TikTok’s anticipated U.S. ban set to have adverse effect on sports influencers, fans

The GIST: A U.S. ban on social media app TikTok is set to go into effect Sunday, which will have broad repercussions across the sports landscape. While major media networks may be minimally affected by the ban, casual sports fans and content creators — especially women athletes — will feel the loss. ISTG.

For big brands: Sports teams and media companies appear prepared to pivot, with ESPN and Overtime making the most of their remaining time on the platform. For many of these major brands, fandoms were cultivated before the TikTok era, meaning they expect to continue seeing high engagement on alternative platforms like X and Instagram.

For women’s sports: However, this isn’t the case for TikTok content creators, who have flourished with the app’s widespread U.S. usage. The ban will disproportionately affect women athletes — like Livvy Dunne or Angel Reese — due to their brand-building prowess and high engagement rates on the platform.

• Likewise, it’s hard to imagine the rise of rugby star Ilona Maher without TikTok, although Maher has diversified her social media presence enough that she isn’t too worried about losing just one platform. Definitely not a problem.

For fans: While avid (and older) sports fans may remain largely unaffected by the ban, it will likely hit younger digital natives the hardest. At least 86% of Gen Z fans interact with sports content on social media, with 49% finding new sports that way. The app’s unique algorithm exposed users to a wide variety of content, reaching both avid and casual sports fans.

Looking ahead: Other social media apps — like Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook — do have their own built-in video platforms, but none utilize TikTok’s randomized algorithm. This limits content creators from reaching potential fans outside their usual parameters and prevents casual sports fans from being exposed to wide-ranging sports content. Striking out.