Application of Social Media Platforms for the Development of College Basketball Attendance

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to examine why college students do not attend college basketball games. After surveying 116 college students at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), one of the biggest reasons for poor basketball game attendance was due to an overall lack of awareness of the game information. Students did not realize that basketball games were taking place throughout the week. Current studies showed that a college’s athletic website and social media platforms were the first places students looked at in order to find out game information. The survey found that a majority of students used three of the four major social media platforms, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, on a daily basis. With the shortened attention span of Generation Y and Z, social media platforms are the most effective way to capture the attention of those with short attention spans (Gausby, 2015). Comparisons of similar Division I-AAA universities and their athletic websites were used to find what makes a strong athletic website, as spectators visit a universities’ athletic website first for information on upcoming games and events. In addition, the results of the study indicates that winning alone does not necessarily provide a lasting positive impact on attendance. Full utilization of social media with a mix of a strong official athletics website best captures the attention of Generation Y and Z students. Having a strong online presence keeps the awareness of basketball games throughout the season at the forefront of student’s minds. A core of Generation Y and Z fans can be built through a strong online presence, as this is what they use for identification purposes. With this utilization, college basketball games can see an increase in attendance as fan loyalty is built with technology-driven students.