Is the UK bad vibes?? š¤
*in a sports media context* This week we're looking at US and UK sports media, and how social media is changing things for the better.
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In a recent Billy The Goat stream he was comparing US and UK culture. Suggesting that whatās accepted in the US canāt run in the UK due to the UKās bad vibes. In the sporting context, he makes a valid point on US audience viewing players trash talking each other as entertainment. UK traditional media can be guilty of bringing players down for expressing personality. He uses the negativity Lingard received whilst at United as an example.
There is a difference between US and UK sports culture. But the power of the internet is allowing for the two cultures to crossover and lines to blur. Growing up as a football fan in the UK without access to Sky Sports, the media I accessed was limited. I watched Match of the Day, the BBC Breakfast News Sport segment in the morning, read headlines and magazines whilst walking around a big Tesco. Gaming was in-fact my biggest access point into football. The marathon career mode sessions were clutch for an encyclopaedic player knowledge.
When I was a kid traditional media came from a narrow range of perspectives. Youād see the same people from a certain demographic talk about the same shit all the time. Playground discourse was the only saviour to this. I was privileged to grow up in London. This exposed me to a cosmopolitan of cultures. These all blended in the environments I surrounded myself in. In the conversations I had you would hear a variety of opinions. Some opinions may still be bad vibes, and playground trolls did still exist. But youād also have your fair share of educational, entertaining and compelling takes.
Fast forward to the modern day and we have access to the omnipotent internet. The internet has birthed social media. I look at social media like a modern day playground. Through social media we all have a power to share our thoughts and opinions. Albeit, some trolls still take the piss. The platforms should have better verification tools in place to halt them. The internet trolls can appear most vocal. However, thereās also a huge diversity of entertaining, educational and compelling content. Iāve learnt, laughed and felt so much from my aimless scrolling. Whilst also being able to connect with people I never would have thought was possible. From places Iāve never heard of.
Now back to the original point. Social media accessibility is helping US culture integrate itself within the UK and vice versa. Rapman alludes to this below when speaking on the success of his latest show, āSupacellā. A superhero drama set in South London. At the 10min mark he mentions that āits because of Top Boy that Supacell done wellā. By the time Supacell was out the US had acclimatised itself to aspects of London through Top Boy.
Applying this to sport, weāve seen the increasing migration of US culture to the UK in recent times. The popular NBA tunnel fits is now ever-present in UK sports culture. Thanks to platforms such as Footballer Fits and Track + Fits, pioneering this shift. It wasnāt too long ago where Bellerin was getting ridiculed for his fashion choices. Now thanks to these platforms, players are now allowed to express their tastes in fashion.
Another difference is that US athletes are empowered to use their voice and say how they feel. Whilst in the UK it felt like the media headlines would dominate and speak on behalf of players. The progressive rise of new age media such as Versus and Rising Ballers is finally changing this. They provide a new safe space for players. It allows them to share their authentic stories. Instead of the robotic responses youād see in traditional media. Due to the fear of things they say twisted for headlines.
Knowledge is power. Through social media, the next generation are hyper-aware of whatās going on. They arenāt afraid to call out the old guard for the bullshit. Traditional media is still active. But these new media platforms are about to take over. Theyāve built platforms athletes want to contribute towards. Theyāve built communities who support this human side of athletes. Whilst doing this they still educate, entertain and compel audiences.
With social media still being a playground, sadly trolls are still active. But this new generation have proved they will campaign for whatās right. So for every troll, thereās a good vibes wave of tacticos educating, creators entertaining and storytellers narrating.
Find good vibes. Have a nice š Shoutout Vuj.
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