For a sport that has been so resistant to changes within the game, Major League Baseball has been surprisingly receptive to changes coming around the game – specifically how it’s enjoyed by fans. MLB has embraced social media as a method for driving fan engagement and new interest in the sport. Through its award winning Fan Cave effort, the league has built a considerable following of over 1.2 million across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. More importantly, the average age of these followers is 20 years younger than the average age of traditional followers.
Major League Baseball Clubs have also been quick to embrace social media as a channel to attract and immerse younger fans. Active social media pages and quality content have become the standard among MLB teams. This season marked the debut of Social Media Clubhouses, individual online social media headquarters for each team. Accessed through their websites, the clubhouses contain links to all the team’s social media accounts. They also include a Twitter roster of verified accounts for all the club’s players.
MLB teams are also taking social media into their ballparks. Almost universally, clubs are hosting Social Media Nights to celebrate their growing online communities. Depending on the team, these events usually offer followers some combination of discounted ticket prices, merchandise giveaways, stadium tours, and pregame meetings with staff or players. Even on nights not specifically dedicated to social media, fan tweets and Instagram photos are often broadcast on ballpark scoreboard displays.
With these social media baselines set, some clubs have taken it upon themselves to go above and beyond. Their campaigns combine creativity, planning, and – in some cases – a great deal of money to enhance the fan experience through social media. Here are the top five social media campaigns of the 2013 MLB regular season.
5. “Committed”
Chicago Cubs fans are known to be a resilient group – and fiercely loyal to their team. This loyalty was an aspect Cubs marketers decided to highlight with their multimedia “Committed” campaign. The campaign began by finding a handful of committed fans: Jeff and Jessi Galbraith, an Indianapolis couple who got engaged at Wrigley field; Adam Weiler, a Chicago man who prevailed over his wife’s attempt to raise their son as a Brewers fan; and David Eagan, a security guard on Chicago’s South Side with a Cubs logo and Ron Santos signature tattooed on the back of his head. These fans were featured in television, print, radio, and online advertisements. Each of these ads asked viewers if they were committed fans and bid them to share stories of their commitment to the Cubs through social media. The campaign accepted submissions of writing, images, and videos. The campaign left open the possibility of turning fan submissions into ads.
The “Committed” campaign is one of the best because it puts the most dedicated fans front and center. Seeing the lengths others will go to for a shared interest builds a sense of community among fans. The campaign is a tip of the hat to those who have made the team part of their lives and encouragement to further engage for the everyday fan.
4. #PhilliesBalloonPlatoon
The date was April 1st, 2013. The city of Philidelphia was peppered with Red Phillies balloons. Assuring followers this wasn’t an April Fools Day joke, the official Twitter account of the Philadelphia Phillies, announced that free tickets to opening week were floating around the city.
The below tweet contained a picture of one such balloon held in front of Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square with the hashtag #PhilliesBalloonPlatoon. As the first fan reached the location and popped the balloon, he was greeted by the Phillie Phanatic and a pair of tickets to Phillies opening day. About half an hour later, another photo was tweeted with the same hashtag, showing a balloon in front of Independence Hall and asking fans if they had secured their own balloon and tickets. Fans were then encouraged to tweet pictures of their own balloon finds.
Through the following days, fans located the remaining balloons, collected their tickets, and described their journey through social media. Out-of-town fans took to social media to vent over their inability to participate or to cheer their fellow fans on. Either way, this added up to a lot of hype for the start of Philadelphia’s season. The Phillies put their new-found support to use with continued social media promotions, including #TweetYourTicket. A raffle-style promotion, #TweetYourTicket calls for fans to tweet a picture of their ticket to that night’s game for a chance to win other tickets or assorted merchandise.
The balloon platoon makes the list for its simplicity and creativity. The campaign turned tickets, balloons, and some hard work into a national news story. It was applauded by fans and media outlets. More importantly, it got fans excited for the upcoming season. The idea was carried on with a similar promotion in Boston.
