CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

NEW MEDIA PRACTICES

The Best Practices and New Platforms to Optimize User

Engagement

Presented by:

Dan Bettenhausen

Bria Davis and

Joe Rajchel

1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Chicago Blackhawks presented us with tasks that focused on enhancing the social media

experience for fans, sponsor integration, and discovering best practices in content and social

engagement.

After consolidating our research, we have come up with several suggestions for the Chicago

Blackhawks to implement in their New Media department. Our suggestions aim to increase fans’

social engagement with the organization as well as integrate more corporate sponsorships.

The first recommendation focuses on new content platforms and expanded use of current ones.

The Blackhawks currently use platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to interact

with the fan base. However, there are other social media platforms that our group feels the

organization could benefit from using. We believe that by using platforms such as Snapchat or

Tumblr in creative ways, the fans would be more connected with the team in areas not currently

addressed. These platforms allow for a more personal connection with the fans, which has the

possibility to make them feel like they are getting an “insider” look into the organization.

In conjunction with doing more with content, we feel that the Blackhawks could make better use

of some of the existing tools they already use to promote fan engagement. This is specifically in

regard to their mobile app and platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Numerous teams

within the NBA also employ the practice of posting weekly trivia questions about the team or

players for fan interaction.

Secondly, we recommend increasing the amount of sponsor integration that the New Media

department does. Since the organization already has a strong fan base, it would be beneficial to

integrate corporate sponsorships via social media. This is a practice that various teams across

multiple leagues have been finding creative ways to do. The Blackhawks do many contests via

Twitter already, which is a positive start. However, by tying a sponsor into contests and

giveaways; the organization not only optimizes fans’ social engagement, but also nurtures a

relationship with the contest sponsor.

Our third recommendation is to gather all of the organization’s social media platforms and make

them more easily accessible to fans. This can be done by creating a “social hub” or page on the

website where fans can go and see the organization’s Twitter feed, Facebook, Instagram, etc.

Several NFL and NBA teams already do this. A study done about the LA Kings found that after

they employed website consolidation, the amount of time viewers spent on the team website

went from 29th to 1st in the league1.

Our fourth recommendation is to team up with the company Tagboard, which is a company that

is part social media site, part social media consolidator, and part arena experience. Tagboard

would allow for the Blackhawks to collect fan hashtags from various platforms and respond in

turn. The New Media team would be able to quickly gain a sense of consolidation and work with

the social platforms in one location. Tagboard also has the potential to be networked into the

scoreboard system and change the way fans experience the game.

2

Table of Contents 2

Introduction 3

Research Methodology 4

Recommendations 5-14

Tumblr, Snapchat, Pinterest, Instagram,

QR Code, Sponsor Integration, "Social Hub," Tagboard

Conculsion 15

References 16

Table of

Contents

3

Introduction

Over the past 7 years the Blackhawks have grown in popularity and have become the must-see

team in Chicago. The team already has a loyal fan base, so one of the main objectives is to keep

those fans engaged with and committed to supporting the brand. In order to do this, the

Blackhawks need to continue promoting the idea of community between the fans and the team.

The social media strategies recommended herein can help enhance that sense of community the

Blackhawks have developed and position the organization to best reach new fans in the ever-

evolving social media space.

4

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Much of our research consisted of looking in depth at the social media accounts and official

websites of teams in various leagues. We explored each team in the NBA, NFL, MLB, MLS, and

NHL. Our goal was to find the best social media practices being used to increase fan

engagement. While looking for best practices, we simultaneously examined how each team

integrated sponsors into their social media practices.

Jeramie McPeek, vice president of digital media for the Phoenix Suns spoke to our group at

length about the advantages and disadvantages of expanding a team’s use of various social media

platforms. Despite the obvious advantage of aiming to reach more fans, McPeek presented the

possibility that adding more platforms could decrease the effectiveness of said platforms.

