ESPN's Ric Bucher: The Post-Crackdown Tweets

It’s been three days since ESPN’s Ric Bucher issued the tweet heard ’round the social media world:

The hammer just came down, tweeps: ESPN memo prohibiting tweeting info unless it serves ESPN. Kinda figured this was coming …

Since Bucher tweeted about the sports net’s new social media guidelines edicts, he, has, bravely, continued to tweet — so BNET Media is going to put his seven post-crackdown tweets through the Guidelin-in-ator. to judge whether or not they are in line with ESPN’s new policies. You can study them in their ridiculous entirety here. OK, in chronological order, here we go (possible policy valuations are in parentheses following each tweet):

Aug. 4th, 6:03 PM: My guess is I can still tweet about my vacation/car shopping, etc. Which I will do, if I can. But the informal NBA talk is prob in jeopardy.
(Still tweeting about company policy! Additionally, this isn’t exactly exercising discretion, a clear violation of bullet point #8.)

Aug. 5th, 9:20 PM: Just to assure (or maybe disappoint a few), I haven’t been immolated, a la DeNiro, in a Sager suit, per Simmons’ clip. At least not yet.
(Still tweeting about company policy, even after, thanks to him, ESPN’s social media guidelines became a Twitter trending topic. Big no-no! Does he really want his job?)

Aug. 6th, 1:27 AM: My kids’ favorites: Space Mountain/TeaCups. Me? Riding Razors + Ripsticks in hotel parking lot, dousing their MarbleSlab energy b4 bedtime.
(OK, back on track. As it’s obvious he visited Disneyland, which, like ESPN, is owned by Disney, this can be considered ESPN-related content. Phew! However, it’s clear from this tweet that ESPN is not his “only priority” though; in future, he’d better lose the reference to the Razors + Ripsticks.)

Aug. 6th, 1:44 AM: FYI: this will remain a place 4 NBA discourse. So I’m told. After all the sturm und drang, exiling me from my near-19K BFF will not happen.
(Uh-oh — another tweet about company policy. Also, as this tweet deals with sports, did he “receive permission from the supervisor as appointed by [his] department head” for this tweet? At 1:44 a.m., methinks not.)

Aug. 6th, 1:54 AM: Since we’re on the subject: would like to hear your favorite/oddest vacation memory as a kid. A writing challenge in 140 characters.
(Tell me how, exactly, this tweet “serve(s) ESPN sanctioned efforts, including sports news, information and content”?)

Later on Aug. 6th: Outstanding vacation memories. I need to find a way to provide these for mass consumption. For now, proud to call you my tweeps.
(Ric, if you do this, please do it on your “ Personal websites and blog.’ However, if any of these memories include sports content, you are not allowed to mention them, per bullet point #1.)

Even later on Aug. 6th: Always surreal to run into NBA associates in non-NBA locales. Doug Collins + I crossed paths at Legoland today, he in a Bulls t-shirt. Hmmm.
(Probable violation of bullet point #4, that is, if Bucher asked ESPN if they wanted to publish this sports related social media content first: “If ESPN.com opts not to post sports related social media content created by ESPN talent, you are not permitted to report, speculate, discuss or give any opinions on sports related topics or personalities on your personal platforms.”)

Still later on Aug. 6th: Funniest part: I’m in t-shirt, bucket hat + shades. Collins intros me to family: “You’ve seen him on TV.” Blank ohhhh-k stares all around.
(We seem to have forgotten to “Be mindful that all posted content is subject to review”, haven’t we?)

So, if one is to take ESPN’s guidelines, literally — and really, how else should someone take them? — Bucher is in violation of the network’s social media policies in every one of his tweets. As much fun as I’ve had putting these tweets through the Guideline-in-a-tor it just goes to show how over-the-top this set of guidelines is. Note to ESPN: why not let the common sense of your very able employees prevail?

Previous coverage of ESPN at BNET Media:

ESPN Issues Anti-Social Media Guidelines [Updated]