AUDIENCE PERCEPTION OF THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR SPORTS COMMUNICATION IN ONDO STATE (A STUDY OF IKARE AKOKO)

ABSTRACT This project is based on the “Audience Perception of the use of Social Media for Sports Communication Ondo State with a study of IkareAkoko”. The research was anchored on Uses and Gratification Theory. Survey design was employed and 400 copies of questionnaire were administered to the respondents from the three selected Local Government Area in Ondo State and out of this 400 copies, 395 were recovered for data analysis. The findings of this study revealed that, the level of involvement in sports interaction on social media in Ondo State is very high and also that social media facilitate sports development in Ondo State. The study concludes that, the level of involvement in sports interaction on social media in Ondo State is very high. It also concludes that, social media facilitate sports development in Ondo State. It recommends that, social media sport platform should give more prominence to the coverage of latest sport news. It also recommends that, sport lovers should endeavour to shift away from personal interest when discussing or analyzing sport issues on social media, so that people won’t be misguided.