Sports + New Year’s Day a perfect combo
Thu Jan 2, 2014 17:30 Share
Happy new year! While millions of people across the globe celebrated New Year’s Eve on the town, January 1 presented the perfect opportunity to sit on the couch, watch a variety of sporting events and discuss them on Twitter.
For all of the action, Twitter brought you into the locker room, onto the field and ice, amplified thrilling overtime action, and opened the doors of the broadcast booth.
First up on the New Year’s sports menu were 10 @premierleague soccer matches, including big wins for @SpursOfficial over @ManUtd, @chelseafc over @SouthamptonFC and @Arsenal over @CardiffCityFC.
Twitter offered fans behind the scenes access:
This is the last sight the United and Spurs players will see before they enter the wall of noise! #BPLonNBC pic.twitter.com/faJtGMnIYH
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) January 1, 2014
Arctic Monkeys, HAIM and Daft Punk will all soundtrack today's pre-match build-up at Old Trafford. #otplaylist pic.twitter.com/EN0Y34K0wg
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 1, 2014
And players turned to Twitter after big wins:
Always a pleasure to start the year winning! Happy 2014! #cfc #team pic.twitter.com/nxLDy0xjk4
— César Azpilicueta (@CesarAzpi) January 1, 2014
Good way to start the new year….well done to the boys and happy birthday @JackWilshere #Arsenal #AFC pic.twitter.com/efWXMKKIUK
— Kieran Gibbs (@KieranGibbs) January 1, 2014
Two late goals helped @Arsenal take home a major victory, including this great goal by @bendtnerb52:
Here's the moment the deadlock was finally broken as @bendtnerb52 scored late on… #AFCvCCFC pic.twitter.com/O4xHbfXdM2
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 1, 2014
A full slate of games lead to a change in the standings and a new record:
TABLE @SpursOfficial leapfrog @ManUtd into 6th, as @Arsenal maintain their one-point lead at the top pic.twitter.com/mMsG1SN8B7
— Premier League (@premierleague) January 1, 2014
RECORD BREAKER @luis16suarez reaches 20 #BPL goals in the fewest appearances (15) pic.twitter.com/M8tyFgu4gG
— Premier League (@premierleague) January 1, 2014
Next up: the @NHL #WinterClassic at Michigan Stadium (a.k.a. “The Big House”) on the campus of the University of Michigan between the @DetroitRedWings and @MapleLeafs. Both teams fought hard through extreme conditions to give fans an exciting game that went into overtime — and ultimately saw Toronto earn a 3-2 victory via a shootout.
The @DetroitRedWings showed how packed The Big House was just before the puck was dropped:
Game time, Hockeytown! #WinterClassic pic.twitter.com/Pp9jCfsV5l
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) January 1, 2014
And Michigan let its fans know that this would be the only day their stadium would be taken over by red:
The only time we will let red take over the Big House! The #WinterClassic is in full swing on this New Year's Day! pic.twitter.com/gDofMj8FBr
— University of Michigan (@UMich) January 1, 2014
Fans all over the world turned to Twitter to discuss the #WinterClassic, including a few who are serving overseas.
Anthony Meyers and Matt Donofrio show they're ready for the Classic all the way from Kuwait! #WinterClassic pic.twitter.com/BWBbZTeGco
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) January 1, 2014
A lot of the Twitter conversation focused on the weather:
13 degrees, snow in the air, more than 100,000 fans at the Big House. It's @NHL #WINTERCLASSIC Time!!!!
— NBC Sports Hockey (@NBCSportsHockey) January 1, 2014
Diehard fans at the game braved the cold conditions:
How are you celebrating the #WinterClassic? Show us photos of your fandom at home or at #TheBigHouse! pic.twitter.com/fJYiv0oaul
— NHL (@NHL) January 1, 2014
Toronto goalie Jonathan Bernier, who was the player of the game, made sure to keep his head warm:
Jonathan Bernier rocking the toque on the helmet #SEAofBLUE #WinterClassic pic.twitter.com/NysSh7pQJH
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) January 1, 2014
In the end, the Leafs prevailed after a game-winning shootout goal by @Bozie42:
Bernier 41 saves, Bozak (1G, SO winner), Phaneuf (2p) in the win #SEAofBLUE pic.twitter.com/bvOYzMFj8n
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) January 1, 2014
#WinterClassic bliss for these fans. https://t.co/1krqhmY0lK
— NHL (@NHL) January 1, 2014
Just as the #WinterClassic ended, sports fans turned to College Football’s BCS and the 100th @rosebowlgame between @StanfordFball and @MSU_Football:
Roses are red. Some are green too. It's the 100th 'Granddaddy of them all – Stanford vs MSU! #RoseBowl100 -> https://t.co/QqQhV7bsrY
— ESPN (@espn) January 1, 2014
Both teams opened up the locker room for fans on Twitter:
A look inside our halftime locker room. #gostanford #RoseBowl100 pic.twitter.com/O96nPLBlH6
— Stanford Football (@StanfordFball) January 2, 2014
The locker room is ready for the Spartans to arrive at the Rose Bowl. #MSURoses #RoseBowl100 pic.twitter.com/SR5GsuHLGL
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) January 1, 2014
And there’s nothing like seeing highlights on Twitter just after they happen on the field:
Kevin Anderson pulls a snatch & go, takes an ill-advised Connor Cook throw 40yds to glory. #RoseBowl100: http://t.co/TsCeC8pnjV
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) January 1, 2014
Magic Johnson U. takes its first lead of the game on this Cook-to-Lippett TD strike. #STANvsMSU #RoseBowl100: http://t.co/BIZIBi1bdv
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) January 2, 2014
Ultimately, the Spartans defeated the Cardinal 24-20 and did so with a huge fourth and one stop with the game on the line:
What. A. Defensive. Stop. #RoseBowl100
— ESPN (@espn) January 2, 2014
The perfect sports day ended with a big upset at the highest-scoring @FiestaBowl ever, as @UCF_Football took down heavily-favored @BUFootball 52-42:
UCF was a 17-point #FiestaBowl underdog.
UCF had never played in a BCS Bowl.
UCF proved everybody wrong.
— ESPN (@espn) January 2, 2014
@BUFootball rallied fans together on Twitter using the hashtag #SicUCF. They even had some of their most famous fans, including @RGIII, on the sidelines of the game:
Baylor legends in the house supporting Baylor in @FiestaBowl #SicUCF #BaylorWeAre pic.twitter.com/orvSZcpv1m
— Baylor Football (@BUFootball) January 2, 2014
Fans saw highlights on Twitter right after they happened, including this touchdown run by Knights quarterback Blake Bortles:
#UCF QB Blake Bortles now has 93yds rushing, including this 15yd TD run. #FiestaBowl: http://t.co/2cOOm57neF
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) January 2, 2014
In the end, the electric @UCF_Football offense proved to be too much:
What a ride! #UCF has won the 2014 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl! #UCFiesta #ChargeOn pic.twitter.com/jEOfNt5Ags
— UCF Knights (@UCFKnights) January 2, 2014
While New Year’s Day was pretty incredible, there’s an amazing array of upcoming games to satisfy the most rabid of sports fans:
@OU_Football takes on the defending champion @AlabamaFTBL tonight in the @SugarBowlNOLA;
the @NFL playoffs begin this weekend;
the regular seasons for the @NHL, @NBA and @premierleague continue; and
the BCS National Championship between @FSU_Football and @FootballAU kicks off in Pasadena on Monday night.
To make sure you don’t miss a single sports moment, turn to Twitter to connect with your teams, join in the conversation using hashtags, see exclusive behind-the-scenes content — and lots more. Join the fun!