HPED635-001 Sport Management Course
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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.
posted by Dr. Richard Hsiao @ Wednesday, August 15, 2007
144 Comments:
(Week 1) "Insiders Applaud Goodell's First Year" Volume 10, Issue 19, PP 1, 25, & 31
In the article I read, it talked about National Football Commissioner Roger Goodell and the way he handled his first year at the job. The article talked about Goodell as being "the sport world's ultimate brand manager". This is because his main focus was on protecting the NFL's image and reputation. The article also talked about the differences between he and the two former commissioners Pete Rozelle and Paul Tagliabue. The article talks about some of the hard choices Goodell has had to make and the fact that he has all 33 owners of all the NFL teams supporting him.
I thought the article was pretty good because it shed some light on some things I did not know about Goodell. Being a football fan, you sometimes get only half the story about people from the media and this is not a good thing. Hearing some of the positives about Roger Goodell have changed some of my opinion of him. I think that he is really looking out for the well-being of the NFL and that is and can be only a good thing.
Week 2 "Miami to tear down historic Orange Bowl." V-10, I-19, P7.
The authors of this article informs the reader that after the 2007 football season, the historic Orange Bowl will be demolished. When I first started to read this article, I was a little taken aback. How could anyone think of tearing down a national landmark, football stadium speaking. However the more I read the more I understood. The Orange
Bowl recently had a renovation estimate of $216 million. You could probably tear down and build a new building for the same amount. Another contributing factor for the stadium demolition is the fact that it is currently ADA deficent. Facilities need to stay curent with the rules and regulations that pertain to handicap accessibility.
In the article we find out that two NCAA Division I football teams share the stadium, which I was unware of, Miami and Florida International. Miami will be sharing Dolphin Stadium starting next year. Simillar arrangement that the Steelers and Pitt Panthers have at Heinz Field. I'm a big fan of college or universities having their own stadium. It's nice to say you share a field with an NFL franchise, but I feel it's not the same as having your own. It takes the "college" experience away from the fans, and puts them in a more corporate atmosphere. I know the field at Heinz Field takes a beating, due to the high volume of games and the weather. However I don't foresee the same type of problem in Miami. The one issue this article didn't mention that I was interested in was, where was FIU going to play next season. I feel it wouldn't have taken much effort to find out and to report that information to the reader. It is currently undecided what will replace the historical stadium. The leading canidate is a new baseball stadium for the Florida Marlins. As much as I love baseball, it will be a tough task to replace a "stadium icon" such as the Orange Bowl.
"Colorado fans can ring up concessions on mobile phones"
Volume #10, Issue #19, pg #14
This article discussed the new system that the University of Colorado has implemented at their Folsom Field in Boulder. Fans are now able to order concessions right from their cell phones. A new system called Mocapay sets up a prepaid account through the user's bank account that is accessed through text message. The account user then gives the four digit number to the concession workers and payment is complete. This article points out that it is almost like using a credit card.
The University of Colorado isn't the only provider of this new technology. It was said that Macopay provides service to 250 restaurants and stores in the Boulder area, and has between 3,000 and 4,000 users.
I think that this Macopay system is pretty exciting, but I would be reluctant to use it until all of the kinks are worked out. I don't know if I would trust handing over a four digit number to a cashier at a sporting event. If Macopay becomes very popular I would be worried about identity theft. I think we may see issues with these type of text messaging accounts in the future.
[Week 2]“Will Nike let Federer walk away?"
V-10, I-19, P-4
For those companies which are making profit in the sport industry, finding appropriate and talent athletes to represent their corporate image in the market is a very significant task. These athletes with reputation in their belonged profession field are able to attract their fans attention and benefit the companies in utilizing pull marketing strategy.
Performances of the sports endorsers will be concerned with their future contract with the belonged companies. These contracts indirectly reflect values of the endorsers in the market. Since beginning of U.S Open, I believe that Federer’s excellent performances have attracted many tennis fans’ attention. Moreover, his talent still maintains potential to cause more dramatic influence in the future days. Therefore, I think NIKE should keep the relationship with Federer for the potential talent even though it has to pay more to sign him.
"Insiders Applaud Goodell's First Year" Volume 10, Issue 19, PP 1
This article stood out to me because there has been some misconceptions about the new NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. It all started the first few weeks he took the job, when he brought an idea about moving the Super Bowl overseas. As a diehard NFL fan, I was outraged to hear this, but then I read this article. Roger Goodell has done several good things for this league in just his first year. I now understand his thinking, trying to globalize the sport, but once he heard all the outraged fans and players thoughts, he came to his senses.
This article also talks about how he has won over the owners with his work with revenue sharing, which Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones gives him high praise for. Goodell has also cracked down on player conduct. His main focus, in which all owners agree with, is to protect the shield of the NFL, and make sure that it has a positive image.
[Week 1]" Insiders applaud Goodell’s first year"
V-10, I-19, P-1,25,31
The cover story on Roger Goodell’s first year as NFL Commissioner was compelling. Goodell has spent a number of year gaining experience as Executive Vice President of the NFL. Goodell’s first year in office he has set a precedent in regard to player conduct. Goodell is responsible for protecting the image and reputation of America’s most popular sport. He has made tough decisions on collective bargaining agreement, media exposure, and NFL Europa. Goodell has garnered the respect of the NFL owners who appreciate his business acumen.
I believe that Roger Goodell is an exceptional NFL Commissioner. Unlike his precedessor Paul Tagliabue, Goodell is willing to make formidable decisions. He has finally decided to dismantle NFL Europa. This experimental league has failed to gain exposure in the European market. Any futile business enterprise that hemorrhage $40 million annually needs to be terminated. I understand the NFL’s approach on capitalizing on the success of the sport in a foreign market. He decision to prematurely suspend players for their off-field transgression is unfair. I believe that every citizen should experience one of America’s greatest legal aspects; due process. I can appreciate Goodell position on protecting the image of the NFL. I believe that he should let the legal system play its role before making decisions. Overall, Roger Goodell is the right person to led the NFL.
Players Inc. stays ‘Real’ with new round of ads
Volume 10 Issue 19 pg 12
This is a small article in the SBJ this week but I personally find it to be an interesting marketing strategy. What they are doing with this “new round of ads” is portraying or at least attempting to portray a certain number of NFL athletes at “real” people. Instead of showing clips of grueling hits or knee shattering moves they are showing the emotion that makes these players tick.
To someone that is interested in marketing strategies this is very interesting because what we are seeing here is something that has been argued in the past years. Bring it back to an argument that Warren Sapp a couple of years ago while with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His statement was that in all other sports a player has the ability to show his or her face, to portray a feeling, but in football with the rules stating that no player can have their helmet off during on the field play, it limits any type of marketing to a specific personality. This strategy now has started to put a personality with the players off the field.
[Week 2]"Doing the right thing is also the logical thing for companies"
V-10, I-19, P-20
Overall, I felt that this article does a very good job of illustrating the importance of sport marketing and how the sporting organization itself it directly linked to the community that it surrounds locally, as well as on a national level. Not only do top sport marketers want to give back to the community as a gesture of appreciation for all the support received during the season, but they have also realized the potential for selling their product when they have drawn a personal connection to their fans.
People, in general, seem to connect more with teams and other organizations alike when they feel that they are doing their part in contributing to the well being of others. To list statistics from the article, about 83% of Americans surveyed believe that companies have a responsibility to support good causes (i.e. charities, etc.) and 92% seem to have more of a positive outlook on companies that participate (physically, or monetarily) to “socially meaningful efforts”. In fact, Americans feel so strongly that businesses should do their part to give back to the community that according to the article, 87% of those surveyed said that they would actually switch brands of a product if they knew that the competing company supported good causes and their current supplier did not (so long as the product was of relatively equal price and quality).
Not only does this article show the relevance of sport marketing in today’s world and the wide range of possibilities that surround the business, but I feel that it also shows the unique opportunity for a market in sporting business in the United States due to the cultural link that fans have with their sporting teams and the appreciation for those teams for contributing to good causes through out the community.
ESPN spots introduce U.S. women's soccer 2.0
V-10, I-19, P-12
I thought this article was great, it gives the readers information about two things that many "typical sports fans" don't pay too much attention to; 1. women's sports, and 2. soccer. Next week the women's world cup soccer tournament will start, this article brought up the fact that with baseball season heading toward the postseason, and football just starting, espn's ratings will be going up. Seth Ader espn's senior director in marketing hopes that people will become more interested in learning more about this year's national team, "People know it exists, but most people don't know much about it other than Brandi Chastain and Mis Hamm. Ad's featuring players from this years national team have been running on espn, espn2, espn360, and in espn the magazine. Ader hopes that while sports fans are watching highlights from football and baseball games, they will also pay attention to the soccer highlights and get hooked.
[Week 1] Fox Opening Sports Home on Myspace
V-10, I-18, P-1 cont. on 36
This particular article discusses Fox Sports using the internet to help attract more viewers and fans.
Myspace.com has been a vital player in this process, but other internet sites have also been used by Fox Sports for the same reasons.
FIM (Fox Interactive Media) has used a number of internet sites as a source for news and recaps of sporting events. One of the best known sites is Scout.com. This site is particularly used for college level sports and recruiting news.
Another well known site is Rivals.com. It is the catagory leader for recruiting news and a main broadcaster through the Myspace page for FIM.
The main purpose for using these websites is to help broaden the fan base of Fox Sports and sports in general. By personal observation and use of common sense, the moajority of internet (especially Myspace.com) users are around the late teen to early or mid twenties area. This is an ideal crowd to attract due to the high interest in sports typically found in this age group.
By using the internet (especially Myspace) FIM can broaden their fanbase greatly. Also Facebook.com is hitting the internet scene and will also be a good source for more people in the same age group. Though a very simple idea, i believe FIM made a very wise move by making Myspace.com and Facebook.com a part of their broadcasting movement.
[Week 2] "Colorado fans can ring up concessions on mobile phone"
V-10, I-19, P-14
This article discusses a new type of technology that University of Colorado football fans can use on game days. This season at Folsom Field Buffalo fans can use their cell phones like a debit card to pay for food and drinks. Fans send a text message to Mocapay, which sends back a four-digit code and account balance. The fan then gives their code to the cashier and the amount is then recorded and a receipt given to the customer. Mocopay is a mobile cash company that is accepted at 250 restaurants and has over 3,000 users. Mocopay makes money off each text message sent in addition to a monthly fee and an activation fee.
I think this new technology is a great idea. It offers fans a different type of payment option without having to even bring their wallet to the concession stand. I think if this technology is successful, you will start seeing similar services being offered at other schools in the years to come.
[Week 2] “Colorado fans can ring up concessions on mobile phones”, V-10, I-19, P-14
In this article, fans at the University of Colorado football games are now able to directly dial the concession stand and order their snacks without even leaving their seats and missing a second of the game. These fans can set up prepaid accounts online with their personal identification number that is connected to their bank account. While at the game, fans can make concession purchases and be sent a confirmation number along with how much is left in their account. Many other stadium venues are looking to use this during their games while others have already started a similar trend.
Mocapay, which is an acronym for mobile cash payments, was started about 18 months ago by a guy named Rod Stambaugh. It is now being used in over 250 restaurants and stores within the Boulder, Colorado area. It is free to the user and easy for both the user and the workers at the concession stand.
This idea seems great, but at the same time it almost seems as though it is making our society even lazier than they already are. Technology is rapidly developing and making many people’s lives easier with less physical work. And then doctor’s and other wonder why our obesity rate is increasing.
I feel as though this is a great idea as far as being able to pay for something by simply opening an account and using a simple text message. With the way our lives are so hectic and we rush around to get things done, it will help to speed up the process of ordering concessions at various sports venues and help fans to not miss as much of the event as in the past.
As far as sport management, I think that when more people hear about this new idea, more people will aspire to visit these venues that participate in Mocapay. If not to become an active participant of this but to simply see what it is all about. Because of an increase in fans that want to discover this new idea, there will be an increase in the profit that these venues will make due to increased ticket sales and increase concession sales. I also feel that because fans do not have to wait in line for their snacks, more people will purchase snacks and increase profit yet again.
[Week 2]"Will Nike let Federer walk away?"
V-10,I-19,P-4
In this article, the reporter pointed out whether the tennis goods marketing will be changed in next year or not, because Roger Federer’s contract with Nike will be expired in next February. Will Nike renew the contract with Federer or not? Otherwise, the reporter mentioned that regarding Nike there are a number of leading brand companies who also have interested in making contract with Roger Federer such as Polo, and Fila. To maintain the big brother status in tennis goods marketing, should Nike give up renewing the contract with the best tennis player, Roger Federer? Finally, there is news regarding other company’s latest activities to get Roger Federer attentions in favor of signing new contract with them.
From my point of view, the reporter should put more details about how to lay out the win-win situation for both Nike and Federer. Even though in goods marketing of tennis sports have many competitions; once the biggest sport brand lost the top contract with Federer, would Nike also lose massive customers marketing in tennis marketing? Otherwise, in the last half page of this article, the reporter compared different tennis players in varied companies. I don’t think from this part has any relevant issues to build on the topic.
Basically, I agree with the reporter’s main idea which indicates the tennis apparel marketing will rearrange as soon as it appears.
