The Baby of the Sports Family

I have a dream. Where jersey colours don’t matter and the blue jerseys can tweet with the red ones.

I have a dream. Where baseball fans and hockey fans can come together over a pint and root for a lacrosse team.

I have a dream. Where sports teams in Toronto come together as one and kick social media ass.

I HAVE A DREAM!

Ok, so maybe it’s not so much a dream as it is a wish, or a hope for the future. Last night I attended #SCTO aka Sports Connect TO where panelists from sports teams and leagues in Toronto discussed social media and what it means for their brand. As the video blogger and in-game “host with the most” for the Toronto Rock, I was ecstatic to see what other teams (who I follow on twitter) thought of integrating social media strategies to be one big fierce social media family. Toronto is already seen as the sports hub for Canada, we have teams in all leagues truly holding it down on the sports scene, so why not show people we care about all of our fans by promoting each other.

Panelists Jaime Stein (@CFL), Rob Jack (@BlueJays) and MLSE’s Jonathan Sinden (@BigThinkerJon) discussed the in’s and out’s of using social media. My favourite recent initiative was discussed, #TweetingTuesdays that the Jays implemented this season. Giving tweeting fans an opportunity to have priceless experiences simply by tweeting their seat location. Even I have been tweeted back by the Blue Jays, something as a 9-year-old picking dandelions in the outfield, I wouldn’t have dreamt of. It is that fan engagement that is taking sport watching to a whole new level. This was also the case for Grey Cup this past year as fans got a behind the scenes look at the week leading up to Grey Cup. Not only could you watch the game, but you could feel like you were there; minus the cold and the expensive beer.

While I may be the baby of the bunch in the social media world, I feel like my role with the Toronto Rock is like the youngest sibling who dominates all her brothers at Nintendo. My team wins, but we have a lot to gain by learning from our older more established siblings.

 Side Note: Thanks to the organizers of #SCTO for bringing sports leaders and enthusiasts together to talk shop. The pizza and beer was icing on the cake.

Toronto, we have something to cheer about!

The last time these Toronto teams appeared in a Championship game…

The Toronto Maple Leafs: 1967

The Toronto Raptors: Never

The Toronto Blue Jays: 1993

The Toronto Argonauts: 2004

Now, I am a Toronto Sports fan, always have been and always will be. I would like to be proud of that fact, but I’m not. I sit in company with the suits, the die-hards, the bandwagon jumpers and the “free tickets? I’ll go” fans. It’s such a vibrant group, but really, what are we cheering about? None of these teams have put up a great show in years.

I could only imagine what the streets of Toronto would be like if we won an NHL playoff series. Montreal fans would be put to shame for not looting longer, looting harder and looting stronger! We sit and judge the shenanigans of last nights ‘Habs’ debaucles, and I don’t agree with any of what occurred in the least, but to see the passion of sports fans when their team is pulling out all the stops is inspiring. Get behind our teams, our teams that win! (No window smashing necessary).

The Toronto Rock, my favourite Toronto team, are vying for the NLL Championship this Saturday in Washington. A team of talented vetrans (see Sandy Chapman, NLL Defensive Player of the Year) and even more talented rookies (see Stephan Leblanc, NLL Rookie of the Year) have shocked the NLL with their skills and ability to perform when it really counts. Didn’t see the playoff game vs. the Buffalo Bandits at the Air Canada Centre? You’re not alone. Only 10,000 fans experienced a night I will remember for a long time.

Maybe all it takes is a legacy and a lack of wins to fill seats for some teams, but for me it is all about the commitment to success.  Toronto Rock Owner Jamie Dawick was quoted in the Toronto Star at the beginning of the season saying, “[w]hen I talk about returning to good, old days, I’m talking about winning teams, a home-field advantage and great fan support.” The fans are what make game day so vivacious, so full of energy. I know because I am a part of it.

I have had the privilege of working with a team committed to bringing home a Championship in 2010. When it didn’t look plausible, the Toronto Rock made is acheivable. I support them because they are not just a team looking to fill seats, they are a team willing to work hard for their fans. Now that is something worth cheering about, Toronto.

Rockin’ the Mic: What’s your favourite 2010 Rock Memory?

We wanted to know what everyone’s favourite Toronto Rock 2010 Season memory was. A first goal? Colin Doyle returning? Me being quiet? Check out what staff, players and fans said before our last regular season game.

Rockin’ the Mic Part 3

We’re in bras, the boys are in black. We were blacking out breast cancer on Good Friday.

Rockin’ the Mic Part 2

What goes on before the Toronto Rock games at the ACC.