NFL bans Twitter and Facebook on game days
01 Sep
Posted by: Bryan Bennett in: NFL Football, Social Media
There are some professional sports leagues that get it and some that don’t. Put the NFL solidly in the “don’t get it” category. Earlier this summer the league told players that they could not tweet during team functions. Now the policy has been updated to ban all Facebook and Twitter use on game days. But wait, that’s not all. The new policy also extends to anyone “representing” a player or coach, and now even includes members of the media attending the game. While not quite as absurd as SEC banning the use of social media by fans attending games, this policy is very close.
So the big question here is what is the NFL afraid of? Users getting play by play via Twitter? Users getting some insight behind the NFL’s iron curtain? Players actually being personable and not just a face behind a helmet? My guess is the first one is the most frightening as any replacement of TV and radio could cost the NFL and it’s partners some significant advertising dollars. But as evidenced by the futile attempt of the music and TV industries to delay the impact of technology on their respective businesses, the NFL’s best course of action is to figure out how to work with social media rather than ban it. The NHL has done a decent job with that already and has shown the willingness to continue to embrace social media going forward. I realize the NFL has significantly more at stake here since it’s revenues and power dwarf that of the NHL, but that means it can take more of a leadership role in ushering in new business models. I think eventually they’ll get there…kicking and screaming maybe (see music industry reference)…but they’ll get there.
[...] FanSection Blog - Sports, Social Media, Analysis, Commentary blog.fansection.com/2009/09/nfl-bans-twitter-and-facebook-on-game-days – view page – cached nfl_logo There are some professional sports leagues that get it and some that don’t. Put the NFL solidly in the “don’t get it” category. Earlier this summer the league told players that they could not tweet during team functions. Now the policy has been updated to ban all Facebook and Twitter use on game days. But wait, that’s not all. The new policy also extends to anyone “representing” a player or coach, and now even includes members of the media attending the game. While not quite as absurd as SEC banning the use of social media by fans attending games, this policy is very close. — From the page [...]
I’m grumbling in Southern New Jersey (Eagles territory) where the NFL has blacked out my Giants and where selecting Comcast’s “NFL Blackout Rules” brings up an “Unavailable” message on my tv. That’s the RULES that are unavailable, not just the GAME. Neither NFL.com nor Comcast.net explains why, either. That’s a double screw-the-consumer from both producer and distributor.
I doubt that the NFL doesn’t get it with regard to social media. What they DO get - very, very well indeed - is that if they can’t control it, they can’t get paid for it. Being the richest, most popular sport, with lucrative and restrictive contracts in all media, a short season and intensely devoted fans, they figure that their hegemony is forever. After all, what other options do we have for professional football?
Their restrictions may be terrible ideas, but don’t confuse this with being stupid and blind.