Once again, I have to believe that the UFC is ahead of the curve on this front. Fighters, in addition to working for the UFC, are their own brand and websites such as Twitter can help the fighter to directly grow their own personal iamge and receive more exposure. There are different, creative ways for a fighter to use Twitter and other social networking sites to actually make money for themselves. A fighter can tweet about their sponsor or hold sponsored contests through their Twitter account as an incentive for people to follow them and to pay attention, leading to increased value for the fans, the fighter, and the sponsoring company. UFC hall of famer and former champion, Chuck Liddell has even taken the next step and has developed MMAJacked.com a site specifically designed to connect Mixed Martial Arts fighters to their fans on a more personal level. Dana White frequently participates in “Twitter Tag,” an idea that was developed for Shaquille O’Neal by Digital Royalty that allows fans to find you in a public place such as a mall, or restaurant based on your tweets, usually for a prize, or in Dana White’s case, tickets to a UFC event. Georges St. Pierre’s Twitter account isn’t personally run by him, but his handlers had the idea to have fans e-mail Georges during his training by clicking a link that required you to sign up for his fan site before sending the e-mail, which ultimately attracted thousands of new fans.

The UFC is now more accessible than any other sports organization on a personal level. Everyone from the ring girls, to the announcers, to the fighters, to ownership all have highly personal Twitter accounts that are more than just company fluff and that actually give you insight into their lives and opinions which helps us, as fans, relate to them. As social media technology grows I am confident that the UFC will always be at the forefront and it will be interesting to see different business plans develop around these websites.

Please continue to post your comments and follow me on Twitter @zachlipari.

The UFC Has a Stranglehold on Social Media from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

And in this day and age, is it incredibly easy to make one’s self visible through the use of social media. Sometimes, though, there are pitfalls (in addition to the downsides of releasing contract terms) of using these outlets.

Such is the case of O’Neal, for one, who has recently spent a great deal of time holding on to the limelight by any means possible, most commonly by his use of Twitter.

As Fox Sports’ Mark Kriegel points out, O’Neal is a diversified showman, but at the same age, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar wasn’t pining for media attention, he was averaging 22 PPG en route to earning the NBA Finals MVP.

Kriegel also states that the news of O’Neal to the Cavaliers that re-surfaced during the NBA Finals was released at the wrong time. Similar to Alex Rodriguez and Scott Boras’ announcement during the World Series that Rodriguez would opt out of his contract with the Yankees, there is a right time and a wrong time for players and agents to attempt to create publicity.

In fact, if done incorrectly, it could hurt the reputation, change the way the personas of the parties involved are viewed, and actually do more damage than intended good. It is important to ascertain the best time for using social media in an age when information is instantly shared with millions of people across the globe.

O’Neal’s antics are enjoyed by all, but as his celebrity fades, he should consider focusing his energy on once again making waves on the court rather than in the media.  There are ways to gain the spotlight without abusing social media.

There is nothing wrong with O’Neal’s use of Twitter and other sites like Facebook, but he should let the exposure come to him instead of forcing the spotlight on himself with actions such as tweeting during halftime of a game. While some people may have no problem with this as social media continues to gain popularity, O’Neal is paid millions of dollars to play the game and anything that could possibly take his focus away from winning should be frowned upon by front offices and fans.

O’Neal knows how to get his name in the headlines, which can be incredibly advantageous for endorsement deals, as long as his actions are deemed acceptable by the media and fans. Several slip-ups could change fans’ perspective of O’Neal from one of the most dominant players ever to Twittering fool who focuses more on himself than the team he plays for. That kind of exposure is a risk if social media actions become lax.

The power of social media is immense, but taking precautions to prevent negative publicity is just as important as the tools itself especially as more and more people turn to these sites as a mean for news. Other athletes can learn from O’Neal as he inches closer and closer to the line.

Social Media Use Risks Come with Benefits from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

“Twitter’s definitely a great thing, but it can be really tough for a sports fan to comb through this mountain of data and get to something that makes sense and is relevant. That’s what we’re trying to address.”

The revenue stream for Twackle.com will be attained through ad-based tweets inserted into the data stream.  Twitter is becoming increasingly popular in the sports world, with athletes like Shaquille O’Neal embracing the technology, and Octagon is attempting to catch up or take lead in this trend.  While I personally have not jumped on the Twitter bandwagon yet, it’s safe to assume that by this afternoon, I will be on Twackle.com.

Check out Sports Business Journal’s article on Twackle for more information.

Twackle…The Sports Fan’s Twitter from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Davis is not the only NBA star who will don Li Ning; Shaquille O’ Neal is also on the client roster.  Dallas Maverick, PG Jason Kidd also singed with Peak, another Chinese apparel label, shortly after winning Gold this summer.

Li Ning is a Chinese based shoe company, named after the famous Chinese Gymnast…Li Ning.  The Spainish olympic team wore Li Ning jerseys this summer in Bejing.  The name Li Ning is huge in China and has grown tremendously worldwide.  With the acquisition of more and more talented American athletes, Li Ning is getting more recognition and expanding further into the international market.  Nike still looms large in the industry; however, newcomers like Under Armour and Li Ning are definitely making their mark.

B-Diddy Chooses China from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules