Google+ Making a Play During the Lockout

Google+, the new social media arm of Google, is set to host 4 games with multiple NBA All-Stars such as LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, and Dwayne Wade.

The stars will work with Google+ and other sponsors to host games in their hometowns in the month of December.

Big move for Google+. This comes soon after a recent Twitter town hall run by (current, but for how long... great piece by Bill Simmons in Grantland) NBA Commissioner David Stern. By hosting these events, this will give instant social media access for the game, the professional players, and the fans which could be a huge win-win for Google+ and the players.

Can't wait to hear what type of social media access and technology will be used for these games.

David Stern takes questions through Twitter

Tonight, David Stern and Adam Silver took to Twitter in a town hall of sorts where they answered tweets from players, media, and fans. Last week they unveiled a new Twitter handle. Tonight, they took the message to the people.

Brillant move by the NBA to get down to the level of the fans through their Twitterview. Change comes from the top and getting Commish David Stern to tweet about the lockout is a great move to make the owners and the NBA look more transparent and sympathetic.

And here is the best part... by responding on Twitter, you get to choose which tweets to answer! Helps you avoid any large gaffes or embarrassing memory lapses, right Gov Rick Perry?

Here's a look at some of the highlights:

The opening of the Twitterview with an answer to Bill Simmons

And even D-Wade gets in on the action

Of course, the most obvious limitation is length. To talk eloquently about the new CBA deal in 160 characters or less is quite a challenge. But all in all, this was a great move for the NBA to get their message out directly to the people. If there is one thing we have seen in social media is that if you are not crafting your message, someone else will do it for you. 

Backlash to NBA's new Twitter account

Incredible reaction coming out from the NBA's new Twitter account, @NBA_Labor. Players are extremely upset with the account, believing the NBA is using the account as a bully pulpit.

Honestly, I think it's brillant by the NBA. The players have been connected to the fans through Twitter for so long and have been able to send out their message. The NBA had to make this move to directly connect to fans.

Now about directly contacting players while they are negotiating, that's a different story. Doesn't seem like it would help to build consensus to me. After reading these articles, you tell me.

Here are some great articles on the matter:

• Article with the actual tweets on NBC Sports. 
• "Player accuses NBA of Twitter harassment" from CBS.
• Even Bleacher Report gets in on the action. (By the way, if you are not reading Bleacher Report, it is the most easy and leisurely sports reading out there. Be careful, you'll get lost in their slides and before you know it, you'll have memorized the 10 dumbest football players based on their Wunderlich. And that's some useful information, people)

Gathering the Clouds

Gathering the Clouds is a weekly entry that scours the web bringing together the most important links on sports and social media.

• TED Talks are incredible videos that I have been exposed to while a Sports MBA candidate at George Washington University. Here is a video from TED by Evan Williams, co-founder of Twitter. Since Twitter is so intergral in sports, I thought I would share this video. Great blurb on Shaq, too.
  
  
• Want to know the Top 25 most influential Twitter accounts for the NBA? Or NHL? Or NFL? Or MLB? (Actaully you can use it to follow any topic or location). It's all on wefollow. This makes stalking so much more efficient. 
• Article on the 10 best apps for the football season on mashable. Now I just HAVE to get the air horn app, if for no other reason than to drown out my Cowboy fan roommates. 
• Another mashable article, but this one on MLB using digital media to innovate itself. 
• If you haven't heard (and believe me, you haven't), London 2012 has a contest that pits countries against one another to see who has the most active social media base. Tweet now, and they'll throw in your own create-a-mascot feature!

Revolutionary Stadium Technology for Social Media

Update at 4:17: Co-Innovator of FanCam, Tinus le Roux tweeted to me that the FanCam technology is now up to 20 BILLION Pixels. They will be updating their website very soon with that info!

My roommate, Steve, showed me this amazing new 360 camera technology that allows any fan in a stadium or arena to find themselves in the crowd. Yes, that even means the drunken fool in the section 543 can sober up and pick himself out of the 50,000 people in the stadium (as long as he remembers roughly where he sat). This new technology is called the FanCam.

Here is an excerpt from the website. "Technically speaking, Fan Cam is 5 BILLION PIXEL social media engagement platform. It combines the latest in GigaPixel technology with customized social media solutions to create a 'one of its kind', immersive fan experience". 5 Billion pixels... when I first heard that, I pictured Dr. Evil sitting in his chair chuckling and stroking Mr. Bigglesworth. Then I checked it out for myself: Rugby in South Africa and Steelers vs. Jets AFC Championship. This is incredibly legitimate.