On 11 November 2020, Los Angeles Lakers took to its official Twitter handle to announce that the Lakers games in the 2020-2021 NBA season will be held behind closed doors until further notice. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the franchise pledged to prioritize the health and safety of its fans, players, and members of the staff. Therefore, the franchise stated that it would continue to collaborate with the state and local officials to facilitate the safe reintroduction of fans back to the Staples Center once declared safe as per the local, state, and NBA guidelines ( Los Angeles Lakers, 2020 ). The post concluded by appreciating the never-ending support from its fanbases.
The post on the Los Angeles Lakers' official Twitter account was engaging, mainly due to the upcoming NBA season. The 2020-2021 NBA season is scheduled to start on 22 December 2020. Following the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus, the NBA league was suspended. Upon the return of the 2019-2020 NBA season, the NBA games were played without fans. Therefore, the Lakers' detailed information on the 2020-2021 season was engaging as it gives updates on whether the upcoming Lakers games will be held with or without fans. In addition to informing the Lakers' fanbase that their games will be held without fans, it gives the fanbase information on integrating fans back to the Lakers games.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
While there was no direct call-to-action from the Twitter post, the post encourages Lakers fans to adhere to the health and safety standards to curb the spread of Coronavirus. In addition to informing the fans that the Lakers games will be played behind closed doors, the post states that the fans will be welcomed back to the Staples Center with the condition that the local, state, and NBA health and safety guidelines are met ( Los Angeles Lakers, 2020 ). That way, the post encourages Lakers fans to adhere to the health and safety standards, maintain patience, and continues supporting the team from their home until fans are allowed back in the arena.
The Los Angeles Lakers franchise can collect its fans' reaction from the analysis of the Twitter replies and other comments on the tweet. The evaluation of Twitter replies shows the negative and positive comments about the post, and that way, the franchise can get a clear picture of the expectation of its fans. For instance, a glance at the comments shows that most fans are disappointed by the announcement since they want to attend Lakers games, particularly following their successful 2019-2020 NBA campaign ( Los Angeles Lakers, 2020 ). While a few are understanding of the current situation, other users are very aggressive in their comments. By viewing comments that encourage fans to attend the home games and demand entry into the arena despite the announcement, the franchise can prepare beforehand to deal with such a case in the event it comes to pass.
As outlined above, the post has attracted the fans' opinion about the running of Lakers NBA games without fans. While the post draws mixed reactions, most fans are disappointed that they will not be attending Lakers gamers ( Los Angeles Lakers, 2020 ). The franchise can use the information to encourage their fans to remain patient and understand the current health and safety conditions. Besides, by capturing negative reactions that can mobilize fans to attend the home games forcefully, the Los Angeles Lakers franchise can devise measures to address any issues during the games. That way, the post can help the franchise set up measures that will ensure the safety of its players, fans, the members of the staff, and the community.
Reference
Los Angeles Lakers (2020). Lakers announce information on 2020-21 season |Los Angeles Lakers. Retrieved 12 November 2020 from https://twitter.com/Lakers/status/1326681741189279744
