Whether it’s a dog saving a soccer goal or an NFL star saluting veterans on Memorial Day, viral sports moments capture the world’s imagination. These micro-moments go beyond the box score to bridge teams and athletes with fans, build communities of team loyalty, and create lasting memories. The Ringer looks at what makes a sports moment “viral,” and how those moments have changed the game in a myriad of ways. Here’s how we define it:
The ubiquity factor: Does the moment have broad appeal? How many people can you point to who remember this moment as if it happened to them? This is important because, in the case of a viral sports moment, it may be the only time you’ll ever see someone act like this.
There is a certain synergy with sports and social media, especially the NBA. No other major North American team sport presents individual style with such clarity, so it’s easy for the league to turn its best players into avatars and paragons. That’s how a guy who banged on a trash can to steal signs became the face of a championship team and why it is so easy to be either a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hater or Joel Embiid apologist.
The other kind of iconic moment comes when an athlete or a player’s stance is so cool, so effortless, that it becomes part of the public vernacular. This was the case with Olympic shooter Yusuf Dikec, who took silver in the 10m air pistol with a stance that spawned countless memes.