NCAA Study Reveals Widespread Social Media Harassment of Athletes, Coaches, and Officials

A recent NCAA study has uncovered alarming levels of social media harassment targeting athletes, coaches, and officials during championship events. According to the pilot study, which used AI-based algorithms to flag abusive content, nearly 20% of the flagged posts were related to sexual harassment, while 12% involved sports betting.

The study, conducted in partnership with Signify Group’s Threat Matrix, analyzed more than 72,000 messages flagged for abusive or threatening content. Of these, over 5,000 were confirmed to contain harmful, discriminatory, or threatening language and were subsequently reported to social media platforms. The NCAA’s investigation focused on championship events across six sports: baseball, basketball, gymnastics, football, softball, and volleyball during the 2023-2024 season.

Among the findings, 80% of abusive posts were directed at athletes participating in March Madness, with female basketball players receiving three times as many abusive messages as their male counterparts. One athlete, whose identity was withheld, received more than 1,400 harassing messages within just two weeks.

“The risks and mental health challenges associated with online abuse or threats are real and have a direct and immediate effect on athletes, coaches, officials, and their families,” the NCAA stated in the report. “This type of harassment impacts both personal and professional wellbeing, ultimately affecting performance.”

In addition to sexual harassment and sports-betting-related abuse, the study also found that racial comments comprised 10% of the abusive messages, particularly targeting athletes in the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments. The report described “toxic online fans” using racist insults, including comparisons to monkeys and labeling players as thugs. Women’s basketball teams and officials were particularly affected by this racist language.

The study monitored the social media activity of 3,164 student-athletes, 489 coaches, 197 game officials, 165 teams, and 12 NCAA official accounts. Using artificial intelligence, the Threat Matrix system categorized abusive content into 16 specific areas, ranging from violence and racism to homophobia and transphobia.

Among the alarming findings, 6% of the verified abusive messages involved threats of violence, with college football at the FBS level, the men’s basketball tournament, and volleyball receiving significant proportions of violent content. Other categories of abuse included doping accusations, homophobic slurs, and harassment directed at match officials.

Notably, the report found that harassment extended across all sports, with volleyball and gymnastics receiving more abusive content than March Madness or the College Football Playoff in some cases. The NCAA emphasized the lasting impact of such abuse, stating that even if an athlete appears unaffected, “this should not be assumed to be the case.” The organization stressed the importance of long-term protection for those who are targeted.

NCAA President Charlie Baker acknowledged the gravity of the findings, noting that the study highlights the extent of harassment athletes face during their college careers. “We will exhaust all options to reduce the harassment and vitriol student-athletes are experiencing too often today,” Baker said in a statement.

This study serves as a critical step toward understanding the pervasive issue of social media abuse in college athletics and underscores the need for protective measures to safeguard the mental health and well-being of athletes, coaches, and officials.