Diamondbacks to Host First Ever Tweet Up

I remember when I was in elementary school. We were studying what I thought was ancient American history. Our teacher Mrs. Quick was attempting to explain to us what life was like before the advent of the television. She may as well have been trying to describe what life would be like living on Mars.

My classmates and I looked at each other wondering if Mrs. Quick had eaten too much paste during the last art project. How could anyone live without a television? I mean everyone had a TV and some kids even had two. That’s where all the news came from and how we interacted with the world. Who could even imagine what it would be like if we didn’t have those three stations we could tune into every night.

Sure I heard stories from my grandparents about how they would huddle around the radio and listen to programs. I didn’t give them much credence. After all my grandpa would also tell me how he fought grizzly bears with his notebook during snowstorms as he walked 20 miles to school each day.

Technology and communications have come light years from those dark times. We now have televisions as thin as a picture frame and as large as a wall. Those three television stations have been replaced with satellite and cable systems with literally hundreds of stations. For the record, I think my TV still only gets three stations – Fox Sports Arizona, MLB Network, and ESPN (at least that is what my wife continues to tell me).

Now though we find ourselves moving beyond just television to interact and connect with one and another. The Internet has put the world’s knowledge at our fingertips and interactive media has enhanced the text of books to bring us news and information within seconds.

It seems like everywhere we look technology has invaded our lives. From web sites to social media channels information is everywhere. But how do you take advantage of this new frontier?

The Arizona Diamondbacks plan to address this question and others in their first ever “Tweetup” to be held at Chase Field before the September 19th game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The team will be hosting this event to discuss how social media and the Internet has changed sports.

There will be a panel discussion with the Diamondbacks along, Fox Sports Arizona, and other local social media personalities. It will be a Question and Answer session allowing guests to hear about experiences and ask questions of how this new communications medium is being used in sports.

Besides the Q&A session, guests will also receive one Club Box ticket to that night’s game, access to a pre-game mixer, and a D-backs Tweetup T-shirt.

The Diamondbacks are anticipating panel participants including Diamondbacks CEO Derrick Hall, Fox Sports Arizona Reporter Todd Walsh, Fox Sports Reporter Jack Macgruder, Diamondbacks Reporter Steve Gilbert, AZ Snakepit’s Jim McLennan, and yours truly.

Yeah I know, I have no idea why I am on the list either but I’m not saying anything for fear that I’ll get a call telling me they made a mistake and somehow my name got added to the list. When I was invited I eagerly agreed. I thought they were asking if I wanted to go, not if I wanted to answer questions.

When it finally sunk in I did what any kid would do, I called my mom to tell her. The conversation went kind of like this.

“Hello?”

“Hi mom, something cool just happened! The Arizona Diamondbacks have invited me to be involved in their first ever Tweetup!”

“When did you get a bird?”

“No mom, it’s a Tweetup. You know social media, I’m on Twitter.”

“Your twitterpated? But your married.”

“No, not twitterpated like Bambi, Twitter like I write stuff in 140-characters and people follow me.”

“Where are they following you to?”

“No not literally follow me, they follow me on the Internet”

“The Internet? That thing Al Gore made? You know I never liked that Al Gore character, his eyes are too close together. Is he getting you into trouble again?”

“No mom, Al Gore is not getting me into trouble.”

“Here’s your dad, you tell him what Al Gore made you do. Hello son? What’s this about that Gore character?”

“Hi dad, I just told mom Al Gore said he was sorry and is going home. I’m going to a Diamondbacks game next week with some friends.”

“That’s nice, does Randy Johnson still play there?”

“Yeah he sends his best, gotta go.”

So as you can see, my family is extremely excited about the upcoming Tweetup. Hopefully you’ll join the Arizona Diamondbacks for this event. To purchase tickets use the password TWEET and if anyone asks tell them Al Gore sent you (unless you’re talking to my parents).