View full sizeOregon's new 'QuackCave' is located in a storage shed near Autzen Stadium.EUGENE — Oregon has introduced a social media command center, called "QuackCave," which the UO is billing as the first digital media hub in college athletics.
The goal, according to a UO press release, is to increase Oregon's interaction with fans across several popular social media platforms.
"Big brother is now officially watching, but in a good way," said UO sports information director Andy McNamara, who manages the athletic department's social media accounts. "We have an ever-growing, technically savvy fan base that's deeply passionate about the Ducks, and the QuackCave will allow us to connect and respond to them in a personal and unique way."
The QuackCave was built in "a seldom-used storage space near Autzen Stadium," and designed by UO graduate students Anna Miron and Miranda Lee. The idea was inspired by a similar command center run by the NHL's New Jersey Devils and other companies.
Using iPads and wireless keyboards, select UO students will man the QuackCave and connect with Duck fans on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Google+ and Instagram. Oregon says it boasts nearly 500,000 combined followers on Facebook and Twitter.
"We want to be able to engage with our fans at an unparalleled level and monitor what is one of the top brands in college athletics," UO senior associate athletic director Craig Pintens said in a release. "But the most exciting part of the QuackCave is collaborating with University of Oregon students, where we can provide real-world experience with a top brand in a burgeoning area of public relations."
The UO release said the website wwww.QuackCave.com will launch soon. The Twitter account @QuackCave has also been created.