Sports Illustrated taps Clemson Social Media Listening Center to inform editorial content, social strategy

The 2019 NFL Draft is the First Initiative for the SI and Clemson collaboration

NEW YORK – Sports Illustrated is partnering with Clemson University’s Social Media Listening Center to reveal insights using the school’s unique analytics software that will inform its social strategy and help augment its editorial content. Clemson’s Social Media Listening Center (SMLC), the first facility of its kind in higher education, monitors, measures and engages in social media conversations from across the web. This collaboration provides SI with access to public opinion in real time to help develop content across SI channels.

“Social media is a constant, real-time survey,” said Ryan Hunt, managing editor and director of editorial development of SI.com. “Working with a university such as Clemson and its Social Media Listening Center that is continuously innovating in the areas of social media research and contextualization, not just around the NFL draft, is both incredibly exciting and beyond fascinating. The opportunities and potential are limitless.”

Sports Illustrated will work alongside Clemson students and faculty using their cutting-edge laboratory to explore conversations surrounding the 2019 NFL Draft as the first initiative. Over the course of the three-day event, students will monitor 32 prospective draftees, utilizing some of the most powerful social analytics software available to convey sentiment, share of voice, trend information, geo-location data and much more.

“Partnering with Sports Illustrated provides our faculty and students another opportunity to get invaluable real-world experience as part of our comprehensive curriculum,” said Joseph Mazer, director of the Social Media Listening Center and chair of the department of communication. “Our department’s association with Clemson’s Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute creates these unique partnerships for us to study and analyze communication as it pertains to social media and sport. Kicking the partnership off with such a high-profile event as the NFL Draft will provide a great start to what we hope is a long-term relationship with Sports Illustrated.”

This unique collaboration allows Sports Illustrated to provide unparalleled coverage around the 2019 NFL Draft and unlocks opportunities with Clemson’s Social Media Listening Center in the future. Visit SI.com for exclusive content surrounding the draft and following along on twitter @SINow.

Sports Illustrated Group
Sports Illustrated is the preeminent journalistic enterprise covering the world of sports both on and off the field. Debuting in 1954, SI has garnered worldwide acclaim for its award-winning storytelling born from an independent voice and for its unparalleled access to the most popular athletes and newsmakers from the sports world. This is the underpinning of the franchise, which now boasts a group of best-in-class consumer products and platforms reaching more than 73 million. The Sports Illustrated Group features the most-read sports magazine, a top 10 sports digital network and marquee franchises—Sports Illustrated Films, ‪TheMMQB.com, the FanSided Network of sites and apps, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, Sportsperson of the Year, Extra Mustard and Sports Illustrated Kids. For more information, visit ‪SI.com and follow @SINow on Twitter, @SportsIllustrated on Instagram and Facebook and SI_mag on Snapchat.

Clemson University
Clemson University combines the benefits of a major, land-grant, science- and engineering-oriented research university with a strong commitment to quality teaching and individual student success. It is a student-centered community characterized by high academic standards, inclusiveness, collaboration and a drive to excel. Clemson’s 24,387 students can select from 80 undergraduate and 110 graduate degree programs offered by seven colleges: Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences; Architecture, Arts and Humanities; Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences; Business; Education; Engineering, Computing and Applied Science; and Science.

Clemson University Department of Communication
Clemson University’s Department of Communication offers bachelor’s degrees and minors in communication and sports communication, a graduate certificate in health communication and a master’s degree in communication, technology and society. Housed in the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences, the department is affiliated with Clemson University’s Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute, a multi-disciplinary platform for the academic study of sport sciences across the University, and houses the Charles Campbell Professorship in Sports Communication. The department is also home to several facilities and co-curricular activities including WSBF 88.1 FM, The Tiger newspaper, Tigervision TV network, the Social Media Listening Center, Communication Center and Research Lab, a nationally and internationally-recognized debate team and student study abroad programs.