hi

Spring 2008- Post your weekly SBJ critiques here

Hello guys,

Welcome back! Here is the session for your SBJ critique posting. Please feel free to email me if you have any questions. Please also follow the example below:

Joe Gironda said...

[Week 1]"New NHL uniforms ready to wear"
V-9, I-37, P-6

This particular article discusses another of Reebok's innovations in the world of professional hockey. As mentioned by a previous user - the article specifically outlines the new "Edge" uniform system and the benefit these jerseys and pants will provide for the NHL players.

Along with promising better protection and improved moisture-management, Reebok also claims the uniforms will mean less fatigue for the players.

The article also mentions that about half of the teams in the NHL have already practiced in the new jerseys, whereas the entire league will be in the uniforms for next season.

The overall look of the uniform is excellent, as it not only claims better protection and moisture-management, but also creats a tighter jersey which will likely cut down on the grabbing from less-skilled, defensive players. It seems as though Reebok has taken the stance to try and create a football-type jersey for use in the NHL. Great move for a great company. To this point, Reebok has basically kept all of the former equipment they've purchased (from KOHO, CCM and Jofa) and simply put the "RBK" logo on it as their own. This is a great move for Reebok, as they are not trying to fix great products by changing everything about them (take notice, Nike).

This is the first major innovation the RBK company has introduced to the NHL, and I believe they have chosen a great avenue for this leap. Whether you're a hockey fan or not, you will certainly take notice to the uniforms above all else.


Dr. Hsiao

New Orleans saints commercial

HPED635-001 Sport Management Course

Welcome Back!

Please post your weekly SBJ critique here. You need to follow the example:

Joe Gironda said...

[Week 1]"New NHL uniforms ready to wear"
V-9, I-37, P-6

This particular article discusses another of Reebok's innovations in the world of professional hockey. As mentioned by a previous user - the article specifically outlines the new "Edge" uniform system and the benefit these jerseys and pants will provide for the NHL players.

Along with promising better protection and improved moisture-management, Reebok also claims the uniforms will mean less fatigue for the players.

The article also mentions that about half of the teams in the NHL have already practiced in the new jerseys, whereas the entire league will be in the uniforms for next season.

The overall look of the uniform is excellent, as it not only claims better protection and moisture-management, but also creats a tighter jersey which will likely cut down on the grabbing from less-skilled, defensive players. It seems as though Reebok has taken the stance to try and create a football-type jersey for use in the NHL. Great move for a great company. To this point, Reebok has basically kept all of the former equipment they've purchased (from KOHO, CCM and Jofa) and simply put the "RBK" logo on it as their own. This is a great move for Reebok, as they are not trying to fix great products by changing everything about them (take notice, Nike).

This is the first major innovation the RBK company has introduced to the NHL, and I believe they have chosen a great avenue for this leap. Whether you're a hockey fan or not, you will certainly take notice to the uniforms above all else.

HPED292-001 Introduction to Sport Management

Welcome Back!

Please post your weekly SBJ critique here. You need to follow the example:

Joe Gironda said...

[Week 1]"New NHL uniforms ready to wear"
V-9, I-37, P-6

This particular article discusses another of Reebok's innovations in the world of professional hockey. As mentioned by a previous user - the article specifically outlines the new "Edge" uniform system and the benefit these jerseys and pants will provide for the NHL players.

Along with promising better protection and improved moisture-management, Reebok also claims the uniforms will mean less fatigue for the players.

The article also mentions that about half of the teams in the NHL have already practiced in the new jerseys, whereas the entire league will be in the uniforms for next season.

The overall look of the uniform is excellent, as it not only claims better protection and moisture-management, but also creats a tighter jersey which will likely cut down on the grabbing from less-skilled, defensive players. It seems as though Reebok has taken the stance to try and create a football-type jersey for use in the NHL. Great move for a great company. To this point, Reebok has basically kept all of the former equipment they've purchased (from KOHO, CCM and Jofa) and simply put the "RBK" logo on it as their own. This is a great move for Reebok, as they are not trying to fix great products by changing everything about them (take notice, Nike).

This is the first major innovation the RBK company has introduced to the NHL, and I believe they have chosen a great avenue for this leap. Whether you're a hockey fan or not, you will certainly take notice to the uniforms above all else.

Summer 2007-Post your weekly SBJ critiques here!

HPED292-Summer 2007

Hi Class,

Please post your Sport Business Journal (SBJ) critiques here! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

RH

Welcome Back and Welcome to HPED292 (Spring 2007) Introduction to Sport Management

Please post your weekly article critiques here. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I do have an open door policy!!! :-)

Richard Hsiao

Welcome back! HPED 635 (Fall 2006) Sport Management Class!!!

Hi guys,

Here is the place for you to post your weekly SBJ critique, please make sure you "CRITIQUE" the article. I do not want you to "SUMMARIZE" the article for me.
If you have any questions, please email me or stop by my office.
Have a fun semester!

Richard Hsiao

Welcome Back and Welcome to HPED292 (Fall 2006) Introduction to Sport Management

Please post your weekly article critiques here. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I do have an open door policy!!! :-)

Richard Hsiao

Summer 2006- Post your weekly SBJ critiques here

Hi class,

"Summer 2006- Post your weekly SBJ critiques here"
Please post your SBJ critiques here. If you have any questions, please send me an email.

Dr. Hsiao

Miller sponsorship includes Brewers’ Getaway Days v18, i47, pg8, critiqued by Brian Showman

The Milwaukee Brewers and Miller Brewing Company have reached a new seven year sponsorship. Miller Brewing Company will now be the clubs largest sponsor. Miller will be extending there advertising for the Brewers into the radio, television, anything stadium related and all of spring training. The Getaway days will now be called Miller Genuine Draft Getaway Days in which all of it will sponsored no other than Miller. The Getaway Days are big promotion games in the mid afternoon. Basically being days in which people get out of the office and come to the games. Both Miller Brewing Company and Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Corporation are both excited about this new deal and hope to give the Brewers fan and beer drinkers a unique taste and pleasure. I think that this is a real good move on both ends. Miller Brewing Company has a way to get their already popular name out there and have there name all over everything in the stadium. The Getaway Days allow office men and women to get out of the office and come to the game and drink some nice cold Miller beers. This will be a success at ends.

