May 3, 2010
MADISON, Wis. -- The University of Wisconsin athletic department has stressed fan interaction and taking advantage of the numerous methods of communication available in these ever-changing times. One of the best ways to do this is through the use of social media and sites like Facebook and Twitter.
On Friday, the UW athletics fan page became one of just a handful of college fan sites to go over 100,000 fans (joining the likes of Ohio State, Kentucky and Texas). As of Monday afternoon, the page had 100,163 fans.
On the Badgers' Facebook page, fans can read and comment on stories originally posted on UWBadgers.com as well as find out about the latest UW promotions and interact with other Wisconsin fans.
Another highly-successful venture for the athletic department has been the increased use of Twitter. The department has one all-encompassing account that alerts followers to the headlines on UWBadgers.com as well as retweets from UW sports-specific accounts and mentions from other sources.
There are also 12 sport-specific Twitter accounts that give fans an inside look at the sports while tweeting news, blogs, updates and other info found around the web. Head football coach Bret Bielema also has an account to give UW football fans a glimpse into his world. Below is a list of UW's Twitter accounts with the number of followers as of Monday afternoon.
One other vehicle that fans have enjoyed the last few years is the Badger Insider email. Six sports, including football, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's hockey and volleyball, have insider emails. During the season, members of the UW Athletic Communications staff construct these emails to keep fans informed on the happenings of each sport, through links to stories on UWBadgers.com, local papers that cover the Badgers or news from around the web. Below is a look at the number of fans signed up to receive Insider emails (as of April 1). Fans can sign up here to become a Badger Insider.
- MBB Insider - 4,245
- FB Insider - 3,340
- Men's Hockey Insider - 1,256
- Women's Hockey Insider - 392
- WBB Insider - 346
- Volleyball Insider - 345
With so many ways to follow the Badgers, UW fans are becoming more informed than ever. Be sure to sign up today to show your Badger pride while staying current with all UW athletics news.
UWBadgers.com Social Media Page