In order to address this issue our team explored which platforms had the most success amongst

its users. An article recommended to us by Preston McClellan, marketing coordinator for

Navigate Research, provided statistical evidence showing the increasing popularity in Snapchat

and Instagram, especially amongst teens.

Our group used this data to provide justification for the idea that implementing these platforms

could be advantageous for the organization. We also spent time looking at some articles featured

in the Sports Business Journal specifically looking at QR codes and their effectiveness.

5

RECOMMENDATIONS

6

Tumblr

In an age where information can be accessed in seconds, we believe the goal of the Chicago

Blackhawks should be to get the content that fans are looking for out in the quickest and most

accessible way possible. Fans want to be able to know that when they are looking for certain

content that the Blackhawks are able to provide the most in-depth and exclusive content as

possible.

The first recommendation for platforms that we would like to suggest is the use of Tumblr.com,

which is a blog website that can be used for many different functions. The only sports league that

has completely taken advantage of this platform is Major League Baseball with each team having

its own page. Though each team has one, how it decides to interact with the fans using it is left

up to the media directors of each individual team. The Chicago White Sox have the best-run

page in the league in terms of being updated frequently, dictating what fans should be focused on

when it comes to conversation and hashtags, and in

terms of being unique from all of the other pages.

As can be seen the Tumblr page for the White Sox has a

creative area shown as a lineup card with links to

different events, it has links to other social media pages,

and a box that shows the top hashtags that the White

Sox would like their fans to use. This becomes

incredibly important when it comes to consolidating all

of the hashtags into one place and making sure that the

organization is able to collect all of the fan discussion as

easily as possible.

As a platform, Tumblr is most useful when it comes to

the posting of GIFs (Graphic Interchange Format). The

appealing part of a GIF is that it can stand in-lieu of a

video when it comes to showing just one play. There would be a chance to put every goal that

Patrick Kane scores and every incredible save by Corey Crawford into a GIF, and fans know

they can use Tumblr to find these GIFS. It is easier to send GIFs directly in text messages and

they do not have to load like a video clip would. Fans would be able to see the exact action they

want without having to wait for a video to load.

Tumblr is also seen more as a relaxed platform that could allow the Blackhawks to have more

fun with the fans and get more creative with the postings. This is something that the San

Francisco Giants noticed potential in when they decided to add Tumblr to its social media

platforms back in April 2014.

In an article that appeared in the Sports Business Journal, Giants director of digital media Bryan

Srabian said that digital media comes down to having creative minds and figuring out how best

to connect with the fans. The Giants stated that Tumblr would be used in order to highlight the

brief but incredibly important moments of action. It will require some creativity but the payoff

could be large if done right2.

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Snapchat

Snapchat is the second platform that we would recommend that the Blackhawks start

implementing into its array of social media platforms. The Washington Capitals were the first

NHL team to experiment with the photo chatting platform and have used it successfully in two

ways. The first being that it can be used to take behind the scenes photos of players warming up,

hanging out in the locker room, and traveling on the plane or bus. Although it is a one-way

interaction (from team to fans), it allows for fans to gain access to material that they would not

have access to otherwise. It does make

sense for a team to take the time to film

players goofing around behind the

scenes and then editing it for post.

Instead, the players can be filmed for

ten seconds and have it published on the

Snapchat story (maybe with a caption)

without the need for editing.

Making use of Snapchat would make

sense because that is the direction that

the youth (ages 12-24) demographic is

moving towards. According to a survey

compiled by BI Intelligence, Snapchat

is the third most popular form of social

media amongst teens with 43% of that

age group reporting they use Snapchat

compared to the 36% who use Twitter3.

As the Blackhawks continue to grow

their fan base amongst young fans, it

would be wise to reach out on the platforms that these young, potential fans are using.

The Capitals have also made use of their Snapchat to get these fans more acclimated with the

prospects that are coming into the organization. Each day a different Capitals prospect is given

control of the account and he is supposed to make the account’s story a day in the life at prospect

camp. This allows the Capitals to cover prospect camp in a unique way that allows fans to gain

insight into Prospect Camp and learn about new players.

