Guest Post: Iain Taker is an associate at Kemp Little LLP, specialising in commercial and sports law, and a registered lawyer under the FA Football Agency Regulations.  You can follow him on twitter @iaintaker or on LinkedIn.  Following on the from the success of his last article here on UKSN, here is the first of two part look at sports bodies and clubs interaction with the public through digital media.

A digital media strategy is increasingly not only an accepted part of sports governing bodies, clubs and players (“parties”) interaction with the public but a necessary part.  This article will look at the importance of interaction with, opposed to merely talking at, the public.  A number of parties appear to have failed to harness the potential digital media offers but those who have understood its capabilities are reaping the benefits in both monetary and non-monetary terms.

This article will examine aspects of a digital media strategy that should be foremost in the mind when planning and reviewing such a strategy and extracting the maximum benefit from its use.  It is clear that there is no one size fits all strategy and that parties need to determine their individual requirements, budgetary constraints and the skills available to them before creating, implement and maintaining a suitable strategy.  A common complaint from fans of the parties is that there is often a lack of understanding in relation to the difference between having a digital media presence and using that presence to engage the fans.

Engaged or merely courting?

A vast number of parties now have a presence through digital media platforms and in particular an increasing presence on social media channels. However there is a significant difference between presence and successful engagement. Too few parties have been successful in achieving a sustained level of engagement. Often this is a result of not prioritising digital media efforts, lacking the sufficient expertise or having an ineffective policy.

Many may wrongly believe that a successful strategy is simply a case of being able to make the necessary resources available, but this is not the reality.  A recent survey by Newcastle United Supporters Trust found that only 3% of fans believed the club listened to them. Such a figure is not uncommon even amongst the higher profile teams and it is symptomatic of the argument that the sports industry (as a whole) takes fan loyalty for granted rather than seeking to build a business to customer relationship more akin to alternative ‘business led’ industries.

It is widely believed that the NBA in the United States has been the most successful sport in engaging with their public, as digital media opportunities have been pursued from the governing body, the teams and individual players. The NBA has developed its digital media strategy by embracing opportunities and learning what works and what has been less successful.  In the United Kingdom the slickest operation is undoubtedly Manchester City as exemplified through initiatives such as use of FanCam and streaming post-match interviews via their social media channels. One reason for their success is that their digital media strategy works in harmony with their long term overarching intention of creating a global brand.  It is by understanding the fan, their wants and likes that will enable a party are able to fully engage the public.

There are a number of factors behind many parties’ failure to actively engage the public such as an over focus upon increasing revenue from the outset and inadequate available skills within the employees which results in a failure for the parties ability to get to grip with the impact that digital media can have.  Richard Ayers, Digital Playmaker at Manchester City believes that the biggest hindrance faced by many is a lack of internal communication and co-ordinated planning.  Without understand what the aim of the communication is it is virtually impossible to create a consistent and effective on-going engagement with the public.

Considerations for parties

Strategy

In order to have a successful engagement with the public there needs to be considerable planning and consideration as to what the party is actually seeking to achieve and what would need to occur for the strategy to be deemed a ‘success’. As part of this the party should undertake a process to establish what an acceptable return on its investment would be (this may be commercial returns or cultural returns).  In order for the strategy to have a chance of being a success the aims must be line with an honest review of the budget, the time that key personnel are able/prepared to commit and the available skill set of the employees.

Without the commitment of the key people within the party any planned strategy is likely to be unsuccessful. In order to achieve this ‘success’ it is necessary to highlight shortcomings, and quite possibly advisable in the case of skill sets, to bring in a consultant to work alongside the existing employees of the party to create, implement and maintain a viable digital media strategy.  Digital media is a specialist area and the specialist skills required to fully utilise its capabilities should not be underestimated.  Successful digital and social media offerings are increasingly the result of utilising third parties experience. Manchester City for example decided that in order to become a market leader they need skills which were not available internally and brought in an external team.  Individual players are also increasingly using the expertise of consultants who take the player’s wish to engage with fans and turn it into a professional offering as shown by Wayne Rooney’s recent hiring of Jae Chalfin from Sports New Media.

Target

One key aspect to fully engaging fans is ensuring that the social media strategy is fully targeted. The Party should determine to whom the content is designed for. Some content will be suitable for the public as a whole such as Manchester City for example use the twitter hashtag #blueview on match days a simple idea to initiate but highly effective and has been equally well received by those attending the game and their international fans.

Where however this is not the case attention should be paid as how best to engage the relevant part of the public.  For example on a match day there are two separate groups that the digital content make seek to engage e.g. those attending the game and those who are not at the game.  Therefore it may be a possibility that those at the ground can be offered more targeted content e.g. traffic news, latest offers in the club shop etc. while those unable to attend may get different content e.g. latest offers in the online store. Where a party is seeking to maximise its engagement with international fans there are significant benefits to providing content in a range of languages along with region specific content e.g. heavier focus on players from that region etc.

Analyse and improve via feedback

To improve the level to which fans feel engaged it is important to ensure that the digital media analytics are effectively monitored as this will provide evidence see how the successful the engagement is.  For example by analysing social media data such as the number or comments on Facebook, replies or retweets on Twitter for example it will enable a greater understand of who the audience actually is.  In addition it will provide valuable information that will help to target content and improve the value of digital media offerings to the party.

While the digital media strategy must have a long term goal it is necessary to have built in flexibility in order to adapt to trend changes for example.  It is therefore vital to encourage the users to have their say on both the content and how it is being provided, e.g. weekly suggestion competitions with the winners getting a shirt/voucher/ticket etc. and importantly incorporating the suggestions. The provided content should be simple to use, interesting and fun for the public. By thinking from the mind-set of the target public (easily done through using their feedback) it is possible to understand what will be most appealing e.g. behind the scenes access or interactive content.

Make content engaging and authentic

Jae Chalfin believes a key aspect of having a successful approach is to embrace the ethos or personality in the offerings as fans will know, and been turned off, when there is a lack of authenticity.  Parties must understand that there is a significant benefit to focussing on producing engaging content for fewer platforms than a lesser presence on many. Dan McLaren, from here at UKSN, says that “a number of pitfalls are the result of parties doing something for the sake of it and not really understand why they are providing content.”  The content must engage the public and not be solely about the commercialisation of a party, by providing content that is authentic and interesting the party will see a greater uptake of their message.