Yahoo! Deal to extend reach of Rivals.com, critiqued by Steve Jackson, v8, i47, pg8

This article is about how Rivals.com has signed a two-year content distribution deal with Yahoo sports, the company’s second major deal in less than four months designed to expand the online reach of the Brentwood, Tenn. Based outfit. Once signing at distribution pact with AOL in Dec., Rivals.com now plans to provide about 70 content items per day to the Yahoo Sports Portal, focusing on its core strength of in depth college sports and recruiting news. About one hundred times per week Rivals.com will provide AOL with this type of service. This without a question posed us closer to the mainstream and opens up a whole new audience for us, says Rivals.com CEO Shannon Terry, the financial terms were not disclosed.
This merger I believe will place Rivals.com on the map where they would like to be. Yahoo is a large server where millions of people us this type of service for business and pleasure. They are looking for best of breed content in everything and seem to relish getting across to the rivals content. The next step that I would see is the need to take the job promoting all their assets, and making people aware of what they have. Meaning Rivals.com is up and coming if you don’t know there name now, just wait, you will learn it.

Yahoo! deal to extend reach of Rivals.com, critiqued by Steve Remillard. Issue 47 Volume 8 pg. 8

Rivals.com and Yahoo have reached a two-year deal, so that Rivals.com can provide around 70 content items per day to Yahoo! Sports. Rivals.com focus is towards college sports, they have in-depth news on college recruiting. Prior to their deal with Yahoo!, they reached at deal with AOL where Rivals.com will provide 100 intems per week to AOL. With this new approach on advertisement Rivals.com intent is increase their number of visitors to almost 4 million by the end of the year. In the month of February, Yahoo! Sports is second to only ESPN.com when it came to the number of visitors with 13.9 million. What Rivals.com has done, is get their name out there to the public. Those who follow College Sports and College recuriting know the website Rivals.com, this will help them attract more people to their website. College Football recuriting has become a big deal over the past couple of years, ESPNU actually has a whole day that deals nothing about where high school football players are going to be playing college football at.

"MLB will spotlight Bonds' run at mark; sponsors are wary" critiqued by Jordan Routch, i47, v8, pg5

I’m writing in response to the article about Major League Baseball gearing up to spotlight Barry Bonds’ run at the all-time homerun record. Currently Bonds is only a few homeruns shy of Babe Ruth for second all-time and he is within striking distance of the all-time mark currently owned by Hank Aaron if Bonds were to have a huge year. While baseball will definitely pay homage to the slugger’s pursuit of the record, the article states that baseball officials are weary of giving it too much publicity with the uncertainty surrounding Bonds and steroid use. Baseball is worried what kind of signal this would send to the young fans and players in the country if Bonds were to break the record and have it tainted by steroid use.
I feel that this is a very tough call for Major League Baseball. If they don’t give Bonds the fanfare and he breaks the record it would be a travesty as Bonds is definitely one of the best hitters in history. Just the same, it has to be taken in context with the steroid issues in play nowadays. I’ve never really liked Bonds a whole lot. But to be fair to the man, many other hitters used steroids and such to enhance their bodies. Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa both used enhancements when they made their runs at the single season record. In addition, what Bonds is said to have used is not illegal in baseball, so he hasn’t committed a crime (other than lying in court about steroid use). If I were Bonds, I wouldn’t be surprised if he broke Babe’s record and then agreed to retire at the end of the year before he broke Aaron’s record. That way Bonds could be labeled as the best left-handed hitter in history, but would avoid more scrutiny and a possible asterisk in the record book if he were to play another year and break the all-time record. Baseball needs to honor the greatest baseball player of all-time, but it also needs to be careful to not honor the steroids that allowed him to get to that point.

Adidas close to snaring (big) one in bush...front cover. critiqued by Michelle Mattis, Volume 8 issue 47

Adidas is close to signing number one draft pick Reggie Bush, also adidas talked with the league to allow players to wear thier shoes. This is all happening to introduce the combining of adidas and reebok brands. Adidas announced the 3.8 billion deal with Reebok last summer, seeing what the intentions of the company are and what brand is going to be favored between the two. the NFL and NBA, both have deals with Reebok, which lead into negotionation with the company. Adidas will have a meeting and explain how they will differentiate Reebok and Adidas. CEo of Adidas wanted to have a bigger leverage to attack NIKE with. Adidas is third to Reebok and Nike in the U.S. and second to Nike overseas, but is still one 1 in soccer. American football is the top sport in the US and when Adidas bought Reebok, talk is to replace the vector with stripes on the field. Adidas puzzled the football world because they dont have rights for players to wear the gear on the football field. They are talking to obtain rights, this would allow reggie Bush to wear the Adidas and other players too. Reebok has been successful in apparel world and the NFL just wants to make sure that Adidas continues that.
I think that Adidas should be allowed to obtain rights for Reggie and other players to wear the gear. I dont know if Adidas and Reebok combined can jump to the number one spot and knock out NIKE. That will be a hard accomplishment in thier part. nike is a very strong company proving that they deserve to be number one with all the products, shoes and apparel that they have. Also, with the endoresments they sign with top players. Reggie signing with adidas is a start because he is number one draft pick and a good endorsement to have.

Kari Caldwell said...

Volume 8 Issue 47 Page 3
"NFL venues seek 'bigger bang'"

This article talks about how a bunch of NFL stadiums are trying to bring the Rolling Stones to perform at their stadiums. Twelve NFL organizations got together and formed the Gridiron Stadium Network. It’s a non profit group formed to attract more events into their buildings. Right now their focus is on the Rolling Stones because they have a good reputation with the NFL. Last fall “The Stones” helped promote the 2005 season and performed the half time show at super bowl XL. The Gridiron Stadium is now looking to bring in other big name acts to perform rather than them performing in other venues in the area. I think this is a really good idea. If they can convince big name artists to perform at these stadiums then maybe other will follow suite. I also thing this is a great idea for adding revenue to these stadiums. At the very least they will be able to make money in concessions and possibly draw in potential fans for the sporting season. For instance if someone had a negative opinion about the facility they decide not to come to a game but do decide to see their favorite musician and see that the facility is not what they thought they might be more inclined to come and take in a game or two.

