In this week’s social media roundup, cure we dive into Facebook’s most popular topics of the year, Twitter’s experimentation of showing tweets out of order, Google’s new ‘Trial run ads’ and Facebook’s latest update, which allows users to curate the content they would like to see featured at the top of their News Feed.

Facebook reveals the most talked about topics in 2015

Last week, Facebook published the most talked about topics from within their network in the U.S., and globally, from January 1 until December 1, 2015.

FIFA 15 was the most mentioned game in the games category, however no sporting event made it into the top ten global topics.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao were the first and second most spoken about athletes, respectively, leading to the ‘fight of the century’ clenching the title of one of the most influential sport events of 2015.

In comparison, Floyd Mayweather Jr., was the third most talked about athlete in 2014, behind LeBron James and Derek Jeter whereas Manny Pacquiao didn’t feature in the top ten.

Twitter experiments showing tweets out of order

Twitter’s recent experimentation of causing tweets to no longer appear in reverse chronological order has been causing some outrage. The change has not yet been rolled out to everyone and appears to affect random users.

Some users experiencing the change commented that the new format would ruin one of the social network’s assets – its ability to follow real-time events, such as breaking news and sports games.

Users have also commented how this change opposes Twitter’s mission statement, which is to “give everyone the power to create and share ideas and information instantly, without barriers”.

Putting tweets out of order would create barriers to one of the main reasons people use Twitter – to follow live events as they happen.

Although this will make following live events harder, this addition could make the platform more approachable to newcomers who might not check Twitter as much and miss interesting tweets.

However, as Twitter has already launched ‘Moments’, which curates the best tweets from certain topics, and ‘While you were away…’, which displays a selection of the most popular tweets from people that a user follows when they first sign on, this new addition does not seem necessary.

Moreover, this could change the way brands use Twitter, if build up tweets can appear after the event happened or when the product is no longer available.

Ever wished you could ‘test drive’ an app before downloading it?

Last week, Google began testing ‘Trial Run Ads’, which lets users demo mobile apps for a minute before downloading them. After Google’s revelation earlier in the year that one in four apps downloaded is never used, putting people off downloading an app unless they are certain they want it, this is hoped to increase downloads from people who actually want the app, as well those who are unsure.

According to a blog post written by Google Mobile Ads Director, Sissie Hsiao, and Product Manager, Pasha Nahass:

“The immersive demo increases the likelihood that an install is coming from someone who enjoys playing the game. Users get a taste of the game before going through the download process, and the app developer attracts better qualified users who’ve chosen the game based on their experiences in the app.”

Google has made it clear that advertisers will only pay for a click on the install button, rather than every time the demo is tried.

This is a new way of marketing an app and it is likely this will catch on with other apps and products alike, who always strive to stand out amongst the overload of goods available for the consumer.

The most engaging emoji on Instagram has been revealed as the heart!

According to a report by Simply Measured tracking activity of 2,531 posts by 90 brands, the heart emoji has been the most engaging emoji of 2015 with the caption averaging 120,000 likes and comments.

This is significantly more than the sparkles emoji that came in second and averaged roughly 80,000 likes and comments.

Emojis are becoming more and more common, with the tiny icons included in 35% of all brand captions. The most used emoji by brands in 2015 was the camera icon, which was used used almost 90m times to give photo credit to the photographer.

Hashtags are also an integral part of Instagram, and out of the adverts analysed, each post had on average 2.5 hashtags.

The study by Simply Measured also stated that brands are finding that, engagement is up 53% per post on Instagram than it was last year with each branded post averaging 32,000 likes and comments.

This shows that “regardless of the industry, there’s now an interested audience on Instagram”.

Facebook lets users put the people they love at the top of their News Feed

Last Monday, Facebook began rolling out a new way for users to control which of their friends and pages (public profiles specifically created for businesses, brands, celebrities or causes) appear at the top of their news feeds.

