Marketers know that words matter. What was initially known as a “Players Strike” became a “Players Lockout” and it was not by mistake or luck.

George Atallah and Dominique Foxworth closed yesterday’s sessions with their Keynote on how NFL players changed the conversation around the lockout by mobilizing in social media.

Football is big business. Billions of dollars are on the line with many vested parties. The owners, like any business people, want to maximize their profits. The media want the same. To do so, the media had to be favorable to the NFL lest they fall out of their good grace. That left the players in a weakened position. How were they to tell their side of the story without the traditional media’ cooperation?

Many of the players had already set up social media accounts. Some were to connect with fans and some, as Dominique said, were just to find parties. The NFL Players Association found their medium. First, they strove to keep players accurately informed about the negotiations. Then they encouraged players to share their side of the story with the overlying theme “Let us play.”

The narrative began to shift. Eventually, the fans caught on. Then the media couldn’t ignore it. In the end, the owners couldn’t either. The players’ story and community became their greatest bargaining chip, which led to a more fair deal.

The strength of a community is unlimited given the right tools. Social media has unlocked the potential of the NFL players along with countless other disenfranchised communities. This isn’t limited to superstar athletes. The validity of a movement can now be judged by the power of its message instead of the size of its budget.