Okay, we’re a little over 72 hours away from Super Bowl Sunday, so our team thought we’d take a moment to see how the AFC and NFC champs match up on a different type of gridiron…Facebook.

According to a survey done last week by Lightspeed Research, nearly two-thirds of 18-34 year olds that are planning to watch Super Bowl XLV have smartphones – and they intend to use them. Over 59% of those surveyed would use their Smartphone on to send e-mails or text messages about the game in the middle of the action and around 32% will be posting status updates to social networks Facebook and Twitter.

So before they kick it off in the Big D, let’s first break down the social scoreboard by grading the official Facebook pages of the Steelers and Packers on the following criteria:

1. First Impression: Do they have a memorable team intro? Does their profile pic (and thumbnail image) need to spend more time in the weight room? Do they bring visitors to a default welcome tab?

2. Likability: Are they asking us to click the thumb? If so, is the incentive motivating enough for fans to get out the bucket of face paint and initiate a wave of momentum?

3. Engaging Content: While nothing can rival the live action on game day, both teams have no shortage of exclusive content they can make available to their Facebook fanbase. Do they score or barely move the chains?

4. Fan Count: Which team has a stronger 12th man on Facebook? You knew we’d go here, but the fan metric matters. A Page Owner is no different than a Team Owner. Without active participants in the seats or on the page, one really has no home field advantage at all.

First Impression Analysis

Okay let’s start with the Steel Curtain’s Facebook page. While they direct their visitors to a default landing tab, they get a penalty flag for having too many men on the field. At North Social, we believe in keeping it simple to be effective and the AFC champs immediately hit you with, count them, SEVEN calls-to-action on one custom tab. Sloppy play indeed.

However, they do get an E for effort and have made decent use of their profile pic (even though the thumbnail could be cleaner).

Moving over to Green Bay’s Facebook page, they have you land on a screened back image of the packers.com homepage. The worst part, if you go to packers.com, they tell you to “Join The Packers Online Community” with a linkable Facebook icon. Huddle up folks, you’re in the Super Bowl. Create meaningful experiences and two-way way conversations with your fans, don’t ping-pong them between your FB page and your website with no ultimate payoff.

While the Pack feature a tiny photo of All Pro Linebacker Clay Matthews Jr. on their profile pic, they fumble the snap on their thumbnail crop. Green Bay should clean this up and feature their signature G or a “Beat The Steelers” message; something straightforward and memorable like their easily recognizable Lambeau Leap.

First Impression: Advantage Steelers

Likability Analysis

It blows us away that neither of these teams has put anything of significance up on their page to get fans to “Like” their pages. You’ve made it all the way to the Jerry Dome, don’t drop the ball now. It’s time to reward your loyal fanatics for sticking by you all season long.

Here’s a thought, by using any of the North Social applications that enable “fan gating”, both squads could be offering up collectible memorabilia (terrible towels or bobbleheads anyone?), a shot at winning a pimped out viewing party for you and your friends, an autographed playoff jersey, or even VIP passes to next year’s training camp.

This is not a broken play. This is a blown play by both squads. But at least the Steelers don’t tease you into thinking if you “Like” their page (like the Pack) that there will be an impressive reveal.

Likability: Advantage Steelers

Engaging Content Analysis

When it comes to content, the Steelers win handily. While we’re not so enthused about their busy and inefficient Swiss Army knife-like tab, there is no shortage of content on their page (videos, shopping, tweets, and some decent “insider” wall posts).

One thing the Steelers got right is the Players tab – which allows fans to visit their favorite player pages on Facebook and follow their Tweets. Want to see what NFL Defensive Player of the year Troy Polamalu is up to? Just click on his link to find him promoting Steeler merch, his sponsors, and engaging his fans with ticket giveaways. In addition to his big hair, he evidently has a big heart too. Well done Troy.

Both teams could benefit by adding more custom tabs to offer up entertaining, informative, and valuable fan experiences. With so many people being on Facebook during the game, this is the time to call your most noteworthy social play. It will be interesting to see if both teams go for it or just decide to do the expected (give out their own version of play-by-play). Hint: everyone on earth is already watching and listening to the game, present us with something else besides your social simulcast.

Engaging Content: Advantage Steelers

Fan Count Analysis

Lastly, let’s look at the stats. The Steelers come in strong with over 1.7 million Facebook fans, nearly doubling up the Packer fan total of 930,000. For those keeping score at home, Troy Polamalu has a bigger fanbase than the Packers online. How is this even possible? Step it up Cheeseheads, you’re in jeopardy of losing some of your fan cred.

Fan Count: Advantage Steelers

Bottom line: If the overall strength of these Facebook pages is any indication on how well the teams will perform on the field this Sunday, this game is setting up to be yawner. Let’s hope not.

Bring on the coin flip, some cold beer, and a couple of “0” and “7” squares. We’re ready for some football.

Whether your job involves throwing on a jersey and competing or selling every seat for every home game, don’t just provide your fanbase with content they can get by tuning in to Sportscenter. With North Social’s powerfully simple suite of Facebook apps, you now have the ability to involve your fans like never before. Distribute viral videos, run a sweepstakes, serve up exclusive downloads (digital VIP invites, coupon codes, screensavers, tailgating recipes), link to your e-commerce destinations, and more.