The NBA shoots and scores, with their social media strategy! From the league to the teams to the players, there’s always seems to be something going on. Check this out to see what’s happening this season and see if you think the NBA’s social presence is a slam dunk.

1. NBA in Social Media
December 2013

2. SOCIAL MEDIA ALL-STARS
Total NBA Team Facebook
Fans18,435,307
8,558,080
Total NBA Team Twitter
Followers
Most Active of Pro Sports Associations
28,000,000+
8.2M
13,700,000+
5M
878K
Facebook Fans+ Twitter Followers+ InstagramFollowers
of NBA players are active on Twitter90%
8/10 top tweeting US athletes are in the NBA
Total NBA Team Instagram
Followers1,485,169
Social Media MVP
LeBron James
15M Facebook Fans
10M Twitter Followers
3.9M Instagram Followers
Most Active Team
17M Facebook Fans
3.5M Twitter Fans
871K Instagram Followers
Los Angeles Lakers
of sports execs said that the
NBA has benefited the most
from using social media to
generate publicity for itself
and its athletes
32%
Sources: SocialTools October 2013, Turnkey Sports Poll February 2013, Bleacher Report “How NBA
Players Became the Kings of American Social Media” January 2013

3. Social Media Highlight Reel
LeBron Reached 25,000 Twitter Followers
In One Hour
With the help of Chris Paul
who tweeted that LeBron had
joined the Twitter World
Shaq Announced
his Retirement
for the first time
Kobe Bryant and
Dwight Howard
acknowledge
team drama
Social Slam Dunk
DeAndre Jordan had the most
buzzed about slam of 2013
Harlem Shake:
Miami Heat Edition
Viewed more than 46M times
Fans Can
Vote for MVP
Award on
Twitter#KiaMVP
NBA Announces
Annual Social
Media Awards
Social Media Banned During
the Game!
Click for more info
Click for
more info
Click to watch
Click for more info

4. How NBA Teams Stack Up In Social Media
520K
195K
46K
861K
289K
112K
593K
280K
148K
448K
206K
41K
390K
185K
53K
356K
210K
39K
384K
190K
32K
333K
171K
59K
872K
217K
43K
1.1M
236K
66K
1.1M
405K
207K
1.9M
473K
147K
2.6M
352K
81K
2.2M
277K
879K
448K
271K
46K
412K
253K
82K
414K
3.4 M
24K
567K
197K
55K
393K
235K
59K
337K
171K
40K
233K
178K
36K
232K
158K
38K
1.1M
243K
66K
1.2M
331K
135K
1.9M
1.1 M
39K
3.9M
766K
396K
7M
1.3 M
480K
9.4M
1.1 M
400k
8.8M
1.9 M
853K
16.9M
3.4 M
879K
Source: Social Tools October 2013

5. Sizing Up The NBA on Facebook
Average
Number of
Fans
2,234,474
Average
Activation
Rate
.22%
Average Fan
Growth
7.92%
Source: Social Tools October 2013

6. LA Lakers Have the Biggest Crowd and the
Fans17,000,000+
4.88% Active Fans
414,000+ Talking
About
8,322 New Fans
Per Day
This
Biggest Buzz
Lakers
NBA
Game
Kobe Bryant
Steve Nash
Pau
Gasol
pt
NBA Teams Facebook Averages
Number of Fans: 2,234,474
Active Users: 6.13%
New Fans Per Day: 2,213
Talking About This: 127,824 Source: Social Tools November 2013

7. Houston Rocket Fans Are
Fans860,000+
26.7% Active Fans
0.66% Activation Rate
per Post
2.86%Most Engaged Post
Likes18,108
Engagement Breakdown
Comments
Shares
621
705
NBA Teams Facebook Averages
Number of Fans: 2,234,474
Active Users: 6.13%
Activation Rate per post: 0.19%
Active and Engaging
Source: Social Tools October 2013

8. Memphis Grizzlies Keep Posting
Posts per Day9.45
21%
59%
18%
2%
Post Format Breakdown
20.4%
Biggest Fan
And Their Fans Keep Growing
Most Popular Post
Growth
Links
Photos
Status
Videos
NBA Teams Facebook Averages
Post per Day: 3.59 posts
Fan Growth: 7.92%
1.47%
Activation Rate
Source: Social Tools October 2013