As mentioned above parties should place themselves in the shoes of the public what content they would like to see? For individuals and clubs it is very much about contact, the behind the scenes access is constantly top of fans favourite features on social media surveys.  For governing bodies its again about removing the feeling of us and them and enabling the public to understand how the body functions. Governing bodies should seek to be informative and give the public an insight into the latest going-ons within the sport and utilise former professionals to give context around events.  For example the Rugby Football Union can use former players to discuss the upcoming Six Nations games as well as news about team line up, fixtures etc.

Traditional media v Digital media

There is a careful balance to be taken between an over reliance on either traditional forms of media or digital media as they each offer advantages and drawbacks such as the cost, speed, target markets that they will reach.  There is a need and benefit for undertaking a co-ordinated marketing and communications plan that embraces both types of media.  There has been a hesitancy by many parties in embracing digital media to a greater extent. This does not come as a surprise to many as the vast majority of decision makers have often built their careers during an age of traditional PR/marketing opposed to the relatively new phenomenon (particularly in relation to social media) that is digital media. This situation is slowly changing and with the addition of decision makers who have digital experience, or directors who are open minded enough to hire someone with such experience and give them sufficient authority, increasing synergies between the two forms of media are occurring.  Richard Ayers believes that it is this lack of digital experience coupled with the authority to act that is resulting in missed opportunities for many parties who often continue to struggle to make digital media part of their standard operating procedure.

It is vital that a party, who wants to maximise their opportunities and engagement, uses specialists within each area but also that these specialists work in conjunction rather than competition with each other.  Traditional media still has a very significant role to play and the different types of media can benefit from each other as many social media marketing campaigns cannot work without the awareness that TV, print, etc can bring and in turn digital media can reach a wider and different audience than traditional media.  When choosing the correct media to use it is still important to remember who is the target market is as some age categories and countries are more effectively reached through traditional media than digital media. This is shown by a quote given by an ICC spokesman when discussing the difficult balance they have between using traditional and digital media “particularly given that we are an international organisation trying to reach out to countries where consumers behave very differently when it comes to what kind of media they engage in.”

So what expansion ideas should be looked at?

The social media focus of most digital media strategies has been on Facebook and Twitter, which is not surprising due to the popularity and possibilities available on these platforms.  However, these platforms should not be relied upon to the exclusion of others for example Manchester City currently has nine separate components of social media available to their fans.  However it is prudent to build a presence on one or two platforms and build up rather than spreading the content too thin across multiple platforms. Prior to releasing content onto any digital platform the plan must be well-thought through and tested.

The ICC is very sensible looking at utilising the experience held by their broadcast and sponsors to find new and creative ways to engage fans at their marque events such as the ICC World Twenty20 later this year in Sri Lanka.  It is important to undertake market research as to what the targeted audience is looking for.  A governing body should seek to offer a different service to that of a sports club or player who will seek to engage their fans on a daily basis. The governing body should look to work with their members and collectively share their experiences as different members will have alternative strategies.

A few thoughts that the parties should consider are:

Be fan driven

It is the fan who generates a significant amount of revenue for the club and holds a passion for the team. It is important to always think of what content they would like to receive rather than just what you wish to provide.  Regularly interacting with fans is crucial ideas such as competitions, exclusive access, uploading fans photos and Q&A sessions may make them feel part of the team and in turn encourage others to join.  Taking the time out to reward particularly loyal fans shows that you are interested in their support. The cost to do this may be negligible but the value could be significant. You should encourage your fans to suggest ideas and encourage them to interact with each other e.g. offer a hashtag where fans can share their thoughts.

Remain focused and up to date

It is not necessary to try and put content out on every available platform and it is advisable to focus upon a few outlets (the most common being the body or club website, Facebook and Twitter).  Three considerations should always be borne in mind, content must be correct; content must be current and content must be of interest. Utilise the strengths of the platforms you are using to their maximum, the club webpage can provide significantly more details/stories etc, Twitter should be used for very quick updates the fan should hear the latest news from the party themselves not a third party.  Facebook offers an easy platform to upload interactive content and fan pictures etc.  

Where parties wish to utilise digital and particularly social media to drive revenues it is often a collaboration of non-revenue content that will enable this.  For example when a party is launching a new kit or event the videos of such a launch or announcement can be accompanied by a link to be the first to buy the kit or tickets. Fans will not be upset by having commercial driven content alongside relevant content, they will however be turned off it the content is primarily focused on increasing revenue streams.

Constantly benchmark against other sports team/bodies or players

Once a party has set up their digital media offerings they should always be looking at how to deliver an improved service.  A simple way of doing this is looking at what offerings other parties and brands are using.  Not everything that is successful elsewhere will work for every party but there are often elements that will help to ensure that your content is engaging.  If you think of an idea it is worth trialling it and making a point about its trial in order to: a) create hype around it; b) receive feedback; and c) enables it easily to be taken down if it is not successful. It is by trying new and innovative ideas that you will establish what works for you and your fans.  New ideas do not have to cost a lot of money but can really set you apart from the competition e.g. Manchester City and Vincent Kompany who held the Premier League’s first post-match interview on Facebook and Twitter. Another simple but clever initiative is being used by Sheffield Wednesday FC who allow supporters to use Facebook to find where their friends are sitting when buying a ticket.

Size of digital media market domestically and internationally

One of the most prominent advantages of digital media is that the vast number of people (both current fans and potential fans) that it enables a party to reach across international boundaries.  It is this fact only that should mean that the digital media strategy should be an integral part of any party’s business strategy.  The market enables quick and easy access to a greater number of fans than traditional media is able to.

Due to the international support that parties now have and the possibilities available through digital media platforms the content should be provided in a language other than just English, such as Manchester City providing their content in Arabic. The party should seek to utilise the international aspects of digital media in line with its core business plan, this has been shown by Manchester United’s development of mobile video highlights of its games across Asia and Europe.

Conclusion

Digital media is too often an area that many parties undervalue and its full potential is yet to be embraced by many.  The increasing popularity and acceptance of smartphones means that digital offerings can be viewed more often than ever. A successful strategy must be well planned and implemented but should not be in place of existing traditional media offerings utilised with such offerings. Digital media is not a fad and is a specialist industry in itself and often the cost of hiring an consultant to guide a party through the available opportunities will be money reaped back many times over.

A fan-centric approach should be adopted by parties as the culture of digital media, and in particular social media, is very different to traditional media.  Fans expect content to be tailored to be of maximum interest to them and when this is achieved will revenue generate activities be established. Facebook itself showed that by having patience in getting the offering correct prior to commercialising the platform can be very lucrative in the long run.  It is likely that an increasing number of parties will embrace the opportunities available through digital media in the coming years.  While there are some potential pitfalls where handled properly it can be an incredibly effective tool.

