A recent NCAA study sheds light on the concerning levels of online harassment that student-athletes endure, with social media platforms becoming a breeding ground for abusive behavior. The study, carried out in collaboration with Signify Group, analyzed various NCAA championships, finding that harassment spikes during high-profile events like March Madness. A significant portion of this harassment stems from adults frustrated by sports betting outcomes. Of the nearly 4,000 abusive messages analyzed, 12% were directly tied to gambling, but it’s suggested that sports betting behavior also indirectly contributes to other categories of abuse, including sexist, racist, and homophobic messages. This pattern of abusive behavior poses both immediate and long-term risks to the mental health and overall well-being of student-athletes.
One of the more shocking revelations of the study is that female athletes tend to face higher levels of harassment than their male counterparts. For example, during the Women’s College World Series, female athletes received double the number of messages alleging cheating and corruption compared to the men’s series. Additionally, the percentage of sexually inappropriate messages sent to female athletes far outpaces those aimed at male athletes, with 92% of flagged sexual content being directed at female gymnasts. These disparities suggest that female student-athletes face a particularly heightened burden when it comes to public scrutiny and online abuse, further exacerbating the challenges of competing at a high level.
The implications of this behavior, especially in the context of sports betting, are far-reaching. The anonymity of social media platforms allows adults to vent their frustrations, often driven by financial losses, without facing any direct consequences. Shielded by the security of a phone screen, bettors and fans take out their anger on young athletes, most of whom are between 18 and 22 years old, trying to balance their sports careers with academics. The immediacy and volume of this abuse—some athletes receiving over 1,400 abusive messages in two weeks—can be overwhelming, leading to long-term mental health struggles like anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts.
In the short term, the relentless nature of online abuse can profoundly impact an athlete’s mental well-being, making it difficult to focus on their sport or academic responsibilities. Many athletes report feeling the weight of constant scrutiny, and the direct nature of social media means that abusive messages reach them in real time. This kind of pressure can negatively affect performance, as athletes are distracted or emotionally drained by the online vitriol.
Beyond the immediate psychological toll, the long-term implications are equally concerning. Repeated harassment can shape an athlete's public image, particularly in the age of social media where one's reputation is often built and maintained online. The public’s perception of a student-athlete can be colored by the narratives crafted in these hostile environments, making it harder for them to navigate professional opportunities after college. Whether they pursue careers in sports or other fields, having a damaged public persona can limit job prospects, sponsorship opportunities, or even personal growth, especially if they carry the weight of being unfairly labeled or misunderstood due to online attacks.
Moreover, athletes who experience significant harassment early on may develop a reluctance to engage with the public or pursue visibility in their future careers. In a job market where professional branding and online presence are increasingly vital, former student-athletes who’ve been subjected to such abuse may shy away from opportunities that involve public exposure, limiting their career paths. Additionally, for those who do pursue professional sports careers, continued exposure to online gambling-related harassment could lead to more serious mental health challenges, as the pressures of performing under scrutiny only increase.
The situation becomes even more complex when considering the irony of the abuse being rooted in financial frustration. Many of the fans hurling abuse at student-athletes do so because of money they’ve lost gambling on these athletes' performances. Yet, at the same time, the question of whether college athletes themselves should be compensated for their play remains a contentious debate. Despite the significant commercial interests involved in collegiate sports and the fact that many people profit from athletes' unpaid labor, the athletes themselves often bear the consequences of that financial system without any direct financial compensation. They become the targets of vitriol in a marketplace they don’t benefit from—a system where their labor generates millions, yet they have little to no control over how it impacts their lives.
This raises fundamental ethical questions about the amateurism model in college sports. If student-athletes are subjected to the same pressures and abuse as professional athletes, especially when money is involved, why should they not be compensated for their role in an ecosystem where others profit so significantly? As the mental health toll of these experiences becomes clearer, it seems increasingly difficult to justify not paying student-athletes for the risks they take and the emotional labor they endure in the name of sport. Addressing this imbalance would not only be a step toward fairness but also a crucial recognition of the human cost associated with collegiate athletics.
