Episode 89 Snippets: Chris Littmann of NASCAR

Best of the Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast

Episode 89: Chris Littmann

On episode 89, Neil chatted with Chris Littmann, Senior Manager, Content and Platform Strategy for NASCAR.

What follows are select snippets from the episode. To hear the full interview, check out the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, and at www.dsmsports.net.

You can also follow me on Twitter @njh287.

@njh287; www.dsmsports.net

http://www.dsmsports.net/



Chris’s Career Path

Went to journalism school, studying journalism Started as entry

level Assistant Editor at Sporting News, working on their digital

products

Chris took all blog content at Sporting News and evolved with that

role to take on social media, eventually taking over all social




“Social started to inform so much of what we did, I was actually

running the news room. What I started to feel in my last couple

years there, was I didn’t know if that was where my heart was

anymore, because of the kind of content we were doing...running

around and having to chase the latest aggregated (story)…”

Chris went from Sporting News to his current role at NASCAR

(both positions based in Charlotte, NC)




On Sporting News and changes there “I wore a lot of hats. By the end, I was even wearing some product hats – UX, UI…What I was doing was predominantly trying to drive a lot of the editorial direction with the mindset (of) will this play on social? Because their audience mix was so heavily social and search. They weren’t necessarily a home page site…That was my role at the time – to try and find something that would resonate…almost found and accidental exposure points.”

Joining NASCAR “I knew what I needed t know to capitalize on the right moments (in NASCAR, while at Sporting News)…But I didn’t know the minutiae…One of the things I’ve enjoyed the most is getting to learn some of the technical elements of the sport that sometimes aren’t always apparent on the broadcast…




“We’re effectively an editorial group with platforms…There are all

these cool stories I can tell people, who right now probably don’t

think of themselves as NASCAR fans…But if I tell you changing

this thing an eighth of an inch is going to add “x” amount of time

to some guy’s lap…those are just these odd, but relatable things…I

try to share that (inside knowledge) with people…It’s like Sports

Science on ESPN.”




NASCAR content strategy when it comes to technical

“A lot of that is low-hanging fruit for us…There are all these technical things that I think we can go

a long way to making a lot more digestible for fans. They’re very shareable things that make your

jaw drop. The amount of fuel and four tires getting swapped out in 13 or 12 seconds....

“My brain always goes to that place (to explain)…videos…highly shareable things…to try and

make it accessible…

“We talk about these social platforms as almost a first touch point and maybe a place to gain some

consideration, and you might get some accidental exposure. If you can create a piece of content that

makes you say Wow, whether or not you’re a NASCAR fan, that’s the thing we’re striving for.”




NASCAR’s social media audience and how it affects content and messaging

“The data that we’ve seen is that our social audiences tend to be a 50-50 mix of that casual group. So, as a result, you’ve got to be able to speak both…But (lots of stuff) will appeal to an avid fan and a casual fan, too…[As an example for content for casual fans, Chris mentions their LA office putting drivers into content and skits that brings out personalities]…That’s the stuff that I don’t know the core fan care about, but that’s definitely the thing that can create some consideration…”




Chris immersing with the NASCAR brand and voice, learning the strategy, and coming in fresh

“It wasn’t broken…This wasn’t about them hiring me (to fix anything)…You come in with this fresh set

of eyes not only about the sport, but the processes around creating the content…I think that’s one thing

I really enjoyed here – being able to come in and flag stuff in a respectable way and (discuss

alternatives and reasons)…there’s always that 5-10% of stuff that is (done because it was always done

that way) and you (explore other ways to do it)…

“I don’t think I had to come in and make any broad sweeping change because I think the team they had

in place has been so good to work with.”

having to chase the latest aggregated (story)…”

Chris went from Sporting News to his current role at NASCAR (both positions based in Charlotte, NC)




Objectives and KPIs for NASCAR content and digital/social

“TV is important, attendance is important, consumption on our platforms is certainly important, as well. Whether it’s a mobile app, whether it’s a fantasy game, whether it’s (driving awareness) around key news. For us, even creating some unique experiences on our platforms…we want to be able to puff our chests out and tout something we’ve done – a unique execution…a Facebook Live produced piece (like we did around the new NASCAR format announcement)…It’s (all of the above)…

“The thing that we’re charged with…is, knowing that we can influence so many things…and (asking key stakeholders) ‘What is important to your business?’…I don’t think we’re where we necessarily want to be from an audience perspective…




[Chris talks about working with NASCAR.com, NBC folks, raceways, sponsors]

“We are at the center of a lot of things, and have to be really good teammates and collaborators…”

“We’re sort of our own arm, in a lot of ways. While we are certainly a venue for (many objectives), we also look at ourselves as a freestanding unit and ‘how do we make these platforms compelling?’…What makes it good is that stuff in between the hedge (with innovative, experimental content)…things that can, over time, show value on these platforms. Those are the fun parts of the job (when) we get to sit around and ideate…’What’s the one place we’ve never gone (before) that we want to do…?’