{Week 1} "Flyers, Sixers will give fans a crack at all-you-can-eat seats"
Vol. 10 Issue 19 Pg. 14
This article describes a ticket marketing strategy that a couple Philadelphia franchises are considering to help fill seats in their arena, the Wachovia Center. The NHL's Flyers and the NBA's Sixers share the arena in South Philadelphia, and apparently have had some trouble filling up seating sections in the higher levels of the arena. To attempt to sell more tickets in these typically sparse areas, they are going to institute "all you can eat seats", an idea they have taken from Major League Baseball. MLB already has several stadiums where you can purchase these types of tickets.
If a fan buys one of these tickets, they are assigned to a designated section and are given a wristband to identify them as having paid for the extra service. In this section they can eat all they want from a special menu of hot dogs, popcorn, chips, salsa, peanuts, and other finger foods. Alcohol, however, is not included on this list, and I believe that is a smart move. Fans can already drink plenty at sporting events without getting a bottomless pitcher.
While I do admit it is an intriguing idea to help generate ticket sales, it does seem kind of a desperate move to bring people in. It doesn't really have an attachment to the teams involved, so it's really more for casual fans than the really devoted. It also seems to be sending a bit of a mixed message when it comes to the public service messages from pro leagues who advocate health and being fit, especially to children. They run these commercials on television urging people to make healthy decisions, but when you come to the game, you can pig out on all the food you want? Seems a bit hypocritical to me. But if it catches on in Philadelphia, I could see it spreading to other arenas and stadiums in the major and even minor leagues in all sports.
[Week 2] "More NFL coaches are acting like CEOs, V-10, I-19, P-1
This article deals with the developing roles of Coaches in the National Football League. I definitely agree with the article because I feel that many of the roles in professional sports are constantly changing. The coaching profession is developing into a role of not only a coach, but a business man who has to develop both the players and the image of the organization. Many coaches are looking to seek power over personnel decision, because there is not a lot of room to lose these days. When a coach shows that they have the ability to win at the highest level, management would selfish to not allow these business savy coaches the power to have a say in decisions on and off the field. I think that coaches should not be given to much power or responsibility unless they have shown the ability to manage it. The coach's main responsibility is to win games and have their team ready for games. I think management should be aware of the possibilty of spreading their coaches to thin, but at the same time make sure they have a say in major decisions if they have earned that credibility.
Janessa Hardesty said….
[Week 2] “ESPN spots introduce U.S. women’s soccer 2.0”
V-10, I-19, P-12
Overall, I feel that this article has the right motivational techniques to encourage spectators’ interests in U.S. women’s soccer. Everyone knows that in the U.S. football is the most popular sport and the most watched. But soccer is slowing becoming a hit in the U.S. especially with bringing David Beckham to the U.S.
ESPN is trying to market the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup in China that begins on September 10, to a larger audience. When I first read the first few paragraphs I thought that this would be a bad marketing idea because of the start of the professional football but then the more I read the strategy became clear. Even though people will be watching the World Series and the NFL, they will also be watching them on ESPN. Seth Ader, ESPN senior director of sports marketing, hopes that the exposure ESPN will get from football and baseball will interest people to the soccer tournament.
The marketing strategies are to use three current U.S. soccer players along with the tag line “The world is their stage” in TV commercials, Sports Illustrated and ESPN magazine, and on espn.com. I feel that these are great ideas to try and get the interest back into women’s soccer. I will be honest that I have not watched soccer since Brandi Chastain scored the winning goal in 1999, and took off her shirt. It seems that since the World Cup in 1999, U.S. women’s soccer has fallen off the radar. But I do feel that there is hope especially, with the ESPN exposure and the rising popularity of the sport, more interest will follow. If these strategies designed by ESPN are successful for women’s soccer then it will bring great possibilities for other sports such as field hockey and lacrosse.
[Week 2]"Crocs team deals target NFL fans"
V-10, I-19, P-3
Crocs only for the beach? Apparently not.
In reviewing this article, I have found that Crocs brand is trying to slip into a major market without paying a hefty price tag in order to do so. Late last year, Crocs signed a licensing deal with the NFL which resulted in some of their product being available in and around Miami during the Super Bowl. The shoe was a hit with the fans and, as such, Crocs is now in the process of expanding their role in trying to become the shoe of choice for NFL fans.
I believe Crocs has taken an intelligent step in targeting an easy market... fans. Although every company and their brother seems to have licensing deals with the NFL, this particular item is in a category all its own. It's not a sport-specific shoe and it's not a high-priced shoe, both factors which leave room for each and every fan to obtain them. Not only has this company introduced what seems to be a comfortable product, but they have released it into a market which craves new things - things which plaster their favorite teams' logos all over them.
In virtually cornering the market with their collegiate line (over 100 schools and 24 partnerships), Crocs is now in the process of doing what any rising company would do - take their popular product to the next level.
Although I don't find the footwear very attractive, I can see how it appeals to the everyday NFL and collegiate fan. It slips on easily, has your team's logo on it and it's made of tough material.
Crocs is a company on the rise, and their new NFL team deals are an intelligent way to show NFL fans exactly what they're doing and what they have available. Good move by a smart company.
(week 2) "Miami to tear down historic Orange Bowl" v-10, I-19, P-7
This article is about the demolition of the Orange Bowl. This stadium has hosted 5 super bowls, numerous Miami Hurricanes games, and college football's Orange Bowl. There is no focus on making any renovations because the cost is extremely high. In it's current state, it is all about the history of the facility.
I think tearing this stadium down is the right thing to do. It was said that the stadium was in desperate need of repair to meet safety requirements. This can be beneficial to the Hurricanes, because their games will now be held in the newly remodeled Miami Dolphins stadium. Having a substantial upgrade in stadiums could also draw in a bigger crowd,which in turn can draw in bigger profits.
They are estimating the teardown cost to be about 20 million dollars. The stadium opened in 1937 with a construction cost of 340,000 dollars. The question the city has to answer now is what to put in the Orange Bowl's place. There is currently talk of a new Florida Marlins ballpark to be developed here.
[Week 2] "More NFL coaches are acting like CEOs, V-10, I-19, P-1
I think the article impacts the sports management industry greatly. It is putting a new marketing aspect on professional sports that typically has not been advertised. Many organizations are marketing their coaches and front office to make the organizations a beloved figure to the fans, in an attempt to improve a type of brand loyalty to the product. This is seen in the case of the Tenessee Titans marketing their Head Coach Jeff Fisher on a bobble head doll. I think that this article is very insightful and will start to set a trend in all the major professional sports.
(Week 3) "Right place, right team: SportSouth show unexpectedly got a lot more special" Volume 10, Issue 20, PP 1, 35
In this article it talks about a camera crew that was embedded with a football team from training camp till the season which got more than they bargained for. SportSouth had a camera crew as stated already embedded with the Appalachian State University's football team. They planned to air a 30-minute reality show on the team's training camp as part of its "Under the Lights" series later in the month. The camera crew followed the team around from the moment they got on campus for training camp and even went to classes with some of the players.
Then the unthinkable happened. SportSouth's cameras traveled with the team from Boone, N.C. They were on the team's chartered flight out of Johnson City, Tenn. And they rode the team bus to the stadium. This stadium that they rode with the team to was Michigan Stadium. Appalachian State was to play a game against the power house Michigan Wolverines which were ranked No. 5 in the country coming into the game. Appalachian State was a Division I-AA school (now called the Football Championship Subdivision) and a huge underdog to the Wolverines. The camera crew filmed Appalachian State in the locker room before the game, at halftime and again after the game in which Appalachian State pulled off one of the greatest upsets in Collegiate history by beating Michigan 34-32. This upset put Appalachian State on the map and has everyone wanting a piece of them. Products representing Appalachian State have been flying of the shelves and the show that was to be 30-minutes is now turned into and hour long show. The producer's SportSouth are even thinking about creating a DVD. They just want to make sure they get a piece of the action while the buzz is still intact.
(Week 3)"ESPN to 'take some chances' against NFL" Volume 10, Issue 20, Pg.3
Usually when a national network is broadcasting a NFL game, its competing networks will not even try to compete for the same audience, and run some programming of a different type that is aimed at a different audience. This is done to keep the ratings high. But most NFL games, even the ones not featuring high-profile teams, do well in TV ratings. NBC's Sunday Night football is different in a way that it is the one and only football game on the air in its time slot. Sports networks would usually concede viewer's attention during this time, knowing that regardless of station, people love to watch football.
ESPN has decided to take a different tactic this year. On Sunday nights opposite of NBC's Sunday Night Football, they will run more aggressive sporting events, such as live games and specials. This will put them in direct competition for viewers during this time frame against NBC. The events ESPN plan to televise are MLB baseball games, college football games, and NASCAR specials.
I am not so sure this is good idea to put yourself in direct competition with the NFL, but if you want to try to compete, I think ESPN is going about it the right way. If you look at the opposing schedules, you can see a big MLB game, Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees, THE rivarly in baseball. This will guarantee lots of viewers from two major media markets, Boston and New York. Also, scheduling NASCAR supplements was smart. NASCAR fans are extremely numerous, and very dedicated to their sport. I believe they would even pass up a football game in order to see more racing.
Week 3.FedEx Cup playoff events report big sales increas. V. 10 I.20, P. 4
The FedEx Cup is something that I really do not know a whole lot about. I enjoy watching golf, but only the major atmosphere. I personally believe that the FedEx Cup is the PGA's attempt to cash in on the playoff type event. All four of the host sites for the FedEx Cup have reported an increase in ticket and luxury suite sales. The PGA alloted for more tickets to be sold at each site, as well as provided more suite boxes. I am sure a lot of fans bought tickets to see Tiger Woods play in this type of an event. Tiger did not play in the first round of the FedEx cup. I would like to know how many people still went to watch the Barclays, even though Tiger wasn't there.
Although all four sites have reported increased ticket sales, the TV stations are reporting a drop off in TV ratings for the first three rounds. There is some significant drop offs in the ratings, some as much as 64%. I wonder if there is any coorlation between these two entities. Are less people watching on TV because they are at the course watching the event? The FedEx so far is making money. Will it be a permanent part of the PGA tour? Time will tell, but if money has any say, it will be around for awhile.
Snap decision or good strategy? Vol. 10 Issue 20 pgs. 17-23
This article discusses the schools in Division I-AA (subdivision to Division I-A to either stay in their division or to make the jump up the ladder to I-A. There are many ups and downs to the making a decision like this. Take Western Kentucky for example; they are moving to Division I-A in 2008, and their very first game is against one of the most storied programs in college football history, the Alabama Crimson Tide (who generated $44 million in football revenue in 2005). Only time will tell whether or not this was a wise decision for future success, but for now it looks good because just for Western Kentucky to make the trip to Alabama, the Crimson Tide will give their school $250,000 to play them.
As many people know, one school that made this move up the ladder was rather successful last year when they defeated the Oklahoma Sooners in the Fiesta Bowl, and that team would be the Boise State Broncos. By defeating the Sooners in the bowl game, Boise State increased its revenue by $4 million. A school not so lucky by this move was the University of Idaho, who has gone 14-59 since 2002, and bairly broke even last year in revenue.
In closing, I would have to say that if your school has the right leaders to bring your program to the top, it's absolutely worth a try. Just a little success can leapfrog your program from state-wide to nationally known. It starts from your athletic director down the coaches who do your recruiting all the way to the boosters who help raise the money. If all teams work together, there is no reason why the move up the ladder shouldn't be a good move.
[Week 3] “Sirius to air Sporting News Radio programs" V-10, I-20, P-8
With the growing of the sports activities in the U.S., many of the companies are thinking of connecting their products or services with this rapidly thrifty industry. Sirius Satellite Radio makes a very impressive decision on broadcasting the sport-related news on the air. Especially in the start of the NFL season, these sports news radio programs definitely will attract most of football fans’ attention.
To those people who are unable to physically attend the stadium or unable to stay in front of TVs, Satellite radio will be a good channel to connect with the live shows, or the live games. For example, truck drivers are one of the groups benefited most from the sports news radio programs. To those business people who are also sports fans, these programs also play a role on treating their homesickness.
(Week 3) "Program convinces students that attendance has its rewards" V-10, I-20, p. 14
This article speaks of the new opportunities for college athletics to make more money through attendance and sponsorship while at the same time increasing the awareness and support of all of their athletic teams through the use of new technology.
The new technology will allow student data to be stored through the use of their swipe card (IUP's version of an I-card). Students will use their swipe card to access games. The more games/athletic events students attend, the more points they acquire. They can even earn additional points if they attend a game that isn't projected to be high profile in terms of how many individuals would want to go.
By acquiring more points by attending all athletic events students have a greater opportunity to get tickets to big games, like rivalry games or bowl games, etc. This approach increases the attendance and support for athletic teams other than football or basketball for example, while at the same time raising additional revenue from sponsors as well as the sale of sporting apparel.
"Program convinces students that attendance has its rewards" V-10, I-20, P-14
This article was great, in that explained a rewards system that is being used in same university settings, to encourage students to participate in watching sporting events. The system uses barcode, and electronic strip technology and keeps track of how many games each student attends. Each game is given a point total. Less "attractive", or lower profile games give students a higher amount of points, while high profile, or "premium' games give students less points. The benefits of banking points include, online ticket sales, the ability to print tickets from home, and better chances at getting "premium" tickets.
