Minor League Baseball’s Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the Phillies’ AAA affiliate, are one of the first pro teams with their own iPhone app. The IronPigs are offering their app for free for a limited time to celebrate the app’s launch earlier this month.

The IronPigs app allows fans to listen to live game audio, purchase tickets, read stats and headlines and even check up on the latest weather. I emailed IronPigs General Manager Kurt Landes to get his thoughts on the app, the IronPigs’ social media presence and what he views as the future of smart phone apps in the sports industry.

When did the IronPigs decide to develop their own iPhone app? Was this something fans had asked about?

We initially gauged the feasibility of doing an iPhone app only 2-3 months ago.  Once we received a recommendation and realized we could launch an iPhone app within a relatively short period of time we decided to go for it.  Our fans are always looking for new, exciting and interactive ways to associate themsleves with our team and our organization.  Knowing how iPhones are so prevalent, it was a smart promotional effort choosing to put ourselves in the actual hands and pockets of our fans.

The IronPigs maintain a strong presence on social media sites and host the 2010 Triple-A All-Star Game at Coca-Cola Park on July 14. How have fans reacted to the team’s social media presence, especially as it relates to the All-Star Game and other events at the stadium?

We have made it a priority to tap all social media outlets in an effort to interact with our fans on a more consistent basis.  We have hundreds of fans that each day interact with different IronPigs social media sites including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube in addition to our brand-new app.  We have had an unbelievably positive reaction to our App, with over 1,300 downloads in just three days, extremely positive customer reviews and top 25 rankings in the sports category of the App Store on iTunes.  Social media is a significant tool within our overall marketing campaign and we make sure it’s incorporated into all of our stadium and fan promotions.  Specific to the All-Star Game, we introduced ticket sales to the event by creating a viral personalized video to our fan base that created a huge buzz and led to the game and related events selling out six months beforehand.

While fans can purchase tickets through the iPhone app, the app currently takes fans through the website purchase page via the app. Is a dedicated purchase page something the organization may add in the future?

Our online ticketing system is TIcketReturn and they do not currently have a software development kit that supports the iPhone.  Yes, we are hopeful to have a dedicated purchase screen as soon as that feature is available to us from TicketReturn.  We also would like to offer  the opportunity for fans to display their seating bar code(s) on their phone rather than on individual hard tickets to gain access to the ballpark in the future.

What are some of your future plans with the team’s iPhone app? Do you think we will see more official team iPhone/iPad and Android apps in the future?

There is great potential for future versions and upgrades of the current App.  It will continually become more interactive as more technologies are introduced.  In the next week, we will debut an interactive game to go along with our in-park “The Great Pork Race” at Coca-Cola Park. And yes, we are hopeful to launch Android, Blackberry and iPad counterparts soon.

What do you view as the biggest challenge that sports teams face with regards to social media? How do you address that challenge?

Staying on the cusp of all of the new mediums and technologies can be a difficult task but by dedicating our efforts to a few of the more popular sites (Facebook, Twitter) we have been able to have a number of positive responses.  Overall, we’ve always taken the initiative that we want to be the first to offer our fans any number of new technologies as they occur.  For us, it’s not just about providing the service and convenience, it’s also about having our fans understand and be excited that we continually invest in new ways to “wow” them and when we do, it’s done in a first-class manner.  Sports teams need to continually understand there are so many ways to interact with fans now.  It’s not enough to just have a web site and print pocket schedules anymore.

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Key points:

• The IronPigs’ app has been downloaded over 1,300 times in just three days
• An official app is a new way to “wow” your fans and extend your brand
  
• Ticketless entry to games is on the horizon

The IronPigs are not the only MiLB team with their own iPhone app. The Charleston RiverDogs, Fort Myers Miracle, Hudson Valley Renegades and St. Paul Saints are all owned by the Goldklang Group and have official apps available for $1.99 in the App Store. The Richmond Flying Squirrels also have a free iPhone app from developer Critical Technologies Group.

If your local team had an official app, would you download it? What are some of the features you’d want in your team’s official app? Are team apps the next big thing?

I appeared as a guest on the Row Show, a Internet TV show about the sports industry. I talk about why I started Sportsin140.com, how smart teams use social media and the future of the sports industry in social media.