Looking at what other NASCAR content and media outlets are doing and how that affects NASCAR’s own content strategy

“I think the only time where it would really influence is if we had something we were planning and someone else did the same thing down to a tee…We try to work in concert with some of those broadcast partners, in particular…We work closely with them…and my first question to them is usually ‘What do you guys have going on this week that feels really important to you that we can help amplify? And then I’ll probably give them that same bit (as it) applies to us…’ That’s how we try to work together and make a little more noise.”




Helpful Tool: TwitterAudit.com

(to check % of real Twitter followers and activity/engagement

level of the followers, searchable for any Twitter profile)




NASCAR working with drivers, with teams, with others in the NASCAR ecosystem for content and engagement

“It’s a really interesting ecosystem…You kind of have these different-sized circles…Where it’s unique (for NASCAR) is you think about these drivers and it’s not your typical team (like NFL). Having said all, we work together pretty closely with them…

[Chris mentions the ‘My Chase’ campaign for the Xfinity Series chase last year, in which NASCAR pinged drivers eligible for The Chase to have drivers send in short video responses to questions posed by NASCAR, showing a bit of their life and personality]




“That doesn’t happen if unless the teams aren’t buying in, the drivers

aren’t buying in, and we don’t take the time to ideate…The net result of

that was a ton of great first-person videos (even better, during down time

during the week)…We don’t have that full seven days a week kind of

access to people (like other sports)…So we tend to get most of our driver

access during that (weekend) window…What was cool about that

program (My Chase) was we got that access (during the week)…They

all see that that is the best way to drum up that interest in what’s going

on, if you can create a steady drumbeat throughout the week.”




Working with the drivers on social media and vice-versa

“I don’t we’ve had so many come up where we had to really think hard about (whose platform) it’s coming from…Having said that, even with the smaller guys, there’s that benefit that if they’re tagged in the post, they’re going to pick up additional followers. When we have people take over Instagram Stories or Snapchat, we (remind them) to shout out their own accounts. We want (them) to have bigger accounts. We want it to have a more built-out, stronger ecosystem…I don’t think there have been a ton of times where there has been a fight over where (content) would originate from




“One of the groups that exist within the building is driver marketing services, and they work really closely to develop the right opportunities for these drivers. They are our touch point to the drivers, usually…Because they’ll be able to (make informed recommendations to the NASCAR content and social team)…That’s their job –really connecting (drivers) with right opportunities to build their brand in authentic ways…”

About social media education “I’ve done it in bits and pieces (and) love the opportunity to get in front of the drivers for one-on-one conversations with them…On the education front…we do what we call a driver development seminar…It ranged everywhere from the new driver diversity class, to locals and home track stuff, all the way to the guys who are going to be rookies in the Monster Energy Series…




“We talked about everything from new stuff on the platforms that we think is worth (their) time…We try to walk them through tools that we think are easier [and recommend apps]…Some tips on security, and things like that. I love that opportunity to get in front of those guys because I don’t want the relationship to be is one where it seems like we’re always coming and asking for something. I always want to be viewed as an asset – not only by the drivers, but by the teams, so I can try to help them through whatever issues they may have.”




Planning for the season, with so many possible platform changes over time that can’t be anticipated

“We all go so hard, basically up til Thanksgiving, from now (February)…Planning is certainly happening before that…We have the whole idea prior to (the season starting)…but as far as that execution is gonna look like, it comes a little bit closer (to races), which is nice, because it can change so much. So hopefully we don’t become so overleveraged on a platform that has become irrelevant over (our) winter break…”




Daytona 500 week for Chris and his team

“When you get down there to (Daytona), at that point, you have (much of it) scripted out. We have our tent-pole moments…We did a bunch of Facebook Lives and we worked in partnership with the Facebook (team) and they came down there to help out…Really, it’s all about over-communicating. We use Slack, we’re texting, we’re emailing…I was down (at Daytona) at the beginning of the week with one of the other folks from my team…and then we kind of switched….I came back here, so I could work our War Room on race day – we’re sitting here in the office in Charlotte doing some o that highlight clipping.




