Kick off the NFL season with social media
It is finally football season, and you know what that means – tailgates, wings, chips and frosty beverages. However, did you know that football season is also a time when fans anticipate using social media?
With the ability to receive information instantaneously via social media, more and more organizations understand that it is a new, strategic and captivating way to reach fans. Over the last couple of years, the NFL has gone full speed ahead with social media to reinforce and encourage fandom. Bloggers and reporters such as Examiner writer Cheryl Phillips research the different social networking sites the NFL are utilizing and spread the word to fans.
Here are five social networking sites the NFL or specific teams in the NFL employ:
- Fantasy Football: A specific social networking site for NFL fans that enables you to collaborate with friends and make leagues to recruit players for virtual football teams. You play against your friends in the league for cash or bragging rights, much like an online video game.
- Twitter: Almost every team and player in the NFL has a personalized Twitter page for fans to follow and receive instant updates regarding new schedule information and team/player news. My favorite account is @RedskinsDotCom, the official Twitter feed of the Washington Redskins, which was updated as recently as 2 hours ago. Keep in mind, players have to adhere to strict Twitter policies that limit what they can tweet before or after a game.
- Facebook: Like Twitter, almost every team and player in the NFL have personalized Facebook pages. Fans can communicate with other fans and upload photos from games.
- Mobile Live: Thanks to smart phones, we can now watch NFL games from our phone and receive postgame highlights. Users beware – this is very tempting to sneak a peek at while you are at work!
- Twackle.com and NFL.com: Free resources to keep you in touch with NFL games, schedules, highlights, statistics, message forums and much much more. Twackle.com is interesting because it partners with Twitter and Facebook, and allows visitors to share a story or update about the NFL with other social networking sites.
So…open up your lap-top, pre-heat the oven for a few wings and enjoy the football season with the help of social media.
