Isn't this what Facebook are (kinda) trying to do with Beacon?
Jonathan Coffman
· 1 year ago
Surely the sports world is ready for a huge social network. I don't see the NFL taking the lead here because of their crazy copyright concerns (all in the name of getting people to subscribe to their cable channel it seems). But some other sports authority ought to be able to figure that one out.
Non-profits I think are beginning to realize that there's a world of people and support that they've never tapped in the never-ending process of fundraising... There's a TON of exciting ways to build communities off of non-profits.
What about the News, news organizations with shrinking staffs, growing online presences (most of the time) and other concerns surely understand the need to do more than just pump out a paper or a broadcast each day. They need interaction and community building.
They already have captive audiences in the non-virtual world, now they need to get those people into the online scene and take advantage of The People creating and editing and mashing up "the news".
All in all, the technology isn't the problem anymore, it's not holding us back. Its us holding ourselves back it seems.
Kim Dushinski
· 1 year ago
Chris:
Maybe it is less about fear and more about the people in charge not having any idea how powerful social networking can be. Just a thought.
Mark Dykeman
· 1 year ago
I would certainly agree that there's a lot of unexplored potential with community. I think that a lot of companies haven't worked out the risk/reward tradeoff yet. Publicly traded companies, in particular, have that risk-aversion mindset that probably scares them off.
Eric: Gardenfork.tv
· 1 year ago
Being in airports for the last 2 weeks gave me an idea of setting up some sort of Twitter app that would allow like-minded people to meet and chat while waiting for their flights.
Lots of potential in the airport just by the mass of people and the fact that a lot of them are on business.
Steve Loopipe
· 1 year ago
For the record, the NFL's had a fantasy football service running off their site for at least two years now. We've run a playoff fantasy league for Extra Points (http://www.extra-points.com) through the NFL's fantasy game for the past two years and it's worked out very well.
I've seen a number of sports-related social networks and/or sites that have tried to incorporate social networking (http://www.screamingsports.com is one that comes to mind) and I really just haven't found any that really jump out as compelling enough to stay. Maybe I'm just the type of person who enjoys sports a lot but not arguing about it, which is what a lot of that discussion degenerates into.
The other problem with fan-created sports media is that fans don't get the access that MSM gets, and if you do get media access, it comes with a lot of restrictions on what you can and can't say and do with it. Most of what you're able to create is commentary (like we do on Extra Points) or mash-ups of league-approved content which is technically on questionable legal grounds. It isn't like citizen journalism where someone with a cell phone camera can get as good (or better) a video as someone in a news truck because they're in the right place at the right time.
Todd
· 1 year ago
There are actually quite a few Harry Potter community sites that allow the things which you listed. Two that come to mind are VeritaSerum and The Leaky Cauldron.
I'm sad that one of my first posts on this blog is about Harry Potter. I hope to highlight my brilliance in other areas soon.
great ideas, chris. what do you think radio can do?
sure, they have websites, but they're hardly relevant. music lists, cheesy jock bios, corporate templates - that's about it.
how would you help radio build the bridge between new and old media?
Jen Zingsheim
· 1 year ago
I can't find the link on their site (hm, bad design?) but the Pod Hotel in New York at one point had a forum/calendar where you could list when you'd be there to meet up with like-minded people for a chat or drinks. I thought it was interesting: hotel stay a' la' a Tweet-up.
whitney
· 1 year ago
There are some of these things for the Harry Potter Crowd- interactive stuff on JK Rowlings website, fan forums, podcasts, fan fiction on those sites- all user generated content, which the author often participates in to some extent.
I've actually pitched the idea of Superblog and Supertube to the NFL (I own the domain names already...) but they aren't really getting it and listening yet. They are still a broadcast only, non-interactive organization, to their detriment.
chrisbrogan
· 1 year ago
@Ross - not really. Beacon is an ad network. I want companies with big communities to build their cross-customer interactions.
@Jonathan- news is starting to do it. USA Today from Gannett is doing a great job of it.
@Kim - that's true, too. Awareness is light.
@Mark - you're right, but risk can be mitigated.
@Eric - you've got it right on the nose. Mesh networking would enable that a bit, by the way. Mesh and/or bluetooth.
