CASE STUDY · PRO SPORTS
Case Study: Austin Toros Grow From 3,800 to 10,000+ Facebook Fans
The Austin Toros, the NBA Development League team owned and operated by the San Antonio Spurs, worked hands-on with Black Box Social Media through the 2011–12 season. Their Facebook following grew from about 3,800 likes at the start of the season to a little over 10,000 by the end, the same season they won the 2012 NBA D-League championship.
3,800 → 10,000+Facebook likes, 2011–12 season
At a glance
- Client
Austin Toros (San Antonio Spurs’ NBA D-League team)
- Contact
Peter Lubell, COO
- Timeframe
2011–12 season (2012 NBA D-League champions)
- Result
~3,800 → 10,000+ Facebook likes
The Challenge
In pro sports, as in most businesses, the front office is busy. As Peter Lubell put it, social media had become “such an important part of business”, and the Toros wanted an organization that could work with them hands on.
The goal was a real interaction platform with fans on Facebook, plus a staff that could keep it going.
What We Did
Black Box Social Media worked hands-on with the Toros through the season, building what Peter Lubell called “an interaction platform” for the team’s fans on Facebook.
We ran the team’s social media promotions, including Twitter promotion and organic Facebook promotion. This was in the very early days of Facebook advertising.
Alongside the day-to-day work, we trained the Toros’ staff so they could keep running it themselves.
Social Media in 7 Minutes, which Peter mentions in the video below, was our first digital product.
The Result
About 3,800 Facebook likes at the start of the season. A little over 10,000 when it ended, with a championship in between. Black Box presented the case study at the NBA Owners Meetings in Chicago in May 2012.
In His Words
We’ve had a great partnership with Black Box Social Media now for this last season for the Austin Toros, and we’ve been extremely happy with the service that we received, and not only the service, but the knowledge. It’s actually quite refreshing to be around people that really understand the social media environment.
I know at the beginning of the season, we were hovering right around 3,800 likes on Facebook, and after the season was over, and we won the championship, we were right around a little over 10,000 likes, so it goes to show that we were able to figure out a way to create an interaction platform for our customers, and Black Box was the reason for that.
About This Case Study
How much did the Austin Toros’ Facebook audience grow?
From about 3,800 likes at the start of the season to a little over 10,000 at the end, according to the team’s COO, Peter Lubell.
Who were the Austin Toros?
The Austin Toros were an NBA Development League team owned and operated by the San Antonio Spurs.
Where was this case study presented?
Black Box Social Media presented the Austin Toros case study at the NBA Owners Meetings in Chicago in May 2012.
What did Black Box Social Media do for the Austin Toros?
We ran the team’s social media promotions during the 2011–12 season, including Twitter promotion and organic Facebook promotion, and trained the staff to keep it going.
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