Clemson makes video record of run to National Championship game
The Clemson University Tigers football team is making its second trip to the College Football National Championship in a row. The team lost last year to the Alabama Crimson Tide and is looking to revenge its loss in tonight’s championship game.
Many of the players are stars in their own right, but not too many will go on to play professionally, so this will be the highlight of their athletic lives. To capture every moment this season, the Tigers have shown their innovative stripes using Facebook Live and 360° video to bring their passionate fans closer to the team and help immerse them in the moment.
“For us, it’s an unbelievable opportunity to share with the fans in the moment and put them in situations they wouldn’t be able to be in otherwise,” said Jonathan Gantt, director of new and creative media for Clemson University athletics.
Gantt said that Facebook Live and other features made available to them by their Facebook team gives Clemson a chance to share special moments with fans, with Clemson alumni, and with recruits for a behind-the-scenes look at the team, which brings them closer to not just the action on the field but off as well.
“It gives us a direct communication to our fans, a reach we’ve had through Facebook Live, to share moments… We’re grateful to have a partner like Facebook to get these opportunities,” said Gantt.
Gantt and Clemson has been helped by Nick Marquez, Facebook’s strategic partnerships manager – college athletics. Marquez provided access to new features of Facebook Live, which helped open the team’s eyes to the many opportunities like live broadcasts, interactivity issues.
“Nick been a huge help for us to activate different things. He showed us the way Facebook works with teams,” said Gantt.
Recent videos include the Clemson special teams group revealing fun facts, such as the best singer on the team (the group agreed that it’s tight end Cannon Smith, who they say sang in the Vatican in front of the Pope), the biggest bro-mance on the squad and their guilty pleasure foods. Other fun features showed offensive linemen John Simpson and Tyrone Crowder choosing their favorite running training – sprints or stairs (Tyrone said he’d prefer the elevator), turf or grass, hashtags or emojis, and revealing the worst dancer on the team. The tight ends group also answered questions from fans, such as what their favorite memory from the season is, how to describe the national championship trophy in one word, and who the scariest player on the team is.
The goal of Clemson’s social media plan is to show what it’s like to be a Clemson Tiger. Recruits can see what it’s like because the social media brings Clemson to the recruit, and to the fans, through photos, videos, graphics, and through live events. It’s not just on-the-field action that matters. They also get to see things like workouts, classes and other experiences of the student-athletes. Recruits get to see what it’s truly like to be a part of the Clemson family, and players appreciate showing the different sides of being a student-athlete, including the time and sacrifice and commitment.
For the CFP National Championship Game, Clemson will continue to deliver a steady cadence of live and on-demand video on Facebook. Here's a look back on some highlights from team's season on the platform:
In the week leading up to the Championship Game, Clemson stayed connected with its fans through Facebook Live. This included:
- Going live from the airport as the team boarded its flight to Tampa.
- A behind the scenes look at media day in South Carolina, enabling fans to hear directly from key Tiger players.
- Going live as the football team was honored during halftime of Clemson's basketball game against North Carolina.
For the Fiesta Bowl, Clemson employed Facebook Live several times, including:
- Bringing fans onto the field for the joyous postgame celebration.
- Providing a live look at pregame warm-ups, as well as the team's arrival at the stadium.
- Going live for the team's arrival back on campus after its victory in the Phoenix.
- Giving fans a unique look at the Fiesta Bowl media day.
Clemson also went live for its on-field warm-ups prior to the ACC title game and before its much-anticipated battle with Louisville in October, Clemson used 360 video to give fans an intimate look from every angle at what it's like to take part in one of college football's most iconic entrances, the run down the Hill.
In September, Clemson posted a 360 video of the Tiger Walk, allowing fans to experience the players' arrival on game day through the eyes of senior tight end Jordan Leggett.
Facebook Live and the 360° video option have allowed the Tigers to keep fans engaged, with a video scrapbook of sorts to have as a lasting memory. Ultimately, it’s the culture of Clemson – the tight-knit community of administration, coaches, students and faculty – that allows the social media program to work.
“It’s a valuable recruiting tool. It helps donors see exactly where their money is going,” said Gantt, who added that it shows how Clemson builds winners on and off the field, how it helps young people through personal and professional development, which is the ultimate goal when continuing a legacy of winning.