3. Dodgers Rewards
Psychology 101 would tell you motivation can be accomplished through positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement is exactly what the Dodgers are doing with their Dodgers Rewards program. Fans start by connecting accounts to the reward program. They can connect through their accounts on Dodgers.com, MLB.com, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Once connected, fans can begin accumulating points. Connecting to Twitter alone nets a cool 500 points.
Further points can be gained through specific social media activities. For example, the Twitter rewards section provides a list of approved hashtags. Tweeting with one of the provided hashtags will earn 100 points, while posting a picture with said hashtag will earn 350. Additional points can be earned through activities such as following selected Twitter accounts, sharing selected Facebook pages, buying Dodgers tickets online, checking in at the stadium, and inviting friends to the program. The most devoted point-earners are recognized on the leaderboards. Once a participant has earned enough points, they begin to earn tokens. Tokens are where the real fun begins. Fans can cash in their tokens for anything from Dodgers.com shop discounts to entrance into a ten-person raffle for signed Dodgers gear.
What makes this promotion great is the guaranteed connection between being a dedicated follower and recognition. Previously, a fan could follow a team for years, enter every social media contest, and never win a thing. Now, dedicated fans are racking up points and tokens for the social media activities they were already doing. Casual fans now have a reason to immerse themselves deeper in Dodgers content. Not to mention, the competition aspect of the point system adds the age-old motivation of beating your friends.
2. Indians Social Suite
The Cleveland Indians were one of the first MLB teams to drop the big money for social media. While most teams hosted occasional social media nights, the Indians made social media a permanent part of the stadium. Opening in 2010 under the name “Tribe Social Deck”, The Indians Social Suite was a set of ten dedicated seats in left field, equipped to let fans blog, tweet, and post to Facebook.
Following initial success, the seats became a dedicated suite in 2011. Along with the usual comfortable suite accommodations, the Indians Social Suite has its own dedicated wi-fi network. Members of the Indians front office are known to stop by the suite to greet the fans and answer questions. These conversations have gone a long way toward making fans feel “heard” and have given the club some valuable feedback. To preserve the social media aspect of the Social Suite, tickets can’t just be purchased. Getting into the Social Suite requires a detailed application process to make sure that fans have the social media credentials.
The Indians Social Suite works because it’s a tribute to a thriving social media community. The suite is a reward to the most dedicated fans and something to strive toward for the casual fan. Suite goers can voice their concerns to the Indians decision-makers, while the front office gets to hear what the opinion leaders want. It’s a win-win situation. Other teams are taking note, the suite inspired a similar lounge in Miami.
1. @Café
What does social media, Peet’s Coffee, 50-inch LCD TVs, and Giants Baseball all have in common? They can all be found inside AT&T Park at the @Café. Located behind the center field bleachers, the social media hub is open to all fans.
The café sports two of the aforementioned 50-inch TVs alongside a 12 foot by 4 foot video wall, affectionately titled the Pulse Board. The TVs broadcast the on-field action, while the Pulse Board does the same for cyberspace. Popular Giants-related Instagram photos, trending tweets, Facebook polls, and Vines are just some of the content that can be found on the Pulse Board at any given time.
Dedicated Giants social media staff, located just behind the counter, curate the Pulse Board – carefully selecting items from the near-constant influx of content. They do so using giant touchscreen tweet-decks. The staff also post their own content and replies, turning the board into a form of two-way communication. The @Café also sports an open wi-fi network and smartphone charging stations.
The @Café is number one on the list because it’s a seamless integration of social media and baseball. It’s a place where all fans – not just a select few – can meet, mingle, and enjoy baseball in a new way. It appeals to fans who may not normally come to the stadium, while also introducing those who already attend to the social media community. The Giants and their @Café have the potential to become true trendsetters in MLB.
There you have it, the top five social media campaigns of the 2013 MLB regular season. Each represents a different team’s creative approach to connecting with fans through social media. What do you think about the five campaigns listed above? Know of a campaign we missed? Got an idea for the next great campaign? Let us know in the comments section.