Real - Time In - Game Interaction (Twitter and Its Effect)

by Erecca Nacion
Twitter is significantly the most important social media tool when it comes to real – time in – game interaction. Each tweet gives any user the voice to strengthen the relationship with fans. They give insight to what resonates most with followers in specific verticals (Twitter, Sports: The Impact of Tweeting With Photos, Videos, Hastags and Links, 2014). Athletes, Teams and Leagues can provide both the play – by play of a game and the color commentary. Sports teams and clubs can live – tweet big off – the – field moments, like drafts, press conferences and the unveiling of new players. For instance, @RedSox  live – tweeted games throughout last year’s World Series run, providing statistics, photos, and videos in addition to standard play – by – play. In Twitter is it important for any user to increase the average amount of “retweets” on each tweet to increase the maximum amount of reach to your account, thus increasing your followers in the long run.

Hashtags are one of the most important aspects of Twitter. Since its success on Twitter, the hashtag is now seen on all social media platforms. Hashtags draw attention to the real – time tweeting events, but they are only successful when it is a dedicated hashtag as it allows user to search for the topic and join the conversation. For instance, when @kobebryant live – tweeted a re – air of his legendary  81 – point game, he employed the hashtag #countonkobe, which was mentioned more than 80,000 times that day. The hashtag is still even in use to this day, and is always seen with new results daily. (Twitter, Live - Tweet During Sporting Events, 2014)

However the most important feature with a tweet would be the photos posted. Verified sports users most – retweeted Tweets contain photos, which have nearly 50% more Retweets than they would expect to get anyway. Pictures add color and texture to Tweets. For instance tweeting a photo like the one below gives sport enthusiasts a taste of what it’s like to be courtside, providing more real – time in – game interaction.

If you are a sport enthusiast on Twitter, write in the comments below on your opinion of Twitter giving you an insight to your favorite games.

References:

Twitter. (2014). Live - Tweet During Sporting Events. Retrieved from Media : https://media.twitter.com/best-practice/live-tweet-during-sporting-events

Twitter. (2014). Sports: The Impact of Tweeting With Photos, Videos, Hastags and Links. Retrieved from Media: https://media.twitter.com/best-practice/sports-the-impact-of-tweeting-with-photos-videos-hashtags-and-links

Real - Time In - Game Interaction (Super Bowl XLVII)

By Erecca Nacion
Before social media, people would only talk about the Super Bowl if they were true sports enthusiasts and true football fans. The past Super Bowl in February 2014, fans of the sport would speak of the brutal crushing of the Denver Broncos as Seattle Seahawks won 43 – 8. However, the Super Bowl stopped being about just the game a long time ago. It’s been about the ads, the halftime show and as well as the social media reaction. In 2013, 24.1 million tweets were sent about the game and halftime show. This year 24.9 million. (Mendoza, 2014)

The Top 5 peak moments are here below (Sullivan, 2014):

1. 381 , 605 TPM: @Percy_Harvin 87 yard kickoff return for a TD to open 3^rd quarter
2. 71, 775 TPM: Jermaine Kearse (@chopchop_15) 23 – year TD pass Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) with 3:11 remaining in 3^rd quarter
3. 244, 889 TPM: Malcolm Smith (@MalcSmitty) 69 – year interception return with 3:36 remaining in 2^nd quarter
4. 229, 533 TPM: End of halftime show featuring @BrunoMars and @ChiliPeppers
5. 215, 540 TPM: Give It Away Now by @ChiliPeppers featuring @BrunoMars

As anyone can see, sports enthusiasts are fond of Twitter to proceed in a conversation/discussion of any sporting event such as the Super Bowl. However, Facebook has been eager to insert itself into the real – time communication about live events and news along the lines of its rival Twitter. One of their many strategies was to offer sport celebrities increase exposure and free “amplified distribution” as a kind of quid pro quo incentive for posts about the game. (Sterling, 2014)

