More Than the Final Score

The greatest sports stories aren’t always about who won.

Sometimes, the most meaningful part of an athlete’s story happens long before they ever step onto the field, court, or competition floor. It’s about where they came from, who supported them, and the moments that shaped them into the athletes people eventually see.

Social media has completely changed the way fans connect with athletes and teams. Fans are no longer limited to watching a game or reading a short article about an athlete’s performance. Through platforms like Instagram and TikTok, they can see behind-the-scenes moments, training, struggles, and everyday life. These moments make athletes feel more relatable because fans get to see the person behind the performance.

As an athlete, I think this has completely changed the way I view sports storytelling.

I spent about 11 years doing gymnastics and always thought I would continue pursuing that sport in college. However, injuries eventually got in the way of that plan. I had to make a decision about what I wanted to do next, and I ended up taking a chance on a sport I had barely heard of and had never done before: acrobatics and tumbling.

It was probably one of the scariest decisions I’ve ever made.

Starting over in a completely new sport was intimidating. I had to learn new skills, meet new people, and put myself in an unfamiliar environment. But taking that chance turned out to be one of the biggest blessings in my life. What initially felt like the end of one athletic journey became the beginning of another and may even lead me toward a career in sports.

That is the kind of story people remember.

The story isn’t just that I became an acrobatics and tumbling athlete. It’s the journey of how I got there. It started with something that felt broken, but eventually turned into something complete and meaningful.

I think this is why personal storytelling has become so important in sports media.

During a TIME100 Talks panel discussion focused on global sports branding, Scott Mager, the U.S. chief marketing officer at Deloitte, discussed the importance of connecting brands to athletes and cultural moments. That idea shows how powerful an athlete’s story can be. Athletes are no longer just promoting products. Their experiences, personalities, and journeys can help brands connect with audiences on a deeper level.

The sports industry is recognizing the value of these stories. For example, PwC projects that the sports sponsorship market could reach $160 billion by 2030, with media rights and digital content driving much of that growth.

As sports media continues to evolve, I think fans will continue wanting something beyond the final score.

They want to know the person behind the athlete.

The future of sports storytelling will be more authentic and human-centered. Because sometimes the most powerful part of an athlete’s story isn’t where they ended up. It’s everything they had to go through to get there.