I know this is only a gymnastics forum and we are so far from this ever being a reality but I am just curious. Is this the norm for other sports too? As a former scholarship D1 soccer player forever ago I know vhs reals were a thing back then but I never did that. My travel team just went to allot of "prestigious" tournaments that my parents liked to refer to as meat markets. What is the point of far away meets if not to be seen?
Yes, this is the norm all around. Whether we bury our head in the sand or stand by looking with disdain, social media is a huge driver in everything youth. And it is hugely monetized. Hype houses, tiktok stars, Instagram influencers. Of course it all started with the Kardashians, who showed that you didn't actually have to do anything to make a lot of money, just be persistent and constantly have people talk about you (cough...sex....cough....tape). What is it, the Damelio sisters or something like that on dancing with the stars. Livy Dunn is worth multi-millions of dollars because she has a huge following, not from her gym posts, but from her silly, sexy montages. So ya, especially with NIL, its almost in your best interest to play the social media game regardless of sport. That includes a blend of showing off your talent and generating content for followers.