MLB will spotlight Bond’s run at mark, sponsors are wary critiqued by John G. v8, i47, pg5

After a summer of steroids accusations major league baseball will still market bond’s run at Hank Aaron’s homer run record. At the start of the 2006 season Bonds was only six away from Babe Ruth and major league baseball is ready to celebrate that only locally is the San Francisco area which is the normal procedure for this mile stone. Major league baseball is also ready for a national marketing scheme if or when bonds break Aaron’s record and will include corporate sponsors. In years past major league baseball have celebrated mile stones such as Mark McGuire braking the single season homer run record and bonds for the same as well as bonds breaking the five, six, and seven hundred marks for home runs. With bonds at 708 at the beginning of the season babe Ruth is very much possible this season but Aaron’s 755 mark may not be this season but if bonds comes back for a second season it could become a reality and that’s when major league baseball will go national. But remember bonds did hit 73 home runs just a couple of years ago. Pepsi Cola as agreed to be a silent sponsor in this by letting bonds appear in a Pepsi adds but wants to be careful not to send the wrong message to its young costumers and what the meaning of achievement is in this country.

'Adidas close to snaring (big) one in Bush' critiqued by Jordy Morris, v8, i47, pg1

Adidas is trying to land a deal with the expected No. 1 pick of this years NFL Draft, Reggie Bush. They are aslo trying to work out talks with the NFL to allow players to wear their shoes on the field. Addidas acquired Reebok last summer mainly to have a greater attack at Nike in the U.S. competition. Despite the continuous marketing efforts Adidas still finds themselves in theird place behind reebok and nike at this point which is becoming frustrating for the company. I thinkn they will rise on this list behind Nike now that they acquired Reebok because if they can now market in the NFL on players shoes and eventually the uniforms their sales will increase. It is a good way to get their name out there because a lot of americans watch NFL football and will notice this change. Nike made a run at Bush earlier this year, but it looks as of late that Adidas will land him for a little over $1 million a year making it the biggest shoe contract for a football player. This may be odd to some since Adidas still does not have the NFL licensing rights to wear their apparel on the field yet. Since merging with Reebok Adidas should have the rights to the NBA and NFL right? Not so fast it is not complete switch of ownership and thier must be agreements between these leagues and discuss of future plans first. I think once all these talks are out of the way Adidas will make a strong run toward Nike because this is huge that they bought Reebok out because they were so successful in this business of apparel to the NFL and NBA and now Adidas can suck in all the profits. As far as the Reggie Bush deal he can only help them out by coming out and having a phenomenal rookie year and Adidas will be in great shape. I did not know that Adidas bought out Reebok last summer but this will be a very significant move for them and I think will be the big move to making a run at Nike for the No. 1 spot.

"Nike first in line to pursue Bush" by Brian Showman, vol.8 iss.39 pg.4

This article talks about Reggie Bush and his endorsement deals. Nike, Adidas, Reebok and Under Armour, are just some of shoe and appeal companies that are looking at Bush to be their front man. No NFL player has ever received more than 1 million dollars per shoe deal. Many people believe that Bush might break that barrier and be the first NFL player to get a shoe deal over a million dollars. The latest high profiled shoe deal by Nike was given to LeBron James before he entered the NBA draft. James holds the record by receiving a seven-year, $90 million deal with Nike. The one thing that is not in Bush’s favor is that he is more than likely going to be a franchise player on a losing record team. That means that his games won’t be televised as much, making marketing for Bush and endorsements somewhat worthless. But besides that issue, Bush will still get the best of endorsement deals out there. Bush is already signed some memorabilia things and guest appearance deals. Right now Bush is the hottest NFL draft pick out there. I believe that Bush will get the best deal out there with the best company. Right now I would say that Nike is going to pick him up because of his high-speed energy that he brings to the game. I believe that Bush will be the number one pick in NFL draft, making him likely to receive all best endorsement deals. I think he can break the record for an NFL player with a shoe deal. He’ll be the first to top $1 million a year. This all relates back to sports marketing because one of these major shoe companies and appeal companies are going to land a deal with this superstar and he’ll be

"In Detroit, ABC crew readies big finish for it's NFL coverage" -by Richie Belancik, volume 8 issue 38 page 29

I chose this article because the article talks about the tv crew for ABC bringing super 40 to Detriot. I am a big steeler fan so thats what caught my eye because they were going to be covering the steelers this sunday. ABC has been covering monday night football for over 36 football seasons which is amazing to me because they have been doing it for so long.
For the Super Bowl this sunday there will be an estimate of 130 million dometic viewers and a worldwide audience for an estimated by the NFL of one billion people watching the super bowl. Even though the players should be the only ones that are a little nervous, you have to think about the crew for ABC doing the broadcast. If a player makes a mistake there is always another play coming up to redeem themseleves, but for the camera men/women and producers of ABC if they mess up you will definitely notice the problem in front of an estimated one billion people across the world. If a lineman messes up in the game and misses a blocking assignment i will bet that a lot of viewers do not catch the mistake by the faulty lineman, but right soon the producers click to the wrong camera angle it can cause problems.
ABC also said that there will be an additional four cameras specifically for defining replay views of in-bounds and out-of bounds situation for the game this Sunday. I think that is a great idea because during the colts game three weeks ago , the officails almost blew the game for us on a clearly intercepted pass from Troy Palomalu. More cameras and more angels cannot hurt anything espically if it is going to be the biggest game of the year.

"Kobe comes through in clutch for TV" by Ryan Shellenberger, Vol.8 issue 38 pg. 8

This article is about how Kobe Bryant’s latest scoring spree has sparked the ratings for the NBA. Kobe has averaged an amazing 42 points per game for the last 10 games and capped that off with an astonishing 81 point outbreak against the Toronto Raptors. There is a graph at the bottom of the article that shows how many items were sold on EBay related to Bryant. On Friday there was 172 items related to him sold, and by Monday (after the 81 point game) the number skyrocketed to 608 items. Video of Bryant’s 81 point game has already been made available for download on Google Video Store. Turner Sports spokesman Jeff Pomeroy said that they were definitely planning on doing more story lines around Kobe during the All-Star game to boost ratings.
I think all of this is a good idea and a good thing for the NBA. I am a huge basketball fan but I can’t even watch a pointless regular season game. I am also a Los Angeles fan, so I’m glad to see Kobe doing so well. Fans need a reason to watch the games sometimes, especially when it’s a long 82 game season. Watching a player score 40 plus points a game on a regular basis is a pretty good reason. Fans haven’t had someone that consistent since Michael Jordan. It’s very smart on the NBA’s part to use this to their advantage to market the league.
Kobe doesn’t have a good track record because of his charges in Colorado and his problems with past teammates, but most fans just want to be entertained. As long as Kobe is doing this, people will watch and enjoy and slowly forget about his past. There are many great athletes with bad pasts, but their performances always cover up their mistakes.

