For television announcers like Simms, the former Giants quarterback and current CBS sportscaster, that means more competition from the Twittersphere.

“You can watch a couple hundred people call the game through your Twitter client, and that’s very empowering,” said David Johnson, an American University professor who teaches digital journalism.

Demand tends to peak during big plays and controversial calls, as Johnson saw first-hand last month. When Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre threw a crucial interception with seconds left in the NFC championship match up against the Saints, sports fans reacted.

“There was just a massive outpouring, instantly, of thousands of messages,” said Johnson, a longtime Green Bay Packers fan.

via Super Bowl fans will be all a-Twitter | Super Bowl Central – - NOLA.com.