Twitter is a social networking platform that allows users to post short messages called tweets. It gained popularity among athletes as a way to connect with fans by sharing news, scores, and other updates in a quick format. While critics question whether Twitter is good for sports, it benefits the industry by increasing fan engagement and involvement between athletes and fans. Famous athletes like Chad Ochocinco, Lance Armstrong, and LeBron James have large Twitter followings and help showcase how the platform can be used.

1. By Adrian Burke

2. What is Twitter?
• Social networking
• Who/what/where/when
• Tweet
• Followers

3. Evolving Social Networking
• Quicker
• New idea: what are you doing
• Popular among different groups

4. Twitter and Sports
• Caught on with famous athletes
• Connection between athletes and fans
• News, scores, other updates

5. Why Athletes?
• Fulfills fan interaction requirement
• Easy and quick to use
• Athletes want input

6. Good or Bad for Sports?
Great because:
• Gets fans more interested
• Gets athletes more involved with fans
• Medium for updates

7. Impact
• NFL rule banning tweets
during any game
• Twitter going global
• High volumes of users
in big cities

8. Creating a Language
Simple phrases of animals and humans such as:
• Tweet
• Tweeps
• Twittonary

9. Athletes Using Twitter
• Chad Ochocinco
• Lance Armstrong
• Shaquille O’Neill
• LeBron James

10. What Makes Twitter Unique?
• Personal but not too personal
• Centered around what is happening now
• Usage by athletes

11. Summary
• Easy to tweet
• Best way for athletes to interact with fans
• Famous athletes
• Going global