Managing social media for a large corporation is quite the balancing act these days. You want to create a captivating post, but at the same time, you really don’t want to give internet trolls easy ammunition. This is especially true for a major college football team, where fans from rival teams are just itching for a chance to take a jab at you.
Having worked as a social media manager before, I can’t help but feel for those in that role right now. Recently, the Texas A&M football team’s social media crew shared something that has turned into a playground for Photoshop-savvy trolls.
At first glance, it might seem like the team is simply hyping up their new end zones, but for those who understand the landscape, it’s like giving out a blank canvas for anyone looking to troll.
If you don’t believe me, just take a look. It’s pretty clear that if the Aggies were performing well—say, 4-0—things wouldn’t be nearly as bad in the comments. But since they’re currently sitting at 2-2, following back-to-back losses to Kentucky and LSU, it’s no surprise this situation has sparked quite the reaction.
Honestly, opportunities like this don’t just appear anymore. Social media managers usually catch on to the potential for ridicule. I’m not sure how the Aggies’ team allowed this one to slip through. They even included the standard blank Photoshop fill on the end zones, almost as if inviting the trolls to take action.
Was this some kind of intentional ploy by Texas A&M to boost engagement? I seriously doubt it. Here’s the thing—they started the season as a top-ten team with hopes of making the College Football Playoff, but now they find themselves precariously close to missing out altogether. While their posts are indeed generating responses, most of it comes from frustrated fans questioning why certain players are still on the field.
I suspect this was just an oversight from whoever was managing the social media in College Station. It serves as a valuable lesson for those looking to hire social media managers for prominent sports teams or major companies: be cautious with who gets access to those crucial accounts.