"Steelers' arrival is solid gold for licensed goods" by Alison O'Malley , Vol. 8 Issue 38 pg. 1

This article talks about how the NFL and their licensees are excited that the Pittsburgh Steelers'are playing this Sunday in Superbowl XL. It has been suspected that with the Steelers' still playing that merchandise sales will hit an all time high. Mark Holtzman, NFLs consumer Products senior vice president said this could be the biggest superbowl ever with the Steelers' "deep roots and national following". The article goes on to say how the Steelers sell more licensed products within a 75 mile radius than any other team. It also suggests that the era of the Steel Curtain still hold alot of people as steeler fans around the nation. The article states that after the AFC championship game McArthur towels recieved an additional 200,000 orders for the Terrible Towel and plan to order 300,000 after the bowl. Licensees around the country are excited by the huge market that the Pittsburgh Steelers are making that could surpass all previous. They are also optimistic about the Seahawks being that it is their first trip to the superbowl.

"Flaw’s in NFL’s minority hiring policy hinder progress." by Brandon Schmitt,Volume 8 Issue 38 pg29

This article discusses the process that NFL teams have to go through while filling a coaching vacancy. Paul Tagliabue, the NFL’s commissioner, requires that a team interview at least one minority when hiring a new coach. This has been a heavy disputed topic recently because there was 10 teams that needed a new coach after this past season and there was only one minority, Herman Edwards, that was hired. Edwards moved from the Jets, who had a disappointing season, to the Chiefs, who feel that there future is bright and Edwards is the man to lead them to the next level due to his credentials.
While looking at the article and the coaches chosen to represent the 9 teams with a new coach (the Raiders are still undecided), I only recognize 4 of them. The article states how the first step is to stop labeling particular subjects as “black coaches” because it conveys segregation. But wouldn’t this whole process do that? I know one former “black coach” that deserves a head-coaching job is Mike Singletary; and I’m hoping the Raiders choose him. I agree with the process of the minority interview obligation, but who is to say that the people in charge even consider these candidates? I know if I were the head of an organization I wouldn’t care if the person was black, white, green, or blue, I would hire the most qualified candidate because I’d take success mixed with criticism any day. The same thing happened last year when Notre Dame needed a new coach. Everyone thought it was a big deal because Tyrone Willingham, their former “black coach” was fired and replaced by Charlie Weiss. They were bashed for the whole process, but in the end it was easy to see the success he brought them.

"High-Level suit rocks N.Y. Knicks $5.95"-by Cody White, Volume 8 Issue 38 Page 6

This article is about Isiah Thomas and a former employee for the New York Knicks. Anucha Sanders is has filed a lawsuit against Knicks president Isiah Thomas.

The way I feel about this article is that Isiah Thomas will clearly win this case. No matter what Sanders argument is, she will still be defeated just because Thomas is a former NBA star and is now the president of the Knicks. I feel she does have a reason to file a case but also she is in a lose lose situation, just because who she is going up against. I think that this case will be settled by Isiah Thomas giving money to Sanders in a way that she will just close the case and move on. Too many big name stars are getting away with severe cases. If a normal human was up against her, she would win for sure. Today it's all about what your name is. This article makes a hell of a story nationwide, but I'm sure everyone knows the outcome of this. If you don't than you should probably wake up by now. Now and former stars always escape penalty just because of who they are. Overall after reading this article I would say that Sanders has a very solid point about filing a case against Isiah Thomas. She is making enough money where she isn't trying to make up a case just to get money. I think the Knicks orgainzation should look into this deeply. If not another former athlete will escape. Good luck Sanders. What a great night. Chow Dr. Hsiao!

"Canada joins neighbor Detroit in Festivities"-by Michelle Mattis,Volume 8 Issue 38 February 2

Canada joins neighbor Detroit in Festivities
This superbowl will in many ways the only international game in the championship's 40 year history. There will be festivities in both Detroit and Windsor, Canada, which is 15 minutes from Detroit. TWenty four years ago, when Detroit hosted the super bowl the official events were only on the US borders.
I think that this is a really good idea, that the US is opening up to let people come down from Canada to watch the Super Bowl. Budwieser in Canada did a promotion for the Super Bowl, putting the logo on packs of beer. Selling 350,000 cases of beer. Boosting revenue this year. Having Canada promoting the Super Bowl helps business in Canada make money selling stuff with the logo on it. Budweiser is also sponsoring a tailgate party on the Canadian side of the border to help kick the Super BOwl of in Windsor. One problem that Canadians run into trying to cross the order is getting stopped. The NFL has arranged for pre approved vehicles to cross without being stopped. I also think that that is a good part on the NFL, welcoming the people from Canada into the US to watch the Super Bowl and hopefully enjoy and want to come back in the future.

"Samson Steers Marlins toward a new home"- by Steve Jackson. Volume 8, Iss. 38,pg. 4

Briefly this article is about David Samson (team president) and Jeffrey Loria (Marlins owner). They are in a bind because the MLB team Marlins are falling with attempts to help all they see for a next step is to either move the team somewhere else in Florida or relocate in one of the eight different places.

I believe that this is a good move for owner and team president who have made many attempts to salvage the team such as pulling Bob DuPuy and chatted with lawmakers to use a state sales tax rebate to help fund the ballpark. With such failures to this business, relocation might not be the best idea due to the fact that Florida is such a baseball orientated state. The only place they seem to be looking in Florida is South Florida, maybe looking closer to the Orlando area would make differences in thought.

One thing that sticks out in my head about this paper is that even though Samson has gone through much criticism, after failing to produce a good business for pretty much all of the 13 years they have been there. The team had a some good seasons with a decrease of pay gradually falling more and more with one less then $20 million dollars for the up coming season. With that knowledge Samson, Loria, and management have actually been doing a sufficient job, the problem I see is location. Yes it is Florida and all be the fan base was just never constructed.