By now, most users should see a reminder note pictured on the top right of the News Feed, reading:

“Put the people you love at the top: We care about showing you posts from people who matter to you. We’ve made new controls that allow you to prioritise friends and family in your News Feed.”

If a user selects his/her top friends and pages, new content will appear from those profiles or pages at the top of the News Feed, along with a star in the top right-hand corner, alerting the user why those posts are on the top.

Every other post will appear as they normally do in the News Feed. This is significant for brands as it puts pressure on them to make sure their content stands out and is liked by users.

Twitter users can now post pictures as they were taken, without having to crop them

Twitter has followed Instagram’s lead in enabling users to post pictures how they are, without requiring them to crop them to fit a certain mould. They also introduced larger, multi-photo displays, which were hoped to ‘bring out more of each photo’.

Last Monday, Twitter announced on Twitterblog:

“Starting today, we’re making your twitter.com timeline more immersive by uncropping photos, so you can experience and present them as they were meant to be viewed.”

Even though Twitter started as an all-text platform, enabling tweets to hold media, such as photos and videos, has been necessary for the platform to evolve, give users the experiences they desire and compete against other platforms.

The year 2015 has been crucial for Twitter introducing visual elements into their tweets, with ‘Moments’ designed around visual media and video autoplay being introduced earlier in the year.

Visit the WePlay website HERE and follow WePlay on Twitter HERE.

Two serious, high-speed crashes on Stage 3 of this year’s Tour de France reminded us of the pain associated with the world’s greatest cycling race. Thursday’s slower crash on Stage 6 robbed us of another leader. Germany’s Tony Martin limped home in his yellow jersey with a broken collar bone much as his Swiss rival Fabian Cancellara had a few days earlier with cracked vertebrae. In the immediate aftermath of the pile-ups, there was a reminder too of the special culture that often exists in professional cycling. Stage 3 was neutralised, with riders asked to maintain a sedate pace to let injured cyclists catch up; Tony Martin’s team mates lined up alongside him to push and cajole his pain-wracked body over the line.

Surely this is elite professional sport at its very best? And it is a decency combined with exceptional performance too. This Tour has already had a record-breaking ride on the first stage as Rohan Dennis delivered a staggering time trial performance. The Australian rider covered a 14km (8.6-mile) route round Utrecht in 14 minutes, 56 seconds – at an average of around 55kph (34mph).

But with the highs in cycling come the lows. The Astana team has struggled to keep its place in the elite of cycling this year after a series of scandals, and in pre-race tests their rider, Dutchman Lars Boom, showed low levels of cortisol. This can either be a sign of fatigue, or can sometimes signal evidence of cortisone use. However, cycling’s governing body, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) stressed that no rules had been broken and the rider said his use of an asthma inhaler prompted the test result.

Truth and reconciliation

Earlier this year, a UCI report and recommendations by the Cycling Independent Reform Commission (CIRC) into the causes of the pattern of doping that developed within cycling and allegations of ineffective investigation by official bodies was published. The report’s findings predictably emphasised the need to control doping, which remains the scourge of professional cycling.

But despite the sport’s reformist mood, for cynics and jaded fans alike, doubt is a tenaciously negative mindset to overcome. Indeed, one of the most worrying features of the UCI report was the acknowledgement by riders and by the report’s authors that doping continues to be a significant problem – one professional rider even estimated that 90% of the peloton still dopes.

With this in mind, during this year’s Tour it will be interesting to monitor whether any more speed records are broken. And with several riders now nursing injuries from the serious accidents of Stage 3, it will also be interesting to observe recovery rates as well as overall performances.

Going the distance

An issue which the CIRC report notably failed to address is arguably one of the most important underpinning drug use – competition design, notably the length of the race and of some individual stages. This year’s Tour de France is nearly 3,400 kilometres long. For riders, this is a major test of endurance.

