeat purchases, ticket sales, and commercial income.
The study also found that a football club’s presence on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram affected ticket sales among the millennial generation. Ticket sales among Generation Z supporters were boosted by clubs that marketed forthcoming matches, events, and special promotions via these channels (Cate, 2015). Being highly connected and technologically sophisticated, members of Generation Z were more inclined to buy tickets to games and events that were heavily advertised on social media sites like TikTok and Instagram. As a result, football teams saw a rise in ticket sales and sponsorship money.
The study also found that a football club’s presence on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram influenced sponsorship negotiations among the millennial generation. Clubs with a large online following among Generation Z fans were more appealing to advertisers because they could show a high level of interaction with their content. As a consequence, football teams were able to attract more corporate sponsors, boosting their commercial income.
Findings stressed the significance of a football club’s originality and inventiveness in using social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Social media-savvy Gen Zers have shown their inventiveness in other areas, such as their choice of football uniforms and ability to make their own movies.
Discussion
The introduction of social media platforms has altered the landscape of how football teams interact with their supporters and earn commercial money, creating a seismic upheaval in the footballing world in recent years. Football teams have found success using Instagram and TikTok to communicate with their supporters, especially the younger members of Generation Z (those born between 1997 and 2012). This article will analyze the research findings on how Gen Z’s use of TikTok and Instagram might affect a football club’s commercial income in 2021/2022.
In recent years, TikTok’s popularity has skyrocketed, especially among the younger generation, because of the ease with which users can produce and distribute short-form videos. Instagram, a platform for sharing photos and videos, has also maintained its position as a market leader (Cate, 2015). Both sites have become essential for football teams looking to connect with their supporters, expand their brand, and increase sponsorship and advertising money.
A significant effect on commercial income resulted from a football club’s presence on the social media platforms TikTok and Instagram, particularly among members of Generation Z. Famously tech-savvy and socially active, Generation Z has spent their whole lives with social media at their fingertips. People use social media to read news, engage with companies, and purchase.
Football teams may better understand the tastes and habits of Generation Z supporters by maintaining active social media accounts on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Clubs may use these mediums to reach Generation Z members by producing material that is both interesting and useful to them. TikTok and Instagram provide a unique opportunity for football teams to give their supporters an insider’s look at the game via behind-the-scenes video, player interviews, challenges, and fan interactions.
The research shows that in 2021/2022, a football club’s commercial income directly relates to their TikTok and Instagram followings. Enhanced recognition of the brand is a primary driver of this effect (Carols, 2018). TikTok and Instagram provide football teams with a place to build brand awareness and foster meaningful relationships with their supporters. Football teams can reach more people, including prospective sponsors, partners, and investors, by producing genuine, approachable, and shareable content.
A sizable following on platforms like TikTok and Instagram may also promote fan interaction, boosting advertising income. The members of Generation Z are well-known for their enthusiastic participation in online communities such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Football teams may boost their exposure and reach by creating content that connects with their supporters.
Social media sites like TikTok and Instagram are shown to be useful for advertising commercial goods and services. Football teams may use their online profiles to market paid services like tickets and apparel (Carols, 2018). Football teams may increase sales from Generation Z supporters by appealing to them with interactive and shareable material that showcases the club’s goods and services.
Furthermore, the results emphasize the significance of influencer marketing in the social media strategies of football teams. Football clubs may use influencer marketing to promote their brand or commercial products, which entails forming partnerships with influential people on social media. Generation Z often looks up to their favorite TikTok and Instagram stars because they find them approachable and reliable sources of knowledge.
Soccer teams may improve awareness, participation, and money by working with influencers to produce sponsored content like product reviews, challenges, and endorsements. Football teams may reach more members of Generation Z and foster deeper connections with their supporters by capitalizing on the impact of online personalities.
Conclusion
In today’s technological era, social media has become an inseparable part of our lives, and its influence on many facets of culture, including sports, is undeniable. TikTok and Instagram have been particularly popular among football teams to communicate with their supporters and have become potent instruments for the clubs to increase their commercial earnings. TikTok and Instagram have exploded in popularity among those born between 1997 and 2012, a demographic that may have a major influence on a football club’s commercial earnings in 2021/2022. Increased brand visibility is one of the primary ways a football club’s social media presence on platforms like TikTok and Instagram may affect its commercial earnings. Generation Z members, commonly referred to as “digital natives,” spend a great deal of time using various types of social media. Football teams may expand their reach among Generation Z viewers interested in soccer and other sports by establishing a robust presence on TikTok and Instagram. Consequently, the club’s name will be more widely known, attendance will rise, and new business possibilities may arise.
