The SEC caused a stir several weeks ago when it attempted to ban social media. Apparently they were concerned about violating a contractual requirement with broadcasters. The next day, to their credit, the SEC reversed their decision.
Can you imagine what would happen if the SEC wholeheartedly embraced social media? While I was fixing supper tonight I drifted into a little fantasy. I imagined that I was THE guy—the guy that ESPN hired and equipped to “do” social media for them. They’d ask me where I wanted to be on game day. I’d say, “In Atlanta to watch the Chick-Fil-A kickoff between Alabama Crimson Tide and Virginia Tech.” I’d also let ESPN know that I’m a dyed-through-to-the-bone SEC fan, so ESPN would work it out with the SEC for me to be, specifically, the SEC GUY.
I’d be on the sidelines picking up real time stories for each of the players, responding to fans who wanted to know more about each player. I’d talk with all the supporting staff and give the other fans a taste of what it takes to pull off a high quality sporting event. With me and social media there, everyone would become a rock star—not just the big name players.
More than that, the fans who really cared about the game would become the real rock stars. Through Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, fans in the stadium and at home would LIVE the game and co-create the total experience.
Though the cheerleaders would be better looking, me and my social media tools would REALLY get the fans into the game. Imagine getting the wave going with a few well-timed tweets! Then, with my appropriately decal-ed Canon digital camera and Sony HD video camera (the one with the 60 gig hard drive built in), I’d go into the stands, take snap shots of fans, pass out cards with the Facebook Fan Page and the ESPN/SEC YouTube channel addresses printed out it and encourage the fans to go tag their photos.
Not only would fans coalesce around their photos, they would add to the collective fan memory of the game by posting comments, tagging other friends, and sharing choice photos to their profiles. Talk about something going viral!
The SEC (and ESPN, too) can demonstrate incredible leadership and creativity by throwing open the doors of social media to the fans. They could take the fall tradition to an unimaginable new level of intensity. Imagine what that would do for all the ancillary publications of the SEC and ESPN. Imagine the impact of official logo wear! (If you knew I was going to be there taking a million pictures of everyone and that all your friends would be looking for your picture, you’d be sure to be wearing an official team shirt, right?)
The bottom line is, in the south, and maybe in the rest of the country, football is as close to being a religion as you can get without a pastor or priest. The fans are intense. They talk. They want to not only see the game, they, like EA Sports suggests, want to be IN THE GAME. The 100 yard playing field plus endzones are not big enough for everyone to be in the game. Social media is.
Please SEC (and ESPN) be extravagant in embracing your fans with social media. It’s not going to hurt you. My bet is, if you embrace your fans by embracing (wildly) social media, you will DOUBLE even economic measure you value within ONE SEASON. And, by the second season, you will know how to double them again.
(by the way, if you want me to cover the SEC starting tomorrow in Atlanta, let me know. I’m there for you.)
