NEWS
The tweeter behind the NTRA’s Twitter
Posted: Friday, December 23, 2011 2:29 PM
When racetracks began breaking into the world of Twitter, the timeline from Tampa Bay Downs led the way. Tweeting paddock photos and immediate results, responding quickly to queries and comments from followers, @tampabaydownsfl quickly set a standard for racetrack engagement on Twitter.
The tweeter behind that handle was Penelope Miller, and in August, she was hired to be the National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s first social media manager.
A joint initiative between the NTRA and the Jockey Club, the position was created, according to NTRA Vice President of Communications Stephen Panus, to take advantage of existing and emerging social media platforms in order to engage and attract new fans to racing.
Among Miller’s responsibilities are searching for newsworthy items in a variety of online publications that she can put on the NTRA’s Twitter timeline (@ntra) and Facebook page. Along with Panus and Joan Lawrence and Eric Wing from the NTRA Communications team, Miller also constructs the NTRA weekly electronic newsletter, compiling photos (from professionals and fans), links to blogs and online magazines, racing-related tweets, video, and interviews.
“I want to get the best, most interesting racing news out in the open and to get existing core fans, casual fans, and fans of other sports to interact and learn about the sport,” Miller said from the Jockey Club’s New York City offices that house NTRA Communications.
“Since her arrival just three months ago,” Panus said, “we have launched a weekly Facebook photo contest, and dramatically increased the number of followers via Twitter. We have encouraged and created collaboration between tracks, personalities within our sport, the media, and the fans.”
Though obviously enthusiastic about her new position, Miller does regret spending less time at the track. At Tampa, she went to the track every day, so she recently went to Aqueduct to counter her withdrawal. Proving that her racing expertise goes beyond social media, she went home a winner.
“I cashed every ticket I bet,” she said.
Miller’s not yet tweeting her picks, but followers of the NTRA timeline will find plenty of other information to pique and hold their interest.
“I’m hoping to work more with people around the country at different tracks, to make sure that we’re covering racing from coast to coast,” she said. “There are great stories out there, and I want to make sure they get told.”
Teresa Genaro is a New York correspondent of Thoroughbred Times.
