The Twitter Expansion of GTLivechat and GTLHottopics

Robert M.Mims

I want to share some exciting news about my plan to expand my engagement on Twitter. At the start of the NBA shutdown due to COVID 19, I started a doing a twitter chat 3 nights a week. The conversations included sports, sports business and sports betting. It was expanded to include music from contemporary artists and delve into their music catalogues. The audience grew exponentially over the 4 months and expanded to cover both the east and west coast.  The chat achieved approximately 30,000 impressions during the ESPYS on June 21st.

Since sports have returned the format has changed. The conversation or threads can't last as long in the evening because the games are rightfully taking center stage. A mid day version of the chat was added to engage the audience longer. This addition captured positive results. With the NFL coming in two weeks, it makes sense to expand the coverage, Start on September 1st, the chat will be on 4 nights. Those nights will be Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. A mid day version will happen on each of the aforementioned days of the week with Wednesday included at noon. 

The night chats will start at 7:30 prior to an NFL game. The conversation before any other game(NBA,MLB,NHL,WNBA or Tennis) will start 30 minutes before the contest.  There will still be polls that will gauge your opinions, questions that pertain to your sports betting selections and data that will help you make an informed decisions. We also highlight our followers by sharing their tweets and applaud their creativity when they include a GIF. On Thursday, there is a women in media segment that spotlights the achievements of  female athletes, reporters and business executives. On Fridays, we will still do Shout Outs and #FF. If you follow we follow back. 

Nkeshi Free 

The chat are cohosted by Nkeshi Free. She adds the creative side to the collaboration and is knowledgeable in all sports. Her twitter handle is @KeshisCuties. My twitter handle is @GamingguyM.

Tuesday is the #GTLHottopics day. All other days we use the #GTLivechat.

You can get updated information at smartresponsiblegaming.com

What's Next?

 

I am starting to look at universities and colleges this fall. Hold up. I am not thinking about taking a course or getting my Masters. I plan to offer my presentations virtually. I have visited several schools in this immediate region. They include Saint Joseph University, Temple University, Drexel University, Penn State, Delaware State University and Stockton University. Since the COVID pandemic makes going to the schools a risky venture even for a gaming professional like myself, I decided to use technology and make things easier. 

I am looking at schools not only in the mid Atlantic region but any state that is considering  adding  sports wagering to it's gaming statues. This includes Virginia, Washington DC, Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida and Georgia. The states of Illinois, Indiana and Colorado have recently legalized sports betting so I would anticipate ther would be some interest there as well.

So many educators will be curious why sports betting is a topic that their student would want to learn about. I will share two reasons. One is it is a revenue generator that is part of every professional sports pre game telecast.  Second are the business partnerships that are associated with sports wagering include the professional sports leagues, casinos, hotels and major restaurant chains. Each of these organizations will be employers for many of your students that are majoring in Hospitality, Tourism, Marketing, Business Management and Graphic Design. 

I have found that the interest in the gaming industry has never been higher. Within the past 3 years the taboo of "What is the line and did they cover ",has disappeared. The average age and demographic of a sports bettor is between 23 -34 and predominately male. In an American Gaming  Association survey found that 45% of the core bettors are in this group. The technological evolution and the use of mobile devices lend to the expansion of gaming and the opportunities to be a part of it. 

If you think your students would like to learn about how gaming and sports betting in particular is changing how we view a professional games and interact with each other then we should have a conversation.

Managing a Casino floor during Covid-19

Here is a glimpse of what the  responsibilities are now during a pandemic. This is a dramatic change from March 12th. The parameters are in place to insure a safe gaming environment.

The protocols for wearing a mask, sanitizing your hands and temperature checks before entering the

venue are adhered to. There is an occasional  reminder to be given regarding the mask covering the 

nose but the guests and employees are compliant when ask to do so.

The challenges that present themselves are in the areas of social distancing. The players that come

with a group or companion still stay together in close alignment while near the games or slot machines. While they are doing what  seems natural, they are not exercising social distancing. This requires that 

the management team must politely request that some degree of separation must be maintain, especially around the table games. This provides a level of comfort for the staff that is dealing to the patrons.

The limitation on occupancy makes scheduling games and deploying staff a creative process. You are now going with the demand for play as oppose to offering a full compliment of all the games. If three  people are requesting a baccarat game and one person is requesting Three Card Poker, I can tell you without hesitation the game I am opening first. Certain slot machines are not operable to make social distancing a mandate.

There is more area to cover during the work day because the gaming floor is more spread out. Pre Covid configurations were based on games being adjacent to each other. Plexiglass shields and visors are available at each game. This is for the safety of the employees and guests. 

How should you manage a casino floor during a pandemic?  You should follow all of the things I mentioned above. In addition, look to be innovative in how you connect with your guest. Use social media to let them know that you appreciate their business and that you want them to know that. Maintain a staffing level that allows for flexibility and gives you the ability to react to the unforeseen.

                   

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                  Here is my latest sports betting  & sports business article in Bettors Insider.