Companies That Get It: Kansas City Wizards

This is the third post in our “Companies that get it” series that works to highlight businesses that are on forefront of social media using creative and effective uses of emerging technologies to run and improve their business.

Company – OnGoal, LLC. Owner of the Kansas City Wizards

Description – The Wizards are Kansas City’s professional MLS soccer team and started in 1995 as one of the league’s 10 charter teams. They have been winners of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, Supporters Shield, and most importantly in 2000 were crowned MLS Cup Champions.

Social Media Usage - Blogging, Twitter, You Tube, MySpace, and message board community engagement.

How They Stand Out – The Wizards excel at the most important aspect of any social media strategy. Content creation. Their official blog Hillcrest Road does a great job connecting with, and informing fans. News items and blog posts that are KCW related are pulled from all over and relayed to the Hillcrest Road readers. Every aspect of the organization is covered in the original content they create. Interviews with the players, behind the scenes access on road games, updates on players’ involvement in the community, as well as more game related information. The blog also does a great job of getting the fans involved. Last season they got input from HR readers to give a name to a common goal celebration that takes place (think of a soccer version of the Lambeau Leap) at the games. Twitter and MySpace is used as an outpost and You Tube is used as an outpost and a content source.

One of the interesting things that came from putting KCW under the social media microscope was seeing the CEO of OnGoal Robb Heineman jumping into fan message boards. Message boards are interesting places, they are filled with informed passionate people however the relative anonynimity can give communities a “Lord of the Flies” type feel where people with good intentions can have really bad experiences. Robb has gained a lot of integrity with fans by giving them info directly and showing he has a passion and excitement for the team that you don’t see often from a person in his position. We stress treading lightly in message board communities.

It is great to see Kansas City based companies understand the value of social media and connecting with customers in new ways. Best of luck to the Wizards in 2009.