My POV during both Pelican and Saints gamedays through Instagram stories and Snapchat.

Pelicans at Mavericks

Background

The purpose of this project was to create a cohesive, real-time game day narrative across the New Orleans Pelicans' Instagram and Facebook Stories. Rather than simply posting updates, the goal was to bring fans behind the scenes and make them feel like they were experiencing game day alongside the team. The story combined player arrivals, warmups, game action, score updates, broadcast promotions, and final results into one continuous fan experience that kept audiences informed and engaged from pregame through the final buzzer.

Scope

This project required planning, live content creation, photography, videography, editing, copywriting, and publishing throughout the course of an NBA game. Responsibilities included capturing player arrivals and warmups, filming vertical video on an iPhone, selecting photography, incorporating broadcast assets and tune-in graphics, posting live game highlights, updating quarter scores, and publishing the final score graphic.

Process

Although the game was taking place in a different time zone, I was responsible for producing the Pelicans' Instagram and Facebook Stories remotely in real time. Throughout the game, I collaborated closely with our on-site photographer, videographers, and social media staff, who continuously sent photos, videos, and updates through a group chat. I also incorporated broadcast footage, Getty Images, and other league-approved assets to complement the original content. My role was to curate these materials into a cohesive story that was different from the main social media feeds. Rather than simply reposting highlights, I intentionally mixed photography, iPhone video, broadcast clips, graphics, tune-in links, and score updates to create an engaging, behind-the-scenes experience that unfolded naturally from player arrivals through the final buzzer. This process required constant communication, quick editorial decision-making, and the ability to adapt to the flow of a live NBA game while maintaining the Pelicans' brand voice and visual identity.

Lessons Learned

Effective sports storytelling in real time is about creating an experience, not simply reporting the events. One of the biggest successes was maintaining a consistent narrative while balancing multiple content formats, including photography, broadcast clips, graphics and vertical video. The greatest challenge was making quick editorial decisions during the game. Through this experience, I strengthened my ability to think strategically under pressure, adapt to live events, and use social media stories as a powerful tool for increasing fan engagement and keeping audiences connected throughout an entire game day experience.