In November 2009, I introduced a series of articles I called ‘Social Media Report Card,’ where I graded each of the four major sports leagues – NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB – on their social media presence. I made a point of being harsh. In particular, I criticized each of the leagues for only utilizing…
Tag Archives | Social Media in Sports
Will Social Media Become Ambush Marketing’s Favorite New Ammo?
As we turn the page and look ahead to 2010, let us address a topic most marketers have a strong opinion on: ambush. Whether you believe ambush marketing of official events is creative and cost-efficient or an unethical and illegal mortal marketing sin, the fact is 2010 will see more of it than many marketers…
Top 10 Sports/Social Media Trends of 2010
Jason Peck recently asked 16 sports industry thought leaders (a few of us who write here among them) to share their thoughts and predictions for sports and social media in 2010. The result was an awesome ebook full of some solid insights. In this post I’d like to build off the foundation Jason (and the…
For Iverson and the Sixers, the Answer is Social Media
For the record, I am a Sixers fan, and I love Allen Iverson. The Background Three years ago, yesterday, Allen Iverson asked for a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers. “As hard as it is to admit,” he said, “a change may be the best thing for everyone.” Eleven days later, Iverson was traded to the…
7 Social Media Tips for Sponsorship Sales
Marketers, and especially sports marketers, in my opinion are vastly more educated in social media than the majority of other professions. 99% of the talk about social media, however, is on how it can be used to market to consumers. Are there social media tips and tricks sponsorship pros can use to better support their…
Social Media Report Card – The MLB
Ah, baseball. America’s past time. The game has been around, and flourished, for a long, long time. In recent years (since the mid 90’s), baseball has hit a rough patch, with the Steroids Era. However, baseball is trying to change its image, and social media is part of that effort. Social media makes sense for…
Social Media Report Card – The NHL
In full disclosure, VaynerMedia assists the National Hockey League with their online and social media presence. Therefore, to be fair, I will not be assigning the NHL letter grades as I have done for the NBA and the NFL, rather I will leave it to you, the reader, to decide the league’s grade. Please leave…
The Bowl Conundrum Structure Needs Public Relations Help
BCS. Sometimes that’s all you have to say to launch a storm of criticism about today’s way to select the best team in college football. Just ask Bill Hancock, last week’s newly named executive director of the Bowl Championship Series. To be sure, Hancock is no Johnny-come-lately. He was the first director of the Final…
Social Media Report Card – The NBA
Over the next four weeks, I am going to write about the social media presence of the four major sports: the National Basketball Association, the National Football League, the National Hockey League, and Major League Baseball. Over the past year or so, each league has adopted social media in its own way, and each league…
Why Sports Management Students Should Use Social Media
I recently had the pleasure to speak in front of 200 bright sports management students at York College in York, PA. It was almost a little too scary as it brought back some memories from when I was a sports management student in 2005. It was an honor, to say the least, to have the…
Does Sports Need Social Media?
Yes or no? Does it depend on what sector of the sports industry we are talking about? Should we even care? Whether it’s a sports teams using a Facebook fan page, professional athletes on Twitter, sports agencies trying to promote their brand from blogging, sports management programs looking to recruit new students, or other sports…
Relinquish Control, Empower the Passionate Fans!
Sports marketing thought leader, Jason Peck, said something two weeks ago that really resonated with me. After hearing a company say they controlled their brand in social media he said this, “The words influence, facilitate and protect your brand should replace control.” Frankly, I couldn’t agree more… … Provided it’s your fans who pay money…