The system also allows students to view how many points other's have, "This creates a sense of competition that shifts the focus from whether students should consider attending to how many points they have accumulated as compared with other students."
The system also works with faculty, donors ans fans, which many universities are taking advantage of. The system allows all constituants, to preview progress, recieve excellent customer service, and reap the rewards of supporting their athletic programs.
"Bottled Up: Tampa keeps limits on liquor sales at Bucs games" V-10, I-20, P-13
A request was made to sell liquor from portable stands located around the stadium. After originally accepting the proposal in July, the city of Tampa denied a request to sell hard liquors at Raymond James Stadium. Currently suites and clubs serve liquor but to the rest of the fans only beer and wine are available.
It is believed that selling liquor would not increase alcohol-related problems. Many of the problems are believed to occur from the amount of drinking that occurs before the game.
I believe Tampa is correct in their decision. Though liquor may not add to alcohol-related problems, the amount of alcohol content per drink is increased and this could lead to more problems. It's better to be safe, than sorry.
[Weeek 3]"Soccer tours deliver for marketing firm”
V-10, I-10, P-4
After reading this article which brings me into the soccer business world, I realize there is a huge potential business in sport not only in U.S, but in the global market. The Kentaro Group has been known how to package the most famous soccer teams into global market, to tempt fans and sponsorships to the game, and the firm arranges the complete programs in marketing to make great amount money into its pocket.
I think that soccer is a successful program in sport marketing, because it is the most popular sport in the world. Perhaps, someone would not agree this statement, but this is true. Each time as I am watching the TV soccer games, always wonder and eager to know why those soccer fans are so crazy.
Kentaro sees the chance and knows the demand of soccer market in the world sport. Not only they promote the top teams to the world, but they also get plenty of benefits from various ways such as ticket sales, sport goods, TV broadcasting business, sponsorships and so on.
Actually, I am not familiar with and am less interested in soccer game, but right now I understand there are many potential business opportunities in any kinds of sport game.
Finally, since the international soccer tours are huge in sport market, why Kentaro didn’t plan more games in U.S? Maybe the American are less confident in promoting the soccer game in the United States domain, not like baseball, American football and basketball league games. That does provide a debate point to argue with.
[Week 3] “Program convinces students that attendance has its rewards”
V-10, I-20, P-14
In this article it talks about using new technology for colleges and universities to seek attendance at their sporting events. This new technology is focused on giving students points for their admittance to the event, by using a bar code or magnetic strip card that keeps a database of total points. The students accumulate points to receive benefits for future sporting events such as earlier access to games and seating locations through rewards-based ticketing. My first reaction from this article was that it started to sound like some of my credit card advertisements. The more times I use my VISA card the more points I may earn for various rewards.
The article discusses two software companies; TicketReturn, and Total Ticketing. TicketReturn seems to have been the pioneer for the rewards-based ticketing programs with online ticket sales, use of ticket lotteries, and printed tickets. Now, there is new software from XOS technology called Total Ticketing, which is similar to TicketReturn except you can have reward systems for students, faculty, fans, and donors. Both of these programs have had an effort of increased in attendance, fan support and revenues for the colleges and universities.
I think it is a good marketing strategy especially for sporting events because it requires the students to engage in more sporting events to receive bigger rewards. I know I would have attended more games to receive the benefits especially for important games. Not only does it increase attendance but it is increasing the relationship between the athletic department and the student body. In the future, I see more schools using these programs and the rewards getting better. I understand the concept of rewards-based ticketing programs but I also think that it is sad that as sport marketers we have to offer rewards for attending sporting events. Attending the game itself should be the reward.
[Week 3] “’Fed up’ Biniak moves ITV forward at Jacked”, V-10, I-20, P-5
This article talks about yet another technological advance that the United States is in the process of making a reality for Americans on the go. Bryan Biniak has been tired of waiting for the day when viewers would be able to do multiple things on their computer while watching a sporting event. He decided to come up with this interactive TV (ITV) that would finally link television and the Internet. This is known as Jacked. It is a Website in which the view can watch a sporting event, shop online, chat, and even learn information about players and coaches. This also all happens in real time.
In the article, it was stated that Jacked is currently showing Notre Dame football games on NBC Sports. While the game is being played on ITV, if the coach calls a timeout, Jacked web page will load some interesting facts about that coach including his record and even a link to purchase books about him.
I think that this is a great idea for Americans in today’s society. We all seem to be in such a hurry with a million different things that we need to get done within the confines of just one day. This is a great way for many Americans to multi-task their busy life and still be able to view the sporting events that they desire to watch, learning interesting information about their favorite teams and players while having the ability to purchase team apparel and gifts.
For the sports market itself, I feel as though this will increase their profit in many different areas. Because the viewer is able to be online and watching their favorite game at the same time, if they decide to purchase a piece of clothing with that team on it, all they have to do is some online shopping and they have the article of clothing they want, all without missing a minute of the game. As mentioned above, there seems to be links to purchase game related materials that pop up during timeouts, so the team can gain some profit this way as well.
This will also help the sports team through the media that is broadcasting the game. If this ITV becomes increasingly popular, many media companies will wish to get involved with this and there will be a rise in the amount of sporting events that will be broadcast on this ITV, therefore increasing that sports teams profit from media. And in turn will increase the profit of the media, which they will greatly enjoy and want to continue to use this to broadcast sporting events.
ITV seems to be a very good idea for those of us who sometimes cannot get everything accomplished that we would like throughout the course of one day. With technology growing as it is, this may be the way people view all sporting events in the future.
[Week 3] "Tech firm helps clubs get more out of data", V-10, I-20, P-1
I definitely agree with the article, because I believe that they have a great product. Anytime you have professional teams lining up outside your door to gain a competitive advantage, you know that your product is a success. They have been able to adapt their product to all the four major sports markets in the United States, and could probably go global if they really wanted to. The beauty of the product is that it helps companies to make money, and this in-turn pays for itself. So it will be difficult for another product to come in and replace the niche that StratBridge Inc. has developed.
I feel that this product does have a major impact in the sports management industry. It is used in all the major sports, and it has changed the way sports teams are doing business. It has provided a way for sports teams to predict ticket sales, so they can have promotions on what might look like a down night. It helps organizations to make smarter business decisions, so they can generate greater revenue. Anytime you can help generate greater revenue in the four major sports, I would say StratBridge Inc. has made a major impact.
[week 3] "NFL-themed sponsor spending will hit estimated $1.1B" V-10, I-20, P-3
I think after reading the title of this article, many people would be shocked that 1.1 billion dollars is spent during the NFL football season on media and marketing. Over the past several years there has been an increasing amount of NFL players starring in TV commercials.Three of the most popular stars being Peyton Manning, LaDainian Tomlinson, and Reggie Bush. It is said the increase in spending is up 10% from last year's season, and half of the overall 1.1 billion is spent on NFL-themed TV ads.
This article just goes to show how much popularity and influence professional sports players have in this industry. It isn't just about what they do on the field anymore, because the players can be seen everywhere and become household names. If you were to sit down and watch a full NFL football game you would no doubt see multiple players starring in many different types of commercials. They are endorsing everything from cell phones to Campbell soup. This is very good news for people in our field, especially those interested in sports marketing and media.
"Schools hesitate to make the leap"
[Week 3] Volume 10 issue 20 pages 24-26
This article was written primarily because of the victory that Appalachian State University had over Michigan. Basically what happened was a power house in D 1-AA (Appalachian State) beat the University of Michigan September 1st in their home opener.
The questions arise now, if you can beat a ranked team in D-1 A, than why can your team be in this type of competition every week. There has been a number of teams that paved the way moving from AA to A in division 1 football. They are team such as UConn, University of Alabama-Birmingham, and Marshall University, just to name a few.
So again what is the issue when a football team is more than eligible to compete at a higher level, I would say that now we should look at the bigger picture. The big picture in this instance is the university as a whole. Not just the football team or the basketball team or even any individual team.
To move a team you must have the money to travel as D-1 schools do, you must have the ability to increase your scholarship funds almost 25% from 63 to 85 and just as important you must comply with Title IX.
They use the word “potential” in this article and “pause” because that is what you are doing, you would be taking that risk by moving up. There has to be some way the money will come to your door step and it most likely will not be from the private sector. In a combination of different schools or universities the way this leap was made was by student fees, increase in ticket sales, building of new stadiums to enable luxury suits and more, and the state has the ability to fund these types of moves as well.
Given the outlooks of different athletic directors in this article you can really feel that some schools just don’t want to or have to hear the D-1 A championship but just to hear championship is a feat of it own.
[Week 3]"Versus wins a college bowl game"
V-10, I-20, P-8
This particular article discusses the recently signed deal (by the Versus network) to telecast the Hula Bowl in January. Although this is not the first college football programming the channel has purchased, it is the most noteworthy in the short life of the network.
The Versus network, discussed briefly last semester, is most well-known for its coverage of the NHL regular season and playoffs.
Currently, the network has 20 games on the schedule, including the Hula Bowl. In gaining access to the College All-Star game, Versus is continuing on a path to grab up as many college football contests as possible.
As I mentioned last semester, Versus is doing some tremendous things in the world of sports broadcasting. When they became the official home of the NHL, they stayed true to the fans and telecast an insane amount of games. This is of particular interest to me, as I can only see teams such as the Anaheim Ducks if they are on Versus. In the past, I would've had to purchase a sports package from my satellite provider.
Versus is continuing on the right path to becoming the next ESPN, in my opinion. Although they currently have filler shows, such as cycling and fighting, they are slowly replacing these slots with sports such as college football, which will certainly change the status of this somewhat unknown network.
Matt Flaus
V 9 Volume 10 issue 20 pages 24-26
“Schools Hesitate to make the leap”
Appalachian state beat a bad Michigan team. This do not constitute a jump to division one A. Although these upsets are rare, they do happen and does not make it so they should move into division one a. There are many reasons that they should not make the move. They talk about how their schools attendance is better than 29 division 1 a teams but they are a great 1 aa team. If they made the jump to one a their attendance to games would drop a great deal if they were not successful right away(which is highly unlikely). This would effect revenue intake. They would need to increase their budget a great deal with less people attending games. They would have a hard time finding a conference to fit in as well. If they did get into a conference, they would be years behind in recruiting, instead of d1aa players they will need to recruit top of the line players against schools like Pitt Penn State Texas USC West Virginia to name a few. Teams in college recruit with tradition and A state would have a hard time competing with that aspect. Most likely a player would want to attend a school with an established long term program, not a team that is trying to build for the future.
Some teams can make the jump up to 1a but they are not very successful for a number of years. If they do make the jump they will have to increase their facilities as well which would cost more money. Personally I would like to be successful in the division I am in. The way to make money in college is to win. A state can still get big money from sceduling big name teams such as Michigan, and if their success continues then maybe they should consider the jump, but for now I think that they are prefect where they are.
[Week 3]" Program convinces students that attendance has its rewards"
V-10, I-20, P-14
The article on rewards-based ticketing was very captivating. Collegiate athletic departments around the country have been interested in increasing attendance rates for years. With increased fan attendance universities are able to generate more ticket and ancillary revenue. This new software technology allows universities to offer point values to fans that attend particular games. Students use a magnetic card to gain these valuable reward points. This marketing approach is similar to the credit card companies that offer frequent flyer miles to customers. This strategy allows athletic departments to attract fans to less than popular home games.
I believe that this marketing approach will revolutionize collegiate athletics. Fans will now focus on accumulating points so they can gain access to the premiums games. Fans will more than likely purchase more merchandise and concessions because of the rewards system. The credit card companies have experience increased consumers spending with the implementation of rewards programs. Athletic departments will experience the same success as the credit card companies. Over the next few years we will see a rapid proliferation in reward programs among universities.
(Week 4) "UFL names Huyghue first commissioner" Volume 10, Issue 21, PP 1, 31
In the article I read it talks about Michael Huyghue and how he is going to be named the first commissioner of the new United Football League. Huyghue is a veteran NFL executive and an agent who helped launch both the original NFL World League in 1992 and was one of the first employees of the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he served as senior vice president of football operations and handled concract negotiations along with salary cap matters and other player-related responsibilities. He also had stints with the NFL Players Association and was vice president and general counsel of the Detroit Lions.
Huyghue started his own business after leaving the Jaguars in 2001. The business is based in Jacksonville and it represents athletes and artists. The article goes on to talk about Huyghue, who will be based in the UFL's New York City headquarters had his firm working on the UFL's formative business plan over the past several months and that he developed enough interest to be hired as commissioner.
This article caught my eye because it is something that I would be interested in getting more information about. The league is in its infant stage and employees have not been hired in any aspect of the development yet. I will be doing more research on this league and hopefully follow it to see if there are any oppurtunities that would be available when I am done with school. I am glad I read this article and it is a good journal to have as a reference.
Big money changing high school sports on the Web
[week 4] Volume 10 Issue 21 pg. 8
I do not know what anyone else thinks about this article but it just shows what our society has come to. This article is about high school students that are basically being marketed for the athletic abilities. Now think back to when anyone of us were in high school, could you believe that there is a company that is and willing to lay down $43 million to purchase a website with comparatively established high school students.
