Fans Rejoice Over Atlanta’s First Championship Since 1995
Anlayses of
This Major League Baseball season featured the return of fans to all 30 stadiums, playoff series with true home-field advantages, and a franchise experiencing bliss it had not felt for more than a quarter-century. The Atlanta Braves fought their way through mid-season mediocrity and a gauntlet of postseason powerhouses to win the club’s first World Series since 1995. In their final test, they overcame a formidable Houston Astros team that has won the American League pennant in three of the last five years. While Truist Park in Atlanta was rocking for Games Three through Five and Minute Maid Park in Houston was filled to capacity for Games One, Two, and Six, fans who could not secure coveted tickets to the games expressed their enthusiasm on social media. After monitoring each team’s social performance during the League Division Series and League Championship Series, we continued our analysis during the sport’s premier spectacle. A common theme woven throughout each round was the importance of winning. Our review takes a deeper look at how the Braves generated nearly three times more post value than their World Series opponent.
The excitement among Braves fans was palpable from the first at-bat of Game One, which resulted in a home run for eventual World Series MVP Jorge Soler. Atlanta faithful in attendance at the games as well as those who crammed into Battery Park to watch on big screens were eager to erupt with elation for their team after every pitch. But that passion spread far beyond the ballpark. It was equally apparent on social media, where the Braves’ Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts outperformed the Astros’ channels by a considerable margin. Over the course of the World Series, the teams produced roughly the same amount of social content – the Braves had 282 total posts and the Astros had 280. However, Atlanta generated $8.08M in total post value while Houston only created $2.73M worth of value. That was because the Braves averaged 42,266 engagements per post – roughly 3.3 times as many as the Astros. Overall, 19 of the top 20 posts ranked by total engagements came from the Braves’ platforms. The Astros’ most-engaging post – 19th on the list – was a congratulatory message to the victors.
The common thread throughout our MLB postseason social analysis has been the value of winning. The victorious clubs during the LDS and LCS outperformed their opponents on the field and online, and that pattern continued in the World Series. Moreover, winning affected performance from one series to the next. Atlanta’s average post value during the NLCS was $18,215 – 53% higher than the team’s average during the NLDS. Similarly, Houston’s average post value jumped by 40% from the ALDS to the ALCS. However, the Braves and Astros experienced contrasting results during the World Series. Atlanta’s trajectory grew at an even greater rate, with average post value increasing by 57% to $28,662. Meanwhile, the Astros noticed a 1% decline in average post value compared to the previous round. The Braves were seemingly in control following each game of the series. After winning Game One to earn a split on the road in Houston, they returned home to win two straight and push the Astros to the brink of elimination. The team’s Instagram post following back-to-back home runs to gain the lead late in Game Four had 8.54 million impressions and a total post value of $116,453. But that pales in comparison to the value generated by posts commemorating the Braves’ series-clinching win. Their six most valuable posts all came during or after Game Six, including a celebratory carousel with 362,588 engagements worth $205,468 in total value.
Baseball has long been known as America’s Pastime, but the influence of social media has added a new pastime to our daily lives. From October into the early days of November, the two converged to help baseball fans in Atlanta, Houston, and around the globe follow the MLB playoffs. The Braves and Astros strategically used social media throughout their journeys to the Fall Classic and demonstrated the impact each of their platforms can have. The total engagements, impressions, and value created prove fans love both baseball and social media. But the most apparent outcome of our evaluation is a timeless story. Everybody loves a winner.
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