Facebook, Twitter and Sports Marketing
March 11, 2009 at 9:23 pm | Posted in Branding, Facebook, Marketing, Social Media, Sports Marketing, Twitter | 8 CommentsTags: Chicago Blackhawks, Facebook, NHL, Social Media, Sports Marketing, Twitter
A great example of a major sports brand leveraging Facebook is the Chicago Blackhawks.
After years of frustrating marketing efforts, the Blackhawks are currently enjoying a renaissance both on and off the ice. One way that the Blackhawks are effectively engaging their market is through social media, notably Facebook.
Click here to view the Official Facebook Page of the Chicago Blackhawks.
Just like any business working with social media, the Blackhawks are now participating in the conversation about their brand, product and industry by engaging their market on Facebook. Social media is a great fit for sports leagues and teams. I have reviewed how the NHL member clubs are using Facebook as part of their marketing strategy and the Blackhawks have the strongest presence in my opinion.
Here are the key points of what makes the Blackhawk’s Facebook Page successful:
- There is a lot of great “official” content and videos for fans to view
- Strong fan engagement and content in dialogue and photo submissions
- Posting of a download-able monthly schedule and screen saver
- A link to their mobile marketing campaign
- A listing of events and player signings
- A tab for the Blackhawks Twitter feed
- A link for Facebook fans to get special pricing on tickets*
* This offer is now disabled, but was at one time the landing page.
Click here to view the Blackhawks on Twitter
The Blackhawks have one of the sharpest customized Twitter pages that I have seen to date. In addition to team news, they also post game play updates and they have been growing followers quickly since I have been checking in on them.
The Blackhawks Twitter feed is following several other profession sports teams on Twitter – take a minute to review them to see how other teams (NBA, MLB, etc…) are using Twitter.
In Summary…
The Blackhawks are industry leaders in fan engagement via social media. They do an excellent job of carrying and facilitating the conversation surrounding their brand and making the most of places like Facebook and Twitter – where their fans already are active.
The path forward will inevitable tie in sponsorship opportunities – as fan and follower bases grow in numbers, teams need to be careful how they attempt to integrate sponsorship activation. This is an exciting time for sports marketing and social media.
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Carson McKee
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Hey, thanks for the link, even if it was possibly automatically generated.
I think it’s a no-brainer for fans, but i think brands can get into it. I finally convinced a brand to invest in the ‘making of’ a TV spot to share on Facebook. I think that’s the kind of thing that fans want to see — behind the scenes looks.
Good for the Blackhawks.
Comment by Matt Hames— March 12, 2009 #
Great story! I think the NHL teams are really becoming more and more cutting edge with the use of internet, surprisingly, they have found that their fanbase is more tech savy and have made the virtual leap into the space.
Comment by Jennifer Olney— March 12, 2009 #
Agreed – the fan base is already participating in social media, and so now teams are showing up there too. With such strong brands, sports organizations are well suited to leverage their presence in these communities.
Thanks for your comment, Jennifer.
Comment by Carson McKee— March 13, 2009 #
Matt – a contact of mine who works in marketing for the Canucks used the term “closer to the team” via social media… there are great opportunities here. This is why so many fans follow @the_real_shaq on Twitter – because it’s authentic.
BTW, nice to meet you here on WordPress…
Comment by Carson McKee— March 13, 2009 #
I just read that Charlie Villanuava actually wrote a tweet at halftime of his game vs the Celtics. This is becoming the next big step for marketing I wonder if business will add social networks to the marketing budget?
Comment by Alan— March 17, 2009 #
Thanks for the info Alan – 2 points come to mind:
1- That teams should be increasingly aware of players’ use of social media, and possibly look to integrate this into a policy
2- Social media ROI (RE: marketing budget) is not so much an investment in dollars, but time… (ROT?)
Comment by Carson McKee— March 17, 2009 #
I am a huge sports fans and Twitter user and that’s why I started the Sports on Twitter list (http://tinyurl.com/sportsontwitter) and its companion blog http://www.sportsin140.com to help publicize verified professional athletes, teams, leagues, colleges and universities, media members and sports bloggers that are using Twitter to communicate with a global audience. If you’re looking for more athletes and teams on Twitter, the Sports on Twitter list is worth checking out.
Comment by Brendan— March 25, 2009 #
Thank you for the info Brendan!
Comment by Carson McKee— March 25, 2009 #