@Steve - wouldn't you just GUSH to get your hands on some video clips from the NFL to remix your OWN little "moments of greatness" videos and the like? Some day, the NFL might see through to do something like that.
@Todd - come back and be brilliant again. But are those fan sites? I'm saying Scholastic should've led with it.
@Buzz- I think radio is starting to get it. I've talked and worked with a few radio shows that are doing video and streaming projects alongside their current platform. I've also seen radio stations dip their feet in and out of the social platform game. In Boston, in the Rock format, that's WFNX and WBCN.
@Jen - smart people, then. : )
@Whitney - some day you'll win them over. You're clever, persistent, and know what you're talking about.
Jennifer Van Grove
· 1 year ago
Yardbarker http://yardbarker.com/ is another sports themed social network with actual athlete bloggers. I really like this site, but it certainly could benefit from official organizations (eg NFL) contributing and making video content accessible to members.
I also see major bookstore chains (eg. Barnes & Noble and Borders) as missing the community mark. Dedicated customers passionate about literature who already hang around in the bookstore and coffee shop all day, sounds like a recipe for success. You can find ratings on books on other sites, but there's really no cohesive community (although Red Room gets close for writers and their fans).
Todd
· 1 year ago
Chris, they are indeed fan sites. I'm not sure it makes sense for Scholastic to start their own community at this point in the Potter life cycle, particularly when the existing sites have such vibrant communities.
You're saying they should have been forward-thinking though, and I certainly can't argue with that.
Chris
· 1 year ago
I'm a little surprised by what seems like a lack of research or awareness in this blog post. Sure, in principle everyone who has fans should allow them to connect. Great point, but the examples seem pretty lightweight or vague once I read past the hotels, and I don't think these can accurately be described as unexplored opportunities.
1. Many pro sports teams already have social networking added to their sites and many fans set up social networking sites or message boards dedicated to their favorite media or sports franchises. For some examples, check out www.mycolts.net and www.spiritof12.com. I'd also recommend checking out Pat Coyle's blog for evidence that NFL people are thinking hard about online community.
2.Why is it a problem if a fan sets up a Harry Potter site instead of Scholastic shouldering that load? I'd argue that fan-driven sites are better solution because they costs less and are more authentic. Scholastic should spend their time sponsoring and supporting the existing communities rather than trying to supplant them. An obvious option is pre-release access to special media and other "leaks" of editorial content. Joss Whedon and the LOTR franchisers both worked that angle to great success.
I'm looking forward to seeing the other 99 posts in this series, though I'd personally prefer 10 great posts to 100 posts that overlook what's already happening in the world.
Chip Griffin
· 1 year ago
We should run away and create beautiful companies together. :)
chrisbrogan
· 1 year ago
@Chris - Believe me, I can't keep my eye on EVERY part of the social networking space. Swell folks like you are welcome to point out when I've gone way off the mark. If you scroll back about 20 posts, I'm sure you'll find a few other times when I was wrong.
I also predicted Jaiku would swamp Twitter last April.
About 41 other Social Media 100 posts have been written, so feel free to poke holes in those, too.
(Truly, though, thanks for your thoughts and your pointers).
Chris
· 1 year ago
41? I'm gonna dull my pokey stick!
Apologies for the harsh tone - keeping up a blog is no mean feat and I enjoy your posts. Thanks for keeping the conversation going. For one post, I'd love to read your list of publishers and other niche brands that have done social networking right.
chrisbrogan
· 1 year ago
Hi Chris- no worries. If you don't call bullshit, I don't get better. Right? You were reasonably constructive. : )
Boy, let me poke around on that. Usually when someone asks me for "real" research, I make Jeremiah Owyang write the post. He works for Forrester. He has that kind of bent. But, maybe I'll go look around, just for you and your stick. : )
All Comments
Non-profits I think are beginning to realize that there's a world of people and support that they've never tapped in the never-ending process of fundraising... There's a TON of exciting ways to build communities off of non-profits.
What about the News, news organizations with shrinking staffs, growing online presences (most of the time) and other concerns surely understand the need to do more than just pump out a paper or a broadcast each day. They need interaction and community building.
They already have captive audiences in the non-virtual world, now they need to get those people into the online scene and take advantage of The People creating and editing and mashing up "the news".
All in all, the technology isn't the problem anymore, it's not holding us back. Its us holding ourselves back it seems.
