Marketing Communication in Sport – The Importance of Social Media in the Promotion of Sports Disciplines

Urszula Sylwia Dyrcz’s monograph Marketing Communication in Sport – The Importance of Social Media in the Promotion of Sports Disciplines examines the role of social media in shaping the promotion and public image of sports disciplines, using ski jumping in Poland as a case study. The aim of the research was to identify which mechanisms of marketing communication used in the digital environment enhance a discipline’s media visibility, build audience engagement, and sustain its presence in public awareness. The author situates the analysis within media and marketing studies, combining a theoretical framework with empirical research. The study employs a case study approach, quantitative content analysis, qualitative content analysis, expert interviews, and an online survey. The research material included content from Instagram, YouTube, and X, profiles of athletes, media outlets, experts, and fans, 13 expert interviews, and 243 survey responses. The findings demonstrate that the marketing communication of ski jumping is multi-actor and year-round despite the seasonal nature of the discipline itself, and that its effectiveness is strengthened by athletes’ personal branding, the activity of journalists and experts, fan engagement, and synergy between official and unofficial communication channels. The research also confirms that the more regular and authentic the media presence of athletes and institutions, the stronger the audience interest in both specific figures and the discipline as a whole. The monograph shows that social media perform not only an informational function but also serve as a strategic tool for building relationships, loyalty, image, and the social significance of sport. The publication makes a meaningful contribution to research on marketing communication in sport while also offering practical implications for the sports, media, and promotional sectors.