Almost 500,000 YouTube subscribers and almost 200,000 Twitter followers is proof that Hashtag United FC have got a lot right when it comes to the media side of the beautiful game.
But the best never sit still, and the Essex-based club’s latest collaboration, with digital platform provider PT SportSuite, will see them improve their media output and functionality even further.
Covid-19 has brought a stiff halt to proceedings for sports clubs across the world, right at the point where most leagues were reaching their final straight.
Sports organisations’ processes and means of creating content have been challenged and rocked by the global pandemic.
This is especially true for teams lower in the pyramid, who may not have the media workforce or infrastructure in place to keep output high through such a stifled schedule for sports teams.
PT SportSuite have launched their latest platform offering, SportMojos, to help alleviate the burden on overstressed media departments, with the aim of empowering sports clubs to collect more behind-the-scenes content. The SportMojos platform means content can be collected and uploaded via a simple-to-use mobile app from private content creation teams, direct to a private, cloud-based team dashboard, allowing media managers to standardise the way they commission, collect and store media from players, coaches, fans and more, from anywhere in the world.
PT SportSuite have launched SportMojos to help alleviate the burden on overstressed media departments
PT SportSuite has begun the process of rolling out the SportMojos platform to clubs across England, Hashtag United being one of them. Hashtag United operations director Neil Smythe explained how SportMojos was helping in such unprecedented times.
Smythe says: “With sport on hold, and our content team forced to work remotely without shared access to archive content, we’re more reliant on player contributions to keep fans engaged and in touch with the club. SportMojos will allow our players to submit content seamlessly to our central content team, which is going to prove invaluable.”
Hashtag United and their astronomically successful YouTube channel are living proof that fans love content of all kinds, not just your typical match highlights and post-match pressers.
Magic can happen on the edge of the box or on the back of the bus, and the simplicity of the SportMojos app empowers fans and players to easily submit this content.
Smythe continues: “One thing this period has shown is that a sports audience will engage with content outside of match highlights. There is an appetite to be let in behind the scenes, to hear from athletes in an authentic way.
“We’re starting to use SportMojos to help us receive and curate UGC-style social video content from players and the wider club. When you’re working remotely with multiple contributors, it really helps having a clear, simple workflow which works for all, rather than receiving content via multiple sources.”
“When you’re working remotely with multiple contributors, it really helps having a clear, simple workflow which works for all” – Neil Smythe, Hashtag United operations director
For PT SportSuite CEO Rich Cheary, the opportunity to collaborate with Hashtag provides a perfect proof of concept for the SportMojos platform.
“Hashtag United have proven time and again that they’re a progressive, savvy organisation with the ability to punch above their weight when it comes to the media game,” Cheary says. “We’re delighted to have been given the opportunity to work with an organisation that understands the value of player-driven media strategies and to ‘roadtest’ SportMojos’ ability to simplify the process of commissioning, collecting, storing and publishing this type of content.
“While we’ve been blessed to roll out this technology to bigger UK-based football organisations higher up the league pyramid, we’ve always maintained that we want to build technology and to partner with clubs of all shapes and sizes, and our work with Hashtag United is confirmation of that commitment.”
If you’re interested in your sports team having their own holistic sports media platform that empowers players, fans and staff to provide behind-the-scenes media content to your organisation, then click here for more information.