I would particularly like to thank the ICC, Richard Ayers (Manchester City), Jae Chalfin (Sports New Media) and Dan McLaren (We Are Social/UKSN) for their help in writing this article.

Where will this end?!  I’m of course talking about the fine implemented by The FA on Federico Macheda, the Italian youngster on loan at QPR from Manchester United.

He has been fined £15,000 and warned about his future conduct after using abusive language on Twitter after being left out of the match day team recently. He said; “Totally p***** off…this is not what i deserve. F..k all!!!!”

You can understand his frustration as he went to the club to gain first team experience that would help his new club with some goals and his own game to ensure he goes back to his parent club with a chance of making the first team.  This has not been the case and so he took to Twitter to vent his frustration in the one public place he had access to.

If you’ve read this blog for any length of time you will know that this is certainly not the first time its happened and most definitely wont be the last.  For the last 3 years there have been regular instances of this happening.

So what, if anything, could be done about this to help?

For the bigger profile players, those who are obviously earning a good wage there could be some options worth exploring.  This is also a point in which someone with social media experience can help them.

In the US, I recently read about the use of Amy Jo Martin’s company Digital Royalty vetting the twitter updates of Joel Stein, the top man at the TIME Magazine.  Something they also do for Shaq O’Neill, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Dana White from UFC.  What this does is enable some sense checking of what should go up and when, something that the king of advertising David Ogilvy said is one of the keys to writing when he said;

“Never send a letter or a memo on the day you write it. Read it aloud the next morning — and then edit it.” 

(taken from an internal memo by Ogilvy to his staff with 10 hints to learn to write well)

So if the sense checking is done by yourself or someone else, it doesnt matter as long as it happens.  With so much at stake for people at this ‘celebrity’ level, the merest slip up can be front page news.

This does not mean being draconian or the scrooge who wont let someone have any kind of personality on social media sites.  It means finding a happy medium that can really make a difference.

So how would it work?

How about something simple: the player hires a person or company to help him/her with their online sites (much as they would do with their website).  Then once they want to make an update they text/email/BB the message they want to add to this person, who then adds it to the relevant platform.

We still want some real time interaction of course and if these are set for certain times, as some athletes do already, where they answer questions directly.  There are still many opportunities for interaction and it not to come over as cold, bland or distant.

What this does do is make them think twice about what they are going to post and also enables them to sense check it past another person.  They may then come back and say ‘are you sure you want to say that?’

With so many platforms out there that could be jumped on (is pinterest going to be next?) there is going to be a time when they just cant look after all of them them by themselves. Certainly not if your Rio Ferdinand, Lewis Hamilton, Wayne Rooney, RvP or the like.

We still want them to voice their opinions of course and not have all of them turn into the next Michael Owen of Twitter (boring!).  We want to find out more about their personality, what else they do aside from sport, interact with them and get the latest news.

This isn’t new thinking, we have been doing for brands for quite a long time now.  Where it is appropriate there should be no reason why the same couldn’t happen more to the top sports stars (and other celebs). Of course we should still push for sensible, awareness training of young (and older) athletes to give them the confidence and insights to go onto these platforms with their eyes wide open.

The introduction of social media to golf has been long overdue. Whilst other sports have been slowly integrating it into their game golf has not been quick enough to catch up.  There have been many reasons for this and the perception of golf is one of those major obstacles for it to push into the digital world.  Making the introduction of social media into the game so much more difficult.

Football clubs all have Twitter and Facebook accounts; the Rugby Football Union has launched its own social media hub called RFU Labs and I am sure London 2012 has a host of social media plans this year. The list of sports clubs and organisations who have embraced a use of social media is endless but how is golf using social media, if at all?

The US Masters is the epitome of tradition and standards within golf but it’s the last place you would think to set new standards in sports social media. And yet it did in 2011 when it launched a number of digital platforms ranging from on-demand video highlights on Twitter to an IPad app that mapped out the golf course yard by yard. Similarly the Open Championship 2011 used Score Centre + to add a new dimension to their digital coverage.  In fact most professional tournaments have at least a Twitter feed or so

However, the key to sports social media is the way it incorporates not only the athletes and organisers but also the everyday fan and enthusiast. Although individual golfers regularly share their views on Twitter, there is no social network that links the average weekend golfer to other amateur players, to courses, to professional bodies or to media. Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Natalie Gulbis are all particularly heavy tweeters but the problem lies in the difference between connecting teams and connecting individual people, particularly if they have smaller fan bases.  A sport played by individuals against other individuals seems much harder to market in social media than something like a professional team.

But there is good news because golf is evolving to use social media more and more. Divotr is a golf social networking site launching this year that will be a place where golf fans can interact in real time during events in a way not unlike Twitter, except everyone can interact with everyone rather than just your own ‘followers’. Since fans of all sports tend to have a better time sharing event experiences with other people this site looks to fill the gap in golf. In terms of playing the game, Howdidido is a site purely for golfers to input their scorecards and handicaps and to share their statistical ups and downs of the game. Although it is a handy site for players it’s not a game changer in terms of fan interaction and social media.

The biggest launch of golf social media this year is the Back9 Network which is replacing its twindling predecessor the Golf Channel. Its mission is “to offer entertaining and edgy content that fuses the sport of golf with the exciting lifestyle that surrounds it”. It will provide golf fans with a multimedia lifestyle and entertainment network distributed over many different digital platforms. The Back9 Network then appears to be step in the right direction by giving the 60 million people that play golf a voice. Its impact on the perception of golf will be hotly anticipated but whether it inspires a bright new generation of golf fans nobody knows.

As more and more sports integrate social media into their daily routine the sports which are not fully utilising it are the ones which suffer. Golf as a global sport will suffer if it does not integrate social media into its structure.  But luckily it’s getting a shake-up and its perception to the average person as an elitist, dusty game is going to change very soon; most importantly with the use of social media to bring players and fans together.

This article first appeared on The Drum

Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany is to take part in what the club is describing as the Premier League’s first post-match interview to take place on Twitter and Facebook.

After the final whistle of City’s clash with Blackburn this Saturday, the skipper will face the media as usual. But this time it will be fans posing the questions.

The club’s supporters are being offered the chance to grill the Belgian international by tweeting their questions to @vincentkompany and using the hashtag #askvincent.

