Associate producer helps provide MNF fans behind-the-scenes access via social media
Tom Brady and the 9-0 New England Patriots play host to the AFC East division rival Buffalo Bills on ESPN’s Monday Night Football (ESPN, 8:15 p.m. ET). The MNF commentator team of Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden and Lisa Salters call the game from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
Follow the game on social media: In addition to the @ESPNMondayNight Twitter feed, ESPN’s team shares MNF content on the MNF Facebook page and the @ESPNMondayNight Instagram page. Additionally, the @ESPNNFL Twitter feed is populated with NFL content throughout the week and serves as a second screen destination for fans watching Thursday and Sunday NFL games.
If there’s one word that associate producer Neeta Sreekanth would use to best describe her role, it’s “engages.”
As the ESPN staffer who oversees social media for Monday Night Football and the lead content creator for the @ESPNMondayNight Twitter feed, Sreekanth’s mission is to give fans behind-the-scenes access to ESPN’s weekly NFL primetime game — bring them closer to the players and coaches and the people who work on the show, while also capturing the sights and sounds of each city.
To prepare for each MNF game, Sreekanth reads research packets compiled by MNF’s news editor and attends production meetings to determine the best storylines and notes to feature on social.
Knowing what the production team plans to highlight during the telecast, Sreekanth creates unique artwork based on anticipated graphics, top players likely to be discussed, key features or segments, and area scenics from the MNF host city. She also connects with the social contacts from the participating teams to share content created by ESPN’s marketing team, like this 30-second trailer.
While Sreekanth posts content daily during the season, there is a particular emphasis on game day. On Mondays, she and Bristol-based social media colleagues Matt Kline, Jason Romano and Michael Bucklin stay in constant communication via a text thread to ensure there is synergy between the MNF telecast and what is being produced for social. The content produced ranges from Vines and Periscope videos to quotes and player stats.
Sreekanth explains, “Our goal is to support to the Monday Night crew and accentuate what fans will see within the telecast in as engaging a way as possible.”
On the job just eight weeks, Sreekanth was approached on the sidelines by some fans at a recent game in San Diego. “They said, ‘We love to see what you guys are doing on Monday,’” Sreekanth recalls. “That was really eye-opening and a testament to the work of the entire crew.”
