At the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Track & Field, marketing agency thunder::tech's social media strategy for USA Track and Field (USATF) redefined how the sport connects with fans by focusing on the humanity behind the athletes.
Traditionally, track and field coverage revolves around performance stats and competition highlights—content that resonates primarily with diehard enthusiasts. Working with USATF, t::t knew they wanted to change that narrative and make track and field accessible, engaging and memorable for a broader audience.
thunder::tech flipped the script by spotlighting athletes as people first, not just competitors. Through entertaining social content, the agency showcased the athletes' humor, quirks and everyday personalities, capturing the human stories behind the sport. The team created behind-the-scenes moments, interactive Q&As and lighthearted videos, inviting fans to connect with athletes on a personal level.
The thunder::tech team also wanted this content to be exclusive to USATF to spotlight the organization as the key holders for track & field. While they showed some viral moments (like Sha’Carri crossing that finish line!), the main strategy was to create unique content that no other outlets or accounts could come up with. In fact, thunder::tech created over 500 original posts over the two week-event.
The goal was to foster relatability and build emotional connections, breaking down barriers for casual fans and igniting new interest in the sport. By amplifying these personable, relatable moments, thunder::tech turned world-class athletes into accessible role models and friends, while providing content viewers could only see on the USATF social channels.
thunder::tech's goal was clear: bring a fresh, human perspective to track and field that would resonate with a broader audience. However, entering this arena presented a steep learning curve. Each athlete’s schedule, personality and needs were different, requiring thunder::tech to adapt in real time while simultaneously earning their trust.
One of the biggest challenges was learning to interact with elite athletes in their own environment. Track and field is an individual sport and this meant that every athlete had a different schedule, personality and comfort level. Earning their trust required careful observation, thoughtful preparation and a willingness to be flexible.
Thorough research conducted before the event proved essential. Social listening and trend research identified key opportunities to engage new audiences, while personalized research on individual athletes allowed thunder::tech to tailor every interaction. A detailed schedule was developed, aligning content creation with event timings and the anticipated mindsets of the athletes—carefully balancing the nerves and performance highs and lows.
The execution of the plan hinged on presence, approachability and respect. thunder::tech positioned itself at the end of the media line with a dry erase board featuring playful, customized questions. This created a lighthearted alternative to traditional interviews, naturally and willingly attracting athletes.
Before filming, the team always introduced themselves, explained their intent and obtained consent—something the athletes genuinely appreciated, as it demonstrated respect for their time and boundaries. This thoughtful approach earned their trust and even led to word-of-mouth recommendations among the athletes, significantly expanding their reach.
While t::t adhered to their schedule as much as possible, flexibility was absolutely critical. They had to remain agile to seize unscripted opportunities. Personalized touches—like talking Taylor Swift with Yared Nuguse or celebrating Kyree King’s upcoming birthday—built genuine rapport and allowed thunder::tech to create compelling, unique content.
When posting content, the initial priority was scheduling predictable assets, such as daily breakdowns of the Trials events. However, the team quickly realized the extent of flexibility and real-time editing required to stay relevant and maximize engagement. To address this, they planned dedicated editing and posting sessions into their daily schedules. These "heads down" periods in the media tent allowed thunder::tech to create and publish timely content, ensuring consistent and engaging coverage throughout the event. This time was also used for community management. The team engaged with all comments, Instagram Story mentions and direct messages to further USATF's relationship with its growing audience. Time was also allocated for social listening to expand USATF's social brand personality and drive traffic to their pages.
By approaching the event with authenticity and respect, the team overcame every obstacle encountered during the two-week period. Every interaction demonstrated to the athletes that thunder::tech was there to amplify their stories, not exploit them—and this daily commitment to trust-building truly paid off, resulting in fresh, relatable and authentic content.
thunder::tech’s work went beyond traditional sports coverage. They treated athletes not just as competitors but as individuals, and this approach allowed them to create moments that connected with both fans and the athletes themselves.
By showing up with respect and purpose every day, the thunder::tech team turned a high-pressure event into an opportunity to redefine how audiences see track & field—and the metrics speak volumes about that success.
All KPIs exceeded initial forecasts, positioning USATF for sustained growth heading into the 2024 Paris Olympics and beyond. thunder::tech's strategic social media efforts, including the creation of 544 posts, fueled these impressive results. During the Trials, USATF’s organic social media reached an astounding 20.8 million people—nearly doubling the viewership of the 2024 NBA Finals (11.3 million). And it wasn’t just reach; people connected with the content. Across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X, USATF gained 27,031 new followers, marking an average 1.32% growth rate, led by Instagram at 3.92%.
Ad performance was equally impressive. With a target ROAS of 4.00, thunder::tech surpassed expectations with a 4.46 ROAS.
The standout factor? Exclusivity. The highest-performing content was the kind only USATF could deliver—authentic, behind-the-scenes moments and athlete-driven stories that no other outlet could replicate. By continuously analyzing engagement and audience feedback, the team fine-tuned the timing and content of every post, ensuring the USATF audience was eager to see each post. This strategic approach drove exceptional engagement rates, with an overall average of 5.89% across platforms, peaking at 7.89% on Facebook and 7.55% on TikTok.
The result was not just a moment of success but a lasting impact on how audiences see and engage with track and field.
