3. Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers are the biggest team right now in social media.
They have used almost all of the different social media tools
that are out there and they use them really well. The
results can be seen by seeing how many people they have
following them on each one of their accounts. They
regularly post and keep their fans up to date on the team
and events that are going to be taken place. Their accounts
really bring the fans into the team’s life and lets them see
some things that they would not see without social media.
5. San Francisco Giants
The Giants had a very big impact in last years MLB playoffs
with their social media accounts. They really took in to
account the way that fans watch games and want to interact
with the team through the internet and social media. This
season they were the first professional sports team to open
what they call a “social media cafe” at their ballpark for the
fans. The Giants as a organization have really began to
understand the way that the sport is going and the way to
get new fans in the future. That is why they are number
two on the list.
6. #3 Los Angeles Kings
Facebook: 361,790 likes
Twitter: 242,836 followers
Instagram: 78,752 followers
7. Los Angeles Kings
The Kings are a team playing a unlikely sport in Los
Angeles. Team’s in warmer climates like Florida and L.A.
have a hard time getting people to their games because
hockey is a winter sport. The kings have taken it upon
themselves to use tools such as Twitter and Facebook to
bring more fans in and get their team’s brand out there.
They realized that they are competing with other huge
team in their market like the Los Angeles Lakers and Los
Angeles Dodgers so they need to use these free tools
efficiently. During last years playoff run they were one of
the best team’s with their social media accounts. They used
it very well and even poked fun at some other teams and
celebrities. That is why they are number three on the list.
8. #4 Manchester City
Football Club
Facebook: 5,611,627 likes
Twitter: 952,830 followers
Instagram: 63,789 followers
9. Manchester City
Football Club
In Europe soccer is a huge sport and a very big market to
get into. Manchester City brings their fans inside their
world through social media. They have a very large fan
following and it shows on their accounts. They keep on top
of the changing social media tools and regularly
communicate with their fans all over the world. They use
the free sites to communicate with fans in different
countries and update them on the games and the team.
That is why they are number four on the list.
11. Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are known for their social media
accounts. They use them all really well but the best one is
their Instagram account. They were one of the first team’s
to get an Instagram account and are one of the best
professional team’s using it today. They use it to bring their
fans into their players lives and the pre and post game
activities that go on. During the season they are using it the
most of any team and they connect it between their other
accounts as well. For a team that does not have world wide
status like the Lakers they have a lot of followers on their
accounts. This is why they are number five on the list.
13. Miami Heat
The Heat have grown in popularity in the last couple years
and it has to do with their social media. They have used
their social media accounts very well and stayed on top of
many trends that are happening. They connect all of their
big star players to the team’s account and their fan base
just keeps getting bigger. They hold a lot of different
contests on their Twitter pages for their fans and really
stay on top of them. When the trend of “The Harlem
Shake” came out the Heat decided to make their own
video and used their social media accounts to promote it.
That is why they are number six on the list.
15. St. Louis Cardinals
Major League Baseball teams already have big fan base
because it is Americans past time. The St. Louis Cardinals
take it to another level with how they show their
appreciation to their fans. They use their social media tools
to get many different messages to their fans. They have a
great following on all of their sites with over one million
followers on Facebook. They have some interesting events
that they put out through Twitter and Facebook like their
social media night. The Cardinals use Twitter a lot to get
their information out to the fans and they also connect
their accounts together really well. This is why they are
number seven on the list.
16. #8 New York Giants
Facebook: 2,671,657 likes
Twitter: 461,602 followers
Instagram: 24,544 followers
17. NewYork Giants
The New York sports market is really competitive with
having two MLB team’s, two NBA team’s, three NHL
team’s, and two NFL team’s all in the area. The New York
Giants do a really great job using their resources like their
social media accounts to bring more attention to their
team. They have many followers on every site and stay up
to date with their fans by providing them with regular
information. They tweet many times during the day and
even in the off season with not many team’s do. They are
number eight on the list of team’s.
18. #9 New Jersey Devils
Facebook: 334,970 likes
Twitter: 142,145 followers
Instagram:17,016 followers
19. New Jersey Devils
The Devils were one of the first teams in professional
sports to open a digital command centre at their rink. They
also won two awards for the use of their social media in
2011 from Bulldog Awards. The Devils being a team that
sometimes struggles to bring fans to the games had to find
a different way to get their messages to their fans. They use
their social media very well and their followers are
beginning to grow over time. That is why they are number
nine on the list.
21. Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are Canada’s only professional
baseball ball team in the MLB. This means that they have a
huge market that they can take advantage of. This past
season I have really noticed the organization focusing more
on their social media and connecting with their fans. They
have started a new hashtag #LoveThisTeam that has taken
off. They have used it in all of the right ways and gained
many more followers because of it. They use their accounts
very well by updating their fans on the team and give real
time stats on their Twitter account. They will have great
success from their social media and that is why they are
number ten on the list.
22. The Worst Teams
1. Phoenix Coyotes (NHL)
- They do not use their free social media
tools that well.
- They have a hard market in Arizona and do
not use all of their tools to help them.
2. Toronto Argonauts (CFL)
- They are in a huge market in Toronto and
do not take advantage of their social media
tools.
- Do not learn from other Toronto teams like
the Blue Jays with how to use their different
accounts.
23. 3. St. Louis Rams (NFL)
- lowest followers in the National Football
League.
- They do not do a very good job at
connecting their fans to their team.
- Also do not have a lot of extra content
that their fans want to follow them to see.
4. New York Knicks (NBA)
- They do not connect their
players to their accounts.
- Do not have a lot of
followers for the huge market
that they are in.
24. Most Popular Used
After reviewing many teams different social media tools I
have come to see that the most used tool is Twitter.
Almost every professional team has a Twitter account
that they use a lot to get their messages to their fans. In
my opinion Twitter is the best way that teams can
connect their players and events with the public because
you can do a lot with Twitter. You are able to post real
time statuses, pictures, and links to other pages they
might have.
25. Improvements To Be
MadeHere is a list of some improvements that I believe every
team can use to improve their social media usage:
1. Use all of the social media tools you have equally.
2. Connect all of your tools together. i.e. post links on your
Twitter to your Instagram accounts.
3. Connect your players with your social media accounts to
allow fans to follow their players.
4. Use your Instagram and Facebook accounts to allow fans
to see behind the scenes footage to get more buzz on their
accounts.
5. Use your accounts to run different contests to get more
followers.
29. Other Sources:
•2013 Social Media Icon Awards: Best Social Media Team | PR NewsPR News.
(n.d.). PR News - PR, Public Relations, Media Relations, Communications, Marketing, P
Jobs and PR Industry Events and NewsPR News | For Smart Communicators. Retrieved
June 23, 2013, from
http://www.prnewsonline.com/free/2013/04/17/2013-social-media-icon-awards-best-
•Laird, S. (n.d.). How the L.A. Kings Are Redefining Sports Social Media. Mashable
Retrieved June 23, 2013, from http://mashable.com/2012/05/30/kings-social-
media/
•Pro sports teams building championship socia
l media campaigns | Mainstreethost Search Marketing blog. (n.d.). Mainstreethost
Blog | Covering SEO, Inbound Marketing, Social Media, Content Marketing & More.
Retrieved June 23, 2013, from http://blog.mainstreethost.com/if-pro-sports-teams
were-consumer-brands-on-social-media#.UcYIABYmzS9
•the score. (n.d.). the score. Retrieved June 22, 2013, from www.thescore.ie/san-
francisco-giants-open-a-social-media-cafe-whatever-that-is-956264-Jun2013/
