Our US Sales Exec, Nihad, attended the Gondola Sports Summit in Denver Colorado. Here's his write up.
It was great to mix with sports, media production, and social media professionals, all of whom bring such energy and enthusiasm to building great communities. Thanks to the teams at Fresh Tape media and Gondola.cc for putting on such an amazing event.
Also great to catch up with Tom Weingarten, Chief Growth Officer at Overtime and Arwen customer. Great to hear such positive feedback. Anyway I thought I’d summarise my key takeaways from the event here.
In the competitive world of elite sports, maintaining a positive and engaging social media presence is more important than ever. However, managing these communities in 2024 brings new and significant challenges. Despite the advanced tools available today, many social media professionals remain unaware of their potential. I was lucky enough to talk to over 30 social media professionals at the event, working across high school, collegiate, and professional sports teams (including major leagues like the NBA, MLB, NHL and NCAA). It became clear that over 90% were unaware of robust AI moderation solutions, and how they can effectively address a range of issues.
The Growing Challenge of Online Toxicity
A consensus has emerged among social media managers: toxicity on social media is both increasing and diversifying - with people touching on hate, racism, anti-LGBTQ, spam and bot activity, illegal TV streaming links, sponsored post protection, and management of paid ads.
The consensus though has shifted - what was before seen as “par for the course” and a problem to be tolerated, is now seen to be significantly damaging the ability of these sports brands to engage true fans. Toxic comments spread rapidly, encouraging negative conversations and discouraging genuine fans from interacting with content they would otherwise enjoy. This environment hampers brand engagement and community growth. It undermines the spirit of sport.
Limitations of Platform-Based Solutions
Many social media professionals continue to hope that platforms will enhance their moderation capabilities. However, native keyword filtering offered by these platforms often proves inadequate. Additionally, few understand the implications of Section 230, which limits the platforms' responsibility for user-generated content and makes a comprehensive solution unlikely. This is where third-party tools come into play, providing effective moderation through API integrations that help mitigate toxicity.
One analogy is social media is a city with a limited police force. For brands who attract more toxicity, there are security services like Arwen that keep their premises safe. We recognise the necessity of doing this offline, eg at sports events, but when it comes to online, we still hope for some sort of safety utopia, which is unrealistic.
Evolving Spam and Bot Threats
Spam and bot activity are increasingly problematic. People had noticed in particular how spammers are getting much more creative in the ways they are luring people away. Spammers have adopted new strategies, such as using positive feedback like emojis and comments to lure users into clicking on explicit content.
So it felt good to explain that Arwen analyses not just the comment, but also the user’s profile, to judge whether it’s a spam comment, achieving a market-leading 99% detection rate in recent tests.
Mental Health Challenges for Social Media Managers
The mental health of social media professionals was a critical issue. At one session entitled “Peak Performance: Balancing Mental Health and Creativity in Sports Media,” a senior MLB team member asked about supporting younger managers coping with toxic comments. The advice given—building resilience, not taking comments personally, and forming support networks—was valuable. However, these all address the effect of the symptoms, rather than the root cause. Had some interesting discussions on how AI is now tackling toxicity at the root, to protect staff from exposure to it all. However, as ever, budget constraints often make this challenging.
Turning Off Comments: A Last Resort
Some social media managers resort to turning off comments to avoid dealing with toxicity, especially when addressing sensitive issues. While understandable, this approach limits engagement and stifles meaningful dialogue. AI tools can offer a better alternative, allowing managers to maintain open channels and get the value of user interaction, without the anxiety of constant moderation.
Acknowledging the Efforts of Social Media Professionals
It was humbling. Social media professionals in elite sports perform herculean tasks daily, often exceeding their job descriptions. It’s great that brands are starting to recognize, acknowledge, and reward these efforts. Providing teams with the right tools can significantly enhance their ability to manage communities effectively and maintain a healthy, engaging online presence - while keeping their own mental health protected.
Conclusion
I came away really positive. Social media in sports is such an important channel for fan engagement, and increasingly something that provides valuable revenue. People were more positive than ever that AI moderation was no longer just a technological advancement, but a necessary evolution for managing elite sports communities. By embracing them, social media managers can tackle toxicity, protect their brands, and foster genuine fan engagement. It's time to empower these digital superheroes with the resources they need to continue excelling in their roles.