"NFL Owners Approve $20M for Superdome"-Jacob White Volume 8, Issue 38,Page 3

The National Football League (NFL) has conditionally approved $20 million for the renovation of the Louisiana Superdome. The vote, which was unanimous, was very important in helping the Saints actually stay in New Orleans. There are still some issues to be resolved, however. The biggest issue is the negotiation with the state of Louisiana, as the Superdome is owned by the state. This problem must be resolved before the transaction can be completed.
The important thing is that the Saints do, in fact, want to rebuild and stay in New Orleans. This comes after many suspected owner Tom Benson to want to move his team to San Antonio permanently. Dennis Lauscha, the Saints’ chief financial officer, explained that the Saints are committed and building. He also said that the renovation money is excellent in terms of getting the building process moving. Hope still remains for a full season to be played in the Superdome this year.
The take from the NFL is a little different, however. Roger Goddell, NFL chief operating officer, says that the league expects the Saints to be in New Orleans next year, but also realizes that every day with no formal funding deal with the state of Louisiana means that it is less likely that a full season will be played next year. The Saints “home” games were played in the Alamodome and LSU’s stadium, but attendance was very poor.
I think the money for the renovation is a great step for the city of New Orleans. I also think that a funding plan with the state of Louisiana is very important. The Saints need to stay in the Superdome not only for the team to have a real home arena and a solid fan base, but for the city as well. This city has already been through enough, the last thing they need is to lose their beloved Saints, regardless of how poor the team has played in the past five years.

"Spring Semester Group Project Started on Jan 24th 2006"

I created this discussion area for our "Intro of Sport Mgt" class. All group leaders must post your group's progress every Thursday before 12pm. The discussion area is also open for the entire class. Please post your recommendations. All comments are welcome!!!

*SPRING SEMESTER 2006* POST YOUR WEEKLY "SBJ" CRITIQUE HERE!!!

HI GUYS,

WELCOME BACK AND I HOPE YOU ARE ALL READY FOR THIS EXCITING AND CHALLENGING SEMESTER. HERE IS THE PLACE FOR YOU GUYS TO POST YOUR WEEKLY "SBJ" CRITIQUE FOR SPRING 2006 (DEADLINE IS EVERY THURSDAY BEFORE NOON). I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE CLASS AND LEARN SOMETHING. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT ME. I USUALLY WILL RETURN YOUR EMAIL IN 12 HOURS.

"Big Business Behind the PBR" Vol 8 (26) page 1 by Sarah Zdesar

The Professional Bull Riders is not your normal organization of professionals. It is nothing like the NBA or NFL, it is a tight knit group of brothers who all know, respect and are there for eachother when time get especially rough in this business. Just one of many of the heart-stopping examples of this is when a 24-year-old cowboy named Ross Johnson unfortunately got his ankle caught in the rope that was circled around the midsection of a 2,000-pound bucking bull. There was nothing Johnson could do, he was facedown in the dirt trying to get away from this thrashing beast, but was unable to, that is by himeself. That is when his fellow PBR "brothers" came to his rescue and did everything in their power to free him. Luckily, after a few minutes of agony as the crown watched on, Johnson was freed and was able to walk away from the situation. Amazingly, this is exactly why the PBR and its fan base is growing so rapidly.
Also, the PBR is looking to boost it's revenue and sponsorship each year and that's just what it did in the past year. This year they brouught in $22 million in sponsorship and about $38 million in total revenue, compared to last years numbers of $17 million and $34 million respectively. And according to Randy Bernard, the PBR's chief exceutive, he says that they are on track to meet all of their goals. And these goals include keeping and enhancing the relationships of its business partners, which is what is doing with Ford Motor Co., which has been a sponsor of the Built Ford Tough Series, the PBR's top tour; since 2003, signed a two-year; $8 million sponsorship renewal last summer. Some other high profile sponsor who look forward to the rising love of bull riding are Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Frito-Lay, PepsiCo, and US Bank with many others companies as well.
Not only is sponsorship and deals grwoing, but they are also looking forward to the international growth of this sport. People want to see excitement, thrills, and engergy. That is why bull riding is growing at the rate at which it is. In this fast pace world, we as Americans love to see someone go right to the edge, and then get up and walk away, and that's exactly what happens day in and day out the bull riding business.

"Dress to Opress? No, there's nothing wrong with NBA code v8issue26 by Abbie Hoover

NBA commissioner David Stern recently put a dress code in place for all players to follow when at any team function, from news conferences to sitting on the bench when not in uniform. I think this is good, the players need to represent the NBA in a professional manner when at events associated with the NBA. Despite what they may believe, the NBA is a business and the players need to act like professionals.
Apparently the players disagree with this and are accusing the league of discriminating against minorities. That is the dumbest thing I've heard of, and the players are acting like spoiled children. In business, image is very important, so a dress code is very appropriate. They aren't requiring an all the time dress code, just for league events. When the athlete is home or out on thier own, they can wear whatever they want. All businesses require some form of standards for their employees appearance. Just because their business is playing basketball doesn't make them exempt.
The league is not trying to change who the athletes are, or trying to opress them. They just want them to look professional at league related events; nothing more nothing less. To quote the article: "To suggest the NBA's move is racially motivated to opress minorities is extremely short-sighted, reductionistic and simply illogical. In short, what does the league have to gain by discriminating against its black players?"

"New Fabrications" v8,issue 26, p10 by Wes Layton

Under Armour is the hottest sport aparel brand for the past three years, so its no wonder that they would be in negotiations with getting an NFL license, and these two parties have been talking for some time now. And it might sound like an easy take to come into an agreement with the NFL, but that is not the case. Since rights for the "performance apparel" category are under Reebok's current NFL master apparel license, you would think that Under Armour would not be able to be apart of that, but since Adidas recently acquirred Reebok for $3.8 billion, everything is on the table because no final contracts have been set as of late. And it's just like thhe NFL to do what they do best and that is suck the bone marrow out of companies it does business with said one senior executive at an NFL licensee. And for this, the NFL may be leaning torward the Under Armour Adidas deal because it would most likely yield more than the current Reebok contract alone. All of this money, contracts and licenses' stays up in the air, but soon we should know what exactly is going to happen with Reebok, Adidas, Under Armour, and the NFL in the near future and we can expect these contracts to exceed the $100 million mark. We'll all just have to wait and see.

