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Over a Cup of Coffee

by Jerry Hewitt
March 18, 2010 - American Indoor Football Association (AIFA)


Connecting With the Fan

There was a time not that long ago that the only way fans had to connect with their teams was by attending games or getting involved with message board and chat room chatter.

What a difference a few short years make as today fans have more choices in how they interact with the teams they follow, online anyway. I want to look this morning at how each league is using the web to connect with its fans.

The AIFA started an online radio show a couple years back to update their fans on league happenings and content not found anywhere else. Today the IFL has followed suit with their own program and last season the SIFL had a Podcast of their own. From those I've listened into production quality is high and professional.

Last season the SIFL raised the bar by introducing Facebook and Twitter to indoor fans. Both were ways the league provided information in a more real time manner to its fans. Twitter was the first we saw for more real time score updates and during game notes and comments. The IFL followed suit midway through their season. I didn't really keep up with their offering, so not sure how it went, but was a positive step. This season the IFL still offers those those services and the SIFL has yet to enter their season, but appears Twitter will still be used. In researching both the AIFA and CIFL sites I see no mention of Facebook, Twitter or any other social networking options for fans.

Three of the four of the major leagues have some form of email news, the IFL and SIFL have regular newsletters or did last season. The CIFL has what they call text alerts. I found nothing on the AIFA site in reference to any email or text communication.

The IFL raised the bar this season with Pointstreak, an automated scoring system with a live drive chart and play by play updates. This gives fans a more professional online presentation of games around the league similar to what the NFL uses. This is a major step up on how games are presented on the internet.

The CIFL has its on live scoring system and in some ways exceeds the IFL one. It doesn't have the graphic interface, but you can access the stats of the game while in progress which is not a feature available yet with Pointstreak.

The plus of Pointstreak is its immediate, everything league wide updated as the info is put in. The system used by the CIFL has to rely on a third party to compile all the stats from each game. Both systems have their up sides, but for the fans of the CIFL and IFL better than anything I've seen for AIFA and SIFL fans.

Both the AIFA and CIFL have their own message boards. Maybe message boards old school, but the only way fans can connect with other fans outside of attending games. The IFL and SIFL have no league sponsored message boards. Let's be honest, they can be a headache to monitor and as some have found out, the right to free speech doesn't apply to the boards.

There has been some use of blogs, the SIFL and IFL last season to give fans an inside look at a players day or other subject matter, but blogging hasn't really caught on. I think blogs are good as are interviews, but neither playing a big role for league/fan interaction.

Keeping the fan up to date on game nights have come a long ways since the days of the NIFL where we had a chat room and depended on fans across the league for scoring updates. Although it was a good idea in my opinion, a way to bring fans together, times have changed and not having to rely on fans for scores a big step forward.

I think the more the leagues and their teams reach out to the fan and try to get them involved, other than selling tickets to games are good. I don't think a league can do too little or too much in this area and glad to see most looking for ways to connect with their fans.

Other notes

In looking across the indoor football landscape this morning I was wondering which teams might be considered the best in 2010 regardless of their league affiliation. Also wondered which new teams might break out this season as a surprise success. Here's my list. It's just a list, not in any particular order.

2010's best

Baltimore Mariners, AIFA

Reading Express, AIFA

Billings Outlaws, IFL

Sioux Falls Storm, IFL

Louisiana Swashbucklers, SIFL

Expansion breakthroughs

Richmond Revolution, IFL

San Jose Wolves, AIFA

Columbus Lions, SIFL

Corrections

Yesterday I mentioned the CIFL going to eight man to maybe make themselves more appealing to other leagues should they decide to merge. I am told by someone with in the CIFL that they went to eight man at the request of their teams coaches and also that they are not interested in merging with any other league. My apologies to the CIFL for my error.

Upcoming

A prelude to next weeks articles. I am a strong believer in the power of the written word. I'm going to take a look at how every team in every league use that power focusing on one league a day. I'll begin Monday with the AIFA, Tuesday for the CIFL, Thursday is IFL day and Friday I'll finish up with the SIFL. On Saturday or Sunday I'll wrap it all up with an assessment of all.

This article and more archived at The Indoor Football Report located at www.IndoorFootballNetwork.com Comments about this article or suggestions can be made to indoorbowl@yahoo.com

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American Indoor Football Association Stories from March 18, 2010


The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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