Any team would agree: there has never been a more important time to understand the needs of our fanbase than the present. Looking to stand out in this crowded space, the Minnesota Vikings Entertainment Network has continued to push player-focused content as a way to show player personalities off the field, while simultaneously allowing them to be themselves without the guidance of a camera crew.
Core objectives:
* Utilize behind-the-scenes content that gives the audience a look into the personalities of Vikings players
* Create content that could be shared on a variety of platforms
* Challenge the status quo of scripted or prompted player reactions
* Catch players in humorous moments to make the audience feel like they are "a part of the joke," creating the desire to watch the next installment in the series
* Leverage player interest in participating in an unscripted reaction series
* Showcase team dynamics: see players interacting with one another without their helmets on
* Utilize in-house social media production talent vs working with an outside agency
* Turn around content quickly. All series had to be shot, edited and published within the same day
The concept and process of Vikings Cam is fairly simple and straightforward. After one practice each week (or game), the social media team sets up a camera along the path the players use when exiting the field. A riddle or prompt is attached to the camera stand and when players pass by, they have the opportunity to stop and answer or give some type of reaction. Another opportunity that the team recently added is player reaction cams. These are shot by the players after a win using a GoPro selfie stick.
Once every player has left the field, the social media team gathers the content and reviews it. Within the next few hours, the footage is edited into a final piece that runs on team social channels that same day. Vikings Cam initially started as single episodes, but the players soon started requesting that they become weekly. Player buy-in was critical for this piece - it was extremely important that not only they participated, but that their reactions were genuine and off-the-cuff. The result is a once-a-week riddle or reaction to a game win that the team's social producer turns into both a full-length and 60-second episodes for Vikings social platforms.
Vikings Cam videos consistently perform as the top content on the Vikings' social channels every week. From the beginning, players were invested in the show - a rare thing to happen in professional sports. Not only do the players regularly comment and share, but the riddles pose questions that drive up engagement for fans that follow along. Player buy-in for this series was critical and giving them freedom to "be themselves" was important. So much of sports content is highly produced and puts players in the best possible light, whereas this departure allows the players to respond organically, giving the audience the opportunity to see their true personalities. Strategically, it brings the fanbase closer to the players and allows for "fan favorites" to emerge, as was commonly noticed within the comments section of each post.
In total, Vikings Cam riddle and reaction videos generated 14.65M+ video views across Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/TikTok in its lifetime. In the past year, the videos have increased significantly in popularity across all platforms.