Media buyers report ho-hum NBA ad market' issue 26, v8 p 13 by David Shemit

This article discusses the NBA's fluctuating fortunes particularly in relation to attracting new advertisers who seem to have curved their interest in the NBA; for the time being at least anyway.
With few new advertisers coming in, the NBA is expecting to pick up less of a bump this year compared to other sports such as NASCAR and the NFL who have seen a steady growth in their marketplace.
The lack of new advertisers who want to be associated with the NBA has, according to the article, been attributed to the lack of excitement behind the start of the NBA season compared to previous ones and also due to the Lakers', (one of the most recognizable and marketable teams in the world) poor season last season.
However, I think this lack of support for the NBA has been an indirect result of recent events that have gone on. With 'that fight' and with the new 'dress code' just implemented I think that organizations who want to be associated with the NBA have just cooled their interest to see where the NBA, as an organization, goes from here. It is very important that the NBA now re-markets itself in a certain way. For this they need a strong manager and leader and in Mr. Stern I believe they have one. Nevertheless, it will be tough for the NBA to re-market itself and quickly attract new advertisers, but with time I think that they will come flooding back.
Anyway, it is not as if the NBA is struggling to find advertisers, with T-mobile and Toyota just two of many who have signed or resigned with the media networks producing the NBA packages this year, it is not as if the NBA marketplace is in crisis, more in a temporary and minor dip!

Spalding rolls out no-leak "Neverflat' ball-v8(26)p8 by Sarah Galiotto

Spalding rolls out no-leak “Neverflat’ ball- Volume 8 Issue 26 p. 8 By Sarah Galiotto

First it is a pump built into a ball, now it is a ball that will never go flat, well, that is not for at least a year. Spalding has created the ‘Neverflat’ basketball that is composed with a “new membrane, a redesigned valve and NitroFlate (a substance added to the ball during inflation that forms a barrier preventing seepage).” Spalding is hoping for sales to inflate as they did when the Infusion technology was introduced. These sales were over 50 percent and they would like a replication and then some.
Basketball players look for a ball that is ready to dribble and shoot with. This ‘Neverflat’ basketball will be ready for athletes to start playing, without worrying if they need to pump the ball up. This is a great idea. And the amazing thing is that Spalding is giving a money-back guarantee if the ball does not hold up to the standards that they are giving it. This is satisfaction for the consumer and good advertisement for Spalding, saying

Pro Football Loses a Giant Leader v8(26) by Kelly Brinker-Schaeffer

New York Giants patriarch, Wellington Mara, 89, died last week of cancer. Mara was known for always trying to do what was best for the league. Mara mainly stuck to the football side of the ledger. He was the general manager of the team in the 50’s and 60’s. Cincinnati Bengals owner, Mike Brown, said, “In his mind, his big achievements in football would have been the championships his team won and the friends he made.” Mara was also friends with Dan Rooney, owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Mara convinced Rooney that it was fine for his team to shift to the new American Football Conference back in 1970. Which for Rooney ended up to be a wise move, since the Steelers won 4 super bowls from 1975 to 1980. Wellington Mara seemed like a really nice guy that was always trying to help people and do what was best for the game of football. I think he will be missed by the New York Giants and other owners in the NFL.

"Spaulding rolls out no-leak "Neverflat" ball" v8(26) p8 by Heather Hileman

Spaulding has no invented a ball entitled “Neverflat”, that is “a ball almost impervious to leakage.” Sales for this new basketball starts in November and will be sold in stores like Dick’s Sporting Goods; however, with a price of $40.00.
This ball is apparently promised not to leak air for at least a year with the normal life of a basketball being two years. Marketing effort will include most advertisements on television around the time of NBA All-Star Game. Another ball they made five years ago was entitled “Infusion”, which placed mini pumps inside balls. That technology is now used inside most sports balls including: footballs, soccer balls and volleyballs.
Those who partake in basketball want a ball that will last the longest. Any marketing plan that can allow this to happen will succeed in the end because that is what basketball players, fans, etc. want when they partake in the sport.

"NFL offers Super Bowl Travel Package" v8, issue 26 by Daniel Benjamin

The NFL is expanding its business interest into the hospitality sector with the launch of their "NFL on Location" program. The "NFL on Loacation" program is a travel package that is centered around the Super Bowl which is being held in Detroit this year. This program offers NFL sponsors and other companies the opportunity to purchase a one to five day package ranging from $3,999 to $7,499 per person. Firms are required to purchase atleast ten trips to tap into the program. The "NFL on Location" package includes entrance into the NFL's game-day receptions held in the corporate hospitality village, tickets to the NFL experience, merchandise and special gifts. In addition, companies can buy tickets to other entertainment activities that are held earlier in the wee for an extra cost. The NFL will make 2,000 tickets and hotel rooms available for this package. These tickets will come from a portion of the 25.2% of tickets the league is allocated for the Super Bowl. The NFL plans to expand this program to encompass other events such as the draft and the American Bowl.

I think this is a great way to increase revenue for the league. I expect this program to be a huge success since the Super Bowl is seen as the mother of all championship games. Besides the game is a sideshow to the rest of the week's activities that are held in the host city.

"Dress to oppress? NO, there's nothing wrong with NBA code" v8(26), p.24 by Darrin Schwarz

Is Hip-Hop culture related to gangster culture? You need to ask yourself this question when considering if the new NBA dress code is discriminating against minorities, in this case young, African-American males. The dress code is only placing restrictions on the ‘thug look’ some players display when they don’t play and sit on the bench or during press conferences. This same look is displayed in hip-hop videos where the artists depict gangster lifestyles and portray a sense of pride created by the environment in which they grew up. These players are upset with the dress code because some old white guy is telling them how to dress. Well, this old white guy is your employer and they are trying to improve an image that has been tainted with acts of aggression on the court and in the stands that is quite similar to the anger expressed in so many rap songs. I don’t think anyone should have to sacrifice who they are. I don’t think the NBA is trying to tell the players how to live, nor are they trying to steal their identity. Although, if some the players believe their true identity is rooted in throwback jerseys, chains and medallions, or ‘bling’, then maybe their superficial manhood is at stake.

Questions over firm picked for Superdome might cause delay volume 8, issue 26, page 15 by Brent Baird

When bids were accepted for the renovation of the Superdome from the damage caused by hurricane Katrina there was a provision to the process that apparently one company overlooked. The process required any company submitting a bid to disclose and projects that had caused litigation to be enacted. Leo A. Daly did not disclose to the selection board that he was currently suing the city of Atlanta for firing the firm for the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport project. The city had fired the firm due to the project being turned in late and highly over budget. Then once the the firm had found out that the Louisiana group had found out about the litigation it promptly reported the situation.

Now the Louisiana officials will be meeting and hold hearing to decide if the project should be re-bid.

I can see where such a provision can and should include in projects of this size and scope, especially if tax payer money is involved. I believe groups should know what the “track record” is of companies that want to complete such projects. This would probably save a lot of time and money be giving committees and boards a better sense of the work produced by the companies that are contending for various projects.