The challenge is further heightened by the average speed of the Tour, which for this year’s event is likely to be around 40kph (25mph). And it is worth considering too that Tuesday’s Stage 4 (the longest of this year’s Tour) was a near 230-kilometre scramble from Seraing in Belgium to Cambrai in France. Significantly, 13 kilometres of the stage were cobblestones, one of the most difficult surfaces in professional cycling to ride on.

So for some of the rider’s in this year’s race, having been thrown face down into a Belgian ditch in excruciating pain on one day, they will then have had to wake up the next day and ride the race’s longest stage across its worst surface. It is therefore unsurprising that these slender framed young men often feel the need to dope, especially as demands on them are not only to ride – they are expected to win as well. This raises some highly pertinent questions of the CIRC report, cycling in general and, indeed, the people like us who feast on professional cycling.

Business model

For the general public, this three-week soap opera is seductive and compelling. But the drama comes at a cost, most notably in the form of the riders’ fractured bodies and souls. For those of us who care about other humans, this should be sufficient to change our view of how the Tour is run. It should certainly impact upon our view of doping and its causes.

For the event organisers, there are issues too, most notably pertaining to the Tour’s business model. The main sources of revenue for the race come from sponsorship and hosting fees paid by towns and cities for stages. In order to deliver a return on investment, maximising the race’s duration seems an imperative. The problem is, the longer and harder a day a rider has on his bicycle, the more likely he will be to aid his recovery through drug use.

This is where the convergence of doping, competition design and governance becomes significant, not least in the way it shows that we are all complicit in cycling’s ongoing travails. Stage 3 of this year’s race made for great drama, but at what cost to the riders? Stage 4’s cobblestones were designed to be the ultimate test in human endurance, but were actually tantamount to torture. And yet in spite of the carnage, sponsors and stage hosts will still seek to make the most of race’s intensity.

Cycling can no longer find the solution at the tip of a needle. But in order to ensure that doping doesn’t remain a viable option, then these more fundamental, structural issues around the sport must be addressed in a way that the CIRC report failed to. So, as you settle down to watch the next stage of this year’s Tour de France in anticipation of ensuing speed and danger, it’s time to consider the way our greedy consumption of the Tour’s mystique is helping to feed its ongoing problems.

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Professor Simon Chadwick holds the position of Chair in Sport Business Strategy and Marketing at Coventry University Business School, where he is also the founder and Director of CIBS (Centre for the International Business of Sport). Simon is the founding Editor of ‘Sport, Business and Management: An International Journal’, is a former Editor of the ‘International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship’ (he continues to serve as an editorial board member for several other sport journals), and has authored and published more than 600 articles, conference papers and books on sport. His academic research has appeared in journals including Sloan Management Review, the Journal of Advertising Research, Thunderbird International Business Review, Management Decision, Marketing Review and Sport Marketing Quarterly. Simon has co-edited the books ‘The Business of Sport Management’ and ‘The Marketing of Sport’ (both Financial Times Prentice Hall), ‘Managing Football: An International Perspective’ (Elsevier), ‘Sport Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice’ (F.I.T.), and ‘International Cases in the Business of Sport’ (Routledge). Alongside his books, Chadwick has created a Sport Marketing talk series for Henry Stewart Publishing, is Editor of a Sport Marketing book series for Routledge (Taylor and Francis), and is a visiting academic at IESE and Instituto de Empresa in Spain; the University of Paris, France; the Russian International Olympic University in Sochi, and the University of Pretoria in South Africa.

Follow Simon on Twitter @Prof_Chadwick

Simon’s 

 

English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur has unveiled their updated designs and plans for the Northumberland Development Project, generic which will be submitted to the London Borough of Haringey in the coming weeks. 

The scheme includes a new Populous-designed stadium that will be the first of its kind in the world as well as a hotel and visitor attractions.

(Image: Populous)

Described by Club Chairman Daniel Levy as “visually dramatic” and a “landmark building for Tottenham,” the new stadium will be truly perfect for both elite football (soccer) and NFL, with a state-of-the-art retractable pitch.

