Twitter, the micro-blogging service, recently release a new feature that allows users to create lists to categorize and group the people they follow. One of the really helpful features of the new twitter lists functionality is that you can set the lists to be public or private.
Public lists can be shared with other twitter users and the NHL has taken this functionality and created a very targeted business use for hockey fans. The NHL (@NHL on twitter) has created lists for each of the active NHL teams, as well as some older teams that no longer exist.
When the Twitter Lists functionality first appeared the folks behind @NHL decided to create the lists for each team and ask their followers which list they’d like to be added on as fan. To date they’ve received almost 4000 requests from twitter users. If you’d like to be added to a list, just tweet the NHL account @NHL and include the hashtag #myfavoriteNHLteam and they’ll add you to the list for that team.
The NHL has had to work with twitter to get around some of their limits, which currently allows a single account to only host a max of 20 lists. With the success of this real-world business use of the lists functionality, Twitter has allowed the @NHL account to host more than the 20 lists. The folks @NHL are now working on an option to let them share and interact with all of their lists above the 20 threshold.
Kudos to the NHL for pursuing this social media option for really interacting and building some interest around their teams. I wonder how long it takes for the other professional sports leagues to follow the NHL’s lead.
Follow this link to see the list of @NHL teams you can follow.