This company is not alone there many highly recognized names that are purchasing these new trendy websites such as CBS, Sports Illustrated, and Fox Television. These are credited names that would not just sink money into something without a good research behind it.
So what does this say to us as sport management majors? Is this another market for us to become highly successful in, and is there going to be careers built off of the marketing of high school sport?
From what I can see out of this article is yes to all above, major brands such as Canon, Nike, Wendy’s, Verizon, and Toyota are to cover the teen demographics. And just like the companies that are buying into websites that are drilled toward teenagers highlight films these are other large named companies with major money, and if there is major money involved than our society will be interested.
Week 4. "Big money changes high shcool football." V.10. I.21, P. 8-9.
A lot has changed since I have been in high school. You would be hard pressed to find a high school game on tv, unless it was a re-run from several weeks ago. Now there are high school games on tv all the time. This article talks about how big corporations are spending a lot of money on high school football websites. I am a fan of what these websites like Rivals.com are trying to do. In their infantacies they were trying to help students market themselves to universities all across the country. These coporations have caught on and now are using high school athletes to make millions of dollars. I do not have a problem with what the website intends to do, but I do have a problem with big money trying to make more money off of something as pure as high school sports.
I am a fan of tv stations trying to schedule more high school games to fill their time slots. High school football has tremendous followings in certain regions, such as Pennsylvania and Ohio. FSN shows a WPIAL game every Thursday night, in fact I am watching one right now. Many local new channels have some sort of football recap on Friday Nights. I enjoy watching Skylights on Friday nights after our games, and watch the WPIAL championships on tv the day after Thanksgiving, which is sponorsed by McDonalds.
Week 4. "Bad Behavior: Will Fans Ever Walk Away?" Vol. 10 Issue 21, P.1, 16-25
This summer, the perfect storm of controversies rocked the sports world. Up until then there were bits and spurts of bad publicity for different professional leagues, but never a convergence of bad karma quite like this. First there was the steroid and HGH allegations in MLB. Then it was revealed that NBA referee Tim Donaghy was involved in gambling on games and had ties to the mob. Then Michael Vick dogfighting activities became public, and ignited opinions and rancor all over the country.
The thing is, despite the public outcry against its sports stars, they continue to buy tickets and support the leagues. Is it hypocritical to bash a cheater, a gambler, or a dog figther, and then go to one of his team's games? Some would say no, some would say yes. I would like to think that fans today are smart, and realize that teams and franchises do not have absolute control of what their players do 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. But I think that winning is a big eraser. If a team is winning, then fans will be more forgiving towards bad behavior by its players. But if they are losing, they curse them and want rid of them. It really is a "what-have-you-done-for-me-lately" society. Also, the media really does focus on negative news. That doesn't just apply to sports news, but all news in general. They have the tendency to dwell on the bad, and sensationalize it to the point of being flabbergasted with it. Positive character players in the different leagues don't get near as much notoriety for their good deeds, which sadly fly under the radar.
Week 4. "Expect sponors to hedge bets with athletes." V.10. I.21, P.22
This article is about sponsorship and endorsements. With all of the controversies surrounding the "Big Name" athletes, many sponsors are re-thinking the sponsorship deals that they are making. "We have to be decisive, and we have a responsibility to our consumers, many of whom are 7 to 17 years old and look up to professional athletes," said David Zumbach, vice president of marketing at Rawlings. I think that companies have to remember that these athletes are the face of their product, and when they do wrong, it puts a negative spin on the comapny's image. A research poll done by Sports Business Journal said that 45 percent of people thought that bad behavior by an athlete has a negative impact on their view of that player's sponsor, 30 percent of people in the poll said that they were less likely to buy an athlete's sponser's product, once haracter problems surface. And in the opposite case, 31percent of people who participated in the poll said that they were more likely to buy a product if there was a positive athlete as the face of the company. The article also mentioned that many companies are changing the way they write contracts with athletes. Instead of signing an athlete to a 2 to 3 year contract, many companies are only offering 1 year contracts. Companies are digging deeper into the athlete's past, so that they won't be caught in any surprise situations after they have contract in place. "With sponsorship dollars and fan loyalty at stake, there's an incentive for pro sports to polish its image, and the NFL recently launched an ad campaign intended to do just that, showcaseing positive role models such as Vince young, Matt Hasselback and Willie McGinest(Stanely 2007)." I think that all of the well known sponsors would be wise to follow the example that the NFL has set, and really push positive players as role models to take any negatve views away. I also agree that companies who plan to sign contracts with professional athletes should really do their research, and try to make sure that they are getting "good" people, to keep the positive vibe flowing.
[Weeek 4] “Nets plan suite showroom near Times Square”
V-10, I-21, P-5
This short article reports that The New Jersey Nets will open a suite showroom in midtown Manhattan by 2010. The president and the chief executive of Nets, Yormark, who came to Nets in January 2005 until now, is scheming a diversity of goals in order to enhance the company’s competition in the NBA arena.
Connecting with today’s class material; I think Yormark is an intellectual competent manager in sport management and entertainment markets. From January 2005 to September 2007, within only 2 years and 9 months, in this short period, he made lots of significant decisions and also hired certain excellent marketing directors into Nets. Through sport and entertainment market to real estate world, Yormark has brought more business opportunity into the Nets.
Otherwise, I am surprised to the new innovate product, suite showroom which is a pretty creative idea for both sport market and hotel. I think in the hotel field we can follow this idea to create more diverse programs to meet the requirements in the future.
I look forward to seeing the success of the new program in the very near future. To estimate the suite’s location and the needs of market demand, though the marked price is higher than expectation as up to 500,000 US dollars, there still have many wealthy customers anxious to buy the new product in Nets.
[Week 4]" Expect sponsors to hedge bets with athletes”
V-10, I-21, P-22
The article on corporate sponsorship and athletes was compelling. In light of recent times, corporate entities have to be fastidious in the selection of athletic endorsers. Professional athletics has been under intense media scrutiny the last several years due to athlete’s off-field transgressions. This scrutiny reached a boiling point this summer with the conviction of Michael Vick on dog fighting charges. The general public wants sports organizations to handle these transgressions in an appropriate manner. Fans feel these very organizations are turning a blind eye towards professional athlete’s behavior. The socially unacceptable behavior of athletes is detrimental to the image and reputation of the league and sponsors. Corporate sponsors are now specific in the language of endorsement contracts with athletes. They realize that the image of their respective companies can be tarnished due to negative media coverage from an endorser. Corporate sponsors are exploring different avenues to target the sports demographics without the use of professional athletes.
I believe that large corporate sponsors are fearful of the negative coverage of high-profile athletes. They understand that bad behavior of athletes has an influence on their company’s profit margins. Those fans are less inclined to purchase a product that has linkage to an athlete with bad behavior. There are several ways to obviate these problems for corporate sponsors. First, they can choose athletes that aren’t in the limelight. These lesser known athletes are less likely to be arrested because they are generally mild mannered and lack the imperious manner of star athletes. Second, corporate sponsors can implement marketing campaigns at the grassroots levels to peak interest among fans. Fans are more inclined to purchase products from companies they feel are willing to support their cause. Finally, as mentioned in the article the morals clause needs to have more restrictions on athlete’s transgressions. For example, if stated in the contract that a certain portion of the contract will be forfeited in the event of an arrest. This will cause athletes to handle their personal with the upmost care. Corporate sponsors have to draw their proverbial line in the sand if that expect to profit in the sporting industry.
[Week 4] “Unions try to help new, sometimes vulnerable members”, V-10, I-21, P-25
This article talks about the Players association for professional athletes and how they are trying to help the younger players be more aware of, and know who to deal with, the many personally problems that can occur due to the amount of success and wealth they will acquire. The rookies are asked to participate in various seminars that talk about how to deal with all types of issues from angry fans, friends in your hometown, drug and alcohol abuse, violence and so on.
Each professional organization, such as the NFL, MLB, and NBA all have their own program that will focus on the areas they feel need touched upon. Not all rookies enter into professional sports at the same level. For example, when entering the NBA as a rookie, you go directly into the NBA, some even straight from high school. When entering into the MLB, rookies don’t necessarily play in the big league right away. Due to different levels of entry, there are different concepts that need to be discussed in these seminars.
I think that this is such a great idea for rookie athletes. Too many times you hear about professional athletes doing something against the law or getting into trouble. If rookies are made aware of what can happen to them right off the bat, hopefully they will be more reluctant to do anything like that. With a reduction of these misdemeanors, these rookie athletes will hopefully be able to remain a professional athlete longer.
I also think that this is a good idea to put the rookies from each professional sport together to discuss the areas of discipline for that particular sport. It helps the athletes to speak with one another about the challenges they feel they will face and help each other rationalize through them.
This will help sport management by simply being a way to better manage the athletes and the choices they make. The professional sport organizations are taking the right step in making their athletes more aware of how to remain a professional athlete longer without getting into any bad habits and making the organization look bad in the public’s eye. When a professional athlete does make the news for doing something they shouldn’t have, even if its just sports gambling, it always comes back onto their team and the sports organization itself. With this program, its nice to hear that professional athletes and the sports organization are doing something good instead of always hearing the bad things.
[Week 4] "Disability pay to retirees from NFL-union trust rises" V-10, I-21, P. 31
If you have watched the news in sports lately you have probably witnessed an angry Mike Ditka (former head coach of the Chicago Bears) as well as other former NFL greats urging the NFL and now even congress to increase benefits that are paid out to retired players.
Though today’s NFL players make a substantial sum of money; the players that made the game what it is today made far, far less. As a result, many former players that are increasing in age are not able to receive proper medical care that is needed.
According to the article, the NFL claims that the amount of money paid out in disabilities is way up; more than 30 percent in the last two years. However, experts state that the majority of the money has been paid to only a handful of players. Most players aren’t receiving much money and some don’t receive any. In fact, since 1993 only 427 claims out of 1,052 have been approved by the committee.
I think everyone enjoys seeing former NFL greats and media icons such as Mike Ditka fighting for these former players. These players deserve to be taken care of properly and we all know the NFL has the funds to do it. Even though today’s players are making huge sums of money, the owners and the league are making far more due to the popularity of the NFL in American sport culture. The money that is being earned should be and needs to be distributed in a manner that will benefit the people who already have and are currently making the game great.
[Week 4] “DuPont: A colorful 15 years with Gordon" V-10, I-21, P-3
Compared with MLB, NBA, or NFL, NASCAR probably is not the most popular sport in the United States. However, with more sponsorship engaging in the games and more NASCAR players showering up in the public, NASCAR has been a sport with the most rapid development in the sports society.
DuPont made a good decision to build a close relationship with Hendrick Motorsports and its NASCAR driver, Jeff Gordon since 15 years ago. Jeff’s outstanding performances in the NASCAR races have brought DuPont considerable profits and fame in the chemical industry. The sponsorship from DuPont also gives Hendrick Motorsports and Jeff Gordon a strong support to run the competitions in a long term. Therefore, this long term sponsorship provides a win-win situation to both the sponsor and the sport team.
[Week 4]"Hot Summer Sales Steer NBA Toward Another Gate Record" V-10, I-21, P-5
Tickets sales for the NBA are up 40% from last year which puts the league on track for its fifth consecutive season of record attendance. In addition, season ticket renewal rate is approaching almost 80%. One third of the NBA teams have reached the 10,000 full-season ticket sales mark. The teams include: Chicago, Dallas, Utah, Phoenix, Miami, Cleveland, Golden State, Toronto, and both the LA Lakers and LA Clippers. NBA games averaged 17,757 fans during the 2006-07 season.
This success can be credited to a bigger and better trained sales staff. Teams are more specialized in their sales efforts and have separated their sales and service divisions.
I am happy for the NBA's offseason success. They risked fan fallout after the the official gambling scandal. The fact that teams can go out and successfully market themselves is quite impressive.
[Week 4] “Enhanced media coverage adds to perception”
V-10, I-21, P-23
This article talks about how much the media should cover about professional athletes’ personal lives. Some critics think that the media should not focus on the athlete personal lives because it is their privacy. Other reporters think that it is necessary for the public to know about the various things in professional athletes’ lives. I think that it is extremely important that the media focus on all aspects of professional athletes. Professional athletes do have troubled past but many have overcome impossible challenges to be the person they are today. These athletes are the role models for many aspiring athletes and children in today’s society. I believe it will be beneficial for those that want to have a career in athletics to see some of the difficulties that there can be associated in that lifestyle.
Behavioral problems of athletes have always occurred but it did not receive as much attention as it has in today’s society. It does seem that the media is concentrating more on the negative side of professional athletes’ lives than the positive. This could be a result of how the media has taken on various sources to release their stories. For example, in the past there were newspapers to report the news, next was television shows, now there is the glorious internet. I know that if I want to hear the latest breaking news I go right to the internet to look it up instead of waiting for the newspaper or telecast. There are also many different magazines and television shows that report on the same issues. I think we will find different opinions on the issue of professional athletes’ personal lives but overall I think everyone would agree that this is the story people want to hear.
As a sports marketer it is going to be important to stress to athletes’ that they are a celebrity and all aspects of their lives are being watched and criticized. It was mentioned in the article that many athletes are employing public relation executives to represent them in the media so they do not have to talk to the public. I think this could be a good idea from a legal aspect to protect athletes’ image. Overall, my opinion is that the media should report on athletes’ personal lives, both positive and negative, to show to the public that all actions have consequences both good and bad.
