Social media platforms have permeated sport at a rapid rate. It is difficult to find an avenue of sport that these communication technologies do not touch. As a result, sport organization personnel have been faced with the challenge of both integrating and optimising social media. (Insert paragraph) Given the rapid proliferation of social media into sport, organizational approaches are varied. Authors Jimmy Sanderson and Christopher Yandle fill the need for a central resource that can link practical examples with academic research to provide a compelling overview of developing successful social media plans for sport organizations. The content within the book will be beneficial to industry professionals as well as be a useful classroom resource for sport management and sport communication faculty and students. As an additional resource, the text also includes case studies and input from athletic administrators, coaches, and athletes.
Jimmy Sanderson, PhD, earned a BA, MA, and PhD from Arizona State University in communication studies. He is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Clemson University, where he directs the sports communication BA program. Prior to entering the academy he worked in human resource management for 11 years. He maintains an active research agenda focused on the intersection of social media and sport, and he also conducts research related to health and safety issues in sport. He has been cited in media outlets such as USA Today, Chronicle of Higher Education, and ESPN.com. He also regularly speaks to sport association groups about social media, such as the National Federation of State High School Associations and Academic Advisors for Athletics. He and his wife, Kirsten, have two boys, Walker and Connor. You can find him on Twitter: @jimmy_sanderson
Christopher Yandle was named assistant athletic director for communications & public relations at the Georgia Institute of Technology in July 2014 after two years in a similar role at the University of Miami. During his career, he assisted in the highly successful Robert Griffin III Heisman Trophy campaign in 2011, and he was recognized as the 2014 CoSIDA Rising Star by his peers. A native of Houma, Louisiana, he attended the University of Southern Mississippi for two years before transferring to the University of Louisiana at Layfayette, where he graduated in 2004 with a BA in public relations. He received an MS in athletic administration from Marshall University in 2007. He and his wife, Ashleigh, have two kids, Addison and Jackson, and a French Bulldog named Tank. You can find him on Twitter: @chrisyandle