games

Recap: Social Media Basketball

by |August 20th, 2010

A couple of months ago, NYC-based social media agency Carrot Creative challenged the agency I work for, VaynerMedia to a game of basketball. “Hey @vaynermedia,” they tweeted, “Since our comps are the 2 best Sports Social Media Shops It is time to battle it out on the Basketball court! #challenge.” Of course, we accepted the challenge and played the game. VaynerMedia won, 61-41.

The Website

Carrot created a fantastic microsite for the game, called SocialMediaBasketball.com. They included both teams’ starting rosters, complete with names, nicknames, and the ability to follow all of us on Twitter. Even cooler? Visitors had the ability to “like” the team they were rooting for / thought would win. Finally, a live feed featured anyone who tweeted about the game with the hashtag #CCvsVM.

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About Sam Taggart

Sam is a Creative Strategist for VaynerMedia, a social media agency based in New York City. Sam previously worked as an Account Executive for the New York Jets as well as the New Jersey Nets and spent time working with former NBA player Jalen Rose as well as NFL safety Kerry Rhodes. He now focuses on creative strategy across VaynerMedia's portfolio. You can follow Sam at http://twitter.com/gosam & visit VaynerMedia at http://www.vaynermedia.com.

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Don’t Let the Competition Get the Best of You

by |May 31st, 2010

(This is a guest article by Stan Popovich)

Many athletes sometimes get anxious when they play against a tough opponent. Here is a list of techniques to help manage the stress of playing against tough competition.

1. Learn as much as you can about your opponent. Remember, there is always something to learn about your competition. Read the stats and reports about your opponent and watch him or her play. Try to figure out an angle on how you can beat your competition. The more you know about your competition the better your chances are are of winning. This also helps reduce your worries about who and what you will be facing in your next game.

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About Lewis Howes

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Crossing the Baseline: Social Media Changing Tennis

by |April 30th, 2010

(This is a guest article by Aaress Lawless)

The legacy of the sport of tennis lies steeped in tradition. From the pristine lawns of Wimbledon to the earth of Roland Garros, tennis’ past has governed the game of the present. Change is slow, the old ways are revered, and unlike other sports, tennis has evolved little since the modern game took shape in the 18th century.

But a new era of technology is ushering in sweeping changes for a sport which has a reputation for being behind the times. Equal prize money at Wimbledon did not arrive until 2007, 123 years after women first graced the Championships with their flowing skirts. Ironically, tennis has not been so slow to respond to the latest trend attacking the baseline—-social media.

While social media has untold advantages to many industries, it particularly is appealing to tennis. The tennis season is the longest of all major sports, lasting over ten months and with tournaments in over thirty nations. Logistical complexities such as the time differences, tournament accessibility and mediocre television coverage have frustrated fans for years. But social media has stepped in as a new medium, allowing fans to consume the latest news at their own paces and schedules.

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About Lewis Howes

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Geolocation is a Game-Changer for Sports Business

by |April 21st, 2010

Imagine this for a second: You head out in the morning to shoot some hoops at your local basketball courts and you decide to “check in” using either Gowalla or Foursquare or any of the new geolocation platforms. Boom! You’re rewarded with free tickets to an NBA game. Later in the day, you head to Foot Locker, and when you check in, you get a special discount on  any pair of Nike running sneakers. That night, when you head to your favorite sports bar and check in to let your friends know where you are, you’re gifted with an invitation to an exclusive VIP Playoffs party. The possibilities are endless.

Pretty soon, you won’t have to “imagine” any of this. In fact, as of last week, the first scenario (free tickets to an NBA game) is now a reality. On April 12th, VaynerMedia (the company I work for) helped facilitate a social campaign between the NBA’s New Jersey Nets and geolocation platform Gowalla. The campaign utilized Gowalla’s virtual item platform to distribute 250 pairs of virtual tickets in targeted locations (sports bars, outdoor parks, gyms) for April 12th’s New Jersey Nets v. Charlotte Bobcats basketball game. Users that found these virtual tickets were able to redeem the item for real tickets.

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About Sam Taggart

Sam is a Creative Strategist for VaynerMedia, a social media agency based in New York City. Sam previously worked as an Account Executive for the New York Jets as well as the New Jersey Nets and spent time working with former NBA player Jalen Rose as well as NFL safety Kerry Rhodes. He now focuses on creative strategy across VaynerMedia's portfolio. You can follow Sam at http://twitter.com/gosam & visit VaynerMedia at http://www.vaynermedia.com.

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Another First for The Garden: Hockey in 3D

by |March 24th, 2010

Tonight’s New York Rangers vs New York Islanders matchup at Madison Square Garden will be unlike any other in the long-standing rivalry. While the “Potvin sucks” chants, a look back in time, will be prevalent for the Isles visit,  the theater at Madison Square Garden will hold a special eye into the first ever 3D NHL hockey broadcast. The game will be shown live at the theater and broadcast on MSG Network.

The telecast will be the first live live 3D sports event delivered to the home. While the 3D viewing experience is the NHL’s first foray into the extra-dimension, it hints what is to come as 3D sports is on course to be the hottest new trend in game viewing. This 3D game nips at the heels of ESPN ‘s January announcement about the launch of a new 3D channel to be released in June, which has a minimum of 85 3D events planned.

While definitely straight-up cool, especially for a sport like hockey filled with hits, flying pucks and dropping gloves, there are some new challenges that surface.

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About Stephanie Bagley

Stephanie is an editor and project manager with Vaynermedia, working with the NHL to explore ways the league can use social media to engage fans and grow excitement around the game. She also hits the sports circuit as a freelance reporter for ESPN the Magazine, where she has been lucky enough to write since 2007. Her Flip cam is her favorite accessory. When not on Twitter and/or otherwise socially engaging, Stephanie enjoys snowboarding, cooking Italian food, the sport of hockey and taking years off her life watching her favorite teams, which include, but are not limited to, the New York Jets and the New York Mets.

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