FOX Sports Florida Partners with Local NHL Teams on Social Media Nights

Social media night telecast for Lightning drives "watch and win" fly away sweepstakes and attracts more than 1,000 entries.


Marketing, digital, production and promotional elements combined to make each night successful for teams and participating fans.


Unique hashtags and incentives used to engage fans.


Strong feedback from teams and fans resulted in permanent social TV elements for remainder of season and plans to implement enhanced social marketing surrounding the NHL playoffs in South Florida.


Tampa Bay Lightning


On Tuesday, March 13, the Lightning hosted the defending Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins. The Sun Sports social media centered broadcast was promoted in various ways prior.


Marketing

• Radio spots and billboards (pictured) were activated in Tampa several days prior and articles on FOXSportsFlorida.com read and TampaBayLightning.com read supplemented tweets and Facebook posts encouraging fans to participate.
• FOX Sports Florida Girls Jordana and Annilie were interviewed on-air during the first intermission. The girls promoted their own social media platforms, as well as recording a LIVE tout during the hit.

Promotions

• As an added incentive for fans and viewers, the Lightning hosted a Watch and Win fly away sweepstakes driven by the social media night broadcast.
• Fans following @TBLightning on Twitter throughout the broadcast were prompted when to check the twitter feed for 3 trivia questions they had to answer to enter. Once the viewers had the answers, they were asked to submit their official entry form with the answers for a chance to win a trip to Boston to see the Lightning face off against the Bruins in their final meeting of the season on Tuesday, March 27.
• More than 1,000 entries were submitted to the contest over the span of the game.

Production

• Tampa Bay Lightning Social Media Coordinator Caryn Switaj (right) appeared on the pre game show to discuss the team's efforts on social media.
  
• Twitter elevators were used in-game to promote fan tweets.
• Fans submitted questions to talent via twitter for post game interviews.
• Player twitter handles were featured and questions asked between periods had a social media spin.

Web / Social Media

• Throughout the game, the #TweetTheThunder unique hashtag produced 1,178 tweets from fans on Twitter over a three hour period. For reference, the Lightning usually receive 900 tweets with their regular hashtag over the course of an entire game day.
  
• Live tweets displayed on FOXSportsFlorida.com via a widget on the Lightning page.
• Tweets from @SunSportsBolts throughout the day provided behind the scenes coverage and real-time pictures of the action at the Tampa Bay Times Forum. Additionally, the night garnered positive coverage locally (read), in the blogosphere. (read)
  
• Take away: Every post game since that night has featured a twitter question submission prompt encouraging fans to tweet questions to talent for post game interviews. Fans handles receive on-air mentions thus providing incentive for fans to continue tuning on Sun Sports.
  

Florida Panthers


On Tuesday, January 24, the Florida Panthers hosted their longtime rival Philadelphia Flyers. The broadcast featured social media elements including:


• Interactive pre- and postgame: Fans were encouraged to send their tweets to @FlaPanthers, @FSPanthers, using the unique hashtag #WeTweetRed for an opportunity to appear on the broadcast in selecting player interviews, and sending questions for players, coaches and the team.


• Pregame interview: Florida Panthers Social Media Coordinator Carly Peters joined the broadcast to discuss the team on twitter.

• First intermission interview: Sunrise Sports & Entertainment President and COO Michael Yormark (right) talked about Twitter and how it fits into the team's social media strategy. " I want fans to understand exactly what we are doing all the time. I want as many followers as I can get. I am a big believer in social media. I am a big believer in Twitter, and I will continue to be active," Yormark said.


• Second intermission interview: FOX Sports Florida Girls continued the fun and their season-long presence at the Bank Atlantic Center by appearing on set to talk social media.


• Interactive in-game: Viewers sent post game questions for Coach Kevin Dineen using the hash tag #WeTweetRed.


• Behind-the-scenes tweets: @FSPanthers generated behind-the-scenes tweets all day from the truck, booth and around the arena.


• Final tally: More than 600 tweets utilizing the hashtag were sent throughout the night by fans, breaking previous in-game records for the team.


• Take away: Thanks in part to the success of Social Media Night, the Panthers and FOX Sports Florida are in the planning phases for unique grass roots and social media focused marketing campaigns to promote the imminent playoff birth... the team's first in over a decade.