3 min read

? Gameday Innovations We'd Like To See ?

Megan Brown : April 11, 2016

Even if you aren’t in the minority of people who enjoy Thursday Night Football, there are still plenty of reasons to get excited that Twitter acquired the rights to stream Thursday night NFL games. The crossover between sports and social is undeniable -- where else do fans have a place to voice opinions on anything from gameplay to ballpark hot dog condiment choices, direct access to players, behind-the-scenes looks into sports organizations, athletes’ and personalities’ personal lives and endless GIF fodder? This recent announcement from the NFL only furthers these organizations’ commitment to reaching fans around the world and broadening the second screen experience -- and Twitter isn’t even getting most of the ad dollars from these games, as they’ll just be rebroadcasting CBS and NBC’s feeds. But the live and loud conversation occurring during games is undeniable, and providing a free stream of games on social will only boost volume. Whether or not you’re a fan of Goodell, this is a win for everyone involved. So, what’s next in bringing the game directly to fans around the world? Well, as someone who is no stranger to the intersection of sports and social, I have a few suggestions for bringing the TRUE gameday experience to your living room, via social:

Snapchat Hecklers ?

If you aren’t familiar, Snapchat lets you share photos or videos from “in the moment.” This media can be viewed for up to 10 seconds, then disappears, or added to a user’s “Story” where their followers can view it for up to 24 hours. Avid Snapchat users are kind of like that loud guy you sit next to at a ballgame who bought tickets for himself and his embarrassed kid off StubHub last minute and won’t stop yelling at Robinson Cano that he’s overpaid (OK, he might be right) -- they’re most interested in sharing their own opinions and content as often as possible than viewing others’. The logical next step would be to combine the two to really make your in-home (or in-car or in-shower -- yes, I stream sports while in the shower, feel free to judge away) experience to feel like you’re at the ballpark? Introducing Snapchat Hecklers, where you can select your team affiliation and then send 10 second trash talk snaps to random fans of the opposing team, they can reply and vice versa. Come on, it wouldn’t be the first time someone received an unwanted Snapchat. ?

Facebook Live Cheap Seats ⚾️

Facebook introduced Facebook Live earlier this year to all users, allowing users and brands to live broadcast on the spot to their Facebook friends/fans. While viewed as a direct competitor to Twitter’s Periscope, a big differentiator is that Facebook Live allows targeting to specific audiences, a big win for brands. Brilliant move on Facebook’s part, as they found that people will actually watch Live streams 3x longer than saved ones. For now, major networks (I’m looking at you, Worldwide Leader) may still hold broadcast rights, but we know that’s changing. Why not have a REAL in-game experience without waiting in a long line, praying you won’t miss kickoff, first pitch or whatever they call the start of a hockey game, getting patted down by a security person who clearly doesn’t understand that sneaking in a flask of Fireball is being economically responsible because you’ve already spent $200+ on tickets, then hiking up crowded stairs while your shoes get inexplicably sticky from who knows what? The only thing worse is having to listen to Phil Simms or Chris Berman all night on the network broadcast. Introducing Facebook Live Cheap Seats, live streaming from the seats you could actually afford if you had time or money to attend a game, so you don’t have to deal with the hassle or Joe Buck come gameday. Several streams from different sections will be live throughout the game and targeted to fans, with your view based on your income (hey, you know Zuckerberg already has that information anyway). If you want to make the experience feel even more real, have a friend spill beer on you a couple times throughout the night.

Instagram Despair Blocker ?

With over 400 million people doin’ it for the ‘gram, it’s no wonder that Instagram is one of the most popular social platforms, with 24% of the entire adult population using it. And what do they use it for? Memes, baby (or " memays," if you’re Bryce Harper"). In addition to following Kris Humphries’ ex-wife or the man who curses every sports team he comes into contact with, users are following meme accounts in droves. From @fuckjerry (8.6 million followers) to @girlwithnojob (2 million followers) to a personal favorite, @mlbmemes (504k followers), meme accounts attract followers by the thousands - and the engagement rate is quite impressive. But, if you’re a sports fan, memes can sometimes mean sadness, especially after losing a big game. Enter Instagram Despair Blocker, a quick switch you can swipe in the app to hide memes about your favorite (yet losing) team and instead replace those Crying Jordan memes with images from accounts like @puppiesforall and @dessertbae (so now you know how I deal with Brewers losses) to cheer you up. Fans can share their own cheer-up images using the hashtag #despairblocker that will be moderated and shared, while the haters keep on hating far away from your feed. Follow Megan for social media + sports + lifestyle insights on Twitter @thatgirlondeck.

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