Rugby fans around the world connect via the #rugbyunited (RU) “family” to share their local rugby knowledge and enthusiasm globally and learn from each other’s rugby cultures. There are currently 130 RU accounts that have a combined follower base of well over 250,000. Unity comes easily to RU account managers and their followers.
The first countries to have RU accounts were Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy, swiftly followed by New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Argentina, USA, and Canada. There are over 150 people who are involved in RU, with the vast majority of them running the RU accounts. There is also a team of people that don’t run the accounts, but look at a number of other things when needed such as IT, branding, and special projects.
The people behind the RU accounts have full-time jobs and their rugby passion lies within giving their spare time to RU. RU is not a business and does not earn, or spend any money, and all of the “staff” are volunteers. During 2014, RU explored a number of options to allow RU to make money, predominantly to allow them to fund a number of future ideas. In the future, they would also like to be in the position to pay expenses to the RU account managers, who attend a number of events and activities (often press related), to help their RU account grow.
RU’s Canadian account, @RugbyCan_, run by Mark and Karen (a husband and wife team), is one of the early international accounts RU set up. Their reputation has grown exceptionally well with their governing body, Canadian rugby journalists, international Canadian rugby players, and grassroots rugby clubs.
“We feel we could go anywhere a #rugbyunited manager is & be at home; out of the blue a meet-up today!” said @RugbyCan_. These Account Managers have made friends with many other RU Account Managers, and a lot of them have met in person as well. The managers of @RugbyCan_ have met at least 20 RU people.
According to Trevor, co-founder of RU, “the @RugbyCan RU account is a great example of what RU accounts can achieve with the right ideas and attitudes that you see with the Account Managers. This account is often used as a “blueprint” example and is held in high regard by many of the other accounts.”
Initially, RU set up the accounts around the world and then sought “admins” (a.k.a. Account Managers) to run each account. On a few occasions, they have set up an account on request. For example, the Goan RFU recently contacted them, asking if they would set up @rugbyGOA_ so they could promote Goan rugby across the RU network.
Usually people get involved as Account Managers with RU after being a follower and contributor to the #rugbyunited hashtag for some time. RU often has people approach them who have seen what they do and want to get involved, and they always try and accommodate them where possible. It is rare these days for them to have to go and find someone who they don’t know at all.
Wherever possible, RU tries to find Account Managers who live in the country they represent, speak the native language and English, so the RU senior team can talk to them too. This can often be a challenge, but they are always looking for someone with “local” rugby knowledge, someone who doesn’t just follow the national team, but rather someone who really does know what is happening right across the board in their country.
Quite often RU accounts give out advice to travelling fans, and this naturally leads to fans of both teams and RU accounts managers meeting up in person. RU co-founder, Trevor Large said, “many of RU account managers meet each other at games, which is an incredibly terrific way of cementing the family feel.”
One of rugby’s unique values is that it encourages the goodness in people associated with the sport. I recently had the pleasure of meeting Scott Hornell, of @RugbyNZ_ where we talked New Zealand rugby over ice cream then united over the goodness of donating blood.
Scott runs the RU New Zealand account, but also has input across the franchises based in NZ. He initially joined RU specifically to look after @rugbynz_ and Scott’s involvement and success in RU has elated him to fulfil the position of Associate Director, similar to Steve Engel who runs the RU England account @RugbyEng.
Rugby ignites a unique global collaborative passion, bonding people in all levels of rugby, whether rugby players, admin, supporters, executives, etc. RU account managers and their followers have found and embraced the rugby family devotion. In Part III of this RU article, hear more from RU account managers.
To be continued in Part III. Hear from the people behind the Tweets…
If you missed Part I Click Here.
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