They can also post their questions on Kompany’s Facebook page.

The interview will then be streamed live at 8pm on City’s website, official Facebook page and YouTube channel and on Kompany’s Facebook page.

Kompany said: “Ask any athlete and they will tell you, when the final whistle rings out, it’s either the best or worst of feelings. The way the media watch a game is completely different compared to the way true supporters experience it. Fans kick every ball, feel every tackle and ultimately win or lose as part of the team, together.

“I just wanted to use social media to give ours fans the chance to have their voices heard, instead of shouting at the TV, wishing the interviewer would ask the kinds of questions that really matter to them.”

At the beginning of February the RFL announced team and match specific Twitter hashtags in time for the new Super League season.

The hashtags are designed to improve discussions on Twitter between rugby league fans attending matches or watching them live on Sky Sports.  All 14 Super League teams have been assigned a specific hash tag and each match will have its own unique hashtag.

The initiative by the RFL is a borrowed idea from their Australian counterparts in the NRL, which itself was copied from the AFL.

Super League specific hashtags were introduced towards the end of last season following a campaign led by fans with backing from rugby league newspaper League Express. However, in response the RFL released their own hashtags which led to confusion amongst fans over which hashtag to use.

This season both League Express and the RFL are using the same hashtags and the early signs would suggest that fans are taking to the idea.

The game specific hashtags have been a success in Australia with NRL games trending regularly worldwide. With a smaller audience and fanbase in the UK, the RFL will be hoping for similar success with their own match specific hashtags.

If you are rugby league fan and follow any of the UK teams then make sure you are using using these;

Bradford Bulls #Bra
Castleford Tigers #Cas
Catalan Dragons #Cat
Huddersfield Giants #Hud
Hull FC #HFC
Hull KR #HKR
Leeds Rhinos #Lee
London Broncos #Lon
Salford City Reds #Sal
St Helens #StH
Wakefield Wildcats #Wak
Warrington Wolves #War
Widnes Vikings #Wid
Wigan Warriors #Wig

Recent games in the Suiperleague have been using hashtags to help people follow the action….

Friday 3rd February
Widnes Vikings v Wakefield Wildcats = #SLWidWak
Leeds Rhinos v Hull KR = #SLLeeHKR

Saturday 4th February
London Broncos v St Helens = #SLLonStH
Salford City Reds v Castlefprd Tigers = #SLSalCas

Sunday 5th February
Bradford Bulls v Catalan Dragons = #SLBraCat
Hull FC v Warrington Wolves = #SLHFCWar
Wigan Warriors v Huddersfield Giants = #SLWigHud

And then more tags for discussing the Grand Final and the Challenge Cup…

Grand Final = #SLGF

Challenge Cup Final = #RLCCF

Lets see how this works out and whether fans will pick up on them during the season. 

Last week long-time Twitter fan and Manchester City defender Micah Richards quit the social media platform after becoming a target of racist abuse over the last few months.

He has not been alone in being subjected to such abuse.  Fellow Premier League players Djibril Cisse, Louis Saha and Frazier Campbell, as well as football pundit Stan Collymore, have seen their fair share.

For me, it brings to the fore some important issues.  I’ve long been campaigner for the bringing of sports stars onto platforms such as Twitter, giving them the chance to  interact with fans, build up their profiles, show their real personality, have a voice and make themselves more accessible to the general public.  But it’s not all a bed of roses.

Nowadays Twitter is everywhere.  It is quoted in the newspapers and on SkySports News.  Barely a day goes by without a mention of someone’s tweets; good or bad, dull or interesting.  Sports stars have every journalist worth their salt following them, which in turn sanitises what they would truly want to say in the first place (unless it’s Joey Barton).

The other thing this does is make it very easy for anyone to find them and speak to them directly.  After all, that is the purpose of social media isn’t it?  Freedom of speech and openness.  This is how I managed to put together this article.  Would I have been able to bring together quotes from a player, Comms Director and lawyer in such a short period of time a few years ago?  I doubt it.

But this availability has drawbacks.  It attracts those who want to voice their opinion or try to bring about a response by subjecting the recipient to vile abuse.  Yes, you can block and report people but if someone is persistent and knowledgeable enough there is always a way round it.  But is quitting the platform the answer?

Former Tottenham, Wolves and Shamrock Rovers player Rohan Ricketts thinks it’s not.  He has used Twitter to its maximum and it has helped him in various ventures including a media career, creation of an online magazine (Column 10 – which is a great read btw) and writing regular columns for Sabotage Times and Fan590.  His character certainly comes across well and he has embraced both it and his fans fans, to whom he speaks regularly.

“I wouldn’t have come off Twitter as Micah did.  When you put yourself in public eye then you open yourself up to people to take shots at you. It comes in exchange for being famous. You need to understand that when you start on twitter it’s not going to be rosy always.  You’re always going get abuse, even from your own fans.  My favourite saying is that ‘elephants don’t swat flies’ and this applies to Twitter as well.”

The last few months have seen racism come to our attention both on the pitch and off it.  Everyone knows about the Terry and Suarez cases and their repercussions, so I won’t get into those incidents anymore. But the question will be asked; are these global footballing role models influencing fans behavior or is twitter just highlighting a problem that is prevalent in our society?

Players are used to hearing some vile things being shouted at them on a Saturday afternoon from the stands.  It comes with the territory.  They are taught to blank it out and not react to it.  It seems that with social media some of the ‘fans’ have taken to using this same attitude towards players, especially opposition ones.

Stan Collymore has taken to retweeting some of the worst abuse he receives.  It’s a way of ‘naming and shaming’ those perpetrators in the hope of stopping them in their tracks whilst at the same time highlighting the issue to their other followers.

Ben Thompson, Media and Comms Director at PR agency Macesport, feels this is a positive approach to take;

“We decided very early on that as part of Robbie Savage‘s social media strategy that we would challenge people sending abuse or making false accusations and it had a remarkable effect.  Retweeting some of the vile abuse that Robbie receives on a daily basis highlighted to his following some of the disgusting behaviour that people were willing to post on a public forum and in true social fashion they decided to join forces and stand up to it.

I think people forget that twitter is an open platform and it can be quite easy to trace.  In one particular example Robbie’s followers found out details of an abuser and bombarded him with emails at work.  The sheer numbers of outraged followers shutdown the IT system at the company where the offender was a Director and Robbie had to step in to make sure that he didn’t lose his job over the incident – all of which stemmed from one vile post.”

