How Dallas Cowboys lose at Social Media. While Not Playing.
You may have seen South Carolina native Melissa Kellerman and the beginning of her 15 minutes of fame during Thursday’s Cowboys-Dolphins game.
It was a harmless incident, and Kellerman, in her fourth year with the team, was a really good sport about it. TE Jason Witten was a gentleman in helping her up and making sure she was OK. A great opportunity for a feel-good Social Media opportunity was born. On Kellerman’s Twitter account Friday:
Harmless. All in good fun, and you would think “America’s Team” would have been all smiles for this great PR opportunity to drop in their lap. This is the team that allows a “reality show” on CMT with the cheerleaders. The “official” Facebook page refers to the cheerleaders as “America’s Sweethearts”. Great opportunity, right?
Yep. Great opportunity for the Cowboys… to TOTALLY BLOW IT.
According to reports in Yahoo! Sports, the Hollywood Reporter and FOX Sports Southwest, the NFL franchise has now kicked Kellerman off Twitter for her Tweets.
According to CNBC, the Cowboys will not allow Kellerman to speak to the media about the incident. Really?
For their part, the Cowpokes have released no statement on the incident. They clearly don’t approve of non-corporately approved cheerleader Twitter activity.
So now, with Social Media, the Cowboys have performed as they have many times on the field.
Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
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UPDATE: Finally, an official response from the Cowboys. No comment on the opportunity, no positioning of the response. Just a simple denial of responsibility.
Following a request for comment from CNET, the team’s director of public relations, Rich Dalrymple, wrote in an email, “The organization doesn’t get [into] administering the Twitter accounts of players or cheerleaders. Melissa made her own decisions regarding her account over the weekend.”
Oh, and one other little twist to the story. Kellerman’s account is back on Twitter, but her tweets are now private. Her bio reads, “22-ish. Wears white cowboy boots and stars to work. Bridesmaid x2. Chapstick addict. Enjoys romantic walks to the fridge.”
Looks a little sanitized from the weekend to me.
The Cowboys. Still. Don’t. Get. It.
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PHOTO Credits: Getty Images, The Hollywood Reporter
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