More Direct Connections Expected During NFL Season

At the end of the regular football season last year, I wrote a post about the changes the NFL was making to its social media policy.  The league recognized the power of social media in creating conversations with the fans and rather than restrict its use, therefore finding more and more ways to embrace it. Heck, they’ve even created hashtag-triggered emojis for every team.
And it looks like sports publishers are capitalizing on this even more during this year’s season.  It’s no surprise that traditional sports publishers are continuing to find value with their online/digital enterprises to stay connected with the fan base. Whether through specific team or fantasy team apps, online newsletters, podcasts, etc., they are finding ways to extend game day.
And they are using quality sports journalists to do it.  For instance, the USA Today Sports Media Group reaches more than 51 million sports fans through print, digital and broadcast. It now has more than three dozen staffers working on 34 different sites: one for each of the NFL’s 32 teams, one for the NFL draft and another focused on social content. And each site has its own newsletter and Facebook page.
And that’s just one media enterprise.  Others are following suit, creating more channels on more platforms for fans to connect.
So sports fans, what’s your favorite digital platform and why?