Social Networking and Sports

The past few years have seen a dramatic increase in the popularity of social networking Web sites, such as facebook and MySpace. Sports organizations apparently took notice and have begun to create their own networks for fans. The National Basketball Association has developed Fan Voice (http://www.nba.com/fanvoice/index.html), which allows basketball fans to connect with each other. The league's Portland Trail Blazers have created their own site (http://iamatrailblazersfan.com/). As more and more people become engrossed in online social networking, these sites only will increase in number. By giving fans the chance to interact with each other and to feel that they truly are part of a community, organizations can generate positive feelings among their target audiences. One of the best things about this PR tactic is its low cost; Web sites can get messages across without eating up organizations' advertising budgets. Sports fans should jump at the chance to interact with their fellow die-hards, and this PR trend should continue for a long time.