This week, I will kick off the "YouTube Athlete Video of the Week" column. The latest feature of the Blog will show off a YouTube video of an athlete and briefly discuss the video. As the technology available to athletes and fans drastically changes so does the rest of their lives. Athletes are now becoming more transparent and the line between star athlete and fan has begun to mesh. Athletes and stars are now using and accepting sites like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and writing personal blogs.
Twitter has been the talk of every town the past several months, and with more athletes getting accounts, it is only likely to increase in popularity, specifically amongst the elder businessmen and women in society. Twitter has brought a lot of positive attention to these “new” platforms, but Twitter imposters have made some athletes and coaches (like Tony La Russa) file lawsuits and discouraged them from using such sites.
Keeping all the positive and negative effects of Twitter in mind, it is time to introduce the newest way athletes are marketing themselves and making their life more transparent. Introducing, the video log (VLOG). The VLOG is simply a video of an athlete going about his daily routine or showing off a specific quality. When athletes post VLOGs onto sites and other mediums like YouTube, it gives immediate access to fans and allows them to connect with athletes the second it is posted. YouTube has become a great marketing tool for upcoming athletes and has given current stars a way to connect to fans. This type of forum is becoming increasingly important in the world of agents and athletes.
The video below is a great example of how upcoming athletes are taking advantage of the marketing capabilities of YouTube. A while ago Jarron Gilbert posted a video better known as “Dood who jumped out of the pool,” when Gilbert did exactly that. The video showed off Gilbert's power and leaping ability, as he jumped out of the shallow-end of the pool and landed on his feet.
Yesterday, Matt passed on a video that seemed to combat Gilbert’s jumping out of the pool video. In this new video, former Nebraska-Omaha wide receiver and kick returner, Keith Eloi, jumps into the bed of a truck from the road wearing sandals.
The video below shows and compares the two athlete’s videos.
Gilbert jumping out of the pool received a lot of publicity and hype online and in the media. It even made it on ESPN SportsCenter. In fact, the original YouTube video was viewed well over 1 million times. While Gilbert's talent is undeniable, I'm sure the buzz generated from the video helped him raise his profile considerably. The Chicago Bears recently signed the third-round draft pick to a four-year contract.
I can only imagine that Keith jumping into the truck will get as much attention. It definitely caught the eye of Redskins team officials already at minicamp. According to the Washington Post, the Skins planning on signing him.
Both videos are pretty amazing and certainly show off a distinct quality that these athletes possess. I personally think jumping into the truck wearing sandals is unreal, but powering through the water and landing on your feet takes some talent as well.
Which video do you think is more impressive? Will Elois catch Gilbert as the next athlete YouTube phenom?
If you find any videos of athletes that you think are worthy of making the “YouTube Athlete Video of the Week,” please pass them along to us at Access Athletes: The Real Athlete Blog. You can email me directly with any videos or questions at zkurtz@accessathletes.com.
