ABSTRACT
The role of social media in sport business continues to grow and expand because of its use as a free marketing tool that provides a direct connection between the fan, the player and the organization. This tool, however, must be used with caution in sport business. The very “social” aspect of these websites makes it easy to blur the line between business and private information. Organizations are required to take social media missteps seriously because they can have a negative impact on the reputation of a player and on the team as a whole. In January 2016, Gerard Pique, central defender for FC Barcelona, came under scrutiny for comments that he made on Twitter about rival team, Real Madrid. La Liga’s anti-violence committee reviewed his comments and sent them to Real Federacíon Española de Futbol’s (RFEF) Sports Discipline Committee for further investigation (Corrigan, 2016). No fine or suspension related to this incident was made public; however, his actions have prompted the club to seek social media guidelines from La Liga to maintain privacy and limit social media use at certain times (ESPN, 2016).
