The electronic village: the digital challenges in communication strategies for sporting organisations

Abstract

The popularity of Web 2.0 has changed communication methods, particularly for the younger generation, who want relationships and engagement with organisations. The changes in digital communication have been enormous in the last ten years and have led to the trend of online communities, often referred to as electronic villages. Sporting organisations and their members were surveyed with regard to their particular communication needs, examining their communication strategies and their acceptance of the latest communication methods. Our findings suggest that many organisations consider communication as an afterthought. We argue that sporting organisations are not making the most of the latest communication methods, nor are they progressing with their members' communication desires or what their members are actually seeking. The members want electronic, two-way and fast communication tools, including electronic newsletters, blogs, Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), Short Message Service (SMS) and bulletin boards.