Social Networking Sites Growing Popular In Sports Industry

Ford Racing Has Its Own Facebook, Twitter Pages

There is a “growing NASCAR community that uses the Internet to connect with fans” through personal Web sites, as well as social networking sites like Twitter, MySpace and Facebook, according to Don Coble of the FLORIDA TIMES-UNION. Ford Racing “has its own page on Twitter and Facebook,” and the company “keeps in touch with hundreds of fans on a daily basis.” Ford spokesperson Jim Brumfield: “It’s another way we can deliver Ford to our fans. It’s another useful tool to get the word out.” Coble notes after driver Brian Vickers was penalized by NASCAR “for being too fast on the final pit stop” at Saturday’s Sprint Cup Subway Fresh 500, he wrote on the message board of his Web site the following morning, “Sometimes being fast isn’t the best thing.” Eighty-two fans responded, and “many encouraged him to do better this week” at the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway. Vickers: “I saw this as a way to give fans better access. It’s very popular. We’ve had a lot of positive feedback.” Drivers Marcos Ambrose, David Ragan and Joey Logano also have social networking accounts. Logano: “It’s fun to talk with other people, keep in touch with them. You want to know what people are thinking. You want to know how they feel. This gives us a chance to connect.” However, some drivers, including Tony Stewart, Elliott Sadler and Dale Earnhardt Jr., “don’t bother” with social networking because there are “too many imposters on every site.” Coble notes Earnhardt was “listed on 10 different MySpace pages earlier this month, all by fans claiming to be Earnhardt.” Earnhardt: “I really would never get into social networking. It’s just a dangerous area to be involved in, especially if you’re high profile, so I think it’s smart for me to stay in the regular social networks, the ones I can see” (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 4/22).

Univ. Of Tennessee Coach Lane Kiffen Has Recently Joined Twitter

TWEETING THE RECRUITING TRAIL: Univ. of Tennessee football coach Lane Kiffin is a “recent Twitter recruit, creating an account and posting regularly so he can share his thoughts on all things orange.” Kiffin: “It’s just another method of getting out there and letting our fan base or recruits know what we’re doing and what’s going on with our program.” In Nashville, David Climer reports Kiffin “found out that Georgia Coach Mark Richt was a Twitter type so he signed up for an account.” Meanwhile, USC football coach Pete Carroll on Twitter “posts about everything from USC’s spring football practice to his campaign to get comedian Will Ferrell on Twitter.” Also, LSU football coach Les Miles “hinted that he might come along for the ride” on Twitter. Miles: “I’m going to try to twit. What a great name, huh, for communications?” (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 4/22).

REPORTERS JUMPING ON BANDWAGON: SI.com’s Peter King noted that he used Twitter yesterday to report that Broncos coach Josh McDaniels is “reportedly ill, which is why he did not accompany the Broncos when they left Tuesday morning to work out” NFL Draft prospect QB Mark Sanchez. Broncos GM Brian Xanders and offensive coordinator Mike McCoy went instead (SI.com, 4/21).