The Signal Caller

Been thinking a LOT about the sports media landscape on X. Most of these influencers and "new media" pundits may not realize the power they have. Agents, sponsors and other stakeholders who have a large investment in a player are willing to pay for said player to get propped up or even just have their highlights hyped online. I think we assume that sports influencers post for the love of the game... and maybe that is more often than not the case. But how often do you think accounts that are viewed as fan or sports meme accounts in reality are paid to share certain narratives? And if this paid engagement isn't happening already in the year 2026, when will it? Because it would be dumb for agents PR representatives and agents not to pursue this. Sports accounts on X rack in millions of views and can change the perception of a player overnight or with one highlight (or lowlight) video. I don't want to make people distrust every piece of sports content, but even when it comes to fandom or a simple take related to sports-- don't take everything you see at face value. Sports is a business. Your views, belief in and fandom for a team or player is valuable and yours to control. It drives popularity and revenue for these players. As for me, I value authenticity from my favorite athletes. In this increasingly paid sports media environment in addition to gambling and other massive industries throwing money and sponsorship deals into sports, it is important to decide what you want to get out of your sports media consumption and continue to improve your media literacy. Very Interesting to think about as money continues to drive sports media.

@alexjerkins13 @PranavSriraman Lol this is insane fake news! Source: I was there 🤣

@SignalCallerPR @PranavSriraman Lmfaoo yall arena got overtaken by Caps fans in the Stanley Cup final miss me with that

Sonics is fire but that Vegas team gonna be a hilarious operation. Every team especially the Lakers just added 4 home games to the schedule.

Spurs. Basketball.

Of course not. Vegas is a destination city and sports teams are naturally going to pull in other fans. But the assumption that Vegas locals are all Lakers fans is incorrect. They’ll embrace an expansion team for sure and that fandom will only increase with time. California Lakers fans can also just watch their team in LA, whereas West Coast Blackhawks fans can’t watch their team as much on the West. So it makes more sense that Blackhawks fans from the West would circle that game on the calendar.

@SignalCallerPR @just_machuca @ohhhthatsMari @PranavSriraman So you think the blackhawks have a bigger pull than the lakers???

@willlumz @mcfNBA Graphics go crazy. Fantastic work bro. Easy to read and great analysis too.

The D’andre Williams Draft Guide v0.2

@SinCitySportHub @30GotNext They’re all casuals

@30GotNext Ok

Pittsburgh and Kansas City deserve an NBA team more than Vegas but maybe that’s just me

@amiezin @rBillSimmonsPod Fantastic theory

@rBillSimmonsPod lebron/group pulled out of ownership of vegas potentially so im sure rich paul is talking behind the scenes about it to bill and now bill flipped his opinion.

Thoughts?

@rBillSimmonsPod His whole take on expansion in the last couple pods is bizarre. He has been touting the "league is deeper than ever" narrative for several years and now he switches up. Something had to happen behind the curtain for him to be pushing against it now.

@rBillSimmonsPod @packershurtme This! Bill was like the leading media pundit on expansion the past few years and has switched up like crazy.

@packershurtme Extremely bizarre, he has been calling for/championing this for years

@just_machuca @ohhhthatsMari @PranavSriraman Original Six

@SignalCallerPR @ohhhthatsMari @PranavSriraman Just a couple weeks ago people were complaining it felt like a blackhawks homegame here.

Tons of people on the timeline hating on the Vegas expansion team. It has always been Seattle and Vegas. Those are the obvious choices. Vegas is absolutely primed for an NBA team and the Golden Knights are the case study that proves it.

@MaddenDaGod @omarbustandr @chestsmacker @PranavSriraman This is a fantastic point. NBA fandom is so player-centric too.

@omarbustandr @SignalCallerPR @chestsmacker @PranavSriraman It’s gonna be a lot easier to have fans switch their nba teams than an nfl team.

@dailyokla @ThunderFilmRoom The key is them embracing the local community. The Knights excelled at this. The Raiders just wanted a more promising market and part of their strategy IS to capitalize on tourist revenue. The NBA team can be successful if they show Vegas locals they came for them.

@SignalCallerPR @ThunderFilmRoom Respectfully it seems like Vegas loves the hockey team, just like okc loves our basketball team. Locals who had no clue about either game wanted to support the team. Seems like the raiders are a novelty to Vegas locals. I’m anxious to see how 3rd and 4th teams find an identity

Sadly, it’s a business so money trumps all, but Las Vegas becoming a pro sports market will always feel incredibly nasty.

@ThingSomeRandom @PranavSriraman It is the only case study we have for this scenario. Raiders and A's don't apply. The Knights are the example to judge

@SignalCallerPR @PranavSriraman Exception not the rule

Even if it does start that way, I don't see why Vegas isn't the best option for plenty of other reasons. As time moves on, the locals will absolutely embrace their team. Vegas has always wanted their own teams and when the teams enter the market the right way (expansion) it has great results.

@SignalCallerPR @PranavSriraman I like the Knights but he’s right. The Lakers will be playing home games here. It’s already bad enough in Sacramento, even Utah has a problem with Laker fans and they have sold out 9 straight years. 80% of NBA fans here imo are Lakers fans.

@djgist @PranavSriraman Duh. Vegas is even more primed for an NBA team than they were for an NHL team.

@SignalCallerPR @PranavSriraman We talking basketball

@yooamare @PranavSriraman x.com/SignalCallerPR…

@SignalCallerPR @PranavSriraman ever watched a Raiders game?

@omarbustandr @chestsmacker @PranavSriraman Vegas is a fanbase melting pot. They'll totally embrace the team, especially as time goes on.

@SignalCallerPR @chestsmacker @PranavSriraman An expansion hockey team was easy because most people didn’t have a favorite hockey team, but most people have a favorite NBA team and they’re not gonna be easy to switch allegiance.

@ohhhthatsMari @PranavSriraman The Summer League and NBA Cup have nothing to do with the Lakers lol The city will embrace an expansion team just like they did with the nights just watch. Vegas locals hate LA.

@SignalCallerPR @PranavSriraman hockey isn’t the NBA…the Lakers literally already RUN Vegas, the first NBA Cup games, NBA Summer League and the Laker preseason games there every year solidifies it

@chestsmacker @PranavSriraman Expansion and relocation lead to totally different outcomes. Locals embrace expansion teams. Relocation teams don't feel like theirs. You'll see.

@SignalCallerPR @PranavSriraman But we’ve seen raiders games x.com/Vikings/status…