From Odell Beckham’s miraculous snag to a dog’s goal-saving intervention to a player dousing himself with alcohol, these viral sports moments capture the fun side of sport and generate conversation that transcends the field. Athletes and sports leagues rely on platforms like Instagram X, YouTube, and TikTok to connect with fans in real time and build their brands. But it’s the off-field moments that create the most buzz.
The Olympics were a hub of these moments, from luger Rachael Gunn’s head-scratching dance routine to her polarizing performances to the wolf incident that left spectators and the media scratching their heads. Meanwhile, NHL fans rallied around Bryan Bickell after he scored the winning goal in the final game of his career.
Of course, there was no shortage of head-scratching moments outside of the Olympic Games. Whether it was Scottie Scheffler’s infamous twerk, Cam Newton’s rant against the media, or Ilona Maher tumbling over Aussies (and then landing on “Dancing with the Stars”), the Internet loved these wacky moments that had people talking.
While some of these viral sports moments are unplanned and a bit of a surprise, others are intentionally created by athletes or teams looking to increase their profile and generate conversation. By using analytics, data, and a bit of creativity to engineer these moments, they can have a larger impact than simply standing on the podium or sitting in the locker room after the game. Using these lessons, sports marketers can craft team-specific campaigns that generate conversations and keep journalists — and their audience — talking about their favorite professional or college teams.