Major League Baseball (MLB) has also ventured into Snapchat at the beginning of its 2014

season. While it has struggled to find a consistent role for Snapchat, it has ramped up the usage

of fan engagement for the All-Star Game. MLB is encouraging fans to tweet their Snapchat user

names to them and in return they gain the opportunity to have an All-Star send a unique snap

directly to the fan.

The easiest way to implement this would be to have one phone that can be designated for

Snapchat and have players be in control of it during the regular season and implement it during

the NHL Awards, the NHL Draft, and Prospect Camp.

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Instagram

The Blackhawks already have an active presence on Instagram,

however we feel that after looking at some other teams’ usage of

it, there is room for a stronger presence. The Dallas Mavericks are

one of the teams that have used the platform for something as

simple as a trivia question.

As seen in the photos the Mavericks take a photo of a player, blur

him out, provide stats, and ask fans to guess the identity of the

player. It is a simple way to engage with fans because there is no

contest or prizes to be given away, all the team has to do is

post a photo later of the answer to the question. As is

shown, the Mavericks get a healthy amount of responses to

these posts. It allows a fan to test their knowledge of the

team and feel like their fandom is validated.

This sort of practice could also be used for more

sponsorship integration. It would be simple to have the

trivia game sponsored by a certain brand or just by placing

a logo in one of the corners of the pictures themselves. It is

a way to take a platform that sports organizations tend to

use for one-way communication and use it to create

interaction with fans.

Pinterest

The use of Pinterest is another recommendation our group feels would be beneficial for several

reasons. We came up with an idea that would incorporate Pinterest with a contest for fans to

participate in. This would also be an opportunity for sponsorship integration. We saw an example

of this used by the Dallas Mavericks and we recreated the idea into something the Blackhawks

may be able to use. The contest would be called, “Pin to Win,” and those who entered would

compete to see which fan could create the best Blackhawks Pinterest board. The members of the

New Media team could select the contest winner based on who they thought did best. According

to a Pew study, in 2013, 33% of US women us Pinterest whereas only 8% of men use it4. This

contest is also useful because it focuses on reaching a different fan demographic (i.e. women and

teenage girls) more directly than platforms such as Twitter or Facebook.

9

Sponsor Integration

Another recommendation we feel the team could implement would be to increase the amount of

sponsor integration done. With many, if not all, of the existing platforms used, sponsors could be

integrated. The Orlando Magic have conducted several contests in which they prompt fans to

enter for chances to win autographed gear, posters, or memorabilia. On some of the photos used

to promote the contest were the logos of sponsors. We feel this is a simple, yet effective way to

integrate sponsors into social media. This method is effective because it presents the sponsor’s

logo and makes fans aware that the contest is being sponsored, but in a subtle way. It doesn’t

overpower the message being conveyed and it doesn’t make the fan feel as if they are constantly

being sold to.

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The Dallas Mavericks is another team that did a good job of simultaneously aiming to increase

fan engagement while also incorporating use of a sponsor. The team featured a photo on both

Facebook and Instagram with Dirk Nowitzki standing in a kitchen with a chef’s uniform on.

The caption asked fans to tell the Mavericks what dish they would like Dirk to make them. By

commenting on the post, fans had the chance to win an autographed jersey. The caption also

featured the words “presented by Albertson’s,” a local grocery store, which was the sponsor of

the contest. This method, though more direct in nature is still effective because the sponsor

directly relates to the nature of the contest being presented. This prompt got fans interacting on

the post as well as tied in sponsor integration.

11

QR Code

Our research identified several new platforms for use by the Blackhawks, but one digital media

trend our research discouraged against was the use of Quick Response Codes (QR Codes).

