Managing Social In Sports For Edelman Staff Discussion
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Transcript of Managing Social In Sports For Edelman Staff Discussion
Staying Inbounds: Managing Social Media In Sports
October 6, 2011 Edelman Seattle Percipio Presentation
How Many Of You Follow Your Favorite Athletes On Twitter, See Some Of Their Crazy Tweets And
Think,
“Wow, That Team’s PR Staff Has Its Hands
Full!”
If So, You Were Feeling Sorry For People Like Me
What We’ll Discuss
• Brief Look At How Teams Are Using Social
• Examples Of Player Use – Good and Bad
• How Leagues And Teams Are Addressing The Issue – The Social
Media Policy
• Player And Team Consequences For Policy Violation
• Examining The Grey Areas
• The Central Question: Open Discussion
• Note: Interruptions And Questions Welcomed!
Social Media Is Giving Sports Fans Ongoing
Access To Their Favorite Teams In Ways They Never Thought Possible
Teams Are Innovating Regularly To Increase Access And Provide More Value For Fans
Team Social Media Tactics Have Proven
Effective And Are Constantly Evolving
But What About The Players?
For The Most Part, Players Are Not Being
Trained Properly
Inappropriate Posts Often Lead To This…
And Sometimes This
Despite High-Profile Negative Examples, Some Players Are
Using Social Media Very Effectively
So How Do Teams Ensure Players Use
Social Media Responsibly?
For Many, The Answer Lies With The Social
Media Policy
Common Elements Of Team And League
Social Media Policies
Team
• Think of social media as a live microphone
• Always use the headline test before posting
• Be very mindful of external stakeholders
• Your posts are seen and discussed by fans of ALL ages, plus media, your agent,
opponents, current and potential sponsors
• Your presence on social media is a direct reflection of your personal brand
and therefore impacts your wallet• Prohibited from use during “team time”
League
• Set approved and prohibited time windows for social media use
• Parallel rules of traditional media comments with regards to officiating,
league offices, etc.• Allow for individual teams to customize
more comprehensive policies on their own
Consequences For Violation Of Social
Media Policies
Players• Fines
• Suspensions• Bans
• Lose Current Sponsors• Lose Potential Sponsors
• Create Lockerroom Conflict• Fall Out Of Favor With Current Team• Damage Reputation For Free Agent
Market
Teams• Lose Current Sponsors• Lose Potential Sponsors
• Agitate Fan Base• Negatively Affect Attendance,
Renewals, etc.• Hurt TV Ratings
• Strain Relationship With Community Organizations
But Due To Multiple And Sometimes
Conflicting Stakeholders, Lines Drawn In The Policy
Are Often Blurry
So Posts Like These Create Headaches For The PR Staff And Are
Hard To Manage
And Some Players Seem To Somehow
Transcend The Rules
Central Question: What are the most effective ways for PR professionals in the sports
industry to balance the rights of individual athletes with the priorities and best interests of the organization they manage?
In Summary
• Teams Innovating Regularly To Connect With Fans Through Social Media• Despite Team Success, Players Not Being Trained Properly• Inappropriate Player Posts Leading To Fines, Suspensions and Bans• Despite High-Profile Negative Examples, Some Players Using Social Media Effectively To Connect With Fans And Build Their Brand• To Increase Positive Use Of Social Media By Players, Most Teams And Leagues Implementing Social Media Policies• Despite Policies In Place, Some Lines Are Blurred And Challenges Persist For PR Pros• Biggest Challenges Center Around Partner Conflicts, Non-Team Related Personal Opinions, Labor Issues And Airing Grievances In Public Forum
Thank You