Maybe it is less about fear and more about the people in charge not having any idea how powerful social networking can be. Just a thought.
http://ericrochow.com/2008/02/21/social-network...
Lots of potential in the airport just by the mass of people and the fact that a lot of them are on business.
I've seen a number of sports-related social networks and/or sites that have tried to incorporate social networking (http://www.screamingsports.com is one that comes to mind) and I really just haven't found any that really jump out as compelling enough to stay. Maybe I'm just the type of person who enjoys sports a lot but not arguing about it, which is what a lot of that discussion degenerates into.
The other problem with fan-created sports media is that fans don't get the access that MSM gets, and if you do get media access, it comes with a lot of restrictions on what you can and can't say and do with it. Most of what you're able to create is commentary (like we do on Extra Points) or mash-ups of league-approved content which is technically on questionable legal grounds. It isn't like citizen journalism where someone with a cell phone camera can get as good (or better) a video as someone in a news truck because they're in the right place at the right time.
I'm sad that one of my first posts on this blog is about Harry Potter. I hope to highlight my brilliance in other areas soon.
http://veritaserum.com/
http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/
sure, they have websites, but they're hardly relevant. music lists, cheesy jock bios, corporate templates - that's about it.
how would you help radio build the bridge between new and old media?
I've actually pitched the idea of Superblog and Supertube to the NFL (I own the domain names already...) but they aren't really getting it and listening yet. They are still a broadcast only, non-interactive organization, to their detriment.
@Jonathan- news is starting to do it. USA Today from Gannett is doing a great job of it.
@Kim - that's true, too. Awareness is light.
@Mark - you're right, but risk can be mitigated.
@Eric - you've got it right on the nose. Mesh networking would enable that a bit, by the way. Mesh and/or bluetooth.
@Steve - wouldn't you just GUSH to get your hands on some video clips from the NFL to remix your OWN little "moments of greatness" videos and the like? Some day, the NFL might see through to do something like that.
@Todd - come back and be brilliant again. But are those fan sites? I'm saying Scholastic should've led with it.
@Buzz- I think radio is starting to get it. I've talked and worked with a few radio shows that are doing video and streaming projects alongside their current platform. I've also seen radio stations dip their feet in and out of the social platform game. In Boston, in the Rock format, that's WFNX and WBCN.
@Jen - smart people, then. : )
@Whitney - some day you'll win them over. You're clever, persistent, and know what you're talking about.
I also see major bookstore chains (eg. Barnes & Noble and Borders) as missing the community mark. Dedicated customers passionate about literature who already hang around in the bookstore and coffee shop all day, sounds like a recipe for success. You can find ratings on books on other sites, but there's really no cohesive community (although Red Room gets close for writers and their fans).
You're saying they should have been forward-thinking though, and I certainly can't argue with that.
1. Many pro sports teams already have social networking added to their sites and many fans set up social networking sites or message boards dedicated to their favorite media or sports franchises. For some examples, check out www.mycolts.net and www.spiritof12.com. I'd also recommend checking out Pat Coyle's blog for evidence that NFL people are thinking hard about online community.
2.Why is it a problem if a fan sets up a Harry Potter site instead of Scholastic shouldering that load? I'd argue that fan-driven sites are better solution because they costs less and are more authentic. Scholastic should spend their time sponsoring and supporting the existing communities rather than trying to supplant them. An obvious option is pre-release access to special media and other "leaks" of editorial content. Joss Whedon and the LOTR franchisers both worked that angle to great success.
I'm looking forward to seeing the other 99 posts in this series, though I'd personally prefer 10 great posts to 100 posts that overlook what's already happening in the world.
I also predicted Jaiku would swamp Twitter last April.
About 41 other Social Media 100 posts have been written, so feel free to poke holes in those, too.
(Truly, though, thanks for your thoughts and your pointers).
Apologies for the harsh tone - keeping up a blog is no mean feat and I enjoy your posts. Thanks for keeping the conversation going. For one post, I'd love to read your list of publishers and other niche brands that have done social networking right.
Boy, let me poke around on that. Usually when someone asks me for "real" research, I make Jeremiah Owyang write the post. He works for Forrester. He has that kind of bent. But, maybe I'll go look around, just for you and your stick. : )