episode 41 of the dsmsports podcast w/ jesse agler of the san diego padres

Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast Recap

Episode 41: Jesse AglerDirector of Content for the San Diego Padres

Episode 41 of the Digital and Social Media Sports podcast featured San Diego Padres' Director of Content, Jesse Agler, who discussed the Padres content strategy, his background, and more.

Listen to the full episode at www.DSMSports.net or on iTunes. What follows are snippets and quotes from the podcast. Enjoy and thanks again to Jesse!

@njh287; DSMSports.net



Jesse's career path

Came up through radio with goal of being a broadcaster, but picked up digital and social content skills along the way.

Attended University of Miami and did a lot of student radio → Worked at a radio station in Miami after college before getting the Dolphins job → Did radio and TV broadcasting and hosting with Dolphins, along with picking up digital responsibilities → Went to Padres for a similar role

Jesse's first job out of college was at the Jayhawk League, a summer wood bat college baseball league in Kansas → Then, using the connections he made in school, he got an anchor position at the local news station




On gaining social and digital skills

“I knew that, the more you can do, the more valuable you are...(notes diversity of skills needed in his earlier, lower level jobs)...As a young person in the industry, I understood the, the more I could do the more valuable I was and the more appealing I would be as a prospective employee.




On his role with the Dolphins

“At the time it was kind of wild-west. We were just trying to figure it out...We said 'this could be useful (as a) marketing tool, a PR tool, a content tool...I didn't strictly fall under PR or marketing. We sort of had our own content department...As a group, we figured out the kinds of things that worked and the kinds of things that didn't...”




“The really important thing...was the buy-in went all the way to the top. That makes this so much easier...If ownership (doesn't buy in), it can make it really difficult to execute...That's the best part about the (Padres) situation...Ownership is on board with what we're trying to do and they recognize the value in it.”




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On getting buy-in from up top

“I didn't convince ownership that this was something to do...We showed (team President Mike Dee) what we were doing in the digital space and he believes...

Mike and (CMO Wayne Partello) talk to ownership about it...and for them to understand and appreciate that it is something that can work – that's the game changer.”

“I think we do a nice job, but it is made SO much easier because of (buy-in from ownership)...I know how lucky we are here.”




On team operations buying in with organizational transparency and access via social and digital

“The strategy is we are this central hub for Padres news and information. We're not just a press release dumpster. That is a key part of this digital strategy...Getting buy-in from baseball operations is another thing. It's easier in some places than others...(GM) AJ Preller is not just concerned about it...

We're not going to do anything that gets in the way of his job...The reality of the landscape is that if something is out there, it's out there...




“Everybody knows about it and sees it. If we blog about it, it's not like now, all of a sudden, people are going to see it. We are trying to be a one-stop shop for all Padres information.”

You have to write it in a way that makes it clear that 'this is a report...'Is there someone reading that (thinks) 'hey, it's official?...'

Maybe...But most people are savvy enough consumers of information...that they get it.

You have to be clear about it, but they get it...It goes back to the way you write it. Some organizations are not going to buy into that want to stay completely silent and they think there are all these secrets...But (if others) are writing about it, that's not a secret...AJ gets that and he understands that.”




On how the Padres deal with rumors in the news

“Here is the distinction we draw...We're not going to do a blog about a speculative rumor...(notes they'll blog about a report that a deal is done, even if not official yet) When it comes to speculative (content), we stay away from that. And that's a distinction that is very important.”

“It's a case-by-case thing. Generally, if (the source) us representing a website that is a reputable place, I'm good with it, personally. But it is case-by-case...You kind of look at different guys and what their track records are...If it's somebody that is representing a larger entity with some editorial oversight, generally, I'm okay with it.”




On the ROI of being the one-stop shop for fans for info and engagement on digital and social

“The business objective, as far as I'm concerned is engagement. That is the goal. It's getting people to be engaged with the Padres...all the research shows (that) the more engaged your fans base, the more likely they are to buy...It's a broader, softer 'this is good for business' kind of approach.

You have to earn fans' (trust)...You're trying to make it easy for them to access information about the Padres. And that's what it is at the end of the day.”




On the Padres brand and strategy vs. how he did it with the Dolphins

“The strategy is the same, but the personality and tone is different everywhere. And the Padres' personality this March is very different from the Padres' personality and tone from last March...You can't just always have the same tone and voice...

If you're starting the season (well, record-wise) and everybody is excited, you can take more risks and have more fun and have a different tone than (if the team is struggling and fans are upset).”




