What the NBA & NFL Lockouts teaches all of us about social media?

I've been thinking long and hard about the lockouts that have affected the NBA & NFL lately. It's easy to be critical of the fact that they are not able to leverage current players in their digital or social media efforts. But really hard to find solutions. I know if I was in their shoes, I'd struggle with exactly that topic.

As you'll see in a couple screen grabs here, teams are finding creative ways to keep the conversation rolling. In fact, just about every post I came across (or every social strategy) seemed to leverage one of three topics: the Dance Squad, Franchise History, and Community Events.

Dance Squad Example from the Bucks. They are seeking to bring personality out of one of their members:

Here's a Community Plans Example from the Denver Broncos... (Pretty cool to train on the field!)

Finally, here's a Franchise History example from the LA Lakers - where they dive into the Magic Johnson years...

But it's exactly those themes that led me to the learning we can all take away. What should you post about?

I think the examples above are great, and really there isn't a perfect answer here. Teams do well to leverage what they have, and that includes experiences, community outreach, dance squad, mascots, history, and fans. But while that's all ok, it leads me to the question for you - for any team in any league in any sport.

What does you stand for?

That is the critical starting point. Not what do we post about.

To say that differently fans, history, dancers, or events are tactics but they aren't the strategy. And, ironically, neither are the players.

What?

What I'm saying is this is a golden chance to reset as a team. What is it you stand for? If you are in a high schooler's living room, in a Free Agent's discussion, or in a corporation's office talking sponsorship, there needs to be something you stand for above everything. Is it that you all love what you do? Is it TEAM first? Is it no one will outwork you? Is it you are loud and intense? There's lots of answers. But only you know what's right.

Then, after you nail that, think about how you can apply it. And let everyone support it - fans, dancers, mascots, office employees, stories of history... and eventually players. These all add depth and dimension to the story. And your team feels bigger.

My long thought process ended with this -- if I was in the shoes of an NBA Team, or an NFL Team, or a college team the answer's the same. Start by figuring out what you can rally behind. Then rally like no one else in the world!

So, where do we go from here on this blog?

Moving forward, we're going to take a look at the full world of sports, highlighting best practices in the digital & social media dimensions of the game. Each week, we'll dive into something great in college basketball in the NBA, and from another sport (besides hoops). I hope you dig this ride!

Feel free to follow along via Facebook (here) or Twitter (I'm @andypawlowski, here)

Thanks.

Andy