Other people will always have a different ideas as to how (and if) to respond to these haters.  Rohan says that he just ignores those comments and doesn’t give them the time of day. “I don’t reply to them. Maybe one in thousand I reply to if sending abuse. They’re not out to have dialog with you, they may just be venting their opinions after a game or just want to get a response out of you. The chance to be associated with a player is something that happens.  You send a tweet back and they say ‘I just got a reply from XYZ player!’.  

People have to understand that twitter is just a social network and fans get carried away. It’s a space where people express themselves as vehemently as they do in the stands.  Understanding this and that your not always going to receive positive messages is something that we have to accept.”

On the whole this works and much of it is water off a duck’s back.  But when it comes to personal, vindictive and racist comments made over a period of time, there is only so much a person can take before asking themselves “is this really worth it?”

It is a tiny minority that send out these messages and they are usually done from anonymous accounts.  As Ben says, there is other action that can be taken to deal with these people.

“Another way to deal with the abuse is to involve the platform provider.

Just the other day we received a vile post on Facebook and reported it straight away to Facebook.  We also posted under the comment that we had informed Facebook and that this sort of behaviour wold not be tolerated.  Within 5 minutes the posters account had been closed!

Some just disappear but others have also been turned from abuser to most ardent follower – Social Media gives the individual a direct line to the fans in a way that has never been possible before and it can be a powerful tool if harnessed correctly.”

There are other options when things become more serious, when the abuse becomes so personal and vile it cannot be ignored.  So what legally can a player do?  Sports lawyer Iain Taker has some answers;

“Where players experience racist abuse on platforms such as Twitter, there are potential avenues of protection open to them.  The first, and most likely, would be to seek criminal proceedings by reporting the offence to the Police for offences such as harassment and public order offences e.g. causing people to fear harassment; these offences carry additional punishments where they are racial aggravated.  

In addition a person who uses Twitter in a racially threatening, abusive or insulting manner could potentially be guilty of incitement to racial hatred.  One significant advantage of pursuing criminal proceedings is the deterrent it has on potential future offenders as the consequences can be severe such as being fined or having a criminal record.  

Not all cases brought to the Police will be prosecuted; the Police may seek in suitable circumstances to give offenders a final warning (as occurred with two youths who racially abused Sammy Ameobi of Newcastle FC on Twitter) under which any repeat offence would be prosecuted.   A second area of protection revolves around making Twitter aware of the racial tweets.  As the terms of service and use of Twitter prohibit abuse, notification to Twitter may result in the abusive user’s account being permanently suspended.  If, however Twitter are made aware of racial comments from a user and fail to act then the player may be able to claim damages from Twitter directly.  

This is because the defences (mere conduit and hosting defences) under the E-Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002 would not be applicable where there has been adequate notification of the racial abuse.  It may also be arguable that Twitter could owe the player a duty of care to avoid additional distress caused by the racial abuse, which could be breached if Twitter fails to remove abusive tweets quickly following notification about them.”

This may all sound very doom and gloom but it is not intended to be.  It is a really sad state of affairs but for many players, athletes and celebrities the good things about twitter (and social media generally) outweigh the bad.  Rio Ferdinand has found a voice that helps him not only build up his off-field work but also give opinions and reply to press articles, something players have never been able to do before.  Robbie Savage, who we mentioned earlier, has developed a successful media career at a time when his playing days were coming to an end, and Twitter played no small part in getting him to where he is today.

What we need to look for are solutions.  As social media advocates and ‘experts’ we will be the ones who others will look to for answers and comforting. We want to enhance those things that are good and reduce the things that are bad.

As always, love to hear your opinions on this emotive subject…

We see in many posts how clubs should be utilising social media for fans who come along to the games. The likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona have upped the game by making wifi powerful enough to actually be able to use your smart phone when there are 30,000+ other people in the area trying to do the same thing.

The owner of NBA team Dallas Mavericks Mark Cuban wrote an article on his blog recently to say that he doesn’t believe in any of this in-game digital entertainment with his post ‘The Fan Experience at Sporting Events – We don’t need no stinking smartphones!‘.

I can’t say that I agree with everything that he says but some of it does make sense. When people go to a game it is about the experience, otherwise they would just stay at home and watch it on TV right? (its cheaper and more comfortable for starters). The first aim for any club is to make the event day the most memorable, fun experience possible both on and off the pitch, or at least try to.

So when we start talking about in-game apps, talking to fans at the game on Twitter, etc should we be getting them staring at their smartphones and away from the match day experience they should be enjoying?

For one it depends on the sport. If you go to football, basketball or another fast-action sport then you will be too ‘in the game’ to give a damn about looking at your phone checking up on the latest stats of the players. But for a more drawn out event such as cricket, long distance running or motor racing then there will be things you can do that can actually add to the experience of the day, when they won’t actually be seeing that much action.

This is not to say there is not a role for using social media with fans coming to a game of football or basketabll. But I would recommend sticking to this mantra…. ‘be useful’! What do I mean by this? I mean that when you are looking at doing something for the fans, put yourself in their shoes and ask yourself ‘Would I find this useful? Does it add to my experience? Would I use it?’ and ask the others you work with or friends who are fans the same thing. If not, then stop!

Take time out and think about what content is right for the fans on your different pages and apps. Are they are going to be either at the game or watching it on TV? Are you adding that much by giving out score and action updates? (If they’re watching it you would presume they already know).

An alternative would be to set up an @XXXXlive account so people who want live updates, when they are out shopping or on holiday, can opt-in by following the account and follow the game. Thats a useful benefit without creating lots of spam.

Likewise, how about offering fans some useful match day info when they are on their way to the game. Give out traffic news from the area, updates on what the car parking situation is like, let fans know if tickets are still on sale, etc.

This is all information which is useful to those coming in and at a time when they are more likely to be on their phones. Answer peoples questions and add to making the day the best possible experience for everyone coming along.

Before they set off for the game, Facebook and YouTube could be used to show the players getting ready for a match and offering behind the scenes clips that add to the pre-match buzz. Inform them of where they can get match updates or which channel the game is being shown on or when highlights will be on. Remember….think about which fans you are targeting with which platform.

There are so many platforms out there now, and not forgetting club websites, that it can be tempting to treat them all the same and farm out links and replicate content. If you can put together a strategy that gives each a purpose and is targeted so you know which audience you are speaking to then you really are being ‘useful’.

