Boxing is popular among Young people Again: Do we have YouTubers to thank for it?
As with every other sport, it is vital for boxing to attract new fans and spark the interest of young people. If this does not happen, then it would be in for an uncertain future when the older generation of followers fall by the wayside. This is naturally something keen fans of the sport do not want to happen and are trying to guard against. Although there had been fears for boxing in previous years, it now seems that young people are getting into it once more.
But why is this? One reason many point to is the popularity of sports betting with young people. Betting on boxing with sportsbook promo codes is something many get involved with and can help draw more people into following the sport as a result. Without sports betting to bring them to boxing to begin with, it may not always be something that young people would think about discovering. By placing bets on bouts, though, they not only watch the fight to see how it pans out but also get exposed to how fascinating boxing is in general.
For many people, though, it is the entry of prominent YouTube stars into the sport and their impact that is the major reason. People such as KSI, Logan Paul and Jake Paul have all been involved in headline-grabbing fights over recent years, which has brought more young people back to boxing. In this respect, it seems true to say YouTube boxing is also to thank for bringing more youngsters back into the sport.
But why is this?
YouTubers have taken boxing into the 21st century
Perhaps the first major reason why YouTubers have made boxing popular with young people again is the way in which it has modernized the sport. For a long time before the rise of YouTube boxing, the sport had remained relatively unchanged in how it was presented and covered. This became a problem when the younger generation started to engage with sports in a different way – buying magazines such as Boxing Weekly and staying up into the early hours to watch scheduled TV fights as they happened was not popular with this demographic!
This saw them start to disengage with boxing and follow sports that offered a more contemporary approach in how they were covered. By using modern social media platforms like YouTube to publicize and stream bouts, boxing now connects better with young people and has begun to speak to them directly. If rumors of the Mike Tyson vs Logan or Jake Paul fight are true, then it might even inspire young people to go back into boxing history and find out more about iconic fighters from yesteryear.
Celeb YouTube fighters also help draw young people in
As well as bringing the sport forward and making it look more modern, YouTubers have also been important in generating more interest in boxing from young people. This is down to the younger generation only wanting to watch fights involving celeb names they already know. Most youngsters now simply have no interest in watching unknown fighters battle their way up to a world title shot over the course of a few years. They instead want to watch the big bouts, the star names, and people they already follow – such as KSI vs Logan Paul 2.
Bringing in big YouTube names who already have a massive profile outside of the sport among young people has therefore enabled boxing to pique their interest. It has also persuaded them to start taking an interest in the sport their favorite celeb name is getting into. This is actually something we are starting to see in most sports in the modern age. Many youngsters now follow an individual’s name, rather than the sport or team.
YouTubers central to boxing’s future
As with any sport, boxing needs to develop and move with the times if it is to remain popular. While this has not always been true, modern YouTube boxing and YouTube fighters are a phenomenon that might just do it. Although a lot of older boxing fans are not impressed, younger people certainly seem to respond to famous YouTubers they know will be fighting in new events and on platforms, they prefer to use. If this helps boxing survive into the future, then it cannot be a bad thing.
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