(Image: Populous)

Senior Principal of Populous, Christopher Lee, spoke about the stadium as the design was launched: “The new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium marks a new generation of stadia design: stadia that provide an unparalleled experience for all fans, that are civic in their nature and hold community at their heart but above all else create the most intense and atmospheric place to watch football.

“The seating bowl is designed to create an intimate relationship between player and spectator, its 17,000 capacity single tier end stand, a tribute to traditional English football grounds, will be the largest in the UK and will be the engine that drives the intensity and atmosphere in the new Spurs stadium.  It will be like no other,” Lee said.

(Image: Populous)

Christopher Lee continued, “Populous has always been a pioneer of new technologies. Moving pitches in stadia such as the University of Phoenix (NFL) stadium or the moving roof over centre court at Wimbledon have provided the critical experience to allow us to design a stadium that is perfect for both English football and American Football.

“The world first sliding pitch allows each sport to play on its own dedicated pitch and provides perfect sightlines for their fans.”

(Image: Populous)

Key elements of the overall scheme are:

– A visually dramatic new stadium design – A landmark building for Tottenham and London, focussed towards the ‘Home End’, improved sightlines for all spectators and modern technology integral to the design from the outset to enhance the fan experience.

– An increased capacity stadium – up from 56,250 to 61,000 seats, featuring the largest single tier stand in the UK, now increased to 17,000 seats, with an unrivalled spectator experience throughout and spectators closer to the pitch than at any other comparable size stadium in the UK.

– Dedicated facilities for the NFL – including a fully retractable pitch revealing a second playing surface, compliant to NFL standard and capable of hosting a range of other events whilst protecting the integrity of the playing surface.

– An architecturally stunning new terrace on the High Road to host ‘The Tottenham Experience’ – a permanent Visitors Centre and Arrivals Hub including an interactive Museum to celebrate Club history and local heritage, a Cinema, the Club Megastore, Ticket Office and Café.

– A permanent viable use for the Grade II listed Warmington House – incorporated as part of The Tottenham Experience to house the new Museum, blending old architecture with new.

– Improved crowd management arrangements along the High Road – with the removal of three buildings that currently create a pinch point along Tottenham High Road where the pavement is just two metres wide – resulting in people walking in the bus lane and the road – allowing instead for a much wider pavement to cope with large crowds.

– Enhanced public open space – comparable in area to Trafalgar Square, includes a multi-use games area, high quality landscaping, cafes, dedicated events and community programmes managed by the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation, and the ability to walk uninterrupted all the way round the stadium.

– A new 180 bedroom hotel with a dedicated training programme for the hospitality industry – providing high quality accommodation in Tottenham and opening up new career opportunities for local people.  49 serviced apartments will occupy the upper floors.

– A fantastic new building to host Extreme Sports – bringing people to Tottenham on a daily basis with activities for all ages, including the tallest indoor climbing wall in the world.

– A spectacular ‘Sky Walk’ –an adrenaline-filled experience and attraction for all ages walking on top of the stadium with spectacular views across London.

– 579 new homes, including affordable housing (designed by Allies and Morrison) – up from 285 homes in the current permission, meeting a key need for more homes in London.  Set out across four new residential buildings, every apartment will enjoy access to a private balcony in addition to communal gardens and child play areas.

– A new community health centre – serving existing and new residents to the area, improving access to GPs and health screening.

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Portuguese football star Cristian Ronaldo has sold his image rights to Hong Kong-based company Mint Media, owned by Singaporean billionaire and Valencia owner Peter Lim.

On a statement on his website Ronaldo described the deal as ‘strategic’.

Full story HERE. 

The PGA of America have signed a multi-year deal with the Trump Organization for the Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles to host the 33^rd PGA Grand Slam of Golf tournament.

The tournament will take place from October 19-21, 2015 and will mark its first return to the U.S. mainland since 1993.

