It’s hard to argue that the NFL has made great strides in innovation, disruption and fan engagement in 2020. One of the leaders in the area doing the listening and pushing forward is Blake Stuchin, Vice President of Digital Media Business Development at the NFL. We spent some time on our podcast with Blake to talk not just about Super Bowl and Nickelodeon, but about many of the ways NFL Media has evolved, and where it is going.
If you enjoy learning and listening, it is worth your time.
Some things to listen for.
The three stages of social media evolution since Stuchin arrived at the NFL in 2012.
1. Get highlights on online as quickly as possible. Some great anecdotes of early partnerships and the length of time an original team of 1 had to publish just game highlights. In 2013 the first ever highlight away from an owned NFL platform took 28 minutes to publish and was four minutes long!
2. Build stories away from the game to showcase personalities. It began with the NFL Draft on Snap in 2015 and has progressed with multiple partners since.
3. Watch together. Taking the live game experie3nce and sharing it in a live environment online with your own community. This initiative, led by Verizon this season, will be expanded and is essential to the league’s inclusive social growth.
The pioneering efforts with Reddit. The NFL is believed to be the only league with a formal relationship with Reddit, started two seasons ago. The massive community that has grown organically on reedit with some of the moist detailed and loyal fans of the sport is now embraced and engaged with the league, especially through the use of AMA’s (Ask Me Anything) sessions not just with players but with officials, broadcast talent, anyone who can be of interest to a passionate audience.
What lies ahead. From the lessons learned form Nickelodeon to the ongoing listening on every form of social. Stuchin gives us a look into the use of VR, a nod to gaming and gambling and so many other areas of forward thinking that help us better understand how a century old property is innovating more than some may think.
You can hear the whole episode here, a worthwhile time to take notes and understand better about the business of “America’s Game.”
