Imagine wearing a press pass and watching your favorite NFL team from the sidelines—all season. You interview players, take photos, shoot video and interact with fans from all over the world. It’s just another day at the office for Zach Specht ’13, the social media editor for the Buffalo Bills.
A Buffalo, New York, native, he’s passionate about the team and his city. After graduating from Messiah in 2013 with a communication degree, he began working for the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. By 2015, he’d switched from hockey to football to begin his career with the Bills.
“Social media is the mouthpiece of an organization,” explained Specht. “I love the diversity of events that I cover with social media. I cover tent pole events such as the NFL Combine, NFL draft and Pro Bowl. I’m fortunate to be surrounded by extremely talented individuals who collaborate and execute these events at the highest level.”
The job is fast-paced. Going to work each day means planning, creating and executing all content posted on the Buffalo Bills’ social media platforms—including creating new hashtags and memes while monitoring analytics to make sure the audience is engaged. Working closely with coaches and players, Specht is key to the team’s public and community relations.
And it’s fun, too. “The unpredictability of the NFL is one of the most challenging yet exciting elements of my position,” said Specht.
That unpredictability includes all the news generated from practices, wins and losses, roster changes and more. Everything that happens within the organization impacts what content Specht delivers to the fans.
Next time you watch a Bills game, keep an eye on the sidelines. You might just see a familiar face carrying an iPhone and a video camera. Then head over to Instagram and see how Specht reports on the game.
—Jake Miaczynski ’20