• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Bulls Break Out Old Photos For ‘Last Dance’ Era Social Media Archive

  • Since “The Last Dance” debuted, the Chicago Bulls’ Bulls Archive account has grown 44% on Instagram to more than 52.5K followers.
  • Bulls Archive is the Bulls’ first vertical account and the NBA’s first team archive-focused social media account.
chicago-bulls-bulls-archive
Photo Credit: Chicago Bulls

Deep in the confines of the United Center lies a binder of undeveloped photos. It lives in a corner of the Chicago Bulls offices, and only appears during office tours for those who ask about it. 

The binder contains thousands of images reliving the Bulls’ finest years: Dennis Rodman posing off-the-court alongside Hulk Hogan, Scottie Pippen in mid-game action. And, of course, footage of Michael Jordan as the centerpiece of the Bulls’ championship runs in the 1990s.

Luka Dukich, the Bulls director of digital content, knows how special the photos are. “We were sitting on this treasure trove of content that people hadn’t seen before,” he said. 

Since launching on April 19, ESPN’s “The Last Dance” has been a cultural phenomenon and critical success. The four episodes have averaged over 6 million viewers per episode, and has been a constant trending topic on Twitter. It was also the number one trending topic on Twitter on April 19, and at one point 25 of the 30 trending topics were all related to the show. 

The Michael Jordan and Chicago Bulls-focused documentary has also paid dividends for the Bulls’ digital team, which is leveraging their social media reach to tap into the hype surrounding the series. 

The Bulls have seen growth not only on the team’s main accounts but also on Bulls Archive – the NBA’s first team archive-focused social media account.

After years of watching those binder photos remain undeveloped, sitting in the corner of the Bulls’ office, Dukich saw a chance for fans to witness a new look into the team’s historic run. 

“There are all these photos no one’s ever seen of the championship Bulls,” Dukich said. “The stuff that you see on Bulls Archive is not stuff that you can go on Getty and find or just do a quick Google search. This is really stuff that a lot of people have not seen before, and that was definitely part of the inspiration for the account.”

The debut of “The Last Dance” has helped Bulls Archive grow its Instagram followership by 44%. As of April 28, it currently has more than 52,300 followers on the Facebook-owned platform.

Bulls Archive is also seeing increased engagement across its numerous posts. Before “The Last Dance” premiered on April 19, the account’s most popular Instagram post had less than 3,000, Kamil Strycharz, the Bulls’ digital content coordinator, said. 

When “The Last Dance” made its debut in June 2019, Bulls Archive quickly shared its most popular post to date: a 1997 photo of Jordan and teammates Toni Kukoc and Ron Harper sitting in the trunk of a car before they boarded a team flight to Paris. As of April 28, it has nearly 6,230 likes and 15 comments. Of Bulls Archive’s 12 most recent Instagram posts since April 19, only four have not eclipsed 3,000 likes.

Interest in the archives is driven by more than The Last Dance and a thirst for original programming. Strycharz knows a majority of the Bulls’ 26.7 million followers across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter are knowledgeable about the team’s illustrious history – but want to learn more. 

“These are photos of the dynasty years, the greatest time in Bulls history, where we have photos within the locker room, photos at White House visits, photos of celebrities. These are photos that people have never seen before, and we had to find a place for it,” he said.

READ MORE: ESPN Invokes The Force of Disney To Market Michael Jordan Doc

The old-school content opportunities are one element to Bulls Archive’s three-pronged strategy. The second factor is for Bulls Archive to differentiate its content offerings, Strycharz said. He sees more room for creativity beyond just throwback polaroid posts, and that followers can look forward to new changes during – and after – “The Last Dance.”

The final piece of Bulls Archive’s content strategy is to teach and inform their followers, Strycharz said. While he acknowledges that there are plenty of Bulls aficionados following Bulls Archive, they are only one part of the account’s main audience. The other group of followers, Strycharz believes, wants to learn more about the Bulls’ past through Bulls Archive.

After every post on Bulls Archive’s Instagram page, there is a mini-quiz in its Instagram stories, Strycharz said. Strycharz views it as a simple way for him and the Bulls’ digital department to educate the more casual followers on the team’s overall history. 

With over a month’s worth of “Last Dance” episodes to come, Strycharz, Dukich, and the Bulls’ digital team are brainstorming ways to maintain their online success. They are exploring different avenues to collaborate with some members of the 1990s squads, but Dukich declined to comment on which players may be involved.

