• Loading stock data...
Saturday, July 19, 2025

Sports and Social Media, the Journey of Jimmy Sanderson

By: Chase McCaskill, @itsmechase

Jimmy Sanderson, Assistant Professor, Clemson University

Front Office Sports is proud to have had the opportunity to speak with Jimmy Sanderson. Jimmy began his career by receiving his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. at Arizona State University in Communication Studies. His career and research has focused on sport communication, namely social media. More recently, Jimmy was an assistant professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Clemson University. He has since accepted a position as Director of Marketing, Communication, and Faculty Relations for Clemson Online (Clemson’s Online & Distance Education Division). We are thankful that Jimmy took his time to share with us his story, knowledge of sport communication, and many tips on the area of social media.

Tell me a little bit about yourself, how did you end up where you are today?

Currently I am the Director of Marketing, Communication, and Faculty Relations for Clemson Online. I also do research and teach in the area of sports communication. My primary research interests lie in social media. I actually had a career in human resources management for about eleven years. As I was doing my master’s degree at Arizona State, I had a professor that asked me if I wanted to research with him in 2006. Some of our work was published and I really was just kind of hooked at that point.

It was interesting to see the way that people were communicating online, but at that time I was fairly new to social media. I then realized that I could have a job where I studied sports so I received my PhD from Arizona State and during that time I wrote a book on social media in sports. I came to Clemson in 2012 and have been fortunate to see success with my research, but also have found satisfaction that this research is getting into the hands of people in the industry.

Where is social media being utilized the most today in sport organizations and in which platforms do you see it being utilized the most tomorrow?

Right now, what I have seen in my research, I think it’s more in the area of social media education for athletes. How are we empowering people to get the information they need to make responsible decisions [on social media]? We are seeing social media as a strategic tool given the visibility that athletes have. By now, organizations have realized that social media has customer service value, value in terms of getting your story and message out. So, in terms of the future, I see us investing in social media education at the high school level. These kids, especially those getting a lot of recruiting coverage, by the time they are sophomores in high school could have thousands of social media followers.

I think the other thing is just more from a resource standpoint (i.e. what kind of resources are sport organizations going to devote to social media: financial, human resources). We are going to see more of an emphasis on two-way dialogue/interaction. The challenge is going to be staying on top of [the new forms] of social media. Really the future, for me, is strategy revision and resource allocation.

For a student looking to go into sports communication, what experience is most attractive to hiring managers? What jobs/internships prepare you most for an entry-level communications position?

What’s in demand is someone who knows how to do something. Most people in sports, frankly, don’t care about your GPA, they want to see what you know how to do. Do you know how to use media for effective communication? The biggest thing for students is getting experience anyway you can: working for athletic department writing stories, doing graphics, videos, etc. Practice doing blogs, Twitter, Instagram, anything that is going to build your a portfolio because this is what people are looking for.

You’ve got to do something to give you the edge and relying on a GPA or transcripts, frankly, is not going to cut it. The other thing is to make sure and maximize your time in school to make connections with people in the industry. It’s amazing how many people in sports are on Twitter and will engage/interact with students. When employers are selecting interviews from applications, they want to have a reason to go from a big stack to a small stack. So, you’ve got to have some products, or a portfolio, to show someone and you must be building your network.

Where are sports organizations most commonly misusing social media?

May not necessarily be a misuse because social media has great value as a information dissemination tool. But, personally, I would like to see organizations being more interactive and more engaging with fans through social media, I think this area is underutilized.

What is one of the most common misconceptions about a job in sports communication?

The most common misconception is that sports communication is only broadcasting. At Clemson, we take a much more holistic approach because there are so many more jobs than just broadcasting. Thinking about careers in sports public relations, human resources for a sport organization, event management, community relations, sports information in the collegiate athletic environment, coaching, etc. there are just so many more jobs that are communication based in sport. Also, think about companies that do business with sports teams. For us [at Clemson] we try to get students to see the bigger picture in sports communication.