In the prime of its popularity, the NBA had fans on their mobile devices scan QR codes on the

scoreboard during the All-Star game. These codes directed fans to coupons and promotions that

the NBA was offering during the game5. It also led to media content that wasn’t available to fans

not in attendance. After a fan scans the QR code with their mobile device, their app store (Apple

Store, Play Store, etc.) opens up to the download page of the team’s mobile app. There is no

indication to what the QR code would send fans to, but the hope was that the mystery behind the

QR code would encourage fans to find out.

However, according to “Advertising Age,” as social media use among teams to promote apps,

sponsors, and other organizational efforts increases, it has become unnecessary for the that extra

step of scanning the QR code6. Simple messaging on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media

can instantly and interactively link to promotions, messages, and the app as desired by the new

media team.

These days, consumers want easy use, easy access, a unique experience, and clear explanation of

how they are to engage with it. The QR code goes against all of that. Opening a scanning app

and scanning a code is an extra step a consumer has to take compared to just clicking on the app

store app or clicking on a link. The QR code is no longer a unique experience and acts more as a

gimmick. There is not a guarantee that consumers will be in a place where service is easily

available to access the QR code content.

Finally, consumers no longer want to waste time not knowing how they are engaging with

certain content. Overall, the QR code use to be a new and interesting way for consumers to

engage with team content, now; it is an outdated tool outmatched by more efficient social

media.

12

Consolidating It All Together Via “Social Hub”

Many new platforms have been discussed and recommended for future use by the Blackhawks

organization, but with these new platforms, there are also the current social media which the

Blackhawks already utilize. While on one hand, this provides many avenues for Blackhawks

fans to get new and up-to-date content on their favorite team, the multitude of platforms may

deter fans from visiting all of them in their busy day.

This is why we recommend the implementation of a “social hub” on the team website. The

social hub operates a home base for all things related to social media. Fans would be able to

click on a link that takes them to a page dedicated to an updated and interactive timeline with

filters including type of medium and hashtag. Fans can also instantly retweet posts, share posts

on Facebook, and interact with other posts that the team operates. There would be a list of

current players, coaches, and team personalities that are on Twitter. That way fans can instantly

follow their favorite players from the team.

From our research, we discovered a variety of teams implement this “social hub” page, but of the

teams that use it, the Arizona Cardinals of the NFL and the Tampa Bay Lightning (featured

below) of the NHL demonstrated the be foundation. While both maintain a “social” hub, their

execution and look is very different. One of these hub platforms could not only enhance the

Blackhawks website, it would also give fans a single location to interact with all Blackhawks

social media. But while fans have easier access to conversations other fans, players, and

personalities are having, this also allows to the Blackhawk new media team to have some control

over the what conversations are being had. Through official hashtags promoted by the

Blackhawks and that can be filtered

on the “social hub,” special events,

sponsorship promotion, and general

Blackhawks messaging is easily

directed by who controls the social

media platforms.

Furthermore, by directing fans to

one location where engagement

and conversations occur, the

Blackhawks new media staff can

monitor trolling and spam better

than through general replies on

posts across social media. For

example, with the team in the midst

of prospect camp, here is how a fan

interested in prospect camp info

could use the “social hub.”

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1. After entering the “social hub” page from the Blackhawks website, they would notice a

timeline of content from the varying social media platforms in the middle of the page.

2. Said fan could then filter the content by a variety of set hashtags decided upon by the new

media team.

3. During prospect camp, the new media team could have a designated hashtag dedicated to

prospect camp coverage.

4. After clicking on that filter, all the posts from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. from the

team, journalists, and other fans using that hashtag would be displayed for the fan to explore.

5. Assuming that the fan follows the current active players, the fan could then see the list of

prospects with a Twitter profile and follow them instantly from the “social hub.”

This process is similar to a variety of scenarios the team may encounter, and that is why the

group recommends it as a useful and efficient means for fan engagement. The great thing about

social media is that it is quick and easy to use, and this is only adding to that ease for Chicago

Blackhawk fans.

