Examining Raiders Social Media Helps With Long Offseason

In my last article, I touched on the value of social media to the football fan. This week, I thought this topic merited a more thorough explanation. Social media is especially valuable for “refugee” fans like me, who have chosen a team that is perhaps far from home. It’s a great way to feel part of the fanbase. I’ll be focusing on Twitter, since that is my social media platform of choice. In addition, Raiders Twitter is interesting.

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If you’re a Raiders fan, chances are quite high already that you follow the official twitter account. However, I still wanted to give it a shout-out. Minicamp is being held this week, and they’ve been posting multiple videos and interviews a day. I’ve discovered a new love for the intricacies of off-season training, and I’ve enjoyed all the insights I’ve been getting.

Another thing that the Raiders’ account does that I appreciate is frequent throwback posts. When you’re new to a team that has a long history, there’s so much to learn. Learning more about past players and successes allows me to fill in a mental timeline of where the team’s been and, hopefully, where we might be going.

Of course, the real fun comes in following the players. Derek Carr is fast becoming one of my favorites, and his twitter account is part of the reason why. Carr posts frequently, and he also has good engagement with fans; he doesn’t just interact with verified accounts. He also has a good sense of banter with the fans, including an exchange with one who insisted he should be studying the playbook instead of watching the NBA finals. Carr manages the balance of being an elite player who takes the game seriously without taking himself too seriously.

I also sort of love Marquette King after checking his twitter profile out. Marquette’s only four years younger than me, and it shows in some of his pop culture references; I’m glad I’m not the only kid who watched way too many Nickelodeon game shows as a kid. There are also videos of King goofing off in his pool. His love for his sport and team is also present all over his page. In a sport that can at times seem homogenous, it’s refreshing to see such a genuine personality.

I’ve also, through twitter, made the delightful, belated acquaintance of Charles Woodson. I was always aware of him, of course, but I’ve become more and more aware of his impact on the game of football as I’ve become more acquainted with the Raiders. Woodson’s stream is a mixture of humor, fan engagement (the last two often combined in one), and videos on sports and pop culture. I laughed out loud several times while going through his feed.

I’ve found my experience in Raiders twitter fun enough to see what I can find on some of the other websites. Who knows what Marquette King might be up to that I’m not seeing?

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