So…What’s A Google+ Hangout Anyway?

By now, hopefully you are well aware of the exciting social media project we have planned for tomorrow night. At 7:30 pm ET, Director of Athletics Jack Swarbrick will be live on our Google+ page, participating in a Google+ Hangout with seven panelists representing prominent ND online fan communities.

Last week on UNDerground, we featured each of those panelists in a “Five Questions With…” series:

• Mike Coffey (ND Nation)
• Ryan Ritter (Her Loyal Sons)
• Lisa Kelly (Bridget McGuire’s Filling Station)
• Eric Murtaugh (One Foot Down)
• Keith Arnold (NBC Sports)
• Ed Jordanich (Dome and Domer)
• Pat Mitsch (Blue-Gray Sky)

For those of you who have not used Google+ or the Hangout feature, let’s put it in terms of something you may be more familiar with – Skype. Everyone has used Skype, right? (If not, it’s a free service that allows you to video chat with anyone in the world).

One of the great features of a Google+ Hangout is that it allows up to ten users to participate in the video chat at the same time, so you can talk to friends and family all over the world, and it seems like you are all together in the same room.

Fighting Irish Digital Media’s Jack Nolan will moderate our Hangout and each panelist will have the opportunity to ask Jack Swarbrick one question. After Swarbrick answers, he and the panelists will be able to discuss each topic for approximately ten minutes.

While only our seven panelists will be able to directly “hang out” in the conversation, anyone can watch live through our Google+ page, as Swarbrick shares his thoughts on Notre Dame athletics. It will be as if we’re hosting a Q&A panel right inside the Purcell Pavilion, but neither our participants nor the audience, will even have to leave the living room.

If you’re still confused, here’s an example. This video includes men’s basketball coach Mike Brey chatting with fans during the Google+ Hangout we hosted on Selection Sunday.

By the way, if you are unable to tune in tomorrow night, the video will be archived later. Also, @FightingIrish will be tweeting updates live during the conversation.

Tuesday, July 31. 7:30 pm ET. Notre Dame Athletics Google+. Come hang out.