Chapter 18

Sport and New Media

Introduction• New Media – emergence of digital, computerized, or

networked information and communication technologies in the later part of the 20th century

• Transcends geographic boundaries• Volume of communication speaks to the sheer number

of mechanisms by which fans can connect• Speed of communication exemplified through sport

being able to obtain scores, statistics and game features both during and immediately following games

• Also interactive, and high interconnection and overlap

History• Internet – interconnected network of thousands of

networks and millions of computers that, in turn, connect businesses, institutions, government, universities and individual consumers

• Innovation (1961-74) – creating the internet• Institutionalization (1975-95) – utilizing the

internet to enhance military communication• Commercialization (1995-present) – encourage

corporations to expand internet

Destination Web Sites

• Official site on the internet employed by a sport organization for communication and commerce

• Initially emerged as effective tool for marketing communication

• Increasingly, importance has been placed on allowing consumer-based interest features to shape Internet marketing communication and content

Introduction to Social Media• An online social network can be defined as an

online area in which people who share common ties can engage and interact with one another

• The amount of time consumers spend engaged with social media accounts for almost 10% of all time spent online

• Research has demonstrated that individuals engage with social media technologies for personal, social-based reasons

Facebook

• Over 100 million users log-on to Facebook on the average day

• Gained poplarrity due to simple, consistent, user-friendly design, broad appeal, focus on activity and media exposure

• Managers have utilized Facebook in two ways– Group pages – discussion focused pages created to

facilitate smaller scale interaction– Fan pages – involve a team, individual players or

members of coaching staff; mechanism to interact directly with fans and consumers

Twitter• Free social networking and microblogging platform

that allows users to send and read short messages, referred to as tweets (140 characters or less)

• Used to announce promotions and break news• Facilitate improved customer service

– Virtual focus groups• Humanizes brand• Has been particularly effective for niche sports and

leagues• Select sport organization have taken an extreme

approach and banned Facebook and Twitter

Other Social Media

• When leveraged properly, social media can allow sport organizations to build fan participation and interaction, drive traffic to their official web site and develop sponsor programs

• Effective employment– Find– Listen– Engage– Lead

• Challenge for sport managers is developing a sound and consistent social media policy

Blogs

• Personal website featuring series of chronological entries by an author

• Impacted sport industry in a number of ways– Voice and platform for everyday fans– Complement mainstream reporting– Strengthen athlete connections with fans– Media watchdog

• Challenges– Addressing rumors, over-reactions and firestorms,

granting access to bloggers without comprosing existing media relations, marketing

Podcasts

• Series of digital audio files that can be downloaded through online syndication

• Has emerged as effective distribution channel for professional news and talk-based content

• Ease of listening, portability, easily accessible, easy to create, low costs, censure free

• Challenges – providing consistent, compelling content to listeners; ensuring content complementary; facilitating, monitoring and promoting fan created content

Online Video Content

• Youtube is the leading advertiser-supported video content site

• Number of technological developments have led to current consumption levels– Processing power continues to escalate, levels of

bandwidth have increased, increasing digitization, quality of video players have improved

• Two models– Broadcast model– emphasis on advertising for revenue– Subscription model – pay for content

Mobile Technology• Mobile telephones are now the largest providers of

wireless access to the internet• Smartphones combine the functionality of a

personal digital assistant with the functionality of a cell phone as well as a laptop with Wi-Fi access– Can download applications (MLB At Bat)

• Consumer reliance on mobile phones is increasing further

Career Opportunities• Organizations are introducing positions to direct,

manage, or coordinate social media initiatives• Also affected marketing, sponsorship, media relations

and corporate communications• Introduced variety of mechanisms by which prospective

employees can market themselves to potential employers

• Provide job candidates platform to showcase their abilities

Current Issues• Must continue to develop websites, mine data,

adapt to ongoing advances, ensure content provided conveniently and efficiently, increased importance of handheld devices

• Can utilize a number of emerging technologies– Viral marketing campaigns– High definition and 3D television– Slingbox– iPad