Super Team Ready For NFL Social

As if on cue, the NFL announced that it will establish its first ever social media command center where fans of the big Super Bowl XLVI matchup between the New England Patriots and New York Giants in Indianapolis this Sunday will be able to ask questions and receive answers leading up to the anticipated showdown. From a facility in Indianapolis, the NFL's social media super team will provide directions, to-do around town suggestions and other important game logistics information. Local digital marketing firm Raidious is managing the 50-member team, which also includes journalism/telecommunications college majors from various Indiana universities. The strategy is to have one team focused on social media management and moderation, while the other develops content for posts on all the events and activities that surround the game.

The NFL's Social Play

Just before New York Giants player Devin Thomas recovered the fumble to set up his team for the 31-yard winning field goal in over time on Sunday night, there were thousands of NFL fans predicting what would happen next on the League's social networking platform called CallYourPlay.com. The site hosts the NFL's national play calling contest where fans participate to win prizes in realtime and rub in their success with a little trash talk on live chats with friends and other players. The instant point leaderboard reflects who's got the best prediction sense. The NFL's decision to launch the site is yet another proof point that younger digital natives are interacting and engaging with multiple screens during live televised events. And of course they can share their online NFL experience with friends across their own social networks. In a year where the NFL's traditional TV ratings dropped somewhat, social media and digital marketing efforts have kept the brand's reign strong. Super Bowl XLVI is set with a rematch of the Giants against the New England Patriots, a la Yankees vs. Red Sox style. There will be millions watching the game, the commercials and halftime entertainment, but in digital raindance style, eyeballs will dart from the tablet, smartphone or laptop to the traditional screen. And the predictions, the "I told you sos" and subsequent celebrations will be shared beyond living rooms and sports bars. It's a new -social- game!

Tebow's Record-Setting Twitter Frenzy

I have to admit that I was one of the frenzied Tweeters this past weekend that helped set a sports event record for generating more than 9,240 tweets per second when Denver Broncos (and former UF Gator) quarterback Tim Tebow completed an 80-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the overtime NFL playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. As a fervent Gator fan and UF alumni, it was great to see Tebow strike again in an electrifying fashion. And like many passionate social media users, sharing the moment with those immediately surrounding me wasn't enough. I needed to share my experience of the special moment with a much broader audience.