References
Carols, R. (2018, November 1). How data analysis helps football clubs make better signings. Financial Times. https://www.ft.com/content/84aa8b5e-c1a9-11e8-84cd-9e601db069b8
Cate, T. (2015, November 21). Football and social media. Financial Times. https://www.ft.com/content/7593cd8c-7041-11e4-bc6a-00144feabdc0
Choudry, N. (2018, November 24). Football social: How the internet and social media changed the game. JOE.co.uk. https://www.joe.co.uk/sport/football-social-how-the-internet-and-social-media-changed-the-game-3-209556
Chwecharat, A. A. (2018, January 1). Social media marketing strategies of football clubs: Limitations of social influence. IGI Global: International Academic Publisher. https://www.igi-global.com/article/social-media-marketing-strategies-of-football-clubs/297618
Dermisel, T. (n.d.). The Effect of Social Media on Sports Marketing: Konyaspor Football Club Case. ResearchGate | Find and share research. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341623720_The_Effect_of_Social_Media_on_Sports_Marketing_Konyaspor_Football_Club_Case
Fenton, A. (2021, September 9). Social media, sports clubs & fan engagement (Part 1 of 5). Dr. Alex Fenton. https://alexfenton.co.uk/sports-clubs-and-social-media/
Fiore, G. (2021, June 14). Social media’s impact on football. GBNews.ch | Actualités: Emploi, RH, économie, entreprises, Genève, Suisse. https://www.gbnews.ch/social-medias-impact-on-football/
Gadson, R. (2016, February 1). A STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON INCREASING INTERACTIVITY BETWEEN FOOTBALL FANS AND CLUBS. ResearchGate | Find and share research. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325056644_A_STUDY_ON_THE_EFFECT_OF_SOCIAL_MEDIA_ON_INCREASING_INTERACTIVITY_BETWEEN_FOOTBALL_FANS_AND_CLUBS
Henrey, R. (2016, March 15). A STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON INCREASING INTERACTIVITY BETWEEN FOOTBALL FANS AND CLUBS. ResearchGate | Find and share research. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325056644_A_STUDY_ON_THE_EFFECT_OF_SOCIAL_MEDIA_ON_INCREASING_INTERACTIVITY_BETWEEN_FOOTBALL_FANS_AND_CLUBS
Joylene, R. T. (2019, March 15). Football clubs’ social media use and user engagement. Discover Journals, Books & Case Studies | Emerald Insight. https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/MIP-05-2018-0155/full/html
Kelly, R. (2022, February 8). TikTok and Instagram: Using both platforms for ultimate success. Marketing Dive. https://www.marketingdive.com/news/tiktok-and-instagram-using-both-platforms-for-ultimate-success/617002/
Kenny, T. (2019, May 14). Football clubs’ social media use and user engagement. Discover Journals, Books & Case Studies | Emerald Insight. https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/MIP-05-2018-0155/full/html
Leob, T. (2016, April 4). Methodologies in Social Media Research: Where We Are and Where We Still Need to Go? JCO. https://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/OP.21.00871
Markov, R. (2017, September 16). The influence of TikTok on the Big 5 social media platforms. Brandwatch. https://www.brandwatch.com/blog/tiktok-influence-on-social-networks/
McCarthy, Y. (2022, April 4). Social media marketing strategy in English football clubs. Taylor & Francis. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14660970.2022.2059872
McLaren, T. (2017, March 7). Social media & sport – the importance of interacting with, not just talking at fans. Digital Sport. https://digitalsport.co/social-media-interaction
Peterson, G. (2016, March 15). Social media: Importance for professional football club’s brand value 2015 statistic. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/546038/importance-social-meda-contribution-football-club-brand-value-uk/
SIMON, O. (2018, November 27). The impact of social media in sports. The Sport Digest. https://thesportdigest.com/2018/11/the-impact-of-social-media-in-sports/
WHITE, T. (2022, April 4). Social media marketing strategy in English football clubs. Taylor & Francis. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14660970.2022.2059872
Yilancioglu, Y. (2021, April 13). The business of football — breaking down the finances of a football club. Medium. https://medium.datadriveninvestor.com/the-business-of-football-breaking-down-the-finances-of-a-football-club-8263614059d8
write