BizTech Law Blog
I know you've probably heard this before, but it's worth repeating: be careful what you post on social media.
It may be used against you. For one NFL player, it cost $5 million.
New Orleans Saints football player Jimmy Graham was recently in a contract dispute with the Saints over whether he should be designated as a "Tight End" or a "Wide Receiver." While the distinction may seem trivial, it had huge repercussions in terms of salary.
Graham was set to receive the "franchise tag," which is a one year, non-negotiable contract, the salary of which is determined by averaging the five highest paid players' salaries at Graham's position. If Graham was designated as a Tight End, he would have made $7,053,000 for the year. If he was designated as a Wide Receiver, his salary would increase to $12,132,000.
So where does social media come in? Graham's personal Twitter account stated that he was a Tight End, which was used against him in arbitration. Graham lost in arbitration. He was designated as a Tight End – and paid like one.
The lesson to learn here is that social media matters. It is a great tool for marketing and developing your business and can be a part of an effective marketing and branding strategy. However, social media is public information. It can be used against you. Be careful what you post!
