One round. Nineteen trades. Thirty-two selections. Zero intrigue.
Only those four numbers are needed to describe the viewing experience of last year’s opening round of the NFL Draft. Chris Berman’s cheesy verbal clues and premature cuts to the green room gave way to Twitter, as NFL insiders jockeyed to be the first to report draft picks. And at the viewers’ expense, that meant spoiling the mystery of the 2012 Draft on social media.
“Social media kind of took over the whole thing,” said Shawn Zobel of DraftHeadquarters.com. “Five minutes before every pick, you already knew what was coming down the pipe. The only way to avoid that would be to avoid Twitter and other things, but that’s unfair to the fans who want to share their reactions.”
ESPN and NFL Network have promised to scale back the social media spoilers this weekend. But why stop there? Here are five social media ideas that would easily supplement — not ruin — the NFL Draft Coverage we love to watch.
1) Live Stream The Phone Call
There’s no reason why we have to miss out on the NFL Draft’s best moment: the phone call that tells a prospect he’s about to be a pro football player.
As it stands now, the team calls a player’s agent or a player’s cell phone directly. Hearing that conversation, which often includes the team general manager, head coach, and owner, should be commonplace. It would absolutely blow up on Twitter and Facebook.
“A few years ago, when the Dallas Cowboys drafted Martellus Bennett, they recorded the talk he had with Jerry Jones,” Zobel said. “There’s a kid from Texas, who grew up rooting for Dallas, played for A&M, and got drafted by the Cowboys. You could hear the excitement in his voice — and that would translate well on social media.”
Privacy issues aside, teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos already record their war room conversations for later use. Instantly hearing that discussion and the emotional embraces that follow from family members, former teammates, and agents would make that must-see moment viral.
2) Leverage Instagram and Pinterest
Taking a page out of EA Sports’ book would be a wise and profitable social media move.
EA’s Madden handle tweets out graphics of newly drafted players in their new uniforms. But fans that want to immediately purchase their newest player’s jersey have to wait until it hits shelves.
That’s where Instagram and tools like Pinterest can be used. While it would be tough to project what numbers are available for incoming rookies, that doesn’t mean that graphics can’t be shared between fans showing potential jersey selections. And Pinterest would provide links to let fans back-order jerseys immediately after the pick is made.
“Take Trent Richardson, who wore #3 at Alabama,” Zobel said. “How would we be able to know he’d want 33 — a running back number in the pros — immediately out of the draft? If there was a way to find out, fans would love that.”
3) Add Fantasy
The NFL’s most popular social tool is eerily absent at the NFL Draft. The rookie selection show should tie itself to Fantasy Football and never let go.
“That’s a missing element,” Zobel said. “Making the Draft more about fantasy would give it even more appeal.”
Here’s how it could work: incoming NFL rookies could be separately drafted, giving fantasy football owners their own war room experience. Then, when football season nears and fantasy drafts begin, owners could have the option of importing their draft class or redrafting.
That would redefine the fantasy value of an RG3 — who was drafted low in standard fantasy format. Those who held on to RG3 would’ve been heavily rewarded, and that reward would’ve echoed in social media circles.
4) Socialize and incentivize the fan’s mock draft
So many fans are eager to publish their own predictions for how the NFL Draft will unfold. And with each new mock draft posted, the NFL is missing out on a great opportunity to interact directly with its fans.
Instead, teams should hold mock draft competitions using Twitter or Facebook. The most accurate drafts would be rewarded, further incentivizing the social interaction. Also, a mock draft that is “liked” or “retweeted” by other fans would garner rewards for the poster.
“There’s definitely some potential there,” said Zobel. “There are so many sites for mock drafts, but not on social media. Running it through the team would give people reason to watch the later rounds, too. Each pick would become important.”
5) Let the commissioner live tweet the whole thing
What does Roger Goodell do in between picks? Put a smartphone in his hand, and let the NFL commissioner share his thoughts on the new NFL players he greets on stage.
It’s a win-win for social media followers and the NFL commish. We would gain insight into each bear hug and handshake at home, and the commissioner could use tweets to reverse his negative image among the players.
In the 2010 NFL Draft, Goodell announced the Redskins’ selection as “Trent ‘Silverback’ Williams. The nickname came from a joke Williams had with Goodell — something fans would’ve loved to hear from the commissioner himself.
“We’d all love to know what’s going through his head when he announces the picks,” Zobel said. “Live tweeting the first round would be an excellent idea.”
Former commissioner Pete Rozelle used to laugh at Giants and Jets fans when he announced the draft. Roger Goodell could do the same on Twitter and let down the wall he’s built up as a strict disciplinarian over his tenure.