READ MORE: Chicago Bulls Become First Team To Launch Branded Content On TikTok

Similar to Bulls Archive’s fan-focused strategy, they will be leaning into new technology that can better compile the thousands of follower responses they get on Instagram. The Bulls will also work with other content creators to incorporate their fan art into their social media profiles. 

“You’re going to see an engagement with people in that way,” Dukich said. “This is going to be a big focus of ours for the next month. Every week, you’re going to see something interesting. We’re going to try to make us make the Bulls a must-follow during the next month.”

It has been a long time coming for “The Last Dance.” The anticipation surrounding the documentary intensified during Christmas 2018 when ESPN released the first trailer – a 60-second teaser – 18 months before its projected premiere date. The 60-second teaser generated more than 35 million impressions.

Whether it debuted on April 19 or in June as originally planned, Dukich already views the documentary as a success to those at home who tuned in – whenever and wherever. 

“Everyone is sitting down on Sunday night and watching this together, talking about it,” Dukich said. “In the two hours beforehand, everyone’s getting hyped. The two hours afterward, everyone’s discussing what happened, memes are happening in real-time. It’s a real cultural moment, and we’re thrilled to be at the center of it, obviously – but it’s just fun to have that respite for two hours every Sunday night where we can all think about sports, and we can all have some fun again.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Ohio State Buckeyes celebrate their 34-23 win over Notre Dame Fighting Irish to win the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, 2025.

Why College Football Playoff Championship Game Must Be on Monday

It’d be a bad idea for the CFP to compete with the NFL.
The Paul brothers at Trump's inauguration

All the Sports Figures Attending Trump’s Second Inauguration

Fighters, owners, and executives are descending on Washington for Trump.

CFP Finale: Ohio State’s Redemption vs. Notre Dame’s Independence

Ohio State and Notre Dame face off in Atlanta on Monday night.
Broadcaster Troy Aikman on the sideline of an NFL game.
opinion

ESPN’s Aikman Calls Foul on Mahomes for Flopping

There’s a perception NFL refs give Mahomes preferential treatment. Aikman addressed it.

Featured Today

Amateurism Dilemma on Full Display at the College Football Playoff

The sport has never looked or operated more like a pro league.
January 19, 2025

Unrivaled’s Impeccable Timing Pressures WNBA to Give Players More

The league could “blow the lid off” the business of women’s sports.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard and running back Jeremiah Love celebrate a touchdown during the first half of a game against the Indiana Hoosiers in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
January 17, 2025

Notre Dame Found a Title-Worthy NIL Formula. Now It Has to Pivot

Its title run was buoyed by a collective that no longer exists.
Jan 17, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Dearica Hamby (5) of the Vinyl reaches for the ball as Azura Stevens (23) of the Rose follows on the play during the second half of the Unrivaled women’s professional 3v3 basketball league at Wayfair Arena.
January 17, 2025

Inside Unrivaled’s Explosive Opening Night

The 3-on-3 league went big for its season opener in Miami.
Napheesa Collier

Unrivaled Debuts With Modest Ratings on TNT

Opening night on TNT peaked at 364,000 viewers.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen points before calling the snap during first half action during the Buffalo Bills divisional game against the Baltimore Ravens at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Jan. 19, 2025.
January 21, 2025

NFL Divisional Playoff Viewership Drops Despite Plenty of Drama

Dramatic wins by the Bills and Eagles fail to match prior viewership totals.
Netflix logo on top of building
January 21, 2025

Netflix Stock Soars As Sports Help It Exceed 300M Subscribers

Live NFL and boxing lead to big increases in subscribers and revenue.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
January 20, 2025

NFL Saturday TV Ratings Fall Despite Record ESPN Viewership

The NFL sees more viewership attrition compared to the banner 2023 season.
Bill Simmons
January 20, 2025

Bill Simmons Expected to Stay at The Ringer and Spotify on New..

Simmons sold The Ringer to Spotify in 2020 for $250 million.
January 18, 2025

Tom Brady Addresses Fox Contract, Raiders Coaching Search

Brady’s dueling jobs came under the spotlight this week; he addressed it.
January 18, 2025

NFL’s Dream Crossover: Caitlin Clark Sits With Taylor Swift at Chiefs Game

ESPN cameras and Sports Twitter loved seeing Clark and Swift sitting together.