Finance Howard Kennedy
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Social Media - Don’t get caught offside when you’re online
Howard Kennedy kick-off partnership with Professional Player
Cristiano Ronaldo has 37 million followers on twitter. Wayne Rooney has 11 million. Joey Barton has 3 million despite not having a club over most of the summer. It’s really easy to use and it’s a great way to engage with fans, but you need to be careful when you use it. Tweeting the wrong thing takes two seconds, but could haunt you for the rest of your career. That’s why we have put together our top tips to help you tweet safely:
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for tweeting safely:
to think twice before hitting ‘tweet’:
1 The FA:
1 Don’t tweet when you’re angry:
Ashley Cole received the highest ever fine (£90,000) for tweeting that the FA were a “bunch of t***s”, even though he apologised before the FA brought the charges.
Text a friend instead, or write out the tweet but don’t press send until you have taken a little bit of time to calm down and reflect.
2 Your club:
2 Don’t get drawn in to petty debates with fans:
Rio Ferdinand’s final season should have been memorable for the right reasons. Instead it will be remembered for the three match ban he received for describing Ashley Cole as ‘choc-ice’.
Fans are always going to tweet you just to get a reaction. Don’t rise to it. Focus on the fans who want to support you and your team.
3 The police:
3 Ask your agent or your lawyer
A student called Liam Stacey sent a few tweets about Fabrice Muamba back in 2012. He had no previous record and apologised the same day (once he had sobered up). Even so, the tweets were so offensive that he was sent to prison for 56 days.
You could jeopardise your relationship with your sponsors if you are seen to be supporting a rival product or company. Don’t tweet photos of yourself wearing the “wrong” brand.
4 Your sponsors and the ASA: Wayne Rooney and Jack Wilshere got into trouble with the Advertising Standards Agency (a government watchdog) after they sent tweets on behalf of Nike but made it look as if they were their own words.
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Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/theprofessionalplayer
before you tweet about a product:
4 Ask your club for guidance or hire your own social media manager: rs owe
When you’re looking for a new club, will you be able to add value to your deal by pointing to the number of shirts you could sell? Or would fans just think “Isn’t that the guy that accidentally posted a picture of himself with no clothes on”?
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5 Your next club:
Sol Campbell, together with Matthew Etherington and Simon Davies, helped Howard Kennedy’s Sports Individuals team celebrate its exclusive partnership with Professional Player.
The chances are your club has a social media manager. They will be able to give you a list of things not to tweet about, and should be available to tell you whether particular tweets are a bad idea.
5 Ask yourself “would I ever say this in an interview?”:
If it’s too rude for an interview, then why is it OK to tweet it? Anything you put online can be quoted in the papers, just as an interview would be.
osted by Lois Langton, the joint head of the team, the evening kicked off at 6.00pm in front of a full crowd of some 40 guests and friends of the firm and Professional Player. The party provided an opportunity for networking and to hear some wise words from Sol Campbell. But if you do fall foul of a spontaneous urge and find yourself in trouble for something you have posted, then we are here to help. Our lawyers are experts in what to do about sensitive photographs, videos and comments on social media or other websites, and related reputational issues. Lois Langton and Fiona Hinds are the joint Heads of the Sports Individuals Group at Howard Kennedy LLP, a leading London law firm. Howard Kennedy acts for a significant number of sportsmen and women and understand the sports industry from both a legal and commercial perspective. For further information please contact Lois Langton or Fiona Hinds: Lois.langton@howardkennedy.com Fiona.hinds@howardkennedy.com
Howard Kennedy partner Mark Stephens, Yellow Card: fresh from BBC Radio 4’s The Media Show, Stef the Ref disciplines Sol Campbell provided half time punditry interviewing Sol Campbell, who shared his views competition for those wishing to show on West Ham’s Reece Oxford, Jeremy off their talent and skills. Corbyn’s Labour leadership race, and the future of London. The final whistle blew at 9pm, with a Stef the Ref entertained and kept guests satisfying result for everyone attending. onside issuing plenty of yellow and red cards, with leading caricaturist Luisa Calvo capturing the players and guests in action. Table football provided some lively
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