SOCIAL MEDIA AND FRANCHISE CRICKET: GLOCALIZATION AND TEAM IDENTIFICATION

The last two decades have seen a colossal development in how sport is consumed. Interestingly, there has also been an evolution in how sports organizations, teams, athletes and fans communicate. As a result, the very formulation of fan-team relationships has seen a huge change in its dynamics. The potential of social media to move their business forward in a dynamic and fast-paced environment has been realized by brands and organizations. When it comes to sports, fans today are eager to experience the event first-hand, rather than passively watch it. Strategic content management plays a crucial role now as fans are looking for a variety of content to augment their direct engagement. Initially, information was perceived as something to withhold in order to prevent negative perceptions but sports marketers have now realized the value of being both gatekeepers and producers of their own content in order to build long-term brand loyalty. How social media platforms like Twitter are being utilized by professional sports teams to engage fans around the globe has become a topic for discussion. Further, the execution of this strategy has found its place in twenty-first century cricket too. Since its inception, the Indian Premier League has become the cause of several controversies and debates and as a result, is often seen in a bad light. The commercialization of the sport has been especially looked down upon by traditionalists and purists. However, its contribution to modern cricket is immense and often downplayed. The positioning of this near-global ‘India ka Tyohaar' has brought several themes to the forefront. While its impact has been widely documented from a business point of view, there is a lot of scope for viewing it from a psycho-sociological point of view. This research is an attempt in that direction.