Instagram as Exemplar: Examining the Presence and Likability of Subjects and Statistics in March Madness Posts

Abstract

While many sport fans gravitate to new media, questions remain regarding what they are consuming. Specifically, this study addresses a nascent gap in sport communication research by identifying the presentation form and subject portrayals of 443 Instagram posts during 2018 college basketball tournaments and measuring subsequent likability of such depictions. Results yield 4 important findings. Primarily, in contrast to early exemplification research, evidence suggests that some audiences “like” base-rate information. In addition, while Instagram is known as a photo platform, posts in this population were most often videos, and memes were liked more than any other presentation form. Next, while this content analysis identifies an old problem in a new domain—that female athletes are shunned in favor of male athletes—it demonstrates that likability in this medium emerges as equal for male and female subjects and sports. Finally, related to subject demographics, findings demonstrated racial disparities and concerning statistics for likability of minority subjects. Implications for exemplification theory and social media producers in sport are discussed along with limitations and directions for future research in this burgeoning arena.

The Effect of Statistics on Enjoyment and Perceived Credibility in Sports Media

“…Hahn’s (2019) content analysis recognizes a clear association with the presence of statistics and the likability of posts suggesting a potential causal connection. Yet, while an empirical association was demonstrated along with the temporal priority of the independent variable (likes of posts came after content was produced), there was still no way to ensure the nonspurious nature of the relationship, a necessary component to identify these numbers as the cause of the superior likability of the posts (Chambliss & Schutt, 2019).…”

“…Similarly, Brosius and Bathelt (1994) suggested that contextualizing statistics were considered more “valid” as a communication form, an indication of a possible link to increased credibility. More recent research has observed these statistics coming in various presentation forms in traditional sports broadcasts (Hahn et al, 2018) and with differing placement in social media (Hahn, 2019).…”

“…While sports broadcast producers have been increasing statistics in America’s most profitable mediated sport (Hahn et al, 2018), their salience appears to persist in new media within college athletics (Hahn, 2019). However, though Hahn (2019) recognized that statistics appeared in more than 70% of posts and that these numbers appeared most often in on-screen visuals, the study could not determine the impact such placement (on-screen, in captions, or both) had on likability of the posts.…”

“…Analyses of traditional broadcasts have examined a number of structural components, and eye-tracking has examined placement on-screen. More recently, Hahn (2019) measured the empirical effect of placement of these statistics in new media recognizing that statistics appear in various places within social media posts. Indeed statistics placed in the image were most liked while those placed in the description were least liked.…”

“…Though the ever-increasing diversity of content produced can be difficult to effectively analyze, one fruitful line of scholarly inquiry has explored statistics as a prevalent storytelling tool in sports media. Despite their rise in sports broadcasting (Hahn et al, 2018) and apparent likability in new media (Hahn, 2019), little is known about why some sports consumers care about these statistics. Given the importance of perceived credibility for media sources (e.g., Hovland & Weiss, 1951; Keene & Cummins, 2009), it stands to reason that such statistics may increase perceptions of objectivity or expertise in sports broadcasts.…”