It’s not often we get to talk on here about sports other than the big 3 (football, rugby and cricket) and most of that tends to be around football.  So its nice to get to hear about a social media campaign by another sport, and one that others can take something from.

The sport is that of Netball.  Netball is played by some 7 million people worldwide, of which over 1 million are in the UK, each week.  It’s also a sport thats enjoying greater coverage than it has for a long while with the SkySports deal to cover the recently formed Netball Superleague.

Over the last 3 years, netball has exploded on twitter, with teams taking to the social media platform to interact with fans and promote upcoming games.

But despite the high participation rates there is little in the way of mainstream media coverage outside of the Sky deal, of professional netball – so teams are taking to social media to get themselves heard instead.

Surrey Storm are the leading franchise on social media, with a good following on both Twitter and Facebook.  The reasons for the Storm’s development in the social space is clear to their Marketing & Communications Manager, Matt Burton;

“We have taken inspiration from MCFC and the way they are interacting with fans via social media.

As most fans can’t get to away games we started to tweet live updates from games and it took off from there. Where BBC would provide similar updates for football etc via bbc.co.uk, there was nobody doing this for netball, so we started tweeting and fans loved it.

We now tweet live from all games, offering fans from across the globe the platform to follow Storm when games aren’t on TV.  We are also looking to develop our youtube strategy and this season have started to add pre and post match video interviews: http://www.youtube.com/user/SurreyStormNetball“

To take this a step further the club have launched a Twitter campaign ahead of this Satursday’s sold out clash with Loughborough Lightening.  They are offering the chance for a fan to win 2 tickets to the Fiat Netball Superleague match, and get to work with the Storm media team to tweet live updates through the game.  The winner will also get to meet the players on the night.  An amazing prize for a big fan!

To enter the competition, you need to follow @surreystorm and tweet them with your reason on why you should be the official Storm tweeter for the match and include #stormtwittercomp to be considered.

Entries are now open and the deadline for twitter entries is 11.59pm on Tuesday 24 January, so not much time left to enter!

This is a really nice initiative by the club, showing their willingness to give more than just a prize but an experience.  Many competitions we see are for a pair of tickets or kit but what many dont see is how much a fan wants to be involved with the club, to be part of it (even just for a little bit).  They’ve shown as well that they are willing to give some control away, let the fans be in charge. Too many are precious about who can say what where and dont concede anything, thus keeping fans at arms length.

Another good move from the club is to also have their players on social media, helping to spread the word about the club, the sport, upcoming fixtures and give an insight into who they are.  This has worked well in sports across the US and, if managed correctly, can be enormously beneficial to all involved (awareness, sponsorship, press coverage and much more).

We’ve seen the advent of Twitter influencers being given press access to games in the US and prizes such as ‘Facebook Row’ here in the UK.  Now it appears to be spreading.

For sports who dont get the attention that football, rugby and cricket get from the mainstream press, the need to look at alternatives and be opportunitistic is there.  We will see more clubs/sports become ’media publishers’ as the realisation that they have so much content to give and the platforms to achieve this on are there now.

Well done to Surrey Storm and hopefully we’ll see more following in their footsteps this year.

Guest Post: Iain Taker is an associate at Kemp Little LLP, specialising in commercial and sports law, and a registered lawyer under the FA Football Agency Regulations.  You can follow him on twitter @iaintaker or on LinkedIn

Is Social Media an opportunity or potential threat?

Messages can now instantaneously be sent across international borders to millions of people at little or no cost.  Although this reality brings with it significant public relations and marketing opportunities, there is also the possibility of serious damage resulting from ill-considered comments.

This article looks at the positives and negatives of using social media (in particular Twitter) from the perspective of a professional sports body and suggests some safeguards that should be implemented to reduce the risks.

Is social media really that important for sports clubs and players?

Social media is already a very large industry – Facebook alone has in excess of 800 million users and over a billion tweets are posted on Twitter every week.  Players and clubs have shown an increasing drive to tweet and be actively involved in social and digital media in order to interact with their fans.  It has now reached a situation where fans expect to be able to interact with players and clubs through social media platforms.

The most popular teams and players on Twitter (as at 17 January 2012):

Top 5 followed Sports Teams

• Real Madrid (@realmadrid) – 3.171m (20,015 tweets);
• FC Barcelona (in English) (@FCBarcelona) – 2.770m (8,155 tweets);
• LA Lakers (@Lakers) – 2.292m (9,360 tweets);
• FC Barcelona (in Spanish) (@FCBarcelona_es) – 1.624m (16,657 tweets); and
• Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) – 1.154m (7,026 tweets)

Top 5 followed Sports Professionals

• Kaka (@Kaka) – 8.040m (2,239 tweets);
• Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) – 6.418m (750 tweets);
• Shaquille O’Neal (@Shaq) – 4.870m (4,130 tweets);
• LeBron James (@KingJames) – 3.268m (2,300 tweets); and
• Lance Armstrong (@lancearmstrong) – 3.220m (8,237 tweets)

Top 5 followed UK Sports Professionals

• #13 Wayne Rooney (@WayneRooney) – 2.591m (679 tweets);
• #25 Rio Ferdinand (@RioFerdy5) – 1.882 m (8,239 tweets);
• #35 Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) – 1.237m (7,793 tweets);
• #47 Rory Mcllroy (@McllroyRory) – 792k (1,999 tweets); and
• #51 Jenson Button (@JensonButton) – 741k (1,301 tweets).

The importance of interacting with fans through social media should not be underestimated. A player’s or club’s potential reach in terms of the active number of followers they have gives them a particular influence in terms of both framing or adding to the debate of the day and (potential) in terms of revenue generation.  Social media enables players to develop a personal profile that is not only based or dependent upon their on-field performances.

It is my belief that Twitter has so far been under-utilised from a revenue generation perspective, and that in the near future clubs and players will be able to advertise significantly more on their page and through their tweets.  While advertising on platforms such as Twitter can lead to legal issues such as requirements to comply with consumer protection legislation in relation to endorsements of products these can easily be overcome with specialist advice.  The potential power placed into the hands of the clubs and players, through social media platform, can help to create significant additional income streams.  Such opportunities are however not fully understood or appreciated by many and yet specialist sports social media organisations, such as the industry specialists recently employed by Wayne Rooney, are available to assist in this area.   This may result in, the next few years, an extension of the traditional sponsorship model.