On the different strategies of Padres and Dolphins, given the variance in season duration

“They're different animals...Football is eight (home) games and baseball, it's 81...This is not just bout tickets (though), it's about supplying good content...You (always) have to have the same effort (regardless if team is home or away)...

One of the big differences is the overall number of games. In football, on Sunday and Monday, you go crazy with your content...In baseball, obviously, it's a lot more spread out.”




On the Padres content production team and integration with marketing

“It's a small team – it's me, a multimedia editor-producer type, a content manager that does a lot of the writing, and Bill Center, a longtime sportswriter...Day to day, we plan everything out. And MLB.com has their own (Padres) coverage...That's content there that we don't even have to worry about creating...




“As for ulterior motives, I wouldn't say that, but...A good example now is this (new) video board that we're putting in at Petco Park. We might have have Bill write something about it because that's a big thing we're trying to promote it...But that is something people are interested in. It's not like we're trying to sell them on something that isn't cool or interesting...

Last year, we did something similar with a story about the new food options available at Petco Park. Obviously that's a marketing and ticketing message, but it's content marketing...People are interested in (the food options) and, so, we're going to give them that information in easy-to-digest way to consume.”




On content marketing as a marketing strategy

“I think fans are smart. They're savvy. You can't just say 'Buy Tickets'...That just doesn't work...For most teams, most years, you're going to have challenges, at times, to try and sell tickets...

People don't want to just be told to buy tickets. You (have to) give them more than that. You can't always be asking...90% of the content we are producing has no content marketing aspect to it, it's just content. And then, every once in a while, you kind of throw it in. (But) you don't beat them over the head with it. People don't want that...It's a giving culture...An engaged fan base is going to be more engaged, from a purchasing standpoint, too...It's very pure. We're giving you good information...and access.”




On the different types of media for digital content

I believe in a balanced approach...I always think about 'how do I consume stuff?' I also want to know how someone ten years younger than I am consumes stuff and how someone ten years older than I am consumes stuff...Sometimes I want to read an article, sometimes I want to watch an eight-second video, sometimes I want to watch a 90-second video. It's important to have an approach where you do all of the above...I'm excited about Twitter allowing free-form video...That has been helpful because you can get a little more produced there. You can put a little more shine on something.

(Jesse also notes team focusing on bilingual content, to serve the Padres' Spanish-speaking fans)




On the Padres capitalizing fully on the team's offseason moves

“You got to be ready for anything and everything...We're reading all the same reports fans are...So, we go to our design crew...Having really talented in-house designers is a major component for success..(notes how graphics were ready before-hand in anticipation of moves) Of all the things we pushed out, there is a drawer full of stuff that never saw the light of the day...




It's all about being prepared for anything...It's a complete team effort. There were days and nights that we were there a very long time. That's part of the deal...(notes how the content team was ready for content before, during, and after the news drops)...It becomes this multi-day thing...

How can we keep this going one more day? How we can extend this story and extend this excitement, so it is not just a one-day pop?”

[Jesse uses a great analogy from broadcasting; how he'll have so many stats and notes that he may not use during the games]




On integrating marketing and sales messages within all of the content around the moves

It's just something you know to do...it's standard operating procedure. I don;'t think it is something that is going to offend the consumer, at that point...They're excited...We might as well help. That's the point of a business is to sell things and to get people excited. That's part of the deal...

People are excited and they want to buy tickets, they want to buy (merchandise)...let's make it as easy as we can for them.”




On analytics for social and digital media

(For analytics on ticket sales, in relation to social and digital media) “If we're doing it right, it's going to happen...I'm very much in on our web analytics and on our social media analytics. I think that, if you're not tracking that stuff in real time, you're not doing it right...I don't think an end-of-the-week report tells you anything...

When you're doing it and when you're in it, you should have that (analytics) tab open all the time. You should constantly be seeing what's working and what's not and reacting accordingly...The Internet moves at a real-time pace and you should be paying attention to what is happening at every single moment.:




On the Padres Social Hour

“It's all part of the same content strategy. We're going to give you access and information that you weren't getting before...Padres Social Hour is a one-hour show...on TV, radio, and an online show...It airs every day live during the season. It's a great opportunity for fans to hear directly from players, executives, coaching staff...and it's interactive and something we did in Miami 9the Finsiders)...

It's good access and more Padres content that's out there...We want to be engaged. We want our fans to feel a part of this thing. Because they are a part of this thing, at the end of the day. If you have no fans, you have nothing...So we're just trying to give them another touch point.:”




This episode's Shareable Stat: As of mid-February, the Padres' season ticket sales had increased 600%

(Source: New York Times)




The best part about living in San Diego

“It's just the most unbelievable place. It's beautiful, it has everything. You have oceans, you have mountains, you have beaches, you have city. And, to top it all off, you have one of the absolute jewels of Major League Baseball with Petco Park...