“We always have that element on a race day – where we’ll have

some presence back here in Charlotte HQ, with a video producer

and someone from the social team…and then on the ground, I

think the part we’re trying to tweak is better utilizing that person

the ground and getting really cool content that would hopefully be

additive to the broadcast and not repetitive. So it’s like running in

and getting that first angle of the wrecked car coming into the

garage area, or something like that.”




After the race weekends

“There’s a team meeting (after race weekend)…we don’t anything so

drastically week to week. When we do make a big change, we try to give

it a fair sample size…We definitely get that time in between, but it’s on

all of us to take really good notes on a race day, so you can come in and

have that stuff packaged and talk about it…You have to come in and be

ready to go, because it’s immediately going to inform everything we’re

going to do (in preparation) for that next weekend.”




Goals for the upcoming NASCAR season

“Innovating on platforms is really important to me. Whatever that next big ideas, no matter (what platform)…Really trying to stay ahead of some of that stuff and trying to be a firstm over on some of these things…

[Chris also mentions already planning for the playoffs later in the year]

“If we’re not thinking about The Playoff now, it’s probably a mistake. That’s in my head right now…Also, when we get to the middle part of the year…with really unique racing (tracks) – is there a big idea there that we have?...Alll the different platforms have their own relevance for us. The NASCAR industry has always been so Twitter-heavy…Shifting away from that a little bit, though, Facebook is the one where we can get scale…Obviously, we’ve invested a lot of time into Facebook Live, and we’re continuing to try and find creative was to do things there…




“On the Instagram side – leveraging a lot more resources there.

We’re using our friends in creative design in the building to create

more fun, animated experiences. I’m looking at Instagram Stories

a a more produced place, where Snapchat…(should) be a little

more raw. I think in the case of both Instagram and Snapchat – we

look at that as a great place to try and build new fans and expose

(the sport) to new people…




“I think, in particular, Instagram, just because discovery is so much easier. The days where we really get that accidental exposure on those platforms, are the days where you get that Live Story (i.e. Snapchat Live story for Daytona 500)…that’s something that can create consideration. I use that phrase a lot –Creating Consideration. My hope is if someone sees a piece of content that we’ve created on one of these platforms, maybe they take an interest…If it’s on, maybe they look at it differently…Then if they enjoy (their samplings), they (watch more) or consider going to a race in their market…We just have to continue to sell (the sport)…(Going to a live race) is its own white-knuckle experience…You get there and it’s just this visceral, crazy experience, and we just have to pull more of that through on social. And that’s why I like those skew-young platforms because I think you can appeal to a lot of those fans with those kinds of experiences.”




On social media ROI for less quantitative results (like Snapchat chatter –Consideration)

“One of the great things is all the way up (to NASCAR administration)…those folks know the value of social. There has been such a pivot here lately to lead with digital and social…Anyone who’s in social anywhere, one of the big things you have to work on is education and explaining those benefits…The people that came before me, and are still here, did a great job of doing education, explaining the benefits (of social media content)….I don’t lose a lot of sleep at night that that (value) is being lost. I actually think it’s really well-received, and that’s really encouraging for this team.”




Share-able Stat: 10% increase in viewership for fans that are

gambling on the sport




The #1 thing that Sporting News did/does better than other competing outlets

“When I was there, I thought we were really good at…(doing) stories that, if I go to Google it, someone else hasn’t already done it. I thought we were really good at identifying unique ideas. I don’t want t say it was overly data driven, but it was ‘Hey, we think there’s an audience for this, we think there’s a good story to be told.’ There I a lot of sameness around big moments…But I think it helped our content…’Find a unique story that I can’t just Google.’ I thought we were really good at finding unique approaches.”




