Melbourne Heart players will wear their Twitter handles on the back of their jerseys this weekend as part of a digital initiative from the club.
Melbourne Heart players will wear their Twitter handles on the back of their jerseys this weekend as part of a digital initiative from the club.
In a first for the Hyundai A-League and other sporting codes in Australia, the Twitter handles will replace the standard surname on the back of the shirt.
Midfielder Richard Garcia-s surname will be replaced with his Twitter handle @RichGarcia19, while the numbering will conform with HAL standards.
The match will also celebrate and recognise the club-s fan-designed third strip, which was selected by coach John Aloisi, and will be worn for this Round 20 match against Perth at AAMI Park.
Heart has also partnered with children-s agency Save the Children Australia to auction the jersey of the Twitter-voted man-of-the-match, with all proceeds going to Save the Children.
Those players without Twitter handles will wear the club-s Twitter account; @MelbourneHeart, while the club will liaise with Fox Sports to utilise non-playing players- and fan-s tweets throughout the match.
Heart CEO Scott Munn said the idea was aimed to give fans another way to engage witht eh club and players.
“This initiative will allow fans to interact, comment and discuss key points of the match with other fans, about their idols in real time and feel part of the club through a digital phenomenon which is growing in scope and popularity,” Munn said.
“We have seen the power of social media and its ability to allow fans to interact with one another and now we are giving fans and viewers the ultimate digital connection with their Heart stars.
“Partnering with Save the Children will allow us to contribute financially to a children-s agency that is committed to assisting vulnerable children across Australia.”
