The Use of Social Media in Sporting Organisations in Ireland: An Examination of Practice and Challenges in Accomplishing Organisational Objectives. Sheena Carroll A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the Degree of Master of Arts by Research Research Supervisors: Dr. Patrick Delaney Ms. Lynne Brennan Submitted to Waterford Institute of Technology, June 2019. Statement of Originality and Ownership of Work Department of Sport and Exercise Science Master of Art (MA) Name: __________________________________ I confirm that all the work submitted in this dissertation is my own work, not copied from any other person’s work (published or unpublished) and that it has not previously been submitted for assessment on any other course, in any other institution. Signed: __________________________________ Date: __________________________________ Student Number: __________________________________ Word Count: __________________________________ i Acknowledgements Firstly, thank you to the participants in this study who gave their time and insight into their working environment. Without this I would not have been able complete this research. To my family for supporting me in every aspect of my life, thank you. Especially to my parents, who have always encouraged me to challenge myself. Without them I would not have had the opportunities in education I have had. To anyone who has helped me along the way, especially Breen, Enya, Méabh and Niamh who have always been a source of entertainment and support. A special thank you to Niamh for keeping me sane and offering endless help, I would not have got through this without you. To my friends, especially those I lived with during my years in Waterford. Ye were a constant form of distraction, but in the best way possible. Finally, to my supervisors Dr Paddy Delaney and Lynne Brennan. The impact you both had on me as an undergraduate student played a huge role in my decision to complete this research. I would not have been able to do this without the support, guidance, patience and kindness you have both shown me. Thank you. ii Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine current social media practice, understand the perceived utility of social media in achieving organisational goals and investigate the barriers faced by NGBs and LSPs in Ireland concerning social media use. Finally, it sought to investigate best practice recommendations in the use of social media for NGBs and LSPs. Methods: This research employed two forms of data collection in a three-phase methodology. Firstly, one semi-structured interview with a key informant was used to establish best practice recommendations. An adapted online questionnaire was then circulated to Ireland’s national population of NGBs (N=65) and LSPs (N=29) to investigate the usage, goals and barriers relating to the use of social media. Finally, ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with NGBs (n=6) and LSPs (n=4) to give greater insight into the research questions posed. Findings: The response rate for this research was 48% (n=45). Overall, NGBs and LSPs used a mixture of textual and multimedia content to engage with and educate followers on Facebook and Twitter. Two main organisational goals emerged: information dissemination and promotion. The barriers identified were a lack of organisational resources, expertise and control. Best practice recommendations were made in the areas of usage, sponsorship and resources. Conclusions: For NGBs and LSPs, the perceived utility of social media lies in its ability to reach a wide audience to increase awareness of, and to promote the organisation and sport. However, it is unlikely that current practice is achieving these objectives. There is disparity between current use and best practice recommendations. This is mainly due to a lack of resources and social media expertise. It is suggested that NGBs and LSPs pool resources and upskill in order to reach best practice standards. This could result in success in areas such as communication, promotion and sponsorship. iii Table of Contents Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................... ii Abstract ........................................................................................................................ iii Table of Contents ......................................................................................................... iv List of Tables................................................................................................................ ix List of Figures ............................................................................................................... x 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Social Media ................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Sporting Organisations ................................................................................... 2 1.3 Strategic Priorities........................................................................................... 3 1.4 Promotion........................................................................................................ 4 1.5 Communication ............................................................................................... 4 1.6 Sponsorship ..................................................................................................... 5 1.7 Barriers............................................................................................................ 6 1.8 Chapter Two - Literature Review ................................................................... 8 1.9 Chapter Three - Methodology......................................................................... 8 1.10 Chapter Four - Presentation and Discussion of Results .............................. 8 1.11 Chapter Five - Conclusion and Recommendations ..................................... 9 2. Literature Review.................................................................................................. 10 2.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 10 2.2 Social Media ..................................................................................................... 12 2.2.1 Types of Social Media .............................................................................. 14 2.2.2 Social Media and Business Organisations ................................................ 15 2.3 Social Media and Sporting Organisations ........................................................ 18 2.3.1 National Governing Bodies of Sport ......................................................... 22 2.3.2 Local Sport Partnerships ........................................................................... 26 2.4 Strategic Goals and Opportunities .................................................................... 30 iv 2.4.1 Definition and Context .............................................................................. 32 2.4.2 Promotion .................................................................................................. 33 2.4.3 Communication ......................................................................................... 36 2.4.4 Sponsorship ............................................................................................... 40 2.4.5 Additional Organisational Goals to Consider ........................................... 43 2.5 Barriers to Social Media ................................................................................... 44 2.5.1 Barriers ...................................................................................................... 44 2.5.2 Resources - Time/ Human ......................................................................... 44 2.5.3 Issues with Control .................................................................................... 45 2.5.4 Insufficient Social Media Knowledge ....................................................... 46 2.6 Best Practice in Social Media ........................................................................... 48 2.6.1 Social Media Remit ................................................................................... 49 2.6.2 Establishing Measurable Goals ................................................................. 50 2.6.3 Resources .................................................................................................. 50 2.6.4 Reaching a Target Audience ..................................................................... 51 2.6.5 Content ...................................................................................................... 52 2.6.6 Social Media Analytics ............................................................................. 55 2.6.7 Use Advertisements .................................................................................. 55 2.7 Conclusion and Rationale ................................................................................. 56 3. Methodology .......................................................................................................... 58 3.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 58 3.2 Research Aims and Questions .......................................................................... 58 3.2.1 Research