Chris’s favorite piece of content he worked on while at Sporting News

“I grew up a Ken Griffey Jr. fan…and I interviewed Griffey about the ’89 Upper Deck rookie card on the 25-year anniversary for it…That was a geek-out moment for me. And I never really geeked out at Sporting News meeting athletes, but that was one I did…

“The other one was I did an oral history of the ‘Ball is Life’ mix tape. I interviewed all the guys that were involved. That was such a cool story (and) it performed really well for us. Not only did I get to meet the guys involved, but I got to interview a lot of that athletes…it just kind of blew up. I had such a passion for all that basketball mix tape stuff at the time…I couldn’t believe no one had really told that story…”




The driver[s] that best utilize social media and why

“It’s so different by platform…Junior is an easy answer on Twitter. He does such a great job. He’s funny, I Think he’s so come into his own on that platform, but he is starting to use Facebook and Instagram more…I think we’re still getting a lot of guys up to speed on Facebook. [Chris mentions Brad Kezelowski’s Facebook content at Daytona and fan engagement and interaction as being exceptional]…




“I am a big fan of Ryan Blaney, Bubba Wallace in the Xfinity Series. Daniel Suarez in the Monster Series. Daniel has been killing it on social. He has been doing a ton of great stuff on Instagram Stories (and) Facebook Live. Ryan Blaney and Bubba Wallace are the world’s best buddy comedy on social for us and NASCAR…they actually drove overnight between Phoenix and LA…You could tell they were getting a little delirious. They were doing driver impressions on Snapchat…

“Not a driver, but Joe Gibbs Racing – they have a social lead named Brian Cook, who does an incredible job and really pushes the boundaries. I would hold him up against any team anywhere.”




Chris’s favorite social media mantra or guiding principle

“I’ll say measure twice and cut once…The bigger account you

have, the more it’s measure twice-cut once. Be purposeful with

what you’re doing and don’t tweet just to tweet.”




The best (non-NASCAR) sports event Chris has ever attended

2008 Final Four when Mario Chalmers hit a miracle shot for Kansas to

force overtime against Memphis, which they’d end up winning

“My assignment that night was to cover the losing locker room, so I was

all set with a bunch of Kansas questions. And then that happened.”




Chris’s favorite way to ‘unplug’

“I love the city (of Charlotte)…It’s easy to get out and be out and

about in the world…They have great breweries and great food

around here. For as much as I look at my phone…I feel really

untethered at that point. That’s usually my go-to – it’s like a

workout or hitting one of the breweries…”




The best food to get in Charlotte and the speedway best known for food

Speedway “I don’t know that I’ve logged enough time to say authoritatively who has

the best. I can tell the most unique one that everyone seems to talk about is the

Martinsville (Speedway) hot dog…They are these bright, glowing hot dogs. You’ll see in

the garage area, people with certain teams will actually keep a tally of who has eaten the

most Martinsville hot dogs. I don’t know if that means they’re good or if people just eat a

lot of them, because of the novelty.”

Food in Charlotte Midwood Smokehouse




The driver who is going to take off in popularity this year

“The young guys are interesting. We have all these guys sub 25-26, who are without a win, are probably primed to get to victory lanes. The group with Austin Dillon, Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Daniel Suarez, Erik Jones, Ty Dillon – those guys all really interest me. I just want to see who gets there first. The one that sits outside that group that I think everybody is going to have a lot of fun with this year, especially the first time he gets to victory lane and I think he’ll get there is Clint Bowyer. Clint Bowyer jumping in the 14 (car) for Tony Stewart. He’s in top-notch equipment this year. He is a total personality. [Chris references featuring Clint Bowyer in their Behind The Wall series, bringing out personality and insight]…He’s the other one outside the young guys, ho I think is really interesting to follow this year.”




Chris’s favorite sports team (outside of NASCAR)

“I am a tortured Cincinnati Bengals fans…In some ways I love

(not being able to watch games on Sundays). I think it’s like an

emotional shield, that I don’t have to sit and beat myself up so

much over these games. I can just kind of see the final result. If it’s

good, I can dig more into it…”




Chris’s Social Media All-Star to Follow

Jason Stein (@JasonWStein, CEO of Laundry Service) – “He shares a lot of really insightful stuff. I think he’s got some really interesting takes on things.”

Andrew Nystrom (@adnys) – “He works on the Nike digital side. He’s another one I really like a lot that I think stays on top of stuff that’s relevant…”

Musa Tariq (@musatariq) – “He used to be with Apple, used to be with Nike. He has a really sharp mind…in this space.”




Where to find Chris and NASCAR on social media

@NASCAR on every platform

@chrislittman on Twitter and Instagram




Thanks so much again to Chris for sharing his time, expertise, and

experience on the Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast!

Hear the full episode on iTunes, Stitcher, and at

www.dsmsports.net.


http://www.dsmsports.net/

Episode 89 Snippets: Chris Littmann of NASCAR

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Transcript of Episode 89 Snippets: Chris Littmann of NASCAR