BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Sean Weide has worked in communications for nearly three decades — newspaper reporter to publisher, corporate public relations to television producer. His current position as a press officer for the BMC Racing Team is his “dream job.”
Weide travels the world providing updates on the team as it races throughout the year on the international circuit’s top level. The BMC team includes cyclists who compete in events like the Tour de France and World Championships.
For Weide, travel isn’t just about getting from one race venue to another; it’s about experiencing the diverse cultures and landscapes that the world has to offer. Whether he’s navigating the bustling streets of Tokyo or unwinding on the beaches of Hawaii, each destination adds a new layer to his understanding of the global cycling community.
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“Sometime during the 2008 season Twitter came along,” said Weide near the team’s training area during the stage 5 time trial at the Amgen Tour of California. “And around the same time I started to use Facebook. A colleague in Europe told me I needed to be on Facebook and said, ‘that’s how we network.’ ”
Sean Weide, BMC Racing Team. Image © James Raia
“I said I thought Facebook was for college kids, but I started doing it and sure enough six months later it caught fire. By 2009, Twitter and Facebook were like YouTube, and it became part of the job. If you weren’t using them, you weren’t doing your job.”
Weide has worked for several cycling teams, but he joined BMC in 2010 and integrated the team into the world of social media.
“I feel like we are always trying to find new ways to connect with our fans,” said Weide. “And social media is a great one-on-one platform.”
“I’m the kind of guy if I wanted to I could ride my bike all day because I work for a pro cycling team,” said Weide. “Unfortunately, I usually go out for a ride and I look at my Blackberry and realize I have some work to do and turn around and head back.”
“I’m one of those guys who is constantly on the move. There’s not much down time. To remain connected these days, to do your job, you have to be truly global. No matter what you are doing, you have to be cognizant of your audience.”
“If you have people in Australia and Europe and in the United States, then you are operating globally on Facebook and Twitter, you are catering to people in different time zones around the world.”
Weide says the team’s fans “reach out” in several ways, including customer service for BMC bicycles. It’s not Weide’s job, but he points the customer toward the appropriate colleague.
Sometimes, fans contact Weide because they’re attending a race in which the team is competing.
“Often times, I will say, ‘great, come see us.’ ” said Weide. “And if they do, I’ll give ’em a hat. It’s another way to make impressions. If I please one fan, they’re going to go on Twitter and Facebook and tell all their followers and I’ve now I’ve made a positive impression on their followers as well.”
