The UEFA U21 European Championship kicked off in Israel "in front of full stadiums," according to Paul Nicholson of INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL. Local ticket sales promotion for the first time for a major tournament has embraced social media, "and it is the power of this media that is making a big difference both to local awareness and attendance." The Israeli FA "has invested heavily in its social media activity, promotions and advertising to promote the tournament." Facebook ad campaigns and viral Youtube clips in the weeks leading to the tournament "boosted the U21 Championship buzz and exposure on the local social networks." Also for the first time in football, "the IFA has made use of a Facebook ticketing application." The SitNearMe application, developed by Evento Social Promotion, "enables fans to see where their friends are sitting and to buy tickets for the game." Evento Marketing Dir Yair Scher said, "In the last two years, the IFA has constantly worked to professionalize and improve its social media activities, and they are looking into cutting edge tools and practices" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 6/6).
