Press Release

For Immediate Release:

Demand Media Helps Leading Soccer Digital Destinations “Score” Greater Engagement with Young World Cup Fans

AUSTIN, Texas – June 10, 2010 – The mounting excitement around this summer’s World Cup is a reminder that soccer, once a second-tier sport in the U.S., is now a mainstream phenomenon particularly among younger Americans.  Soccer league and team Web sites are recognizing this youth audience’s appetite for greater online engagement and responding with the provision of social media features designed to yet further fan the flames of interest amongst this youthful demographic, according to Demand Media®, provider of the industry-leading Pluck® social media tools to brands, retailers and publishers.

Of the 18 million Americans who play soccer, 78 percent are under the age of eighteen. This new breed of soccer fan grew up with social media as a part of their identity and an expected element of any online experience. Tapping into this expectation by enabling online conversation and play in ways that are second nature to them – such as Instant Message and online multiplayer game play – will assist sporting organizations in building a more active community, in turn ensuring increased engagement and greater brand loyalty.

“As American interest in soccer continues to grow at a rapid pace, fans, especially the younger demographic, look for opportunities to connect with others to discuss their passion for the game and root for their favorite teams,” said Steve Semelsberger, senior vice president and general manager of the Business Solutions Group for Demand Media. “The World Cup provides a great opportunity for U.S. soccer digital destinations to take advantage of this raised profile and give these passionate, vocal fans the tools they need to merge their offline soccer interest with their love of online interaction.”

Demand Media is one step ahead when it comes to tapping into this potential. The company provides integrated social media solutions for a number of leading soccer digital destinations, incorporating comments, forums, photos and groups into these websites to create a more interactive experience. The Seattle Sounders FC, the US Soccer Federation, and the Women's Professional Soccer League are just a few examples of leading sports organizations that are seeing the benefits of social media.

In anticipation of the World Cup, the Women’s Professional Soccer League has launched the first-ever women’s fantasy soccer game, “the WPS Fantasy Challenge,” which enables fans to test their knowledge of WPS players against their friends and families.

The Pluck social media platform is broadly deployed on more than 440 leading digital destinations. Pluck capabilities are seamlessly integrated via easy-to-install widgets and a robust set of platform-level APIs that allow site owners to tailor social media experiences to the needs of their distinct audiences.