The officials have set a deadline of 60 calendar day for the project to be completed. Under such time limitations having information about such law suits would be helpful for the board to make the right decision. Now that board will have to make another decision if it feels that their history of this firm is ok and if it trusts it due to it’s recent actions.

“SkyCam gets its shot” Vol8(25) By Heather Hileman

On November 5, ESPNU will air the entire Virginia Tech – Miami football game using SkyCam for all live play shots. SkyCam has actually been around since the 80s; however, it has become more popular among the broadcasters in recent years. SkyCam is usually used for replays; however, this will pick up the regular ESPN feed between plays and then cut back to SkyCam each time the ball is snapped. If people enjoy this type of telecast and they receive good feedback, ESPN will possibly try something similar with college basketball by having the camera suspended above the rim. Even though SkyCam will cover this college football game on November 5th, ESPNU will still send its own production truck team of technicians, which will cost about as much as the telecast would for an original production. And the most basic college football production costs at least $30,000.
I can see having this SkyCam for something different and I guess if they receive good feedback from the public then this view is better to watch football. They just want to get more people watching the games and by enticing a new view for the game allows more viewers to tune in to critique and evaluate the SkyCam.

“Hold the phone: NBA requires wireless access”Vol 8 Issue 25 By Kelly Brinker-Schaeffer

The NBA has decided to require all 30 of its teams to provide in-arena wireless access, which will make it the first of all major league teams to do so. The NBA feels that the wireless technology this season will eliminate much of the demand for phone lines in media workrooms and courtside areas. The long term plan for the wireless technology is to allow fans to access it using personal digital assistants. They are also hoping that a wireless gate entry will better serve fans and monitor fan access. One major advantage is that it limits the need to do lots of physical labor to cable and wire the building. What these teams won’t do to cut work and labor out? About 20 teams have already installed this technology, teams must pay for the access, but are not charging media outlets.

Skier’s comments on banned drugs fail to spook sponsors i25, p11, by Brent Baird

The Turin Winter Olympic Games are less than one hundred days away and things are starting to get into gear. Alpine skiing star Brode Miller slipped in an interview and divulged that he was working with Nike on a ad campaign that was to be kept quiet until its scheduled release prior to the beginning of the games. The campaign was to be shot over the first couple weeks of the new ski season, and will focus and have a real feel for Bode. Nike sent a team of marketing and advertising people to spend time with Bode in his hometown to get the real feel of his life and personality.

Bode receives over 2 million dollars annually from endorsements and appearances.

However, it was another comment in an interview that could be the riskiest for Bode. The skier commented that he believes that the banned substances testing done by the International Olympic Committee was too stringent. He also stated that “used in a way…directed by the research that’s out there, even some drugs like EPO could potentially balance the risk of the long-term health problems against the potential gains for not injuring yourself.” This comment has received some stern comments from USOC spokesman Darryl Seibel and World Anti-Doping Agency chairman Dick Pound.

Although most calls to Bode’s sponsors have been left unreturned, there does not seem to be a back lashed coming due to his sponsors.

If the comment was meant to get the attention of the drug enforcement staff, it worked I believe that he will be watched closely for any indications of usage, and most likely any additional comments that would be against testing procedures. I think it is reckless of such a well know athlete to suggest that some of these drugs might be ok to use. While he did infer that it should be done with in a monitored environment (according to research) the comment may still come across as an unofficial endorsement of the substance. Many of the young athletes, or those looking to get ahead and do not the safety resources could put them selves at risk because of such comments. I believe that there is freedom of speech for everyone, but with that freedom comes responsibility, something many professional athletes need to learn.

“SkyCam gets its shot” [vol.8 iss.25 pg.16] by Katie Bell

For the upcoming Virginia Tech – Miami football game, ESPNU plans to air all live play shots using the SkyCam. Normally, the SkyCam was used sporadically throughout games and mainly for replays. For this game though, every time the ball is snapped and in play, the viewers will be watching the action from the SkyCam.

The SkyCam has been around since the 1980s, but has become more popular as the years go on. Ever since the SkyCam was sold from its original owner in 2004, it has more than doubled. It is supposed to be used about 125 times this year.

This seems to be an interesting idea. It hasn’t been done before, so it’s a bit of a risk, but it could be worth it. More people might tune in to watch this game because of how it is being aired, and from there it can be decided if this was a popular idea or not.

‘Fellows plots to get Callaway on course’ v8, issue 25, by Darrin Schwarz

George Fellows was the head of Revlon in the mid-to late 1990’s and now he’s the president and CEO of Callaway Golf. The company is no longer a powerhouse in the golf industry since the founder Ely Callaway passed away in 2001. In an effort to ‘right the ship’, Callaway is cutting 500 jobs (15% of workforce) intending to save $70 million over two years while spending $12 million in restructuring. He has already received several unsolicited bids to buyout the company but claims that possibility “nonsense”. Not only has Fellows moved into a completely different product realm, but he seems to have quite a challenge ahead of him. After an initial jump in stocks following the announcement of job lay-offs, Callaway has since dropped at the close of the market on Oct. 19. With the golf ball woes and cutbacks, and with the Nike SasQuatch ready to emerge, Callaway Golf better ‘grip it – n –rip it’.

When handing out licenses, MLB plays small ball v8, issue 16, by Dave Andrews

While the NBA, NFL and NHL have contracted with big name Reebok for the main bulk of their licensing, MLB has taking a different route. MLB as decided to look into the smaller domestic production companies that have a specialization in the quick-turn demands that necessary in the licensed apparel market. They believe dividing the channels of distribution is the best way to cover all the bases.

Reebok has its logo on NFL and NHL jerseys; MLB bid out its on-field apparel rights last season to much smaller firms such as New Era and Majestic. New Era continued as the exclusive primary headwear vendor and Majestic grew its jersey rights from half to all MLB teams. Nike ended up with the compression wear as well as limited apparel and cap rights, while Reebok ended up acquiring s smaller footwear license.

A comparison was made between the annual revenue for New Era and Majestic and Nike and Reebok, but it was justified by staying that how MLB was looking for companies who were the best at what they do. This quote from Howard Smith (former Reebok marketer and current point man for MLB licensing) was “Companies like New Era and Majestic are Boston Whalers, zipping around a harbor of giant cruise ships,” … “If Adidas or Reebok doesn’t ship a cap, no one knows it. If New Era isn’t shipping, someone in Derby, N.Y. isn’t eating.”

