Sports and Social Media

sports FANS GMR FRIENDS SPORTS and FOLLOWERS and SOCIAL MEDIA Now more than ever, sports fans are using social media to stay connected with news outlets, sports personalities and each other. To get a better understanding of this phenomenon, we took to the virtual stands with a clipboard. Our survey results may surprise you. INTERNET KILLED the RADIO JOCK IN SPORTS MEDIA, SOCIAL LEADS THE PACK Remember when you switched on the radio for the latest sports news? (Back when air travel was glamorous? And movies cost a nickel?) Well, gramps, those days are long gone. Today, people are ten times more likely to check Twitter or Facebook for breaking news than sports radio. In fact, 81% prefer the Internet for their sports news, period. This is radio, signing off. 40% ОТНER NATIONAL NEWS WEBSITES 81% prefer the Internet for their sports 13% V 41% news SPORTS RADIO TV TWITTERFACEBOок WHAT'S THE BEST SOURCE FOR BREAKING SPORTS NEWS? SPORTS FANS WILL GO SOCIAL 25% OFFICE productivity FIRE TWITT JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE IN A MOVIE 69% TTER 86% Wonder why productivity at your office might be down? 33% will even do it during a meeting. But the distraction doesn't stay inside the office: 9% will check up on their favorite team while attending church, For the avid sports fan, no place is sacred. AT YOUR DESK AT WORK DURING A MEAL MEETING AT WORK 58% CHURCH 74% 22% IN THE BATHROOM AT A PARTY AT A CONCERT WHERE HAVE YOU USED SOCIAL MEDIA FOR SPORTS INFO? FROM7ED GAME by the GÁME SOCIAL EVEN EXTENDS 3 TO THE GAME ITSELF 61% BROWSING SPORTS WEBSITES What's the one thing that can distract people from the game? Getting updates during the game. When the game's on TV, 83% of people will check sports social media. 63% will even check updates while they're sitting in the stadium. Front row's not good enough for you people anymore, huh? 83% 63% WATCHING A GAME ON TV When the game's on TV, 83% of people will check sports social media AT A GAME 62% 30% WATCHING PRE/POST GAME SHOWS LISTENING TO SPORTS TALK RADIO HAVE YOU USED SOCIAL MEDIA FOR SPORTS INFO DURING ANY OF THESE ACTIVITIES? MEET THE TWITTER all-stars A CHECK OUT WHO THEY'RE FOLLOWING 12% DARREN ROVELL If Twitter rules sports news, who rules Twitter? The leaderboard breaks down roughly into three groups. The top-tier tweeters cover sports and lifestyle. The second tier is a who's who of sports news insiders – the ones who have the scoop before everyone else. The bottom tier features sports rumors and general news. Athletes don't dominate the game like you might expect – in fact, only one cracked our top ten. 2% ADAM SCHEFTER ESPN 2% ANDREW BRANDT 5% CHAD OCHOCINCO 2% RICHARD DEITSCH 1% PROFOOтвллтлLK 3% BILL SIMMONS 1% JOHN OURAND 1% SPORTSBYBROOKS SPORTS Fumors/news SPORTS news insiders SPORTS and lifestyle WHO IS YOUR ONE MUST-FOLLOW FOR SPORTS ON TWITTER? SCORE AND CONSUMERS HATE O ADVERTISING... OR DO THEY? one FOR THE MARKETERS НАТЕ IT LOVE IT In an upset, you may be surprised to learn that sports fans are open to social media advertising. 68% of people love, like or are indifferent to sports personalities posting marketing messages or sponsored tweets. If you asked people how they felt about receiving the same messages via email, we suspect you'd get a very different response. The takeaway: If you want to reach sports fans, don't dismiss sponsored tweets. Your audience won't. 68% of people love, like or are indifferent to sports personalities posting marketing 43% 24% 16% NO OPINION DISLIKE IT messages or LIKE IT sponsored tweets. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT ATHLETES AND SPORTS PERSONALITIES POSTING ADVERTISING MESSAGES AND SPONSORED TWEETS? GMR gmrmarketing.com blog.gmrmarketing.com twitter.com/gmrmarketing engage us @ facebook.com/gmrmarketing