Sports inherently lend themselves to transmedia storytelling by dispersing narratives across multiple channels. This creates a unified entertainment experience where each medium contributes something unique to the overall story. Transmedia engages consumers by providing ways for them to emotionally invest in branded experiences and connect with communities of other fans. Modern fans seek to actively participate in sports properties through both traditional and technology-based avenues, going beyond passive spectatorship. Professional leagues now embrace social media and transmedia to amplify the sports experience and engage smarter, more connected fans.

1. Unifying Game Day
TRANSMEDIA STORYTELLING IN SPORTS
Tunisha J. Singleton, PhD

2. Understanding Transmedia Storytelling
 Disbursement of story across multiple media
channels to create a unified entertainment
experience
 Each medium adds something unique,
contributing to the overall narrative, creating
synergy
Jenkins, H. (2007, March 22). Transmedia storytelling 101. Retrieved from
http://henryjenkins.org/2007/03/transmedia_storytelling_101.html

3. One Source
of Media is
No Longer
Enough

4.  Provide real
estate for
consumers to gain
an emotional stake
in a branded
experience.
Establish a
shared collective

5. Sports Inherently is a Transmedia Property

6. Head and Shoulder Programming Follows
the Disbursed Experience Model
Game/ Live Event
Pre
hype packages,
training
Post
Interviews,
replays
Feature Stories
documentaries,
specials

7. ANCHOR
MEDIUM: LIVE
SPORTING
EVENT
Online
WEBSITES (LEAGUE AND
TEAM)
DOCUMENTARIES/SHOULDER
PROGRAMMING)
BRANDED ENTERTAINMENT (NIKE,
GATORADE, UNDER ARMOUR, ETC.)
VERIFIED
SOCIAL MEDIA
SPECIALIZED NETWORKS
(ESPN, FOX, NBC, ETC.)
PODCASTS/RADIO/
APPS
VIDEO
GAMES

8. ANCHOR
MEDIUM: LIVE
SPORTING
EVENT
Offline
GROUP VIEWING
AT HOME VIEWING
LIVE ATTENDANCE
SOCIAL COMMUNITIES
MERCHANDISE TRADING CARDS

9. ANCHOR
MEDIUM: LIVE
SPORTING
EVENT
Consumer
Created
SELFIES
FAN FORUMS
FANTASY
LEAGUES
LIVE TWEETING
CULTURAL
EXPERIENCE
MEMES, GIFS, VIDEOS

10. Video Views 15.1 Billion
Social Media
Engagements
1.1 Billion
14 Million
Subscribers
36 Million
Likes
11.6 Million
Followers
8.7 Million
Followers
WWE Instagram page has more
followers than NFL, MLB, ESPN,
UFC, Taco Bell, Gatorade, HBO or
the NHL. (2017 social figures)

11.  Professional leagues embracing social
media as a game extension and
opportunity to amplify the sport
experience

12. ”
“ “Transmedia storytelling weaves together individual
strands of a story into a larger and richer interactive
fabric and offers the audience multiple ways to
participate, through content production, collaboration,
and interaction.
(RUTLEDGE, P. (2011, JANUARY 7). TRANSMEDIA STORYTELLING: THE REEMERGENCE OF FUNDAMENTALS. RETRIEVED
FROM HTTP://WWW.PSYCHOLOGYTODAY.COM/BLOG/POSITIVELY-MEDIA/201101/TRANSMEDIA-STORYTELLING-THE-
REEMERGENCE-FUNDAMENTALS

13. A Drive to be More than Fans
 Convergence Culture
 Passive Consumer  Smart Fan
 No more simple spectatorship in
sports
 Apply energy and creativity to the
game in traditional and tech-based
settings

14. Smart Fans Adopting Transmedia
Emotion Engagement Experience
Empowered
consumers who take
media into their own
hands and create
content.
Participating and
highly connected
users who seek to
satisfy their social
identity.
Contemporary
consumer looking to
quantify, track, and
share their
experiences using
social and digital
media technologies.

15. Drive Fan Engagement through
Multiple Touchpoints

16. Technology Building Fandom
Networks
Sense of
community
Validation and
encouragement
Increase human
communication,
connections

17. Tunisha Singleton, PhD is a consultant, educator, public speaker, and media professional committed
to boosting brands and connecting people. In 2017, Dr. Singleton graduated with a PhD in Media
Psychology, specializing in fandom and digital transformation in sports. Dr. Singleton is regularly
looked upon for clarity, leadership and perspective to understand how media and technology
intersect in the lives and minds of consumers.