Posts Tagged ‘UFC’

 

Twitter Allows Fans to Connect With Sports Like Never Before

Thursday, May 19th, 2011

On June 1, the UFC will implement a social media strategy that pays fighters for their ability to build a twitter following.  Every three months, the most effective tweeters will receive a $5,000 bonus based on how many followers they have gained, and how creative their tweets were.  Instead of simply tacking social media on to their marketing plan as an afterthought, the UFC has fully embraced the idea of promoting the organization on Twitter.

An athlete with a Twitter account is nothing new, but the way the UFC is encouraging its fighters to make their voices heard is incredibly creative.  Instead of paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for a marketing campaign, Dana White, the head of the UFC, has found a way to promote the sport to a huge audience for about $80,000 per year.

The World Series Champion San Francisco Giants have also seen the value of the social medium, and their fans couldn’t be happier.  Besides giving the typical news from the GM’s office and in-game stats, the team has created a community that allows their fans to see photo and video updates during the game.  They frequently share pictures that fans send from their seats during games, and encourage everyone to interact and comment while cheering on the team.  They truly are a model for how a sports team should utilize Twitter.

Fans are looking for more ways to interact with their teams, and it’s time for other MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL teams to realize this.  It’s only a matter of time before owners realize how it can add to their bottom line.  Providing a way to interact with the team and become part of the experience means more tickets sold, more refreshments consumed, and more merchandise flying off the shelves.

The success of a sports franchise greatly depends on its ability to connect with fans.  Social media has provided the tools, and its up to commissioners and owners to put them to good use.