The NHL is hosting a real-world Twitter meetup – or ‘tweetup’ – in 21 cities across North America for the Stanley Cup Playoffs tonight. NHL fans who only know each other through the micro-blogging site will come together to watch the game on TV and tweet the game.
The social meeting is for NHL’s avid fans who are young, tech-savvy and ‘displaced’ in large numbers, says Michael DiLorenzo, NHL director of corporate communications. ‘They live in different localities than their favourite teams so social networking is an ideal platform to keep in touch, not only with their favourite team but with other fans,’ DiLorenzo tells MiC.
They’re expecting about 50 people to tweetup in bars and restaurants in each city, says DiLorenzo. In New York, more than 100 people are expected in the retail store and in Regina, Twitter.com/NHLtweetup is expecting more than 350 tweeters.
Organizers of the events are receiving NHL goodie bags, including a chance to win prizes like subscriptions to the league’s live streaming game service. ‘If that evening they take photos and share and interact with the other parties that are happening all over the world, that would be an extremely pleasant byproduct of the in-person experience,’ says DiLorenzo.