Matt Flaus
Expect sponsors to hedge bets with athletes”
V-10, I-21, P-22
This article was very thought provoking. At first when I read the article I agreed with it completely. I thought that if the professional athletes are not going to act in a professional manner maybe sponsors should shy away from professional athletics as a marketing tool. But I then thought that a lot of money can and will be made by companies from professional athletics. But the problem is these companies are so quick to jump on players and teams just because they are popular.
For a team or player to be sponsored, they carry the sponsors name where ever they go. This means that the sponsors need to do a better job in picking the right people to represent their company. A very detailed character evaluation including background checks should be processed before a player is signed with a sponsor. When signing an athlete sponsors need to evaluate what kind of a role model this player or team will be for their targeted customers.
If the sponsor can find the right guy, it will without a doubt help the company in the long run. But if they just jump on a popular athlete or team, and that person or team is a negative influence in society, it can hurt them in the long run.
[Week 4]"UFL names Huyghue first commissioner"
V-10, I-21, Cover Story and P-31
This article outlines the hiring of veteran NFL exec. and current sports agent Michael Huyghue as the first commissioner of the newly created United Football League.
Huyghue has an impressive resume as a businessman, having helped launch the NFL World League in '92, as well as having served as the Senior VP of Operations for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
With all of this experience, I have one question... why? I'm not questioning the hiring of this individual, simply the creation of this league. With the World League tanking less than one year ago, what would be the reasons for thinking another similar league would fare any better? Although the World League did survive over many seasons, it was doing just that - surviving.
My next concern is the time placement of the season. Okay, it will take place from August through December, when football is meant to be played. However, the current schedule (with zero teams mind you) looks to play on Fridays! Why on Earth would you form a professional league and play the games on the same night as High School football games??
Obviously, this is a business venture. I understand the track record of the new commissioner and his successful followings. However, this league seems certain to fail. This will not happen because of a lack of funding (league investors - Mark Cuban of the Dallas Mavericks and Tim Armstrong/Google President), but a lack of support from the fans.
I believe someone mentioned this in our class - fans expect to see football at the highest level with the best athletes when they attend a professional game and this is what they get from the NFL. The World League, AFL, IFL and AFL2 and IAFL4 and whatever other leagues have tried and failed, all offered a decent product, but none offered the best athletes in the world. Is the United Football League going to produce the best athletes in the world? Not likely, considering the slated 8-10 team league will have only 10 players in the entire league earning $1 salaries. All of this going against them before they have signed one athlete or coach or team! Throw all of that on top of Friday night games... I just don't understand.
Congratulations on hiring a worthy commissioner, now good luck surviving with the XFL... oops, I mean the UFL.
[Week 4]"UFL names Huyghue first commissioner"
V-10, I-21, Cover Story and P-31
This article outlines the hiring of veteran NFL exec. and current sports agent Michael Huyghue as the first commissioner of the newly created United Football League.
Huyghue has an impressive resume as a businessman, having helped launch the NFL World League in '92, as well as having served as the Senior VP of Operations for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
With all of this experience, I have one question... why? I'm not questioning the hiring of this individual, simply the creation of this league. With the World League tanking less than one year ago, what would be the reasons for thinking another similar league would fare any better? Although the World League did survive over many seasons, it was doing just that - surviving.
My next concern is the time placement of the season. Okay, it will take place from August through December, when football is meant to be played. However, the current schedule (with zero teams mind you) looks to play on Fridays! Why on Earth would you form a professional league and play the games on the same night as High School football games??
Obviously, this is a business venture. I understand the track record of the new commissioner and his successful followings. However, this league seems certain to fail. This will not happen because of a lack of funding (league investors - Mark Cuban of the Dallas Mavericks and Tim Armstrong/Google President), but a lack of support from the fans.
I believe someone mentioned this in our class - fans expect to see football at the highest level with the best athletes when they attend a professional game and this is what they get from the NFL. The World League, AFL, IFL and AFL2 and IAFL4 and whatever other leagues have tried and failed, all offered a decent product, but none offered the best athletes in the world. Is the United Football League going to produce the best athletes in the world? Not likely, considering the slated 8-10 team league will have only 10 players in the entire league earning $1 salaries. All of this going against them before they have signed one athlete or coach or team! Throw all of that on top of Friday night games... I just don't understand.
Congratulations on hiring a worthy commissioner, now good luck surviving with the XFL... oops, I mean the UFL.
[Week 4] "Hot summer sales steer NBA toward another gate record" v-10, I-21, p-5
I think the article is an encouraging article for the hardcore NBA fan as myself. With a lot of teams showing sucessful off-season, the NBA has sold their product to the average fan with both exciting entertainment and affordable packages. This increase in sales for many teams has helped to increase the NBA sales staff by thirty percent. The NBA sales has also been increased by internet sales. This has given the advantage to the consumer and marketer by helping to see your seat and given you the fan the ability to purchase at tickets at anytime and place. When looking at the sales of teams around the league you would be even more encouraged by the team leading in season ticket sales, being the Utah Jazz. This historically Morman state has adopted the Utah Jazz as their own, and been one of the most loyal followings in professional sports. Commissioner David Stern and NBA marketing has done a great job of molding the image and product to middle and upper class America.
I think this article has great impact in the sports management industry for many reasons. The NBA is one of the most diverse sports organizations in the world and has a broad appeal to many people in countries all over the world. I think many other leagues should try to move towards more diversity to help sell the sport. Also, the NBA is a 82 game season and they are recording these record setting marks with 41 games being a full regular season package. This shows you that the average consumer is loving the action, atmosphere, and heavily marketed NBA superstars. I think when looking from league to league you would have to mention the NBA as one of the top leagues because of their marketing and product. I love the direction that the NBA is heading in and believe that it will continue to grow annually.
[week 4] "Big money changing high school sports on the Web" V-10, I-21, P-8-9
I chose to read this article because i had previously not known much of anything about high school sports on the web. Of course i knew that some teams had some informal websites, but nothing like the websites talked about in this article.
High school sports on the internet was never a very popular or money making idea. This is slowly turning opposite with the arrival of big time spenders. In the last few months a handfull of major media companies have invested tens of millions of dollars into purchasing or developing online properties devoted to sports. One of the biggest headline investors was CBS. They purchased the high school sports website "MaxPreps.com" for 43 million dollars. The site contains a huge mix of highlight videos, photos, text recaps, rankings, message boards, and other user-generated content.
Television networks are also getting involved in this high school sports uprising. Networks such as ESPN and FOX Sports Net are taking a game of the week aapproach in their high school coverage. Other networks such as FSN have 10 games scheduled this year, and have signed nike to a 700,000 dollar deal to be their presenting sponsor.
High school sports were previouly very community oriented. In the future these small communities with great sports teams will be able to be seen globally. Anybody interested in high school sports should read this article.
Week 5. "Cammo Deal Adds To NASCAR's Reach." V. 10, I 23. P. 4.
Marketing is such an important aspect to the survival of any business. Over the last four years there has been some outstanding deals made that has totally revolutionized how people market thier product. For instance, the NFL, MLB and NHL targeting women and creating a clothing line geared to them was a genius idea. Designing pink hats, shirts and woman's cut jerseys was tremendous, I wish I would of thought of it first. So seeing NASCAR expand out and strike a deal with this company was a good idea. Many NASCAR fans like to hunt and fish, so it makes perfect sense to put your name on their product. NASCAR tried to launch it's own cammo version a few years ago with little success, but this partnership will help them tremendously. Who knows you might see pink cammo shirts out on the market next.
Restoring baseball’s global reputation
[week5] Volume 10 Issue 23 pg 28
This is an interesting article because it is something that I have never heard about. First off I would like to say that I think that I know a decent amount of knowledge about baseball and the game with relevance on the field and off. This article in the SBJ has just proven me wrong, by the unknown knowledge of Aldo Notari and IBAF.
Not only did I not know this important person that seemed as though he did what he intended to do and that is sit low, but I did not know that there was an federation out there that was to govern baseball globally.
In this article it shows what a person of power can do, and it states that he was able to not complete ordered equipment to places that baseball could flourish and pay top seeded personal for not showing up for years at a time.
As a political stand point I am sure that this kind of stuff happens all the time, I did not think that I could be as bad as it seemed in this article. Harvey Schiller is the person now carrying the new stick. This is going to be an interesting story to watch unfold because it is a piece of valuable position that has a lot wrong with it. Sense he is the one in charge of doing right for the IBAF, he is also the one that is going to be charged with doing wrong as well. That being said this is going to take a lot of skill in business of such a broad spectrum, and to believe heavily in his newly elected board. As stated before this is going to be a very interesting story to watch.
[Week 6] “Washington club will wait for right deal, rather than rush into one for Opening Day”
V-10, I-23, P-6
The article that I chose is a short article. It mentioned about the choice of deal of Washington Club, and it also indicated how much financial budget the Club is going to use in the new ballpark which is continuing to work presently.
Overlooking the greater number of money in building the new ballpark of Washington Club, I am interested in the topic, which says “Washington club will wait for right deal, rather than rush into one for Opening Day”. As a national principal owner said, “it’s difficult to choose a deal in the same time in a complex process for putting all factors together. But they will get there eventually”, and “the most important thing is to have the right deal rather than a quick deal”.
In addition, WMG executive vice president Pob Prazmark also indicated that “a good deal would be signed only then the suitable agreement comes along”.
After reading the wise saying from both two managers’ decision makings, I realize how importance it is to be a director or manager in making decisions and how difficult to make a right decision for handling those estimates in mind. Regarding to a sport Club, it is crucial to get the benefit of maximum and make more interests into the Club which are a complicated process as a primary leader in decision making process.
Sometimes, making a “right “decision is not as easy as many others think, for an excellent policymaker, it is not only a tough challenge, but it also tests his or her intelligence under such situational circumstances.
[Week 5] Clubs offer suite holders the option to brand. Vol.10, Iss.23, P.11
Anytime you hear talk of a new arena or stadium, or the renovation of an existing one, one of the main points that will be discussed is the number of luxury suites that will be in the new digs. More and more, the number of luxury boxes is increasing, with large companies and corporations being the most interested parties. Up until now, if you were lucky enough to get inside a luxury box, you typically saw the same kind of environment regardless of where you were or what game you were watching. There’d be a few couches, some chairs, and a mini-bar with a few stools, a small refrigerator, a few TVs, a restroom, and the outside viewing area. This was pretty much the standard arrangement wherever you went.
Now, a couple of franchises, the NBA’s Portland Trailblazers and MLB’s Cincinnati Reds, have began to offer suite holders the option of “branding” their suites with company marks and logos, product displays, video presentations and other forms of ambiance. The idea behind branded suites is to offer a more entertaining and interactive atmosphere for suite holders when they are entertaining clients.
Adding personality to a suite can definitely make it more attractive to potential clients. I can see this idea catching on with larger corporations where price would not be as much of an issue, but with a price tag of anywhere in between $1,500 and $12,000, I don’t think smaller corporations would be interested in it as much. For example, Microsoft could probably use this branding idea in suites at Qwest Field in Seattle. They would definitely have enough money to afford it.
[Week 5] “Clubs offer suite holders the option to brand.” V-10, I-23, P-11
Many professional sports teams these days are moving towards a more focused effort to market their products to companies and corporations. Anytime you land a company to commit to a package, they are more than likely to be investing in a season package in one of your more expensive seating selections such a luxury boxes and suites. Many organizations are looking at the new era of interior decorating, which focuses on companies branding their suites with not only icons and symbols from the sports organization, but symbols and icons from the actual company who is investing in the tickets. These costs of producing a brand loyalty a company to develop a sense of ownership and warmth by creating a personal touch on your suites are not cheap. The expenses range anywhere from $1,500 to $12,000 depending on what the investing company would like to see in their suite. Professional organizations along with Flexcon have come up with this idea to stimulate sales and long-term commitment. This will also contribute to a greater experience for the viewer in the suite and help to promote more of a relaxed business setting for anyone who is conducting business during the game.
The teams that have shown great interest in this business venture are the Portland Trail Blazers, Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Chiefs, and a lot of other professional teams. This idea seems to be a very good one. I definitely agree with the idea because anytime you can enhance the consumers viewing pleasure it will serve as an added bonus. The issue I worry about is how they are going to fund the projects for these teams, I do not know if companies will be eager to pay more money to a sports organization for decorative purposes, when they are already paying so much for the actual viewing venue. I think they might have to look into the decorations as a gift in a basic package and give the company the ability to upgrade the package through their pockets if they like the idea. I think this will not only help with the costs, but show an act of good faith to the company who looks to contribute to the atmosphere and sports organizations success.
The article impacts the sports industry from a marketing standpoint significantly. Whenever you have all three major sports industries moving towards this type of branding it is only a matter of time before you see this in all stadiums around the professional sports leagues. I think it helps a lot to sell something that is typically looked at as the organizations, because now there is a feeling of ownership and comfort for anyone coming to the game and watching from these suites. I think the article is good and I believe that the idea will catch on and be utilized by all sports teams.
