I think Kobe Bryant is better than Lebron James. What? You don’t agree with me? You think Lebron is better? But Kobe has five rings…and the Lakers are a dynasty unlike the Heat.
 
Sports fans love to yell at each other have calm and peaceful debates. If everyone agreed on who was the best and didn’t believe in upsets, there would be no reason to play the game, and (gasp!) sports wouldn’t exist.
 
So it continues.
 
The list of disagreements between sports fans is endless and becomes longer by the day. So now Activ8Social is here, once again, to add to the list of debatable topics with the Top 20 Teams In Social Media.
 
What? You think the Yankees are the best at social media because of their huge following? HA! They don’t even crack our Top 20 list. You disagree? Great! Let’s argue about it because that’s what sports fans do: we argue. We are hot headed and passionate, persistent and determined. And of course we are always right.

So how does social media help stimulate a sports fan’s debate? For starters, it gives us a platform to interact with other fans and from there the social media world is a sports fan’s playground. It gives us a forum to extend our love of the game to a much broader world.
 
From Arsenal FC to the Tampa Bay Lightning, this list covers teams from all over the world and encompasses many leagues. These teams use everything from Instagram, Pinterest, and Foursquare to 3D tours of their stadiums and ultimate fan contests as a way to spread their organization’s pride and fuel intense rivalries. These teams have it all, and they want to share it with you! They want to give fans the opportunity to explore, discuss, share, and experience more than just a game.
 
Social media allows our love for our favorite teams to continue long after the season is over by helping us interact with players, coaches, and other fans in an online and mobile setting that translates the sporting experience into much more than a game——a true emotional connection.
 
So which teams utilize social media the best around the globe? That’s where we come in! Activ8Social extensively researched which teams are giving their fans the ultimate experience off the field. For the purpose of our analysis, the following criteria was rated on a scale 1-10* for each team:

 
• Audience: Total number of fans** across social media properties***
• Frequency: Appropriate regularity of communication based on channel
• Engagement: Quality and quantity of team/fan interaction****
• Promotion: Sponsor activation, fan contests, rewards, and team marketing
• Content: Authenticity, variety, originality, and quality of social communication

 

*Tiebreakers given to team with the larger “Audience”
**Profile data current as of May 30, 2012
***Weight given to teams w/ social fan base disproportionate to sport/league reach
****Engagement was assessed by calculating ratios of update metrics to audience size
 
Top 20 Teams In Social Media

Each team approaches social media differently. Whether they use it for gaining fan support or running contests these teams have found the best way to share their team’s brand. Social media has grown to encompass a wide range of demographics and has significantly broadened the appeal of sports. It’s no coincidence many teams on our list are considered the most popular teams in the world, social media helped them get there!
 
Play the slideshow above to find out if your team has what it takes to dominate the world of social media. Share it with your friends and colleagues so they can share their thoughts and opinions. And remember, it never hurts to debate!
 
For a mobile friendly view of the presentation, read below:
 
Top 20 Teams In Social Media

Credit: Special thanks to Adam Olstein and Kelley McGrath for assisting with research, ratings, and content.