The marketers are running the asylum,and missing the point.The marketers are running the asylum,and missing the point

In my day job,I’m an online marketer and online strategy consultant,so I should probably like ideas like this:The New York Mets are partnering with a company called txtstation to bring elements of social media to the ballpark experience.  Vote for game MVP’s,post your in-game cell-phone pix,and you’ve got  “a whole new way for sponsors to interact with fans,and fans with each other.”

Well,as we all know,this isn’t really new,and only the part about sponsors and fans in the quotation is really true. When you text your game MVP vote,you are not interacting with other fans –in fact you’re doing the opposite…you are distracting your attention away from the fans around you,as well as away from the game,in order to stare at the shiny multimillion dollar object in the distance.

Social media,at it’s best is about establishing community and building relationships. These gimmicks fail at that,horribly. the fact of the matter is,the best social experience is about you being with 50,000 other fans so you can root together for the home team.  We all know that you could just as easily watch the game on TV,and have a better view,comfier seat,cheaper and more accessible snacks…but we go to games anyway because of the social experience that already exists.

So,if you’re looking for a “social media”experience at the ballpark,here is my tried and true plan to achieve that goal

1. Go with friends. A game alone is great sometimes,but it’s always better with some buddies –especially when you’re road-tripping.
2. Go early and tailgate. The parking lot experience for most baseball games is an anonymous herding process –a nameless,faceless stream of bodies heading toward the gate.  You want to turn it into a social experience,then a tailgate is the thing. Offer hot dogs to random strangers who are wearing cool fan gear.  The key is don’t stick to your group…invite random conversation. Tip:The smaller the ballpark,the better. You tailgate at a Brewers  game,and it’s not that big a deal. You tailgate in Lynchburg,VA,and the team’s staff may even come out and hang out with you for a bit.
3. Once you’re in the park,engage the people around you. Talk to them,about the game. If you’re road-tripping,talk to them about the area…good campgrounds,golf for tomorrow,bars for tonight.

The point is,you are sitting in the middle of one of the largest groups of people you may ever be with.  Staring at your phone and typing with your thumbs is not social,it’s anti-social. Get out there and be truly social. Engage the people around you,and you’ll be surprised what you learn,and how that evokes true great memories of a trip to the ballgame.

Oh,and after the game…you can send a review to us to post,or hit us up on facebook