[Week 6] “FSN commits to national shows” V-10, I-23, P-5
This article talks about the television station FSN, Fox Sports Net, and how they are planning on introducing some new shows to their line-up. After their vice president of programming left his job, the station decided to get rid of some of their national shows that did not deal with actual games. Examples of these shows are: “Beyond the Glory” and “Best Damn Sports Show Period.” However, when the new vice president took over, he suggested that the station keep national shows.
Some of the new shows that David Sussin, new vice president, is asking to be aired are very educational programs that take the viewer through the motions of how athletes do certain things, and another show allows the viewers to see re-enactments of different things that have happened in sports.
I think that this is a great idea for sports fans and the FSN sports network. In order to keep the viewers happy and have a successful year in production, FSN needs to be able to keep their viewers watching their station. It is always a great idea to come out with new shows to maybe get a larger audience to tune in, but it is also a good idea to keep the shows that those viewers are tuning in to watch. I think that the FSN sports managers, and Mr. Sussin, have a great idea about producing more educational shows. Sports are such a big part of many people’s lives that they should be educated on how athletes perform certain moves and it is always great to know history of various sports.
It is also a good idea to do these types of programs in order to get a larger audience. If these are national shows, they will be shown all around the United States and this would help to increase the amount of viewers that tune in to this station. It will also help the station to get more viewers when there are off days for sports, days when there are not games being played and televised.
Many sports fans also have other interests that they will seek to enhance. These types of programs can do just that for those fans. It helps the fans to see that the station cares about them and values their views and opinions, not just to get them to tune in during the big game.
[Week 5] "Clubs offer suite holders the option to brand". Vol. 10, Issue 23, p. 11
The article “Clubs offer suite holders the option to brand” by Don Muret discusses the importance of attracting suite holders to come back for upcoming seasons and to continue an important source of revenue for the franchise. The Portland Trailblazers have decided one way to accomplish this is to introduce “branded suites”.
These branded suites give suite owners the option of having their particular suite decorated with their company’s logo in a variety of ways as well as decorating the suite with the team’s logo. These upgrades can cost an additional $12,000 for suite owners.
The prices of suites continue to increase and company executives need more of a reason to spend money on the suite as well as reasons for taking clients to watch sporting games in these luxurious boxes to promote their business. This trend of branding suites seems to be the next big thing in sporting promotions from franchises and will undoubtedly be something that all professional and perhaps even collegiate sporting teams will include. This new trend also shows the importance of having businesses sponsoring your franchise and helping fund your new stadium and all of the different ways that sporting managers are willing to try and keep those respective businesses coming back for more.
[Week 5] "Clubs offer suite holders the option to brand." Volume 10, Issue 23, Pg. 11
The article “Clubs offer suite holders the option to brand” by Don Muret discusses the importance of attracting suite holders to come back for upcoming seasons and to continue an important source of revenue for the franchise. The Portland Trailblazers have decided one way to accomplish this is to introduce “branded suites”.
These branded suites give suite owners the option of having their particular suite decorated with their company’s logo in a variety of ways as well as decorating the suite with the team’s logo. These upgrades can cost an additional $12,000 for suite owners.
The prices of suites continue to increase and company executives need more of a reason to spend money on the suite as well as reasons for taking clients to watch sporting games in these luxurious boxes to promote their business. This trend of branding suites seems to be the next big thing in sporting promotions from franchises and will undoubtedly be something that all professional and perhaps even collegiate sporting teams will include. This new trend also shows the importance of having businesses sponsoring your franchise and helping fund your new stadium and all of the different ways that sporting managers are willing to try and keep those respective businesses coming back for more.
[Week 6] “Indians execs rethink The Jake for a new era”
V-10, I-23, P-7
This article talks about how the Cleveland Indians marketing department wants to make some renovations to Jacob field to attract a bigger audience. Even though the facility has many attractions to the public and is in good condition, people still want more. People are always going to want the best that can be offered and when one facility does something new, everyone accepts it too. But the public does not want to have to pay for the additional costs to make the stadium more enjoyable. So in order to help with the costs of additional group seating, a new children’s play area, and luxury suites, the Indians are campaigning with IMG for naming rights of the stadium. Corporate sponsors are also making contributions to add a more personal approach to entertainment with the ballpark by offering corporate outings, birthday parties, and offering private events.
I think offering the ballpark to the public for a variety of reasons is going to make the new stadium a lot of revenue. This summer I attended two Washington Wild Things games in Washington, PA and I was amazed to see that their was a birthday party going on in the children’s area and they all had wild thing t-shirts on. I think making it a family style atmosphere will bring more people to the park because they will know that they can bring their families for a good time.
A good sports marketer knows the fan’s wants and needs and is able to satisfy their interests. I think this is coming at a good time for the Indians especially after last Friday night when they were playing against the Yankees and there were hundreds of bugs flying into the stadium. It would not be a good theme for the stadium to be remembered for the invasion of bugs. The new improvements to the stadium will take some time but they should be open for business by next season. Being able to stay with the current trends and interests of the fans is what makes a profitable marketing strategy.
[week 5] "Big South, Crocs do deal for championships"
V-10, I-23, P-8
The Big South Conference has announced that Crocs, Inc. will become one of their corporate partners. As part of the comprehensive partnership, Crocs branded apparel will be distributed to the more than 3,000 Big South student-athletes as part of the League’s championships program. Crocs will be implemented into the Big South’s regional basketball television package this season, as the company will sponsor an in-game feature “The Crocs Fan of the Game” during each Big South Basketball television broadcast.
Crocs is most known for its colorful, casual footwear made of resin. With their new deal, Crocs is creating limited edition hooded sweatshirts for the Big South athletes. Crocs will also advertise on arena and courtside signs as well as announcemnets and print advertising for other championships.
I think this is huge for the company. Even though the Big South may not receive as much recognion as the SEC, ACC, or Big Ten, it creates awareness for both the conference and the company. I think Crocs should expect an increase in their sales thoughout the season as well as in the future.
[Week 6] “Teams say they are willing to share”
V-10, I-23, P-26
Even with negative talk surrounding the ratings of NHL games, no one can argue the successful path with which the league is traveling in 2008. In taking a page from the NBA book, the NHL has decided to expand their club services group in order to help teams share information on successful business practices. With the ultimate goal being to increase revenue, the club consulting and services division will take more of a "hands-on" approach with the help of day-to-day business.
To date, the Ottawa Senators have already benefited from this sharing of information, as they have implemented changes which allow their season ticket holders to sell their tickets at face value on the Senators' online ticket site - an idea which came directly from the Philadelphia Flyers.
In looking to benefit the league as a whole, this is yet another step in the right direction for the NHL. Although there is not a tremendous following for the league, there is always money to be made in professional sports. What better way to improve and provide better services than to borrow tried and true techniques from successful practices. The NHL may not be a ratings giant just yet, but the "higher-ups" are making some intelligent decisions sending this league in the right direction.
If only people could play hockey...
Maybe then this sport would gather a larger following. The problem is hockey takes a tremendous amount of skill (and money) to play and for these reasons, it may never catch on in the US - such a shame.
[week 6] "Indians execs rethink The Jake for a new era." V-10, I-23, P-7
This article was about how the Cleveland Indians executives want to make some changes to the ballpark. The current park, Jacobs Field, is thirteen years old. The club is aggressively making efforts to prepare this stadium for its so called "second phase of life."
They have already began making some renovations to the ballpark. Three years ago a fourteen million dollar high definition scoreboard was put in. Shortly after, they added a center field food court area, which turned out to be a great success. One renovation they are planning to make this winter, after the playoffs, is adding an outdoor party deck near the right field foul pole. The plan is to rip out sections 117-119 in the lower deck. The new party deck would hold up to 500 people.
Like many other modern stadiums, Jacobs Field is looking to become more of a year-round destination. These could include functions like corporate meetings, birthday parties, and other private events. I think it's very important to stay current with technology and the overall life of the stadium.
[Week 6]" Holdouts bear complex reasons, unknown consequences”
V-10, I-23, P-29
The article on player holdouts was quite compelling. Many of the top draft picks are forced to holdout from training camp for several reasons. Many of them aren’t satisfied with the contracts offered by their respective teams. Also, holdouts can evolve simply be not being able to identify the market value of a player. The causes detrimental problems for both the teams and players involved in this impasse. In the case of JaMarcus Russell, the Oakland Raider first-round pick, garnered enormous media scrutiny for his holdout. The media has depicted JaMarcus has an ungrateful young hot shot.
As a fan of sports I hate to see holdouts occur for several reasons. First, holdouts have negative effects on the development process of young players. These young players need to gain experience at the professional level by practice with their teams. This way they can get a better understanding of the athletes they will compete against. Second, players get a bad reputation when holdouts occur. The unwarranted media scrutiny can rattle the nervous of these young inexperienced players. These players usually get caught in the negative publicity of the contract dispute. Also, the teams never develop a bad reputation for their part in the holdouts. I believe that many of these teams simply try to offer contract that aren’t appealing to athletes. This will usually cause for the average American to look unfavorably upon the athletes because they are turning down multimillion dollar contracts. I don’t blame many of the players that holdout because they understand that the money they earn will provide a lifetime of stability. Some times we forget that football is a multibillion dollar business and that every person is essentially looking out for what best for them.
[Week 6]" Students gain on-the-job exxperience in front-office 'classroom' ”
V-10, I-23, P-13
This article was was about a training program for students at the University of massachusetts Amherst, in their sports managemant department. The university has a deal with the Holyoke Massachusetts Giants,who play in the New England Collegiate baseball league. The deal includes students who are willing to dedicate their final semester in school to get a real life experience in sports sales. Students become ticket sales representitives, and while they get some practice with sales call and meeting exercises, they get real experiences by actually selling tickets for the Giants season.
I think that the program is great not only for experience, but because it is a great first step on a resume for students who are graduating and looking to start a career in the sports management field. The prgoram really teaches students to be responsible and dependable, it also gives them real examples of how working hard, and taking extra steps to land a deal can get you ahead in your career. Not only do the students get a great experience and push in the right direction, but they are helping the Giants with ticket sales, and fan interest and sponsorship interest. The article mentions that over the past three years the partnership has made approximately $25,000 in sponsership reevenue and group ticket sales. I think this partnership is great for everyone involved, the students, the team, the sponsors, and the fans, its an all around great deal for everyone.
[Week 6]"Labor and Agents" Volume 10, Issue 23, P-12
This article talks about how a rival group of NFL contract advisers tried to get JaMarcus Russell (the number 1 draft pick in the 2007 NFL Draft) to fire his agents because they were in a long drawn-out struggle with the Oakland Raiders to get a contract worked out. JaMarcus ultimately did not fire his agents and they finally reached an agreement with the Raiders where Russell signed a deal that would give him around 68 million dollars for 6 years.
This article was very interesting to me because I was not aware that it was a rule that you could not try to sway a player from other agents while that player is under contract with that agent. I thought it showed that JaMarcus and his family are people of their word who do not run when times get hard because there were many who would have told JaMarcus to end the hold-out and stop listening to his agents. It shows that in sport management it can be very cut-throat and you should not be quick to trust just anyone. I think that this article is very good because it shows so many aspects of the sport world. It show how competitive it is in this profession. It shows that some people do still have character and are good people when it comes to the JaMarcus and his family in how they stuck with their agents and trusted to do the right thing for him. It finally showed how lucractive this profession can be. I always look forward to reading about these kinds of features.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007 7:33:00 PM
[Week 7]"Cracking the Dress Code, Upshaw: Apparel fines form NFL 'out of hand'" Volume 10, Issue 24, P-5
This article talks about how the NFL is cracking down on equipment and apparel violations which are causing fines that are being put on players for on-the-field wear on Sundays. The article goes on to talk about how the National Football League Players Association thinks that the league is going too far in the fines and thinks that the league is making too much out of the rules. A lot of the rules have been in place for years, however, it has only been in this recent season that any of these rules have warrented fines from the league. Now the equipment managers, trainers, and others associated with the teams are eligible to be fined by the league.
I think that this is totally ridiculous. The things that the league is fining players for are so picking that it is unthinkable that someone would have to worry about something like that. The color of wrist tape, the fact that the shirt under the pads is not full length or not seen at all, this is very picky. I don't even notice these things as a fan and could really care less. What I look for when I watch a game is that it is a fairly played game and that the contest is exciting. I think that I could speak for a lot of people when I say that if a player wears his team colors for wrist bands that I am not going to be on the phone calling the NFL to complain. This is one of the most outragious things that I have ever heard. The NFL needs to keep its worries to more important issues and just let the players play the game and be the entertainers that they are.
Week 7. "MLB Soaks Up Another Attendance Record." V. 10, I. 24,P. 6.
For the Fourth year in a row Major League Baseball is reporting an increase in ticket sales. Being a baseball fan I am excited to hear this good report. When I watch baseball games on TV I usually see stadiums that are well below capacity. I wonder how teams and MLB actually record attendance. Do they count ticket sales or do they go with actual number in attendance. MLB is reporting that over 75 million people attended a game this season up 4.5% from last year. Teams like Boston, NY Yankees, and St. Louis are probably carrying teams like Pittsburgh, Florida and Tampa Bay. I believe that Pittsburgh brought in over a million fans this past season and management was happy.