HBO Dares to Market- Vol 8, Issue 25 pg 15 By Sarah Galiotto

HBO will be doing a documentary of the United States Women’s Soccer Team. The US Women’s Soccer team has had success in winning the world cup and Olympic titles. This documentary is getting more marketing support than any other documentary that has been done.
The documentary has been named ‘Dare to Dream: The Story of the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team.’ Screenings will be done on campuses, particularly ones that have strong women’s soccer programs. Nonprofit organizations will also help support and market the documentary. The documentary will also be screened in popular soccer towns across the U.S. and will have a gala premier featuring the women’s team on November 29. The 118-minute documentary will air on HBO on December 11th at 8p.m.
I think that this is a wonderful idea. The U.S. Women’s Soccer Team has brought a lot of recognition to women’s sports in the past several years. Being a soccer fan myself and being one of at least thousands that witnessed the U.S. women win the World Cup in 1999 from my home and watching Brandi Chastain infamously rip off her jersey and kneel down in the middle of the field, delights me that they are showing recognition to women’s sports. The U.S. Women’s Soccer team has proven that they are a powerhouse.
I think that the way that HBO is marketing it is good. They are going to cities and colleges that soccer is popular and promoting it before it comes out on HBO. They are even getting the girls, themselves, involved which will bring many fans to see the documentary and the athletes.

"Nets pay price to cover operating losses" (vol. 8, issue 25, pg 3) by Daniel Benjamin

After not being able to persuade investors to contribute to the cash shortfall that the New Jersey Nets were facing, Nets owner Bruce Ratner borrowed $60 million at the rate of 10.5% last month from Fortress Investments. This new debt brings the Nets total debt upto $210 million, with $150 million having accrued when Ratner had to borrow money to purchase the team.

NBA league policy allows teams to borrow up to $100 million using the franchise as security. Since the franchise is used as security the interest is very low for these loans. After using these low interest loans, teams that still need to borrow usually create a holding company putting up revenue generated by the team (the Nets are currently losing money playing in their current Contential Airlines Arena, which is why they are going to move to Brooklyn in 2008) and ownership gurantees as collateral. The type of borrowing that the Nets are using is called mezzanine financing, which typically has a higher interest rate because the lender (in this case Forteress Investments) would generally be one of the last in line to collect their debt in the event that the Nets go "belly up".

It's not surprising with the escalating costs of an expansion team or buying an existing team (this is due to the selling/awarding process which is generally an auction or another type of bidding process),that owners have to borrow money in order to do this. Even though New York has proven that it can manage hosting two franchises in the same league (Rangers and Islanders;Mets and Yanks) I'm not sure how successful the Nets are going to be in Brooklyn since the Knicks already play their (although New York City is a basketball hotbed). The reason I say this is because it seems the more popular of the teams (Yanks and Rangers) do alot better at the gate then their counterparts and their is no doubt that the Knicks are New York's team. I believe that mezzanine financing is great for lenders because they can charge well above the interest rate which obviously means more money for them. I also believe this type of financing has some appeal to sports teams because they are sort of protected from these types lenders if the team files for bankrupt.

"LeBron's Right-hand Man"vol.8 iss.25 pg.1 by Sarah Zdesar

Can Maverick Carter prove critics wrong? That is the big question not only in Cleveland, but in the entire sports world. Some of us, or should say most of us have no idea who Maverick Carter is, but we all just may be watching a 24 year-old become an entrepeanurial giant right before our eyes. When Lebron James, who has been said to be the next Michael Jordan, decided to fire his agent everyone assumed that he might switch to a bigger agent or agency altogether, but instead he decided to hire three of his closest friends and the man to lead the effort was Maverick Carter. The team includes James, Carter and James' other two close friends, Randy Mims and Richard Paul. The four have called themselves "The Four Horsemen" and have reserved the names "4 Horsemen Management Co." and "4 Horsemen Development Co." with the Ohio Secretary of State's office.
The reason for the fire and the new hire had many reasons, but LeBron decided..the eay he wanted to di it is to set up himself as if he was a brand or business and he knew his his best friends would be able to make that happen for him. Although LeBron trusts his friends more than anyone, he still hires other respected professionals in the Cleveland area to help him and to help guide his newly appointed mangement team.
Being from Cleveland I really enjoyed reading this article and learning some important information about LeBron and his management team that I did not know before. That is why it's amazing to see exactly how much pressure and scrutiny and how everyone wants a piece of such a young and successful athlete. It will be interesting to see how successful this management team is and will become with the most highly profiled professional basketball player right now!

Hold the phone: NBA requires wireless access (Vol. 8, Iss. 25, page 4) by Alicia Detweiler

The NBA is requiring all teams to provide wireless access by the start of the 2006-2007 season. The idea is to make all the media areas wire-free. While initially the technology will only be available to the media, it is likely that eventually the fans will also be able to access the service. It could even be used for wireless gate entry or for fans to order concessions from wireless devices and have their order delivered to them in their seats.

I think this is something that is long overdue. Wi-fi is relatively inexpensive and eliminates the need for running cables thoughout arenas. With entire cities like Philly and Austin trying to make their entire downtown areas into hotspots, it seems logical that more and more pubic places, such as sports arenas, do the same. It would be a huge advantage to fans as many people have PDAs and laptops with built-in Wi-fi cards and hopefully we'll see more sports organizations follow suit with their arenas as well.

'Worldwide Leader becomes more of a reader', (Issue 25, Vol. 8, p16): by David Shemilt.

The article identifies ESPN's new avenue of media production, that of the book publishing variety and its surprising success in this form of the media.
Books such as, 'Now I Can Die in Peace', from ESPN's obsessive Boston Red Sox columnist Bill Simmons, have recently been amongst the New York Times' most popular sellers.
However, this just shows how strong the media is as a marketing tool, whether it is to market a top-selling book or just a piece of paper. ESPN's obvious ability to market itself to the public at large allows such marketing strategies as book launches to speak for themselves without the company even spending a penny.
ESPN Radio, the ESPN magazine, ESPN.com and the ESPN television network reaches a huge range of people, allowing any marketing strategy to specifically, quickly and efficiently identify and target its audience. As a result, ESPN has recently seen its average number of releases double in sales since they started this form of media in 1997.
Hence, when marketing any product, the successful sports marketing manager needs to manipulate and utilize the media and all of the benefits that it brings with