It’s not a big surprise that the Super Bowl commercials are what everyone looks forward to, sport enthusiast or not. In 2014 a big trend was seen in 57 percent of the ads shown during the sporting event, the hashtag.  Here’s a scoreboard of the final count, based on a total of 54 national ads reviewed (Sullivan, New Record for 2014: Hashtags Mentioned In 57% Of Super Bowl Ads , 2014):

1. Hashtags: 31 total, 57% of ads overall
2. Facebook: 5 tot of ads overall
3. Twitter: 4 total, 7% of ads overall
4. YouTube: 3 total, 6% of ads overall
5. Shazam: 3 total, 4% of ads overall
6. URLs: 22 total, 41% of ads overall

Through these ads it is seen that it has become relevant for any company to bring social media into their marketing strategies. Here is the Bud Light commercial that incorporated their hashtag, #UpForWhatever.

Can’t wait to see what 2015 SuperBowl has in store for us. Comment below on your take of the Super Bowl 2014. 

References: 

Sterling, G. (2014). Facebook Maps SuperBowl Fan Engagement From 185 Million Conversations. Retrieved from Marketing Land: http://marketingland.com/facebook-maps-super-bowl-fan-engagement-185m-conversations-72920

Sullivan. (2014). New Record for 2014: Hashtags Mentioned In 57% Of Super Bowl Ads . Retrieved from Marketing Land: http://marketingland.com/hashtags-super-bowl-2014-72658

Sullivan. (2014). Twitter: More Super Bowl Tweets Than Ever, No Blackout Or Waldrobe Malfunction Required . Retrieved from Marketing Land: http://marketingland.com/twitter-most-super-bowl-tweets-ever-72717

Mendoza, D. (2014). 10 Best Social Media Moments of Super Bowl XLVIII. Retrieved from CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/03/us/super-bowl-moments/

Real - Time In - Game Interaction (Sochi Olympics, The Good and The Bad)

by Erecca Nacion

The Winter Olympics of 2014 took place in the Sochi, Russia. As the Olympics are one of the greatest sporting event for any sports enthusiasts to get excited for, it has come to the attention to social media users the many issues regarding the event. The bad of Sochi 2014 already acquired a Twitter account of “Sochi Problem” with 337,000 followers. The Twitter account include rants of the fifth Olympic ring fail during the opening ceremony, hundreds of stray dogs roaming the Olympic Village, and open manhole that drop about 15 feet deep. The biggest issue surrounding the Winter Olympics was the new hotel that clearly wasn’t ready for guests. Many media and athletes said their concerns over Twitter with pictures to prove.  For example, Quinn, a member of the U.S. four – man bobsled team, found himself locked in a bathroom. With no phone or no way to call for help, he smashed the door open and posted a picture on Twitter of the large hole he bashed in to escape.  (Ilich, 2014)

Due to increase popularity of social media, criticism about the Sochi Winter Olympics was easy to come across for sports enthusiasts. However, not everything surrounding the Sochi Winter Olympics and social media were all negative. Second – screen platform provider Monterosa announced that MTGx, the digital accelerator division of broadcaster Modern Times Group (MTG) has licenses LViS Studio to power its real – time sports game “Sochi Legends”. “Modern audiences expect to be able to engage more with the content they love, and MTG aims to help them,” says Fergal Walker, MD for MTG’s audience interaction solution Like. tv. “Sochi Legends enables sports fans of all ages to get a little closer to the 2014 Winter Olympics by taking part in daily quizzes and predictions.” (Campbell, 2014)

Canadians specifically have been taken abuzz with the 2014 Winter Olympics. Twitter has been in high capacity during the games de the hashtags like #GoCanadaGo and #WeAreWinter provided by the campaign of the official Canadian Olympic Committee. Don’t know the campaign? Check out this video:

One might think that Canadians are specifically enthusiastic about the Winter Olympics as a nation of ice – dogs, bundled to the eyes in thermals and snow gear, slogging it out for hours on end at the activities which have come to be part of our national heritage. However, a general decline in sport participation have been found, 17% in the past 18 years. Caroline Yli – Luoma, owner of Dagmar Ski Resort in Ashburn, Ontario, can attest to that. “We’ve definitely seen a decrease in visitors in the last five years,” she says. “I think people are just caught up in their technology these days. It’s not on their mind to get out and enjoy the outdoors in winter.” Through technology, Canadians have expressed their enthusiasm by the hashtag #WeAreWinter, but are we losing our love for winter sports? Tell us what you think, give us your thoughts on the issue of sport participation versus sport interaction via social media down below. (Ryalen, 2014)

