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This Just In…
Bonus online article -- Tweeting up with @THE_REAL_SHAQ: Phoenix Suns PR pros embrace Twitter, social media
January 23, 2009
By Ryan Zuk, APR
On Friday, Jan.16, the Phoenix Suns played the Minnesota Timberwolves before a crowd of nearly 20,000 at the US Airways Center in downtown Phoenix. Though this may seem standard for a regular season basketball game, there were 125 Suns fans in the crowd who participated in an NBA experience unlike any other, courtesy of the team’s Tweetup promotion.
The Suns’ PR and digital media personnel developed this idea based on their use of Twitter to communicate directly with fans. And the team’s All-Star center, Shaquille O’Neal, also uses Twitter (@THE_REAL_SHAQ), amassing over 30,000 followers in just a few months.
An entire lexicon has grown within the Twitter community: messages are “Tweets,” friends are “Tweeps” and organized events are known as “Tweetups.” The list goes on. (Tactics covered Twitter extensively in its October 2008 issue.)
Amy Martin (@PhoenixSunsGirl), director of digital media and research for the Suns, saw the potential of Twitter as a communication tool. “As more Suns employees [began] signing up for Twitter, we started noticing the connections and conversations we were developing with fans of the team,” she explains. “We also saw fans connecting with each other, and realized we were becoming part of an active online community that deserved some recognition.”
Press coverage of Shaq’s Twitter activity advanced Martin’s focus on Twitter, and she began brainstorming ideas with colleagues including Suns PR manager Krystal Temple (@sunsprgirl).
Their Tweetup idea — the first organized Twitter event of its kind for an NBA franchise — developed quickly and was promoted on Twitter and PlanetOrange.net, the team’s online fan community about a month in advance of the Jan. 16 Timberwolves game. It played out as follows:
4 p.m. Twitter fans who purchased discounted game tickets meet at Majerle’s Sports Grill (named for former Suns star Dan Majerle) for appetizer and drinks specials.
5 p.m. Twitter fans walk two blocks to the US Airways Center for front-row seating to watch players warm up while socializing with each other and Suns personnel. Upon entry, fans receive a Suns/Twitter T-shirt and a Suns cinch sack.
6:40 p.m. Twitter fans and passers-by gather outside the arena at the Bud Light Paseo stage to watch the live pre-game broadcast. Martin is interviewed with Twitter fans surrounding her for a segment of the show highlighting the Tweetup.
7 p.m. Twitter fans are seated in a special section to watch the game.
9:30 p.m. Game concludes. (The Suns unfortunately lose to the Timberwolves 103-105.) Twitter fans are then escorted to the Suns’ practice court for a lengthy and interactive Q-and-A with the team’s president of basketball operations, general manager and five-time NBA champion Steve Kerr.
10:30 p.m. Twitter fans assemble with Kerr for a group photo, and then… “The Big Cactus” himself, Shaquille O’Neal, walks quietly into the room. Cheers erupt as Tweeps notice Shaq, who takes his time shaking hands, high-fiving kids signing autographs, and taking pictures. This concludes the event, although some fans keep the camaraderie going after Shaq leaves by having drinks across the street at Alice Cooperstown restaurant.
The Suns Tweetup is an interesting case study in turning virtual connections into real ones, and the Suns, by most accounts, scored a slam dunk.
The team’s social media presence beyond Twitter, upon cursory review of other pro teams, also earns leadership recognition. The Suns can be found on their own YouTube channel, Facebook page and Planet Orange community where fans can post videos and photos, comment on blogs and, of course, connect with one another.
“Interacting with fans across these online communities has opened up opportunities to do much more than just share scores and stats,” says Martin. “Fans are getting to know us personally as the people behind the brand, and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves in the process.”
The conversational approach also aids Temple with her local and national press relationships.
“I’ve found that a lot of my Twitter followers are reporters and broadcast partners,” she explains. “When I post a message about what I’m working on, I usually get replies expressing interest or offering additional sources and ideas. Twitter provides a nice, informal way to poll the masses and connect our stories with press who prefer this format of communication.”
Greg Esposito (@akaespo), senior content director for Fanster, a local Phoenix sports entity, was among the press and bloggers that Martin and Temple invited to attend the Tweetup.
“I’m thoroughly impressed with the PR staff,” he says. “They rolled out the red carpet for a bunch of fans, and this event was one of the most impressive things I’ve ever seen a sports organization do.
A good number of Suns fans are on Twitter, and to see the Suns PR team recognize, embrace and participate says a lot about their organization. They’re much further ahead of the social media curve as far as pro sports franchises go, and it really showed Friday night.”
Agreed. And as @PhoenixSunsGirl always says, “Go Suns!”
Ryan Zuk, APR, is a media and analyst relations professional and Phoenix PRSA Chapter member. Zuk can be reached at ryanzuk@gmail.com and @ryanzuk on Twitter. He also blogs at criticalmasspr.com.
Comments
Stephanie Jarnagan says:
Great case study... glad to see Phoenix PR pros embracing Twitter and pulling together a fascinating, successful event. Congrats!
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