ESPN Alerts: Quick and Easy

Almost all sports fans with smart phones have one thing in common: they all receive alerts from ESPN notifying new and important stories in sports. The interesting thing about these alerts is how brief each message is. One would assume that a true sports fan would want more than a 25 word blurb about the newest news. Yet, many people are completely satisfied with the short alerts they get, and seek no more information. While thinking about this, I began to wonder: What is so appealing about these alerts?

I have come to a few explanations. My first guess is that because they are so short, they allow busy people to stay up on the current sporting events. Instead of turning on Sports Center and watching a 30 minute segment, a quick text message gets the information into their brain, and takes up a fraction of the time. This lack of available free time can be attributed to the hustle-bustle lifestyle many Americans live in this day and age.

My next conclusion that explains this phenomenon is that these alerts allow non-sports fans to talk and act like a sport fan. In modern day America, especially among males, sports is a huge talking point. For males not interested/knowledgeable about sports, a social barrier can be created. By signing up for these free alerts, a non-sports fan can get sent metaphorical flashcards filled with talking points that can help bridge the social gap created by this lack of knowledge.

My last reasoning is because they are simply the next step in the technological innovation of sports. Many sports fans, myself included, love these alerts because they make sure that there is nothing we have missed. Any major game, trade, or event happening in the sports community is documented by these alerts, and ensure that all sports fans are aware that these events are transpiring.

I believe that these ESPN alerts are a great representation of modern day America. They allow people to be knowledgeable, social, it frees up time, and ensures complete understanding. These are all themes that Americans hold near and dear to their heart. As more and more technological innovations occur, Americans will be able to know and do more, while actually doing less.