Self-Presentation, Interaction, and Marketing of Chinese Athletes on Social Media

This chapter explored the characteristics of Chinese athletes' self-presentation and para-social interaction on social media using Goffman's self-presentation and para-social interaction theories. With the policies consciously supporting sport promotion in China, how to balance the commercialization and national glories, even the entertainment part is the linchpin of this. A content analysis of 552 Weibo posted by 10 male Chinese table tennis athletes was conducted. Results found that many Weibo posts are about interactivity (33%), especially with their teammates or coaches. Athletes also tend to be more personal on social media by posting amusing or emotional tweets. All showed that they present themselves as more of a marketing one but still under the frame of “the whole nation system.” Only a few Weibo were promotional (9%), indicating that the potential of achieving market objectives has not come to athletes' full awareness. Suggestions are athletes enhance the relationship with fans so as to enlarge the influence of themselves and the sport per se.