Next season Bud Selig is looking to go over the 80 million fan barrier. That is a big number to fill, but he feels confident that with the growing popularity of baseball it shouldn't be a problem. September seems to be a time when people start to tune out baseball and start to tune football. However the commisioner feels that if MLB can tap the month of September they will have no problems reaching the 80 million mark. I know one thing, he shouldn't count on Pittsburgh fan base to pick up the slack in ticket sales. Once September hits hardly any games are televised and everything you see and read is Steelers football.
[Week 7] "Memories From The Road". Vol.10, Issue 24, P.17-19
One of the more interesting experiences when you follow your favorite team is literally...following your favorite team! Actually packing up the car and hitting the road to see your team play in a different city as the away team is something I've always wanted to do. Pro franchises are beginning to realize that some fans and especially corporations are very willing to go that extra few hundred miles to see their team in action. The problem with road trips is the timing and planning involved. The logistics of transportation, hotel rooms, meals, and tickets can turn off a fan trying to plan a sports vacation.
But teams, travel agencies, and even a few entrepreneurs are beginning to offer travel packages that include all the things needed for a sports vacation. I have even received mail from a Pittsburgh-based couple the started their own sports vacation company. I haven't looked to closely at it, but if it's something affordable, I would consider it. I know there are plenty other Steelers fans that would not hesitate at all. The market for this kind of thing is definitely there.
[Week 7] “MLB soaks up another attendance record”, V-10, I-24, P-6
This article talks about how major league baseball has been increasing their ticket sales over the last few years to have a fourth straight attendance record. In 2007 there was a regular season total of 79.5 million ticket purchasers, which was up 4.5% from last year. The commissioner of major league baseball is very excited and looking forward to next year’s season in anticipation that the attendance will again be higher than it was this year.
In the article, the commissioner talked about how the month of September was usually a lower attendance month for them due to the professional football season beginning. However, this is not the case any longer, which is great for the sport of baseball. In fact, in the 2008 season, there are four teams, the Cubs, Cardinals, Red Sox, and Giants, that are already almost at full capacity.
I think that this is wonderful for baseball. Baseball has always been America’s Favorite Past time, but I think that the overall attendance for these games was not where it should have been over the last decade. When attending a Pirate game in Pittsburgh, it is clear to see that there are not as many people visiting ballparks as there used to be. However, after reading this article, it is very exciting to learn that there are more people who are helping to make baseball back to what it used to be.
As for sports management, this will also help to increase their revenue. This could also cause for more ballparks to increase their number of employees in order to better serve the large number in attendance. With more people visiting ballparks, there will also be a greater number of not only ticket sales but also clothing sales and team merchandise. With a greater number of people deciding to visit baseball ballparks, the increase in revenue can help to improve the ballparks in order to make them more appealing and in return, hopefully bring in even more spectators.
I also think that this shows that the sports marketers are doing their job of getting people to purchase tickets to local baseball games. It can sometimes be difficult to get spectators to attend major league baseball games, and it is the job of the sports marketers for that particular franchise to do what they can to get people to the ballpark. Once people are at the ballpark, it is also very important to have an appealing park and reasonable prices in order to keep those people coming back to the ballpark. I think that this is a step in the right direction for major league baseball and will hopefully continue to have record breaking attendance.
The article I chose is relevant to ticket marketing selling in the Unites States. An innovative idea of travel package combined with sport game is boosting the business marketing in U.S. Jeff Lapin, a CEO at Razor Gator, said that there are more and more sport teams and leagues involved into the secondary ticket market. Since the ticket sale is inefficiencies in the sport market, teams are looking for ticket companies to resale tickets and resolve this problem as an effort.
Actually, the notion of industrial combination is not the latest idea in present years. In past years, travel package has already been combined with a variety of products in different ways. For instance, the most well-known and popular product for traveler is the form of hotel combined with credit card in Taiwan. Varied bands try to sell their credit card as the promotion efforts which can use both in hotel or restaurant. The card holder can get at least 10-40 percent discount and accumulate bonuses when consuming credit cards. Besides, hotel can also receive the benefit for having more room booking-rate and free advertisements from customers and market bands. This is a win-win situation for companies who utilize the combined promotion together.
In other hand, sport marketing is a mature marketing in U.S, because most of citizens think that sports have already become a part of their life. In addition, U.S has a huge market demand and amount of populations, and especially the overseas market. To combine different enterprises together with sport, it is a definitely successful idea. And I think, if this concept could be accepted for sport people in U.S. marketing, it would be also working in the global sport marketing.
Finally, from my point of view, even though there still have lots of details needed to be handled in combination of industry, I believe the sport marketing combined with travel program will be a prosperous and successful industry in the future global market.
[Week 7] “Secondary ticket market becomes a travel player”
V-10, I-24, P-20,22
sorry, I forgot to attech the title.
[Week 7] “Upshaw: Apparel fines from NFL ‘out of hand’” V-10, I-23, P-5
I definitely believe that the article brings up a major issue that is affecting professional sports these days. I think a lot of professional sports leagues such as the NFL and NBA have gone to far with dressing standards on and off the court. We hold our athletes on a high level and standard when it comes to their appearances on and off the court. I do not have any problems with saying the look of a team has to be within a certain restriction to promote uniformity in their uniforms, but I have a major problem with certain restrictions of taping colors and other minor uniform details. When a businessman or woman goes to work, they are not held to a certain standard on minuscule details in dress attire. I think these leagues promote individuality when it comes to promoting a certain player as a household name or other endorsements. Then we must ask why we have to restrict the type of undershirt they wear, or particular glove color, or how their chin strap is buckled. The major problem I see is saying that we want you to be marketable or personable when it is convenient with league agendas.
I think this article will impact the sports industry moderately because the way we perceive players is a pretty interesting issue. I think that the commissioners that run these leagues believe that if we show that these players are hit with strict standards of conformity then they are easier to relate to from the average fans standpoint. I think what needs to be conveyed to these fans is that these are regular people who enjoy different things from dressing the way they want, to listening to a certain type of music, to acting a certain way when something exciting happens. I believe that as long as you are not disrespecting anyone, then as a person you should be allowed to express the culture that you were raised with. It is hard to make someone something that they are not, and when you try to build an individual’s image that is not that person you are only setting them up for failure.
The NFL needs to work along with their players to develop league standards when dealing with dress codes. At the end of the day you are dealing with men, and to show strict standards that lead to fines in the range of the millions mark is only showing people that these athletes do not care about money and authority, that is sending a bad image to the public. I think it will be interesting to see how the NFL handles this issue with their new commissioner Roger Goodell.
[Week 7] “LPGA followed nine-month path to new logo”
V-10, I-24, P-8
This article talks about how the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) created a new logo for 2007. I was shocked to learn that the process took nine months to complete. The LPGA wanted to update the current logo from a green and yellow women figure to something that would represent everyone on size, color, physique while making it appealing to others.
This article talked about the process of developing and implementing a logo. A committee is formed to help with the implementation of the new logo to the world. The first step is to understand why you want to change the logo and if it will be beneficial for the company. The LPGA wanted to achieve more revenue with merchandise and other uses of the new logo. Designing the logo will be the next step. LPGA decided work with SME to help with the redesign of the logo. This process of a new design can take months especially if the committee does not like the design choices. I would think that this could be a lengthy process especially when it is suppose to represent women athletes. The LPGA decided on a design with SME, which included a multicolor woman with a pony tail, cap, and club, in just three months. Along with the committee several female players were asked for their views on the design and everyone seemed to agree that it is a good adaptation from the previous logo. The goal of the new logo is to provide a good representation of female golfers and to attract an interest in the sport of female golfing.
I think the design is a good choice especially with the structure of the women physique. It does not stereo type any one and it represents a strong willed women. I do not think that the LPGA will have any trouble in marketing the new logo in clothing merchandise or other products. The design has a catching display of color and it really makes you think that she has hit the ball with force. I am shocked to learn how long the process can be for redesigning the logo. After reading the article, I understand why there is not a change in design with various associations in sports.
[week 7] "Investment group to target teams" V-10, I-24, P-6
This article is about how a group is going to buy sporting teams and other sporting interests. The chairman of the group is Jack camp, a former GOP vice presidential nominee. Other notable people in the group are baseball hall of famer Hank Aaron, and former president of the Washington Nationals Tony Tavares.
The name of the investment group is Sports Properties Acquisition Corp. The idea of corporation's like this one buying teams is relatively new. Historically, teams were bought by wealthy individuals, not investment vehicles like Sports Properties Acquisition Corp. The group is expected to go public in December with stock offerings. There are many people who oppose this kind of corporation because they feel teams are meant to be owned by wealthy individuals. The group will not only buy teams, and other sporting interests, but they also might be buying entire leagues. This could have huge implications for the sport management industry of the future.
NBA raises China Games sponsor-list total to 11
Vol. 10 iss. 24 pg. 7
10/15/07
When I see this kind of article it makes me appreciate what I am going to school for more and more because it shows the expansion of the sports world. We all know this already but understanding that the expansion of the sponsor-list now into 20,000 new retail locations around the China Games will now invite that many more constituents into the NBA market.
Other than the growth of merchandise and apparel sales the fact that these games are now spreading to other countries. Of course this has been going on for a few years but year after year it seem as though there are more prevalent games and just a bigger push to make sure there is some sort of expedition match before the year even starts.
What this means to us as a professional is that we have the ability to see how sports markets are growing not only within the United States but now we have very good models to follow or to try to understand when we are in a situation of globalizing while in the sports industry.
[Week 7] “Upshaw: Apparel fines from NFL ‘out of hand’” V-10, I-23, P-5
Matt Flaus
[Week 7] “Upshaw: Apparel fines from NFL ‘out of hand’” V-10, I-23, P-5
Matt Flaus
I think that this is an interesting article and can be taken in many ways. I think that people could say that this is a ridiculous article because professional football players should be able to dress any way that they want because they are at the highest level of competition and they earned it. But I take the other point of view. I do not think that the players should be allowed to wear whatever they want. The NFL sets rules for a purpose. Football is not a game about drawing attention to yourself, it is a team game revolved around unity. The reason the apparel rules are in effect is to promote the unity theme. These players have been playing for a long time and they have got plenty of attention growing up, it about time for them to mature and follow the rules. The problem with the apparel rules is that the players are not mature enough to follow them. These “men” still feel the need to draw attention to themselves in any way that they can. These “men” are the role models for the young children in today’s sport world. When our kids grown up we are not going to teach them that football is an individual sport, you will teach them that it is a team sport and that everyone has an equal role, and everyone should look the same.I am not sure how this new rule enforcement will effect the football market, but I think it will do a lot for the quality and integrity of the game.
I think that this is a great decision for the NFL to start enforcing the little rules again. This will show the other players and oung kids that the game is not about one person, its about a team. I think that this attitude will not only help the game but possibly bring in more of a fan base. Instead of seeing a bunch of " " running around drawing attetion to themselves they will see a better, more involved team atmospehere that they can be a part of.
[Week 7] “Upshaw: Apparel fines from NFL 'out of hand'”
V-10, I-24, P-5
Has new NFL commissioner Roger Goodell gone too far? In this article, the SBJ details how the NFL is and has been cracking down on equipment apparel "violations". The league has gone as far as threatening team equipment managers if their players do not comply with the NFL rules.
Hmm... does this really constitute an issue that Goodell needs to attack? Apparently (according to the article), these issues have been in place for decades, although they are only now being enforced. It seems as though Goodell is taking things to the extreme, trying to enforce all policies, no matter how minute they may seem to the general public.
However, I do side with Goodell on this topic. Although I do not see this as a major area of concern, I do understand his want for conformity in ALL facets of the NFL. Just because this policy was pushed aside by previous commissioners, that's no reason to continue in that direction.
As far as Gene Upshaw's (NFL Players Association Executive Director) comments, I believe he is way off base. As a former player and rep for the players now, he is one-sided in all of his dealings. The need for conformity is obviously an important issue and Goodell has never made that a mystery since his inception as the new commissioner. It's not just about a certain color of arm tape or a pair of game pants which show skin on the knee area. It's about following the policies the league has set forth. A player can conform or be difficult - it's that simple. Now, are the current standards a bit strict? No, they are ridiculously strict, however they are what is currently in place. I believe the NFL needs to examine the current polices and make some necessary changes. An individual who wants to wear team color tape should not be punished with a fine. This just does not make sense. If the player was wearing white tape with an EAS (supplement) logo on it, then okay - fine the player because EAS is not an official NFL sponsor.
Again, I am on board with Goodell cleaning things up and running the league as it should be - standards are in place for a reason. If the standards are not going to be upheld, why have any at all? However, the current uniform restrictions on tape and visors are not realistic or necessary.
Goodell - stay on course, but change policies for the better... you have that power too.
"Red Sox travel unit a big hit with fans" V-10, I-24, P-22
Red Sox Destinations was created as the official travel provider to Boston fans. It provides a unique, behind the scenes, once in a lifetime experience for fans throughout the Red Sox Nation.
In 2006, 8 trips were organized for 6 road games and two for home series. 800 fans signed up the first year. This year in 2007, there were 11 trips, 6 road trips and 5 home series. Sales grew to 3,000 travel packages and this number is expected to be shadowed by 2008's numbers.
