The Great Fan Debate

At around 5:30 am this morning I started having a conversation via twitter with @ErinMarrs and @jedgar about fans. More specifically why all boys tend to sleep with them. I truly thought this was a hockey player thing. Which makes me sound like a puck bunny, but facts are facts. Any male I have had a sleepover with has had a fan – and it has aggravated me to no end. So I thought, what better way to share my unwillingness to accept fans blowing away at 500 mph (ok, exaggerating I know) while sleeping, then to lay out my rationale on my blog.

The Points:

1. The sound is irritating. It is not white noise, it is sound – blatant whizzing sound. For that reason alone, it should be permanently shut off, or bashed with a sledgehammer.

2. You don’t need it. If it is hot, take off a layer of blankets, or better yet, turn down the heat and save some cash.

3. Your body is sweating. Well, maybe if you weren’t putting your handsome body (I am picturing Ryan Reynolds, and yes I would tell him to turn if off too) so close to mine, there would be no need for said device.

4. You can’t sleep without it. Well I can’t sleep with it – choose one.

5. It’s not that loud. Nope, it’s not like a bulldozer driving around the room, but between that and your snoring, I may as well be at a Monster Truck Rally.

Listen guys, I know we’re pains in the ass – believe me, we’re crazy. But I can guarantee that most break-ups/divorces start from one simple, irritating thing. That irritating thing is your damn fan.

Case closed.

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.

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.

1-800-FLO-RIDA

Recently I was watching an episode of MTV LIVE, when Flo Rida was partaking in an interview of sorts. Flo Rida, maker of the hit “Get Low” – or better know as apple bottom jeans, and the boots with the fur – spoke of his Myspace page and what makes him unique.

You can call him! Really, he has a cell phone that he answers solely for fan calls. The telephone number is at the top of his Myspace page encouraging fans to pick up the phone for a chat.

This sounds like a fabulous PR stunt! Ok yes, he could be doing this for the sole purpose of connecting with his fans, but frankly I believe some genius who graduated from a high-end communications program thought this would be “different” and get hits on a page that includes his music.

Now Flo Rida does say he answers, I have yet to call as I still need to practice my freestyling. However, maybe this is a new way for musicians or producers to connect with their fans. Every musician has a Myspace, a website, a fan club, but a cell phone?! Brand new!!

By making yourself accessible, you are connecting further to fans which will later increase your sales. Believe me, if Brad Pitt started answering my calls (please answer), I would be buying the entire awful Ocean’s 11-22 collection