9. Sizing Up The NBA on Twitter
Average
Number of
Followers
525,569
Average
Engagement
Rate
.04%
Average
Follower
Growth
3.2% Fun Fact: Twitter's Bird is named“Larry”
after the BostonCelticsLarry Bird
Source: Social Tools October 2013

10. Followers3,400,000
1,711 New Followers
Per Day
LA Lakers Have the Biggest Following
1.2% Active Users
NBA Teams Twitter Averages
Number of Followers: 525,569 Followers
Active Users: ??
New Followers Per Day: 464 Followers
Source: Social Tools October 2013

11. Post per Day50
56%
25%
19%
Tweet Type
Tweets
ReTweet
Response
Milwaukee Bucks Have A Lot To Say
Most Popular
Post 513 Retweets
353 Favorites
Response
Rate 2.7%
NBA Teams Twitter Averages
Number of Posts Per Day: 21.66 Posts
Response Rate: ??
Source: Social Tools October 2013

12. Engagement Rate.10%
17,533
60,731
14,620
User Tweet Trend
@Spurs
#Spurs
RT @Spurs
San Antonio Spurs Know How to Engage
NBA Teams Twitter Averages
Engagement Rate: 0.26%
Source: Social Tools October 2013

13. Follower Growth6.62%
Toronto Raptor Followers Are Growing Fast
NBA Teams Twitter Averages
Follower Growth: 3.21%
New Users Per Day: 464 per Day
543 New Fans
Per Day
Source: Social Tools October 2013

14. NBA Social Media Starters
Derrick Rose
Point Guard
Kobe Bryant
Shooting Guard
LeBron James
Small Forward
Carmelo Anthony
Power Forward
Dwight Howard
Center
3.7M
438k
4.6M
2.9M
1.6k
3.9M
15.2M
3.9M
10.3M
17.2M
1.7M
3.7M
7.8M
1.8M
Source: Social Tools October 2013

15. NBA: Organizationally Vested in Social
NBA Social Media Awards
• NBA TV hosts a one-hour show
which celebrates players, teams
and fans for social engagement
• Players are awarded for performing
actions that cause social media
buzz, participating on social media
and interacting with fans and
supporters in creative ways
• Fans determine the winner for
several categories by voting online,
through Facebook, Twitter and
mobile
FTW Award[For the Win]
Also, click here to check out
Social Spotlight on NBA.com

16. Social: A Typical Basketball Telecast
Bulls
Knicks Game
Carmelo Anthony
Derrick Rose
Win
Clutch
Chicago
Good
Shot
Back
Mentions
4%
2%
2%
1%
1%
@chicagobulls
@chicagobulls
@drose
@nyknicks
@teambulls4life
Hashtags
5%
4%
4%
3%
2%
1%
1%
#bulls
#knicks
#drose
#bullsnation
#nykvschi
#knickstape
#chicagobulls
Overview17K Comments
14K Authors
305K Tweets
170K Authors
Source: Social Tools BlueFin October 31 2013 – Knicks vs. Bulls

17. Why the NBA is the MVP of Social Media
Twitter
Integrations
Amplify
The NBA is pushing the
best Rapid Replays from TV
through Twitter sponsored
by Sony Pictures, Sprint
and Taco Bell
Banner and pre-roll
for After Earth a Sony
Pictures film before
NBA play highlight
Click to see Tweet
Taco Bell
sponsoring “Live
Mas” Moments of
the NBA
Click to Watch
NBA teamed up with
Sprint to use mobile and
social media to engage
fans by allowing Kevin
Love to commandeer
Sprint’s Twitter account
to chat with fans
Interactions
Click to Learn More
Compilation
of the best
NBA posts
and photos
across Twitter
and
Instagram on
NBA.com
Click to go to NBA.com

18. K-Yun Steele
K-Yun.Steele@zenithmedia-na.com
212-858-6155
Jennifer Loeb
Jennifer.Loeb@zenithmedia-na.com
212-859-1842
WANT MORE?
Click here to
out what the
NFL is doing in
social media