By Gary Cahen, Associate Director of Programs at University of Central Florida
As a college student in the 1990s—in the era just prior to the proliferation of internet innovations such as Netscape, Hotmail, and AOL—the news of what was taking place on other campuses in the field of recreation was hard for me to come by.
We relied on flyers and brochures delivered by actual mail and announcements at conferences to advertise extramural competitions.
To experience the excitement of an event, you had to be there!
It would have been difficult to envision then that one day there would be more than just the bulletin board outside of a campus office to keep students informed of what was happening in the world of recreational sports. Now, though, thanks to social media, that bulletin board has become worldwide, delivered in real-time on your smart phone or computer. While nothing will ever beat the experience of “being there,” the NIRSA Championship Series can now help bring you the next best thing.
Spreading information and excitement for upcoming events is just one of the many great uses of the NIRSA Championship Series’ social media.The online world of the NIRSA Championship Series has grown incredibly this year, thanks to the participation of our loyal Twitter and Instagram followers. The @NIRSAChamp account has garnered over one thousand fans throughout the year and continues to grow for each event. Intramural and club teams have been active in tweeting (and re-tweeting) photos, updates, and play-by-plays of tournament action to build buzz and momentum towards their quest for a championship. Fans of the institution can come along for the ride, having a virtual presence and investment in these events, which can help capture, promote, and share the excitement, as well as build the brand of the NIRSA Championship Series.
The @NIRSAChamp handle captures excitement both on and off the field—like this shot of David Peters getting ready to announce some flag football action!“Social media has become a great avenue for NIRSA to build awareness of its Championship Series events,” says David Peters, Social Media Director for NIRSA National Flag Football and Basketball events and Associate Director for Campus Recreation at Florida State University. “Participants are often following @NIRSAChamp and our hashtags during the event and retweeting or sharing posts with their followers. Our social media feeds quickly share the excitement of a NIRSA tournament with people who are hundreds or thousands of miles away.”
Teammates, classmates, relatives, officials, and the like can follow along during events as opposed to waiting for a phone call or refreshing a website for scores. Recreational sports programs can share the success of their students, inspiring future participants to join in on the action. Intramural programs can highlight the accomplishment of their officials and recognize students for earning all-tournament honors.
Action shots like this one are retweeted and enjoyed even after the tournament concludes.So how does it all work? Tournament directors and our band of volunteer sideline reporters offer their precious battery life by capturing the action and sharing it with the world. The NIRSA Championship Series Brand Management Work Team communicates closely with event organizers to put the right people in place to take photos and video and share it with all of NIRSA. Many times, we’re simply alerted of action via a “mention” or hashtag by a spectator, and, in turn, we share that 140 character bit of information with our loyal followers.
Scott Flickinger, Assistant Manager of Intramurals and Club Sports at Boston University, volunteered his time at several NIRSA Championship Series events this year to live-tweet the action. Says Scott, “Outlets like Twitter and Instagram offer an immediate and exciting connection to people and events. Using such outlets can have a great impact on the marketing of an event. Twitter has been a fantastic way for professionals and participants to chronicle the event with ease and vibrancy.” Utilizing his personal Twitter account (@FlickFlackSays) Scott did his best to track down every team at each event to share a team photo and encourage success—because though not every team can win the coveted championship, for some, a Twitter shout-out can be the next best thing.
Scott Flickinger makes a point to showcase all of the tournaments’ key players—from the athletes that compete, to the officials who make the games great, to the staff who bring the tournaments to life.There are a variety of benefits to being plugged in to the @NIRSAChamp Twitter account, regardless of your personal comfort level with social media. According to Scott, “Twitter has helped paint a dynamic picture of the people who participate in our NIRSA regional and national functions. It offers a way for parents to see their child enjoying healthy, positive activity in college. It allows friends to connect and bond with frozen pictorial moments and quotes. It allows institutions to be proud of the commitment and learning opportunities their students are taking with leadership and management skills they are gaining by participating or working each tournament. Twitter has also allowed everyone to see the good NIRSA is bringing to recreation across campuses all over.”
So join in on the action this spring as we follow the NIRSA Regional and National Basketball Championships, as well as the NIRSA USTA Tennis National Championships. If you’d like to contribute to the conversation, #NIRSABBall and #NIRSATennis are the hashtags to follow. We want you to have the next best experience to actually being there!
