Several weeks ago I wrote a post about social media and sports.  Today, the NFL came out with it’s attempt to control social media.  The difference between the two policies is the NFL’s policy only affects players, coaches, officials, personnel, third-party representatives, and even the media  from updating their status, blogging, or tweeting 90 minutes before a game until post-game interviews are completed.

While the NFL may be able to maintain the policy banning social media for the time being, the real questions is what’s the benefit to the NFL in banning social media?  nothing really other then limit the amount of additional exposure the teams, players and league may get.  How many men would love to read a tweet or facebok post from a player moments before hitting the field or the excitement a player feels right after scoring the winning touch down.

One would think with all the amazing marketing minds at the NLF , they could figure out how to make money on the idea.  Then again, maybe they just haven’t had enough time to develop the plan to make money with twitter and Facebook, but give them time, I’m sure they will.

What do you think of professional sport keeping players and coaches from expressing themselves before and after a game?

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“Ticketed fans can’t “produce or disseminate (or aid in producing or disseminating) any material or information about the Event, including, but not limited to, any account, description, picture, video, audio, reproduction or other information concerning the Event.”

Basically, the SEC is saying because CBS has paid us $3 Billion dollars for coverage of the conference over the next 15 years, no one can Twitter, Facebook, Youtube or flicker anything related to their events.

Talk about unrealistic and self defeating.  Social media is about communication and engagement, isn’t that what the SEC and CBS want?  They want to communicate they have the best conference in college sports and engage people to watch those events.

Does the SEC, thing that if someone tweets about the game I’m less likely to watch it? Maybe, just maybe if it’s a great game I might actually tune in, but with out twitter or facebook I not going to know anything about the game, because I live in PAC-10 territory.

Does CBS think someone in the stands with their iPhone is going to get a better photo or video of an event then the 30 -40 television cameras around the stadium?  Yes, I want to see the amazing catch taken from a video phone 40 rows back as opposed to the sideline multiple angels CBS gets.

Both the SEC and especially CBS need to learn to embrace social media and use it as engagement with their fans.  Because in 15 years, Social media will be far more advanced then it is today and CBS maybe less relevant if they don’t shift their thinking.  Just remember what Print media is dealing with today – Television could be dealing with the same issues in years if not months.

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