Benefits of using Twitter

Twitter was launched in 2006.  One of the great appeals of Twitter for both the sender and the follower is its simplicity; messages are capped at a 140 characters so tweets are short and to the point. Followers find this approach more personable than email and perceive that they are not being overly bombarded by sales materials (even though tweets can contain sales messages or links to marketing materials) or excessive content.

Speed and cost

A significant benefit of Twitter is the ability to be able to speak to millions of fans spread across the world in an instant for free.  While sports teams (and players through personal websites) will have significant mailing lists, the likelihood is that Twitter may offer the opportunity to access a significantly larger and geographically more spread fan base than was previously possible (and possibly attract followers that would not otherwise consider themselves fans).  The tweets themselves can contain a simple link which will take the receiver to a specified site enabling existing marketing promotions/information to be displayed to any and all users who click on the link.

Multi-platform access means that the average Twitter user spends significantly longer on the site than they do reading their email account.  The increasing use of tablet and mobile devices mean that people look at tweets on the way to, during and after work. This ‘hit rate’ is also increased through the use of push notifications which alert the reader when their favourite team or player posts a tweet.

Self-promotion

The player or club can send tweets which contain a link to news concerning themselves which in turn creates greater exposure for their activities and (potentially) their sponsors.  This may, for example, be a link to awards they have been given (e.g. Mark Cavendish on his victory in BBC Sports Personality of the Year) or activities that they are involved within (e.g. Phil Neville’s charity work including Cornerstones in Manchester).  It has increasingly been used to link into business activities that the professional is involved in whether it be a restaurant they own (e.g. Rio Ferdinand and Rosso Restaurant), computer game they are involved with (e.g. Tim Cahill and FIFA 12) or a connection with a sponsor (e.g. Lance Armstrong and Nike).

Social media platforms are the modern equivalent of ‘word of mouth’ advertising but their functionality and reach is such that campaigns can ‘snowball’ quickly.  A good example of this is the American football player Chad Ochocinco who launched a mobile app called Mad Chad solely through advertising and word of mouth on Facebook and Twitter.  This app became one of the five most downloaded apps on Apple iTunes Store on the day it was released.  A similar ‘traditional’ campaign (namely one which would have reached a similar number of potential customers) would have involved significant expense and advertisement.

Public image

In addition to revenue raising aspects, Twitter has also played a significant role in the public perception of players and clubs.  The platform offers fans a way of ‘getting to know’ what the player is really like by being able to seemingly interact with them on a level that previously was impossible for most.  It has also helped players re-establish a positive reputation after negative portrayals such as the American football player Reggie Bush in the US who successful dealt with public criticism over allegations relating to his time at USC.

This type of openness and interaction helps to remove the dis-enfranchisement that many fans feel about today’s sports industry. The possibility to enter into discussions (or competitions set by) with high profile sports stars reduces the ‘disconnect’ and makes them more human.  For many youngsters receiving a retweet (or reply) from their hero is the modern day equivalent of getting their autograph or photo.

Examples of where Social Media has caused issues

Although there is much good about social media, the bad and the downright ugly are often not far behind.  Even though there is the possibility to remove posts and comments, the nature of the internet is such that once something has been posted it is very difficult (if not impossible) to prevent the contents from being accessible in one form or another.  Although in some instances too much information is revealed or unwise comments are made deliberately this can also happen quite innocently and unintentionally.  A few examples of negative consequences of using social media are set out below.

The footballer, Paul Konchesky, was on the wrong end of an unfortunate social media incident that was not of his own making.  During an unsuccessful time at Liverpool FC Konchesky’s mother Carol apparently updated her Facebook status to label the club’s fans in a derogatory fashion (see screen shot below).  Unfortunately, her comments were visible to all Facebook users as her privacy settings were not sufficiently strong enough to limit the comment to her ‘Facebook friends’.  Despite the removal of the post, it spread through local and national press and did little to help her son’s popularity in and around the club.

A second example is the NBA player, Michael Beasley.  In August 2010 Beasley found himself in hot water after posting a photo of his new tattoo on Twitter.  The problem was nothing to do with the tattoo itself rather two plastic bags that purportedly containing marijuana.  The apparent presence of the drugs in the picture was widely reported on local and global sports blogs and resulted in the player entering into a rehabilitation hospital a few days later.

A third example is the football player Ryan Babel. Babel has the dubious honour of being the first Premier League footballer to be charged by the Football Association due to a posting on a social media site.  Following a contentious FA cup match between Manchester United and Liverpool, Babel retweeted (forwarding another person’s tweet) a picture (see below) of the match referee, Howard Webb, which contained the comment “[a]nd they call him one of the best referees? That’s a joke” the picture has been manipulated such that Webb appeared to be wearing a Manchester United shirt.  Babel subsequently apologised for the retweet and was fined £10,000.  In this situation it is important to note that Babel did not create the image itself but merely passed on a link that another user had created.

Measures to restrict potential problems

There are a number of potential measures that can be implemented by professional sports clubs in order to help prevent issues from arising or to protect themselves in the event that a situation arises.

1.       Comprehensive social media policy

Surprisingly, a number of professional sports clubs do not have an estbalished social media policy either included in the playing contract or given to and agreed by the player.  Such a policy should set out clear instructions over what is, and what is not, permitted.  Best practice would be for it to include a quick reference guide for the player and list contacts of the club who are nominated to handle social media queries who can be contacted as and when necessary.  The policy should also set out the internal punishments that may result from an infringement.

2.       Set parameters as to what players are allowed to tweet about

A number of football clubs set strict guidelines over what their players are allowed to comment on.  For example, matters relating to the club (ranging from team selection, thoughts about fellow players or officials to transfer speculation) are usually off limits.  While these guidelines would appear to be no more than common sense it is clear that they are not always followed or effectively enforced, (see for example Joey Barton’s tweets (@Joey7Barton) for a number of examples of disputes with fellow players).

Neil Warnock (former Queens Park Rangers Manager) has gone on record as saying that his squad are allowed to use Twitter only on the proviso that it has nothing to do with the club.  While the photo may actually turn out to be innocent it is the public perception of them that can be very harmful, see for example the criticism given to Steven Ireland’s (Aston Villa football player) as a result of a photo showing him smoking a shisha pipe with an unidentifiable drink in his hand. In addition, players should be warned against putting up pictures that may portray them in a bad light such as images that show them smoking, drinking, late night partying and/or gambling.

