We can all breathe easy, the NFL is back. And with a little more than a month left until the 2011 NFL season opener (Sept. 8th) we are witnessing a frenzy of a free agency period. In just one week we saw Chad Ocho Cinco traded to the New EnglandPatriots, Reggie Bush taking his talents to south beach, and Nnamdi Asomugha joining the Philadelphia Eagles.
Luckily, fans don’t have to rely on traditional media to stay current with all the mayhem. Social media has solved that annoying problem of waiting to read tomorrow’s paper or catching the news. Here are some ways to keep up with the NFL free agency period through social media.
Talk about real time news and information. Reporters like Chris Mortnensen and Adam Schefter have leveraged Twitter to report on breaking free agent signings and trades. These are the two people to follow if you are serious about football. How do you think I heard about Randy Moss retiring?
I found Facebook useful for different reasons:
1. Following Your Team
As a Jets fan I head to the Jets Facebook page to get the latest updates on my team and much more. I can watch new videos uploaded by Jets players and the front office, stay up to date with upcoming events and even buy tickets for regular home games.
2. Sharing My Opinion
The NFL Countdown just got a Facebook page and it is quickly becoming one of my favorites to visit. Every day they post a new question to start a discussion and to get the fans’ opinions.
Blogs
Twitter is great for breaking news but sometimes I like to receive a little more coverage about a story than 150 characters can provide. Here are a few blogs I read to get more details about a story:
Everybody knows about this site but I still want to give it the coverage it deserves. The articles are creative and well researched. (i.e. Offseason Report Cards for All 32 NFL Teams)
These articles are a lot different than the articles that are ESPN.com. They are simple, interesting, and straight facts homey. You won’t find those witty Bill Simmons articles that compare Jennifer Aniston Movies to something in sports.
Dmitriy Gamarnik is a marketing analyst with Blue Fountain Media, an ecommerce design company in New York City.