You hear about the NFL franchises. The rivalries of the Cowboys v. Skins; Patriots v. the team they are playing that week.
There is something to be said, though, about the part of the Midwestern United States that drives fans out in freezing temperatures, win or lose; the ones that taunt each other year round; and the division that has the smallest town to own a team included – plus the only team to ever lose every game in a season. Everyone talks about the Bears v. Packers rivalry, and in recent years, Vikings v. Packers. We all poke fun at the Lions because they are the Lions. Games are sold out, win or lose.
But how has social media played a role in the rejuvenation of the NFC North?
One position: QB.
The Bears got Cutler. The Lions received the 1st round draft pick QB Matt Stafford. The Vikings may say they don’t have Favre signed, but I would bet money on it. The Packers have a QB with 2009 stats better than when Favre played for the Jets.
People have been talking for years about whether Favre is going to retire or not. If you’re a Packers fan, this is a broken record. Is he coming back? Is he signing? Social media outlets have pushed both the Vikings and Favre in the spotlight again and again. It’s a smart move for the Vikings – they will have a quarterback who can guide their younger ones once he leaves; they will sell out their season tickets; and the media coverage will be extreme when they play the Packers. Plus, what Vikings fan doesn’t want to rub it in that they have Favre to their pals in the North?
When the Bears got Cutler and put Sexy Rexy as backup, social media again played a role. The NFC North and Chicago were again talked about constantly. The name repeat brings old fans out of the woodwork, turns eyes upon franchises that haven’t done too much the last 10 years, and begins an almost grass roots marketing effort that teams don’t have to lift a finger for.
The speculation of how the Lions will do can also have the same effect. Social media platforms give real time information that can spread very quickly. Popular trends are top items in the search functions. What might not have been popular before is the hot new thing. Snuggie, anyone? These platforms can convey passion that you have for a certain topic, and sports fanatics across the world can connect through them. It’s one of the best ways to get the most up to date information, including sport scores, who won what, etc. Plus, you get to talk to other fans during games if you choose.
Let’s face it, though: When Rodgers faces off against Favre, I think we might have a Twitter apocalypse.
Lauren Fernandez is a marketing and public relations professional in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. She currently works as marketing coordinator for National Office of American Mensa and it’s philanthropic arm, the Mensa Education & Research Foundation. She’s also an avid sports fan and maintains the blog LAF. She can be found on Twitter @CubanaLAF
