Kobe Bryant’s death most discussed moment on Facebook in 2020; IPL attracted debates

On Monday, social media giant Facebook released its top trends for the year 2020, listing what dominated the social media space in both global as well as Indian context. Kobe Bryant's tragic death, which took place in January 2020, was the most discussed moment on Facebook. It was also revealed that the Dream11 IPL (Indian Premier League) 2020 was also one of the main topics of discussion for fans on the social media platform. 

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Kobe Bryant death the top discussion on Facebook in 2020

The year 2020 was one that was dedicated to icons in different sporting fields, starting with the passing of Lakers icon Kobe Bryant, which was the most discussed moment on Facebook in the past 12 months. The five-time NBA champion died in a helicopter crash along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others on January 26. 

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The sporting world paid its tributes to the NBA icon and countries such as the USA, Mexico and the Philippines shared the highest number of posts and photos honouring Kobe. Kobe Bryant was 41 years old at the time of his death but left behind a deep legacy at the Lakers and the rest of the sports world. 

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Dream11 IPL 2020 draws plenty of attention on social media

It was also revealed that the Dream11 IPL 2020, which was held in the UAE with no fans in stadiums, drew plenty of attention on social media. The Dream11 IPL began on September 19 and concluded on November 10, giving cricket fans some much-needed action during the pandemic. Facebook claimed that the IPL 2020 was a big conversation-driver registering 10 million mentions on the social media platform. 

The Mumbai Indians defended their IPL title by beating Delhi Capitals in the final, taking their tally to a record 5 championships. 

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In the three weeks following George Floyd's death in June, conversations around 'Black Lives Matter' tripled, with an average of 7.5 million mentions on Facebook every day. Floyd, an African-American man was choked by a police officer while being put under arrest and later died of breathing difficulties. This sparked outrage among the African-American community leading to several sporting icons also taking a stance on the 'BLM' campaign. 

Image Credits - AP, Hardik Pandya Instagram