Sports and Twitter : What social media means to America’s Athletes

1. Sports and Twitter: What social media means to America’s Athletes By Chris DeBellis

2. INDEX

3. Interactive Visual map private Other media websites inform (Click the white ones!)

4. User meaning • Athletes are able to show their fans that they aren’t that much different than the average person through interactions, pictures, and links • Fans have a chance to communicate with their favorite athletes in a way that they were never able to before learn more about the meaning behind twitter in sports!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4ojy4YDrFE&feature=SeriesPlayList&p=F36085B3F7077B0B

5. Value

6. value Athletes who have become avid Tweeters such as Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco are extremely passionate about being able to connect with those outside of their immediate environment. Fan interaction is something that is taking on a new level of importance with these athletes. This has become very evident recently and is highlighted even more so through Ochocinco's tone in the video. He was distrought when he was forced to temporarily silence his Twitter. These athletes place a great deal of value in the number of followers they have, knowing that the majority of them are fans. Many have started to go above and beyond for their fans, and Chad Ochocinco is quoted as saying that he will never be too busy to let his fans know what he is doing.

7. Twitter united • Shaquille O’Neal of the Cleveland Cavaliers is over 2 million followers on his Twitter • Chad Ochocinco of the Cincinnati Bengals have recently eclipsed 400,000 followers • Terrell Owens of the Buffalo Bills is approaching a quarter million followers • ESPN TV show, SportsNation, allows viewers to talk sports on Twitter and chooses the very best Tweets to air on national television… The show’s Twitter has over 450,000 followers • Interested? Check out all your favorites on Twitter-Athletes.com

8. Social objects communicate share tweet express follow respond react show message relate speak out connect inform learn bond debate congratulate illuminate update vent contact question

9. share Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic has shared 6 consecutive links to other sites, including a site that allows his fans to vote for him for the 2010 NBA All-Star game

10. tweets Shane Victorino of the Philadelphia Phillies tweets his fans an apology after being ejected in an Aug. 9th game this past season

11. twitpics Picture uploaded by Reggie Bush himself… caption reads “Red Bull really gives you wings! Lol!” Dinner of Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco 11/16/09… “Chicken, rice, Jupinà, sweet plantain , cafe conleche, n a cigar “

12. follow Twitter allows fans to stay up on the latest sports news and connect with their favorite athletes in ways they were previously unable to

13. Direct messages Private inbox to send personal messages just like everyone is used to on Facebook!

14. trends Stay current and see what everyone else is talking about whether its updates on your favorite sports team, or a major global event

15. Images • http://sports.popcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/chad-ocho-cinco-johnson-things-bengals-are-good.jpg • http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_5HGoV-KZ8LQ/SkjRnhjCg6I/AAAAAAAAAZM/GoRI0_hS-7I/s400/shaq_cavs.jpg • http://images.fanpop.com/images/image_uploads/Serena-Williams-tennis-247737_400_510.jpg • http://www.cbc.ca/sports/indepth/gfx/baseball-justin-morneau_392.jpg • http://scottnolansmith.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/twitter_bird.jpg