The research in this article focused on a case study of what the authors refer to as, “maladaptive parasocial interaction (PSI)” directed at Chicago Bears kicker Cody Parkey after he missed a potential game-winning field goal in the 2019 NFL Playoffs against the Philadelphia Eagles. The authors sampled 512 tweets posted in the week following the game, with qualitative analysis finding that the maladaptive PSI manifested in: criticism, threats, anger, and support. The researchers’ results showed that 351 tweets had a negative tone, while 161 were positive. The most prominent classification of tweets were criticism (43.2%); threats accounted for 20.3%; anger was 10.4%; 26.2% of tweets expressed support for Parkey.
This article highlights the negatives of social media for prominent athletes. In this case, on a prominent stage, the end of the Chicago Bears’ 2019 season could be blamed on one play. In response, frustrated fans scapegoated the team’s kicker, Cody Parkey, and relentlessly criticized and threatened Parkey via social media. Given the parasocial relationship that fans have with athletes, these fans likely thought that Parkey would never see THEIR post, but when thousands of fans all have the same mindset, it leads to a virtual mob that is near impossible for an athlete like Parkey to escape. Social media provides a lot of opportunities for athletes, but when those athletes are the subject of a prominent mistake or loss, the opportunistic nature of social media quickly turns to a forum for public shaming and abuse.
Sanderson, J., Zimmerman, M., Stokowski, S., & Fridley, A. (2020). “You Had One Job!” A Case Study of Maladaptive Parasocial Interaction and Athlete Maltreatment in Virtual Spaces. International Journal of Sport Communication, 13(2), 221–238. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsc.2019-0129