“The PGA of America begins a new chapter in celebrating the winners of the Masters, U.S. Open, Open Championship and PGA Championship through an exciting partnership with The Trump Organization, the owner and operator of a large portfolio of exceptional golf properties,” said PGA of America President Derek Sprague.

“The PGA Grand Slam of Golf has always been a showcase for the best in our game. We are pleased that Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles will provide a great challenge to the game’s finest players.”

“We are thrilled to welcome the PGA to Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles – the perfect location for the PGA Grand Slam of Golf,” said Donald Trump, Chairman and President of the Trump Organization.

“It’s an incredible course situated on dramatic bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean and will be a challenging and exciting test for the best players in the world.

“The combination of the course itself and stunning location will no doubt be a major draw for spectators and television viewers alike.”

The 2014 edition of the competition was won by German Martin Kaymer (pictured).

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The UK-based international marine events company behind the Clipper Round the Word Yacht Race is to create a base in Sydney as part of their global expansion plan.

Clipper Ventures want to expand the company throughout the globe and the announcement of an Australian division is described as the “first stage of a global expansion plan.”

The new division will be led by a team with Clipper Race experience, medstore with Sydney-based Kirsty Whyte appointed as Managing Director.

Whyte said: “I am very pleased to be opening Clipper Ventures’ first international office. Australia is a vast nation with a keen interest in sailing and water sports and I see many strong opportunities for the new division and the Clipper Race within Australia and the Southern Hemisphere.”

Jim Dobie, a dual citizen of the UK and Australia, who is Senior Training Skipper for Clipper Ventures in the UK and will take up the same role in Australia.

He will lead crew training and development and participate in local sailing events with Piers Dudin, who skippered a UK entry in the Clipper 2009-10 Race.

Clipper Ventures CEO, William Ward, commented: “Our first international divisionis a highly exciting development and will be a significant asset for Clipper Ventures. Our relationship with Australia and the Southern Hemisphere has strengthened steadily and we have major future growth plans for the region.

“Clipper Ventures Australia will utilise its new training and recruitment facilities to double national crew recruitment in the 2015-16 edition of the Clipper Race and beyond; in addition it will identify and generate new sponsorship and business opportunities within Asia-Pacific.”

Southampton has announced its decision to partner with Advanced and implement its innovative ticketing ecommerce solution, TALENT Sport, as part of a multi-year agreement. Improving the overall fan experience when purchasing online, especially during periods of high demand, the solution will help to increase the club’s volume of online ticket sales through a fully mobile responsive site and intuitive online customer journey.

 Southampton FC will use fan data held within the solution to engage with fans online, targeting them with relevant promotions based on their preferences and interests, as well as providing an easier ticket buying process. All online purchases will be managed through the TALENT Sport website, ensuring a fast and secure online experience that allows customers to make multiple purchases in one single transaction, on a range of devices.

“It was an easy decision to choose Advanced’s solution,” commented Danielle Lewis, Head of Ticketing & Hospitality at Southampton FC. “It was essential that we used technology to lead the way in our fan engagement strategy, and Advanced’s track record and credentials in the sports sector are second to none. We have been working collaboratively with Advanced to define our requirements and objectives and we are confident that they will enable us to achieve our goals, improve our fans’ online experience and deliver a first-class solution.”

The highly robust software, which operates 24/7 in the private cloud, guarantees first rate levels of service and performance. Southampton FC will also benefit from Advanced’s buy-back system, which allows season ticket holders (STH) who cannot make a match to release their ticket back to the club. The club will also be able to manage the secure sale of the ticket to another fan, as well as driving value for the STH.

Mark Dewell, MD, Specialist Solutions – Advanced, concludes: “Fans are leading the way in the digital era, expecting around the clock, fast and reliable access from any device when purchasing from clubs. It’s rewarding to see a number of clubs recognising that our solution can deliver that connected fan experience. We are looking forward to helping Southampton FC keep one-step ahead of their fans’ requirements now and for the long term.”