While athletes becoming more than just talented individuals who help move the franchise in the right direction or add to the Gold medal count is not a new concept, social media’s rapid growth and capabilities have certainly changed the game. With the simple touch of a button, today’s top athletes can move the proverbial cultural needle, impacting interactions and the consumption of goods—even what we eat on Tuesdays.
But not all athletes who are on social media are created—or, in this case, retweeted—equally. International footballers currently reign supreme as some of the most influential, with a dash of tennis royalty and a wrestler who has inspired a ton of people to call that box of pizza they devoured their “cheat meal.” But when factoring in humanitarian efforts—as well as revenue from social posts and fan interactions—few ultimately do it better in their respective sports, and the entire sports world, than these 28 athletes.
LeBron James
Not many athletes—in any sport, in any part of the world—have taken advantage of social media better than LeBron James. His cultural impact as an athlete is nearly impossible to match, whether that be giving guys a reason to wear shorts with a suit, championing for the NCAA to change its act, or showcasing that an athlete can be “more.”
LeBron has some 97 million-plus followers across Instagram and Twitter, so when King James says #TacoTuesday…of course, there will be chants of the hashtag echoing at Staples Center or a social push for him to patent the phrase.
