Goran Dragic may very well have a case to make the NBA All-Star Game, but basketball has always been a team game. The 30 franchises that make up the league have generated a revenue pie in excess of $5 billion. The digital age has enabled this game to reach its worldwide audience anywhere, anytime. Teams can build up their own local fan base through the sundry of platforms available.
Much like our #NFLTechSeries, this time SportTechie delves into the digital strategies–from web, social media, mobile apps, and any other technological connection–of each team and analyzes them, including insights from some of the digital executives involved. Today, the #NBADigitalSeries 2013-14 continues with the Phoenix Suns. Stay tuned to SportTechie this month for ongoing coverage of the #NBADigitalSeries.
“Someone has to be the first penguin to jump in the water.”
Phoenix, Arizona isn’t typically thought of in association with a frigid, arctic climate. Commonly referred to as “The Valley” by local residents, this city is known more for its cactuses and hot weather than penguins or igloos. That nickname also wouldn’t be confused with Silicon Valley’s tech domain that the Golden State Warriors bank from either.
Nevertheless, the link between penguins and technology does exist in this desert. The aforementioned quote was made by Jeff Ryznar, Vice President of Marketing for San Francisco-based Phizzle. He mentioned the Suns as one of the few sports organizations that’s willing to take chances when it comes to digital implementation. This philosophy hasn’t wavered much, especially this season.
Casino Arizona stands by the team’s efforts as the presenting sponsor of their website. The Suns took a unique approach to promoting new uniforms through prominently displaying them on the site. The entire background interface resembles an up-close look at a home jersey. The main menu tab befits what should be the standard among team sites, which includes images and responsive design. The two more distinctive features within this key are Club Orange and Suns Social; the former serves as the loyalty reward program for engagement and the latter is a social feed layout likened to Tagboard, sans hashtags filtered. The bottom half of the homepage, though, could be organized and showcased differently in a way that better compliments the backdrop and the navigation’s information architecture.
There’s a natural extension to social media outlets as well, specifically Facebook and Twitter. The voice, in particular, is what stands out and unifies these platforms, since the tone reflects that of a fan.
They recently updated their Facebook cover photo to show off their newest, orange-colored-sleeved jersey. This change isn’t as subtle or original as the website’s iteration. The Suns’ million-plus volume usually get prompted to answer questions, and to like and share posts. Another tactic utilized are fill-in-the-blanks, which is a ubiquitous ploy that does well for engagement among Facebook users. Original graphics market individual matchups prior to a game in order to help the local broadcast. Yet, post-game graphics of the final score also serve as branded content for Gatorade, besides just stating their name in the copy.
Meanwhile on Twitter, the Suns have managed to craft a fan voice consistently. They do a pretty good job of teasing and leading into their links with content that draws the user in. The team’s Digital Manager, Greg Esposito, provides tweets from his account that are witty and a refreshing take compared to most team reporters. Rather than inundate users with in-game updates, they tend to retweet internal and external influencers so fans can read their reaction instead. They periodically retweet some fans and acknowledge them with reply to those who attend the game, specifically for their “#TweetYourSeat” endeavor.
.@Goran_Dragic is so tough he once looked Rocky and Ivan Drago in the eye and said “You won’t break me.” #SunsAtBucks
— Espo (@Espo) January 30, 2014
The most significant development, however, points to their SocialGuide agreement.
This Nielsen product intends to delve into deeper real-time Twitter conversation insights. The number of impressions runs through hashtags, mentions, and other key words, which are collected in order to better determine reach. When certain moments reach a climax, this data could potentially serve to integrate advertisers’ messaging or team’s e-commerce opportunities. There’s a lot of unknowns still involved with such an initiative, especially as the first professional sports team to do it.
These primary social media outlets have left other accounts to not be as developed. Instagram features images that haven’t been shot well and are uninspiring. Most of the behind-the-scenes photos consists of players taking media interviews. Their “Instagram of the Day” content leads to going on the right direction with more engaging pictures, albeit just once a day. While on YouTube, most videos are short in length; the best segment would probably be the “Top 5 Plays of the Week”.
Still, the Suns have made progress as it pertains to their new mobile app.
Just a few weeks ago they eclipsed over 50,000 downloads. This benchmark, in it by itself, is quite an accomplishment for a small market. From a user base standpoint, it’s more or less the same as their Instagram feed–except this platform offers more engagement potential. A huge driver towards this success stems from the “#SunsLiveAccess” campaign that livestreamed a whole day’s worth of content within the app. The UI and UX elements are identical to that of the New Orleans Pelicans and Warriors, which isn’t the most aesthetically pleasing experience. The 3D seating chart feature stands out, while e-commerce covers tickets, in-game seat upgrades, experiential promotions, and their team store. The entire app is also powered by Verizon.
The Phoenix Suns have been more than a pleasant surprise this season, and might have a chance to sneak into the playoffs. Winning always benefits every facet of the organization. The on-court product notwithstanding, the Suns’ universe does, indeed, sustain penguins and technology merged together as one.