There's nothing bad. It's hard to believe it's an actual real place that exists, where you can live. I feel very lucky.”




Which of the Padres digital channels generated the biggest buzz / growth during Padres' big offseason?

“Our Instagram numbers and growth were really good...That is a credit to our photographers, our design guys, and our multimedia team.”




The difference between NFL and MLB fans

“I don't know that there's a difference between the fans. Fans are fans...Aren't most people fans of more than one sport? Obviously, the way you consume your sports is going to be the same (for example, Twitter)...Covering the two sport is different. The relationships between the teams and leagues are very different in the two sports. But, from a fan standpoint, it is what it is.”




How content strategy differs between MLB and NFL

“Football is really intense a couple days a week. Baseball is more slow and steady wins thee race. The peaks and valleys aren't going to be as high or as low. In football, if the team starts 0-2, it's like the sky is falling. In baseball, if we stat 0-2, it's nothing...Because of that and the nature of the seasons, you spread things out a little bit. But, at the end of the day, content is content.”

“(In baseball) There is a game every day. That's what is great about baseball. At the absolute minimum, you have a game to discuss.”




Jesse's lasting Dolphins memory

“Taking this idea of the Finsiders show out of absolutely thin air and turning it into something is something I'm really proud of...It was just a radio show, then a radio show with video on the Internet and, eventually, it was on TV. And it's a thing now. If you ask a random Dolphins fans if they know the Finsiders, they (know it)...and it was something we made up; we just created it. Very proud of that.”




The best Dolphins player [while hwas there] on social media and the best Padres players on social media

Dolphins: Reggie Bush and Brian Hartline (Jesse notes how Hartline would call out writers with whom he disagreed)

Padres: Will Myers → “He's got a really good personality and he seems to be really engaging on Twitter...He gets it. He's into it and seems to enjoy it.”




The social network that will take off during the 2015 MLB Season

“I am supposed to say Snapchat, right?...I am more conservative when it comes to these things. I don't like to just jump on the thing of the moment. I'll look at it. I'll mess around with it. I'll try it and engage it...We kind of wait and see. I don't think we need the first to be on something...It could be something that doesn't even exist yet...I imagine everyone is going to jump on Snapchat this year that hasn't already, and it'll be a big deal.”




A lot of times it's easy to say 'the kids love the Snapchat, we gotta do the Snapchat' as opposed to 'let's actually think about how we would use this, would it be good?' The last thing I want to do is jump on a platform and give you crap...

I would rather not be on the platform...than being on it and not doing it well. I look at the staffing, I look at the amount of time we have to try and thrive on something new. I look at how popular I think it could be...Active Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts take a lot of tine to manage, so, if we're going to add another one, we have to really be committed to it. You don';t want to half-ass anything.”

(notes that MLB can be helpful in providing clubs basic info on emerging platforms)




Jesse's biggest social media pet peeve

“One I really get annoyed by is this one-size-fits-all approach...There is content hat works across platforms, but to say, 'everything we do, we'll put all over)' annoys me. Similarly, for an organization to think 'This worked for us, so it'll work for you.' That's not the case. The strategy is the strategy...but plenty of stuff we did in Miami wouldn't work in San Diego and (vice-versa)...”



Episode 41: Jesse AglerDirector of Content for the San Diego PadresThe best ballpark food Jesse has ever had

Seaside Market at Petco Park – the Tri-Tip nachos




Assuming the Padres win the NL, who would their AL opponent be in the World Series?

Jesse's pick → Seattle Mariners; “The cool thing is these two teams share a (spring training complex) in Peoria (AZ)...I'm going to be a total homer and say we're going to have a Vedder Cup World Series. An all-Peoria World Series. Let's go Padres-Mariners and Padres obviously sweep the series.”




Jesse's Social Media All-Star to Follow

Jesse shouts out ME – Neil Horowitz, for social and digital media sports content.

Follow me @njh287

He also plugs @Padres to get a look at what they do




Where to find Jesse and the Padres on social and digital media

Jesse is on Twitter @jesseaglerPadres all over @Padres




Thanks again to Jesse Agler for sharing his time and knowledge on the Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast!

For more, visit DSMSports.net and follow me on Twitter @njh287.


episode 41 of the dsmsports podcast w/ jesse agler of the san diego padres

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