Say a student is interested in social media, but cannot find opportunities to practice running an organizations social media platform. How can this student manage their own social media in such a way to prepare them for a larger opportunity?

First off, you’ve got to be willing to jump in and go do it. Don’t be careless, but at some point you just have to try. Be willing to take some risk. Think about what it is you want to say and focus on. One thing that managers are really looking for are people who know how to articulate a position with an argument and your social media/blogs can be a great place to do that. Another thing is to go look at what people you admire are doing on Twitter and how they interact with people.

Parting Wisdom: “To be successful in the sports industry you have to ______?”

You have to be willing to learn. You have to understand you don’t know it all. There are many people out there with great expertise, who are willing to help. There is nothing wrong with reaching out and learning from other people. You do not have to know everything. Be willing to learn, be teachable, be humble.

We would like to thank Jimmy for his time and insight and we wish him all the best in his future endeavors!

You can follow him on Twitter here or connect with him on LinkedIn here!

If you are interested in his book, co-written with Chris Yandle, feel free to check out this link!

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Ryan Field Construction
exclusive

First Look Inside Northwestern’s $862 Million New Ryan Field

Five big things FOS learned on our exclusive stadium tour.
Jul 13, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announces the pick for the Athletics pick during the MLB Draft at The Coca-Cola Roxy.

Manfred Says MLB Had Wrong Approach to Creators Like Jomboy

“You gotta go where people are going,” the commissioner said.
(NCL_OSU_11_SUGAR_LAURON 04JAN11) Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Terrelle Pryor (2) slips around the Arkansas Razorbacks defense during first half of the Sugar Bowl at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, January 4, 2011.

Terrelle Pryor’s Case for NIL Backpay Dismissed in Court

Pryor played seven years in the NFL after leaving OSU amid a scandal.

Featured Today

Jul 21, 2024; Ayrshire, SCT; Xander Schauffele celebrates with Claret Jug after winning the Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Troon.

The Boozy History and Traditions of The Open’s Claret Jug

The Open awards the world’s most famous wine decanter.
2025 PDC World Darts Championship Final - Luke Littler vs Michael Van Gerwen
July 16, 2025

A Teen Darts Prodigy Is Becoming Bigger Than the Game Itself

Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler is cashing in on his devastatingly accurate shot.
May 31, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Sydney McLaughin-Levrone (USA) reacts before the women's 100m hurdles during the Grand Slam Track Philadelphia at Franklin Field
exclusive
July 13, 2025

Track’s New Money Is Running Into Old Problems

The sport’s big-money era has hit some speed bumps in 2025.
Bobbleheads are seen at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently.
July 12, 2025

Baseball’s Bobbleheads Are the Center of the Collectibles Universe

Baseball’s most important keepsake drives long lines—and big business.

Judge Rules for NFL, Fanatics Against Small Apparel Seller

The lawsuit argued the NFL “aids and abets” Fanatics with its strategy.
June 13, 2025

What Rolapp’s NFL Exit Means—and the Top Candidates to Replace Him

NFL media boss Brian Rolapp leaves; the league hunts for his replacement.
John Textor
July 11, 2025

UEFA Boots Crystal Palace from Europa League Over Ownership Issues

The South London club will appeal the ruling.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Dealmaker Jeffrey Kaplan maps the evolution of sports as an asset class
Gabby Thomas
exclusive
June 12, 2025

Grand Slam Track Cancels Los Angeles Meet As $30 Million Track Start-Up..

Sources close to Grand Slam insist money is not an issue.
May 23, 2025

New LPGA Commissioner: Women’s Golf ‘Really Hard’ to Find on TV

Former PGA of America COO Craig Kessler will lead the tour.
Donald Trump, Nick Saban
May 22, 2025

Proposed Trump College Sports Commission May Never Happen

The White House is not sure of its plans.
May 15, 2025

PGA Championship Tees Off With Free Food, Record Hospitality Sales

General admission includes unlimited food and non-alcoholic beverages.