PBA On Twitter

There is an underlying economics with PBA players and coaches being on Twitter. See Figure 1 for the current state of PBA on Twitter.

Mainly, the reason they are on Twitter is to socialize. Maybe to speak their minds and connect with their family, friends and fans.

So they tweet.

They keep updated with one another. They update their followers. They talk about their playing performance and talk about their non-performance since they are riding the bench.

Figure 1

Running a successful company requires running a successful customer relations. Being reachable and accessible to the paying patrons. Understanding their issues and concerns with your product. Or just being there for them. Quickly replying and attending to their inquiries and questions.

This is what Twitter is bringing to the PBA. The Office of Commissioner did not ask them to make Twitter accounts but individually they signed up not knowing of the impact on the PBA economics.

• Twitter is free. PBA is not paying for any cost incurred but the PBA players and coaches pay for the internet connection and their gadgets to get into the Twitter.
• It connects the PBA to the people. It connects the players and coaches with their fans. It gives the media a quick link to the players and coaches.
• Fans appreciates when PBA players and coaches reply to their Twitter followers. They give the fans they are being valued and given time and attention by their hardwood heroes.
• PBA still knows they have a considerable audience out there. When adding all those Twitter followers they count about 178,000. If twenty followers are common to all, we still have about 174,000 people connected to PBA. This means you have this mass looking at their TVs each game night. This means a fraction of these numbers might go to your actual basketball show. And these numbers do not include fans outside the Twitter world.

Consider Chris Tiu, who is now playing with the guest Smart-Gilas in the PBA, having 62,000 followers. Consider Paul Artadi updating his fans regarding their practices and his new team. Consider Wesley Gonzales’ zany and funny replies to his followers. Consider Ali Peek’s intense conversation with his fans in Twitter. Rob Reyes’ connection with Pinoy sports bloggers via Twitter regarding his playing performance is big time. How about knowing Rabeh’s thoughts about the trade? Or Rabeh’s and Joseph Yeo’s discussion on Twitter about their losing game. These are only a few of what PBA is giving their customers on Twitter.

With PBA on Twitter, it is about the social experience with a big chunk of customer relations at its best.