I’ve been meaning to post this video for about a week. It’s an interesting video from the Associated Press noting how second screens are becoming more and more important in sports. If you’re not aware of the term “second screen,” it means people are using their mobiles, tablets or computers as a companion to watching sports on television. The biggest evidence of this was during the 2012 London Olympics where more people Tweeted worldwide about the Games than any sporting event to date and it’s expected that number will increase exponentially for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
In addition, advertisers are realizing that when their commercials are played, people tweet about them, so they’re taking notice of the power of social media.
I’ve noticed how social media can bring people together from all walks of life from all over the country into one community. Now the company that harnesses the power of this community and finds a way to tap into it will be ahead of the curve come 2016. It’s quite an interesting video. Take a gander. It’s some food for thought today.
Last year, WFAN’s Mike Francesa couldn’t believe people would tweet or go on Facebook or go on their computers to get info during sporting events, but they’ve found ways to enhance the sporting experience. Case in point, watching the Pac-12 Tournament last week, the tweets about Bill Walton made viewing the games even more enjoyable for me. And Jim Valvano trended on Sunday as ESPN’s documentary on the 1983 North Carolina State team aired.
It will be interesting to see how the marriage of social media and sports will progress as we go forward.