14

Managing Platforms and Enhancing In-Stadium Experience with Tagboard

The final and perhaps most important consideration is managing the multiple current and

suggested new social media platforms identified. Tagboard is a tool that can make social media

management easier, more efficient and effective, and even help make Blackhawks fans at United

Center as informed as fans watching games on TV. Tagboard specializes in collecting hashtags

from different social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Vine and collect

them into one stream. From there it can serve the purpose of fan interaction by collecting what

fans are talking about while allowing the organization to have swift responses.

The setup of Tagboard would allow the team to easily respond to or retweet tweets, favorite or

comment on Instagram posts, or share or comment on Facebook posts. Instead of having to

monitor multiple feeds at once, the team would be able to just focus in one place. However, if the

team did want to isolate one platform, there is the option to just monitor the one stream.

The Boston Bruins have tried to jump ahead

of the curve on this potential trend. It has a

profile on Tagboard that people can follow

where the team would be able to compile the

best of its own social media plus the media

of the fans and compile it in one location.

The other function of Tagboard that could be

implemented is its potential functionality

and compatibility to the scoreboards within

United Center.

This is a program that the Seattle Mariners

have heavily invested in and have been

incredibly happy with the results. In fact, the

Mariners Vice President of Marketing, Kevin Martinez, stated that when Tagboard comes on the

screen, the fans become much more responsive and social media activity spikes ten-fold. It might

require a bit of an overhaul of how the Blackhawks currently operate scoreboard and fan

interactions. Any piece of information that the Blackhawks would want to convey can be tweeted

out from the account and then put on the scoreboard so fans in attendance will have the chance to

be completely aware of what is going during a game. Any beat writer covering the game could

have an angle that would be of use to the fans or simply provide commentary. This way fans

would be able to see what is being said without checking their phones every five minutes. This

could open up a two-way dialogue that starts from one fan but can be addressed to the sold-out

crowd.

Tagboard would also have the potential of being tied into new sponsorship ideas. It would be

easy to have scoreboard activities like “Selfies of the Game” and have a sponsor for that. The

fans do all the work taking the photos, uploading them, and tagging them and all the team would

have to do is monitor the Tagboard feed and choose the photos that go up on the board.

15

Conclusion

The effort to maximize fan engagement is a constant struggle as new platforms become popular,

old platforms are used less, and the overall behavior of social media use by fans is always

changing. When the Blackhawks “Golden Age” began in 2008, MySpace was still the most

popular social networking site. Facebook was just up and coming, while; Titter had not yet

cracked the Top 10 in social media popularity. With that in mind, we believe that the

recommendations we made will work in the present and into the future as the social media

environment evolves. We highlighted new and unused platforms along with new ways to use

current platforms to reach a large demographic of fans. Those new platforms will lead into the

“social hub” to be used on the team website. Finally, this will all be connected through the

foundation of our recommendation, Tagboard.

16

Reference

1Botta, C. (2012). In social media efforts, L.A. Kings bring it on. Sports Business Journal , 5.

2Hoelzel, M. (2014, March 13). New Study Shows Instagram and Snapchat Beating Twitter Among Teens

And Young Adults. Retrieved from Buisness Insider: http://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-

and-snapchat-are-more-popular-than-twitter-among-teens-and-young-adults-sai-2014-3

3Ives, B. (2014). Tumblr, Vine to join Facebook, Twitter and Instagram in Giants' toolkit of social media

platform. Sports Buisness Journal, 12.

4Fiegerman, S. (2013, December 30). Study: 1/3 of Women in U.S. Use Pinterest . Retrieved from

Mashable: http://mashable.com/2013/12/30/social-network-demographics-2013/

5Ochman, B. (2013, March 26). QR Codes Aere Dead, Trampled by Easier-to-Use Apps. Retrieved from

Advertising Age: http://adage.com/article/digitalnext/qr-codes-dead-toppled-easy-

apps/240548/

6QR Code Companies. (n.d.). QR Codes an Sports. Retrieved from QR Code Companies:

http://www.qrcodecompanies.net/qrsports.html