Ilich, B. (2014). Sochi Problems: 2014 Winter Olympics Have Plenty of Ups and Downs . Retrieved from International Business Times : http://www.ibtimes.com/sochi-problems-2014-winter-olympics-have-plenty-ups-downs-1554317

Ryalen, K. (2014). Op - Ed: Are Canadians Living Up To the Hashtag #WeAreWinter? Retrieved from Digital Journal : http://digitaljournal.com/life/lifestyle/op-ed-are-canadians-living-up-to-the-hashtag-wearewinter/article/370168

Campbell, T. (2014). Modern Times Group Licenses Real - Time "Sochi Legends" Game . Retrieved from IPTV - News : http://www.iptv-news.com/2014/02/modern-times-group-licenses-real-time-sochi-legends-game/

Real - Time In - Game Interaction (The Development of Apps in Sports Media)

by Erecca Nacion 

It has become relevant that social media has increasingly affected the sports world and the viewing experiences. Sports are becoming more social due to the increasingly popularity of Twitter. However, Twitter isn’t the only app out that are creating more real – time in – gam interaction in sports media. Smartphone applications for Android and iPhone are becoming major sources for fan interaction such as:

• SportsYapper (@SportsYapper) is very similar to Twitter, however it is only focused on the discussion of sports. A user must decide which games specifically they wish to talk about by “Yapping” 300 characters at a time. By tapping “Game On!” into the game you are currently viewing, the user is informing their friends what game they are viewing. This allows a conversation to begin between the user and their followers.
•  FanCake (@Kwartr)  is a live social game that gives sports enthusiasts the opportunity to earn tickets, and merchandise. Within the live game, a live chat feed is allowed between fans to share comments and photos during the game while medals are rewarded, and predictions pop up.
• Thuuz (@thuuz) analyzes live sporting events to determines the most exciting sporting events on a scale from 0 – 100. The application allows users to personalize their real – time in – game interaction by identifying your favorite teams and sports. Users are also given details about scores, stats, recaps and highlights of their favorite games, as well as a notification of when a game gets to a level of excitement.
• PlayUp (@PlayUpUSA) is a social “hangout” for friends and family to message each other for free while watching a game. PlayUp offers real – time in – game interaction stats and scoring with an option to create private chat rooms with selected friends and family or to make a public conversation with other sports enthusiast around the world.  
•  Fanatix (@therealfanatix) is a London – based social TV application that offers live sports platforms for sports enthusiasts. Fanatix integrates Twitter feeds that are mentioning the current sporting event that a user may be watching. It also allows a user to connect with and make friends with those that “checked – in” the same game that the user is in. Fanatix also allows live chats with friends and other sports enthusiasts.
•  GrabFan (@GrabFan) allows users to bet with other user about the outcome of sporting events. GrabFan allows users game credits that can be cashed in for tickets and merchandise. A user must select any sporting event and create a prediction via Facebook integration to friends or other GrabFan users. Here is a video that explains GrabFan more: What is GrabFan?

Sporting events are no longer limited to just watching a game at home, at a friends or family’s house, at a bar or even in an arena. Sports enthusiasts are able to interact with other fans all over world that are currently watching the same game. Most of the applications mentioned above deal with the integration of Twitter where sports enthusiasts are able to gather together to make a bet, to predict, chat, and discuss. With the success of Twitter and these applications, TV viewing of sporting events have become more social than ever before and interaction among fans have been made immediate and constant.

Bloom, T. (2012). Six Apps Making Sports Viewing More Social . Retrieved from SportTechie: http://www.sporttechie.com/2012/07/13/six-apps-158/

GrabVids. (2012). What is GrabFan? Retrieved from YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG_Dh1B4Agg#action=share