To view in a larger format or download a HD copy for your iPod, please visit the Row Show website. Thanks again to Jon and Jason for having me on the show!

Episode 30: Sports in 140 from Jonathan Dusing on Vimeo.

In continuing our series of interview with industry leaders, this week we talk with Rob Campbell of the Cleveland Indians (@TribeTalk) about his new position with the team and the Indians’ social media initiatives.

You’re new to the Indians organization. How did you come to work for the Indians? What were you doing before the Indians?

I’ve been with the Indians organization just over a month and lived in Cleveland just as long. Before, I worked in Chicago for sponsorship consultancy IEG, LLC. At IEG I conducted sponsorship research for both sponsors and properties and helped value sponsorship packages. I also managed IEG’s social media platforms; blogging and video blogging on sponsorship, developing strategies and managing IEG’s Twitter and Facebook accounts. In my spare time, I created and managed the Twitter account for the athletic department of my alma mater, Northwestern University. In college I played baseball for Northwestern and have a deep affinity for the game.

Can you give an overview of the Indians’ social media strategy as it exists currently?

The Indians social media strategy is multi-faceted and is being developed with help from Digital Royalty. In its current initial stage, we aim to establish a foothold in social media by interacting with fans who have already established themselves in the space. In essence, we want to join the conversation that is already taking place. The Indians are then taking the conversation a step further with the development of our Tribe Social Deck where we bring bloggers and social media users together to enjoy an Indians game and network with like-minded individuals. It has been an incredible experience to interact with fans, answer their questions and listen to their feedback.

The Indians recently debuted a “Social Media Deck” at Progressive Field. What is the Social Media Deck? How can bloggers become involved with it?

The Tribe Social Deck is the physical component of our social media presence. It affords attendees the opportunity to not only watch a game live but also network with members of their digital community; often providing attendees the first time to shake hands with someone they had been conversing with for months online. Involvement with the Tribe Social Deck initially has been by invitation only but we are currently working with MLB Advanced Media to develop an online application.

In the past the Indians have featured exclusive ticket promotions to their Facebook fans and Twitter followers. Can you talk about the previous promotions and what might be in the works in the future?

We will be conducting ticket promotions through social media and Tweet-ups throughout the season. Technically speaking, we give out at least ten tickets per game to the social media community solely as a result of the Tribe Social Deck. Throughout the season we hope to reach diverse groups of social media users who would get the most out of our promotions and themed events.

As an organization, how do the Indians view social media? In what way does social media marketing complement the more traditional marketing and PR arms of the organization?

The Indians view social media as integral component of our marketing and communications initiatives. The ability of social media to foster two-way conversations allows for a more tailored approach towards fan interaction affords the organization a tremendous opportunity to engage fans in ways never before possible. We view social media not as a separate initiative but as a tool that augments the abilities of the organization to better serve our fans.

Can you identify one other sports team or brand whose social media presence you personally admire?

The Chicago White Sox have a tremendous social media presence in terms of MLB teams. Their Sox Fest is a great example of leveraging social media to generate interest and increase interaction. It was also great to see Twitter get behind a Tweet-up in San Francisco for the Giants.

Outside of Major League Baseball, the New York Islanders and Phoenix Suns were definitely innovators in integrating social media into professional sports.

What role do you think social media will play in the future? Where do you see the sports industry in terms of adoption of social media?

I think social media will allow fans to feel an increased sense of investment with their favorite teams. The ability of a fan to converse with members of the front office bridges what had once been a sizable gap in access that the everyday fan experienced.

If you could change one thing about social media, what would you change and why?

In a perfect world I would love to streamline the process of communicating and tracking conversations in social media. I currently use six different applications and a mobile device to monitor and manage accounts and correspondence.

What advice, if any, would you give to current students just starting out in their careers?

Keep an open mind and never stop working hard.

This week sports writer David Biderman of the Wall Street Journal profiled Sportsin140.com in an article about athletes and the sports industry on Twitter. Check it out!

I will be appearing on ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” this Sunday at 9 AM on ESPN. The piece will cover athletes and the sports industry on Twitter. Please tune in!

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