Threads vs Twitter — The Battle for Real-Time Sports Fans
And why the NBA Playoffs could be the tipping point
Whatsup Squad,
The sports world is abuzz with anticipation as the NBA playoffs tip off, but there's another battle brewing off the court.
Twitter (X) and Threads are vying to become the go-to hub for real-time sports discussion and fan engagement.
Sports Discussion on Twitter
While political commentary tends to get more public attention, sports is the #1 topic of discussion on Twitter.
The platform is a major source of live coverage, reactions, and highlights, and the company is doing everything it can to maintain and increase this activity.
NBA posts on the platform generated 173 billion impressions and 14 billion views last season. As of the midway point this season, video views were up 23% compared to last season.
And just ahead of this year’s NBA Playoffs, they launched the NBA Portal.
The portal features a curated feed of NBA-related accounts (such as teams, networks, reporters, and creators), a hub for fan engagement for users to participate in live discussions, and a one-stop-shop for live scores and stats and where to watch the games live.
The NBA becomes the second league (after the NFL) to launch a portal on Twitter.
Formal partnerships like this one are a key part of maintaining their dominance.
Rise of Threads
If there’s one thing Meta does well, it’s imitate.
It’s been more than two years since Elon Musk officially took over as the owner of Twitter, and while a lot of platforms rushed in to try and be the next big microblogging service, many haven’t survived.
Bluesky’s momentum is now gone, leaving Twitter and Threads to battle it out for supremacy.
Since launching in July 2023, Threads has seen steady growth, with the app now up to 320 million monthly active users.
Twitter has only added around 50 million users in the last year, versus 200 million on Threads.
After releasing Meta’s Q4 2024 earnings report, founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg explained:
“Threads now has more than 320 million monthly actives, and has been adding more than 1 million sign-ups per day. I expect Threads to continue on its trajectory to become the leading discussion platform and eventually reach 1 billion people over the next several years.”
Zuckerberg’s 1 billion user target would double Twitter’s current audience.
Threads Makes Sports Push
Meta recently became the UFC’s first-ever fan tech partner.
One thing Meta has going for it that Twitter doesn’t: an elite ecosystem of consumer products.
The partnership with UFC will involve the integration of Meta AI, Meta Glasses, Meta Quest, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and, of course, Threads.
Commenting on the partnership, UFC president and CEO, Dana White, said:
“I’ve had a lot of great partners over the years that have helped us grow this sport, but Mark and his team at Meta are going to do things that will blow away UFC fans.”
UFC is putting a big emphasis on Threads, which will serve as its Official Social Media Partner.
This positions Threads as the main hub for the UFC community, offering unique original content meant to facilitate discussions around the key highlights of each UFC event.
You’ll even see Threads signage inside the UFC octagon.
This is the first partnership of its kind for Threads, but I doubt it will be the last.
If Threads can steal more of the sports discussion away from Twitter, that would be a huge step towards becoming the go-to hub for real-time sports discussion.
Why this Matters for BACKCOURT
Threads is unlikely to catch Twitter this year, but the competition is heating up.
And the NBA playoffs will be a perfect battleground to see where they stand.
For me, when a crazy moment happens in sports, I used to immediately turn to Twitter.
But in the last few months, I’ve seen myself gravitate more towards Instagram.
And, if you’ve been on Instagram recently, you’ll recognize that you can’t scroll far without seeing a carousel of Threads.
With over 2 billion monthly active users, Instagram has been the perfect lead engine for Threads.
BACKCOURT is already active on Instagram, but not on Threads.
But that changes now! And I’m starting with the NBA Playoffs.
I’ll be covering the business of the NBA playoffs (from sports tourism to ticket sales) as well as highlighting Caribbean hoopers like SGA and the Thompson twins.
Follow BACKCOURT on Threads.
Final Thoughts
For emerging sports brands, the opportunity is too big to ignore. Fewer ads and less noise give early movers prime real estate.
For sports fans, the shift from Twitter to Threads may not happen during the first round, or even during this year’s playoffs.
But I believe real-time sports discussion will ultimately move to Threads.
It will happen gradually, then suddenly. Will you be ready when it does?
Until next time ✌🏾
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