3.       Players (and connected persons) should use privacy settings

The use of strict privacy settings should help to prevent situations of unauthorised tweets/comments being made from player accounts.  Any such guidelines or advice should apply equally to persons connected to the player as it is often the case that comments of the player are displayed on their friends’ and family’s pages see the Paul Konchesky case above.  Both Twitter’s and Facebook’s default privacy settings are such that tweets and comments are publicly available.  Clubs should be able to provide the necessary advice as to how to ensure the settings can be adjusted to avoid personal information being unintentionally sharing of personal information.

4.       Blackout periods

Players should not be allowed to use social media for a few hours prior, during and for a few hours after the game.  The NFL enforces a social media blackout for the period commencing 90 minutes prior to the match and ending after the post-game media interviews.  The NBA has enforced a similar rule starting 45 minutes prior to the match until after the post-match obligations.  Chad Ochocinco (Cincinnati Bengals player) was fined $25,000 for posting two messages during a pre-season game in August 2010.

As emotions run high, the danger of reacting to a situation in the immediate aftermath is significant and can have far reaching implications.  As shown by the £10,000 fine given to Ryan Babel (discussed above), the Football Association will punish players for indiscretions.  It is not inconceivable that severe indiscretions will in the future be met with a suspension and little is likely to upset a player’s employer more than having their star player banned for heat of the moment comments.

5.       Pre-approval of content

While this may on the face of it seem an arduous step for players, the reality is that often ‘communications’ through player’s websites/blogs are not actually written by the player themselves.  An increasing number of celebrities (for example the actor Ashton Kutcher) do not post to Twitter directly but rather through an intermediary.  In a world that takes an instant to read but a significant time to forget a post such a pre-caution would be wise.   The consequence of having a dedicated individual at the club who handles social media issues for players is that the club will have a greater awareness over any potential conflict and can implement damage limitations procedures quickly. For example the Manchester United players have access to a member of the club’s staff to clear any tweets which relate to the club.

6.       Educate the players themselves

An important step to minimise issues is to educate the players over the potential pitfalls of inappropriate use of social media.  The potential implications can include a ban from playing, fine from governing body, fine from club, loss of sponsors and loss of fans.  Such an education should include the potential consequences of re-tweeting without fully understanding (or examining) the content of the tweet which may include an unsuitable link.  The advice to the players should be:

• do not share too much;
• know who they are sharing it with;
• double check that they are happy to be associated with everything they are sharing; and
• if in doubt check with a club official.

The education should include details of the legal consequences that may arise from the use of Twitter such as potential claims for defamation or breach of contract (e.g. where a contract has a morality provision and the player is shown drunk/using drugs etc.).  What may seem a harmless comment or bit of fun can soon turn out to be a very damaging and expensive decision.

7.       Have a damage limitation plan

Where a situation comes to light that a tweet which contains unsuitable comments/links or photos has been posted, the player or club should have a clear and detailed damage limitation plan that should be implemented as soon as possible. While the damage may not be fully contained as it is likely to have been captured or retweeted, it is important to minimise the damage/publicity as far as possible. In addition, it may be beneficial to clarify a statement which has been taken out of context.  An apology should also be issued if any offence (or potential offence) has been caused as in the case of Ryan Babel (as shown below). This may help reduce the knock on effects (as often it is how situations are handled that is remembered) and any subsequent punishment handed out.

8.       Seek specialist advice for monetising the potential

Further to having a social media policy in place in order to fully exploit the potential, in particular in relation to revenue making opportunities that social media can offer it is essential to deal with experts within the field.  Such specialists can implement solutions that would ensure potential public relations issues can be avoided such as a player advertising a product that is a direct competitor to a principal sponsor of the club.

Conclusion

Twitter is a platform that offers clubs and professionals significant opportunities to increase awareness, business opportunities and their public perception.  The important part is to recognise (and limit) the potential pitfalls that such an opportunity can present.  Both clubs and players would be well advised to use a specialist to handle this aspect of their marketing.  The financial benefits of social media have yet to be fully developed and exploited, a situation that will undoubtedly change as the trend away from traditional to digital media forms continues.  The implementation (and enforcement) of a clear but complete social media policy is fundamental as clubs will no doubt wish to retain some control over their players’ ability to make public comments. Given the potential benefits and costs associated with social media, it is highly advisable to implement and enforce a very thorough social media policy as well as a comprehensive education programme. In my opinion the potential and opportunities of social media have yet to be fully realised by most and clubs and players who focus upon this area will be well rewarded.

Note – You can check out other articles on Twitter and athletes below:

‘Twitter Ye Not’  – a BBC article

Are the media obsessed with banning players from Twitter?

Football clubs must take responsibility for their players twitter mishaps!

How would I advise sports stars on using Twitter and avoiding the pitfalls

Comcast’s Xfinity Service is launching a contest to hire an individual who will serve as the new voice of Xfinity in the sports social media space and go behind-the-scenes at some of the biggest nationwide sporting events in 2012, sharing exclusive insights and updates with fans.

The contest, entitled “Xfinity Presents: The Ultimate Sports Social Media Job,” runs from January 13 through March 25 in search of the next sports social media star.  It has been put together by our friends at GMR Marketing and especially Brian Gainor.

The winner will receive a one-year salary and will be responsible for tweeting from the @XFINITYSports Twitter handle on continual basis,  reporting live from premier sporting events throughout 2012, and educating and engaging avid sports fans in social media communities. In addition to live event access, the winner will also receive all the electronics for the ultimate sports pad, including televisions, home audio/video equipment, etc.

From January 13 – February 6, consumers can log on to Facebook.com/Xfinity and then go to the “Xfinity Presents: The Ultimate Sports Social Media Job” contest tab to submit video between 30 seconds and two-minutes in length explaining why they should be selected as the sports social media voice of Xfinity based on their sports knowledge, social media expertise, personality, and passion for Comcast.

The top video submissions will be featured on the Ultimate Sports Social Media Job contest tab located on Facebook.com/Xfinity for fans to vote on from February 9-19. The five entrants with the most votes will advance to the final round of the contest where they will cover one of five premier sports events the weekend of March 8-11.

Each candidate will receive access typically granted to event personnel, athletes and media and be asked to chronicle their live experiences behind-the-scenes with tweets, video uploads, and short posts that will be featured on the Xfinity Facebook contest tab as well as their own social media channels.

Following that weekend, a panel of celebrity judges will evaluate each performance and announce the winner of “Xfinity Presents: The Ultimate Sports Social Media Job” contest by March 25^th. The winner will travel throughout the year to the biggest rivalry games, championship games, and premier sporting events.

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