A sample package includes:
• Tickets to three Red Sox games
• First class hotel accommodations
• A VIP tour of the visiting ballpark
• A pre-game reception with a current Red Sox Player
• A game used baseball
• A Replica Red Sox jersey of choice
The prices are high but many fans jump at the opportunity. The average package can be around $900, making a family ordeal in the price range of $3,600.
Fenway Sports group has organized a Boston College travel club and has planned a visit to South Bend where Notre Dame hosts Boston College.
[Week 7] “Racial-bias issues shadow the case of Ronny Thompson”
V-10, I-24, P-25
This article is about the ever evolving issue of racial discrimination. It not only continues to consume the outside world,for example the Jena six story that is currently unraveling, but it is consuming the sports community as well. This article is about Ronny Thompson, who was the Ball State University head basketball coach for only one year before his recent resignation. The reason he left his position, was due to racial discrimination in his work place, and outside of work. From racial slurs about him in speech, and in notes left around the office, to his family feeling threatened, the dicrimination forced Thompson and his family to move in order to feel safe.
This article goes in depth into actions that falsely accused Thompson and other members of his staff, of breaking rules that are set by the NCAA. With these rules supposedly being broken by Thompson and his staff, and recorded by the assistant athletic director and other department members involved with the discrimination, Thompson was getting in trouble and being watched in regards to his coaching position. I feel that this article is great in that it speaks out about racial discrimination that is currently taking place in the sports setting. I think that many people are ignorant when it comes to racial issues in society today. I think that many people believe that racial discrimination is an issue of the past. I think that bringing stories like Ronny Thompson's to the light, helps people realize that discrimination is a serious problem that still exists, and that people need to watch for signs of discrimination not only in the work place, but in all surroundings.
[Week 7] “Upshaw: Apparel fines from NFL ‘out of hand’ ”
V-10, I-24, P-5
The article I read dealt with NFL cracking down on equipment violations. Recently, league officials circulated a memorandum indicating appropriate league attire for players. Many believe that this is an attempt by Commissioner Roger Goodell to campaign against off-field transgressions. This memorandum specified some trivial issues such as color of wristbands and chin straps, improper jersey size, and defacing the NFL logo. Gene Upshaw, NFLPA Executive Director and many players feel that the league is going overboard enforcing these rules. Many of the fines for minor infraction start at $5,000 and go in excess of $20,000. Merton Hanks, NFL Director of Operations, states that these rules have been in existence for quite some time and that the league is simply enforcing them. This is another issue that will be discussed at the next collective bargaining agreement.
Goodell is trying to resurrect the image of the NFL. He has made several attempts to clean up the reputation of the game. I understand that it’s his responsibility to oversee the image of the game, but I believe he has gone too far. The players are simply trying to add to creativity to uniforms simply by wearing team colors. Goodell who seems to adhere to the old adage that black and white go with everything, he is truly fooling himself. It is simply ridiculous to fine players and equipment manager these excessive amounts for such trivial issues that don’t affect the game. This can have a detrimental effect on the league when its time to discuss the new bargaining agreement. The NFLPA may feel slighted and cause problems for the league during negotiations. This issue needs to be resolved in a hurry.
[Week 8]"London NFL game to have on-field ads" Volume 10, Issue 25, P-3 & 7
The article I read talks about how the NFL will have the Miami Dolphins play the New York Giants in the first regular-season game overseas. The game will take place on October 28 and it will be held at Wembley stadium. The game will definitely have a different flare to it than that of a NFL game played back here in the states. On-field advertising will be of its first in an NFL game. This plan was put into effect to give the game a sort of 'European Style' presentation to the game. The stadium holding the game which packs in 90,000-seats was sold out within hours of the tickets going on sale. This pleased the NFL because they plan to play one or two games annually overseas through 2011. The league is also debating on whether to have a 17th game added to the schedule in which all teams will play overseas.
I think this is a good business move for the league. There is an untapped market overseas which has yet to be discovered. Learning from earlier mistakes from NFL Europe and becoming more familiar with the European market should help this plan become a success. I just hope that it doesn't get too out of hand where it makes ticket sales in the United States to costly because of competitive prices overseas. I really don't think that the NFL would do anything to damage the market in the US but there is always a little chance as slim as it seems that they could get carried away with this new found success. It is just a thought and I can't see it coming true but worse things have happened in business when it comes to an entity trying to make more money.
(Week 7) "Red Sox travel unit a big hit with fans" V-10, I-24, P-22
Red Sox Destinations was created as the official travel provider to Boston fans. It provides a unique, behind the scenes, once in a lifetime experience for fans throughout the Red Sox Nation.
In 2006, 8 trips were organized for 6 road games and two for home series. 800 fans signed up the first year. This year in 2007, there were 11 trips, 6 road trips and 5 home series. Sales grew to 3,000 travel packages and this number is expected to be shadowed by 2008's numbers.
A sample package includes:
• Tickets to three Red Sox games
• First class hotel accommodations
• A VIP tour of the visiting ballpark
• A pre-game reception with a current Red Sox Player
• A game used baseball
• A Replica Red Sox jersey of choice
The prices are high but many fans jump at the opportunity. The average package can be around $900, making a family ordeal in the price range of $3,600.
Fenway Sports group has organized a Boston College travel club and has planned a visit to South Bend where Notre Dame hosts Boston College.
Week 8. "Isles open doors-partway-to bloggers." V. 10, I. 25, P 11.
I chose this article for two reasons 1. I love hockey and 2. this idea and concept of blogging is new to me. Until I took this class I had no idea what a blog was or where to find for that matter. Now once a week I sit down at my lap top and blog away. In the last few weeks we learned about inventions and innovations. The fron office of the New York Islanders were looking for new and innovative way to get their team's name in print. In the last few years the Isle's were covered by the four major newspaper in the New York area, and now they are only covered by one source. So in an attempt to market themselves they decided to embrace the blogging style and created a section of seat to bloggers to come and write about the game.
The author mentions a few times that people in general do not like bloggers. I was curious to find out why, but they never did give a reason. So now there is a section in the New York Collesium for bloggers to come, sit with their computers and update folks on the internet about what's happening at the game. I think it is a great idea, innovative and brings some new recognition to the Islanders and the game of hockey. The only problem that I have is with the bloggers, and maybe this is why some people do not like them. I am all for freedom of speech, write what you like, I don't care. However the bloggers critize the players, play calling, coaching and management. These are the same people who probably never played a sport, laced up a skate, organized a practice, let alone have the courage to coach. And yet now they are experts on multiple sport topics. Like I said write what you like, but I also have a right not to listen or read their garbage. Other than this blogspot you will not catch me sitting on the internet reading some guys thoughts on an athletic event. Instead you'll see me on the sidelines trying to make a difference in the world.
[Week 8] “Putting a myth to bed?” V-10, I-25, P-1
This article talks about the increase in the number of children that are staying up later to watch Major League Baseball games. The article argues that more and more children are staying up past midnight to watch these games, and some of the sports broadcasters and journalists are just wondering where they are getting these statistics from. If this is true, this statistic would be due to the fact that many baseball games are beginning later and later than they used to. The networks that broadcast these games are delighted however, because the later the start, the more viewers they have.
This article ties into the last article that I read and wrote about in which there was an increase in the number of fans attending baseball games in general. The author of this article does make mention to this fact. Mike Trager states in the article that there are not only more people in the stadiums watching baseball, but there are also more people watching this sport on TV, and this includes children.
I think that this is not necessarily a bad thing. I think it is good for children to watch sports on television and learn from them. However, I do agree with the authors point on why the children are staying up so late to watch these games. I think that the author did a good job of interviewing various people involved with sports and sports broadcasts to get their opinion on this matter. I do think though that he should have maybe interviewed some parents to get explanations as to why their children are staying up later and why they are permitted to do this.
This is good for sports management because it increases the number of viewers for each specific television station that broadcasts these games which will in turn cause more revenue for the teams themselves and the organization. I can see the point in television stations to want to broadcast the games later if they get more viewers, but it was stated in the article that as the games go on, more and more watch the game than those who watched it from the beginning. I think that this is due to the idea that people are busier than ever and their schedule doesn’t allow them to tune in to a game earlier. It is good that those who schedule the times of the games take this into consideration, especially when they are very important games such as playoffs or the World Series.
As far as the overall concept of this article goes, I think that it is great that the author is concerned about children and why they are staying up so late. These children will eventually become our future. They are at least watching something that will benefit them in the end and is not something that will hurt our environment. I also think that maybe this author is putting the blame on the wrong people within the article. One of the main reasons for why the game starts late or is broadcast late is due to where the game is being played.
[Week 8]"London NFL game to have on-field ads" Volume 10, Issue 25, P-3 & 7
This article is about the NFL's first regular season game overseas, which will showcase the Giants and the Dolphins in Wembley Stadium in London. Mark Waller, who is the NFL's vice president of marketing and sales mentions that the league wants to give this game a little bit more flare than a regular NFL game. They want to make the game more like the traditional stadium setting for London, and one of the ways tha that they plan on doing that is to do some onfield advertising. There will be advertisments by the sponsors of the game in both endzones, as well as on the sidelines. Sponsors for this game include Bridgestone Firestone, Visa, Coors, Reebok, GM, and Cannon. Along with these sponsors,Electronic Arts is helping spread the word about the game, by advertising to many local London areas and businesses, including the Universities in London. With 90,000 tickets selling out the game in hours of the beginning of sales, something is attracting the fans, which is great for the NFL.
I think that by playing an annual game overseas is a great idea. I also agree with an idea that was brought up in the article about possibly adding an overseas game to all of the NFL teams schedules would be a great idea as well. Since the opening of European league in 1991, there has been a struggle for popularity and attendance. From the looks of it, the NFL is bringing in a large crowd, and boosting interest in football. It is quite possible that with the addition of this and more NFL games in Europe, that the popularity and attendance could increase in the European league as well. I think that there is a posibility that the NFL could get the European league up and running.
[Week 8] "Industry trying to get a handle on MillerCoors." Vol. 10, Iss. 25, Pg.1,40
Beer and sports have been in a long and profitable relationship for a long, long time. The two are so intertwined with each other that it is hard to think of enjoying a game among friends at home or at the stadium without enjoying a few adult beverages. Sports on TV are inundated with beer companies ads, and their presence is always highly visible in arenas and stadiums around the nation.
Now, recent events are changing the dynamic relationship between beer companies and sports leagues. Two of the industries biggest companies, Miller and Coors, have announced that they will be merging U.S. operations. The question that comes next is "What will this mean for the industrial relationship between sports and beer?" Will this new conglomerate mean more dollars being spent on marketing and sponsorships? Or will be mean less? Will this new company create an opening for a previously unknown brand to gain some attention from leagues? Also there are concerns of brand confusion among sports marketers. Both Miller and Coors were heavily into adversting their products with several sports leagues prior to this announcement. Will they continue to act as seperate brands? Or will they change their strategy to reflect their new working relationship? All these questions are creating concerns sports advertisers and marketers.
One thing that I am sure of is that I'm sure the Anheuser-Busch folks in St. Louis can not be too happy about this recent development. The makers of Budweiser are also big time players in sports leagues; this merging of Miller and Coors can only mean increased competition, with the pooling of Miller's and Coors resources combined. I can see this quickly turning into a "beer war", like the one that developed in the mid 1980's between soft drink companies Coca-cola and Pepsi. It's on the same kind of level, with two major companies dominating the market, with the only real competition being posed by the other.
[Week 8] "Putting a myth to bed?"
Vol. 10, Iss. 25, Pg. 1, 38-39
Apparently one of the biggest debates among TV executives and criticisms from sport writers are how late the starting times are for MLB playoff games. In the article “Putting a myth to bed?” the myth in question is that for years it has been thought that baseball loses a significant amount of young viewers and in return, low TV ratings due to the starting of game times of 8 p.m. or later.
Baseball TV executives denounce this claim and support their decision to have late starts based on recent Nielsen ratings that claim “the later a game starts and finishes, the larger the audience across all demographics except adults ages 55 and above, who start to tune out after 9 p.m.” (p. 1).
In fact, contrary to the criticism of sport writers, ratings actually improve as the game goes on, regardless of the sport. Looking at Monday Night Football, in 1998 ABC moved the starting time from the traditional 9 p.m. to 8 p.m. and actually saw ratings drop 7 percent. ESPN now carries the game and starts kickoff at 8:30 p.m. and still ratings do not peak until approximately 10:30 p.m.
Though there is still much criticism on how the data of TV ratings is collected and how many young viewers are actually watching, for now the numbers don’t lie and it appears there are more and more children of all ages staying up late to watch their favorite teams play than critics would like to admit.
[Week 8] “Bode aboard ‘MySpace for skiing’”
V-10, I-25, P-4
This article talks about a way to provide skiers of all levels and ages the ability to communicate with each other. A website called www.skispace.com was created so that information about various resorts, trail reviews, and equipment evaluations can be accessible to skiers. This website will provider skiers will the ability to research various material and also gives them an opportunity to put their opinions and comments on the website.
Alpine skier Bode Miller will be on the executive side of the website to promote and present skiing content to the public. I think that having professional athletes participating on this website will attract skiers because they will want their professional advice on equipment, trail conditions, and techniques. In my opinion, it is like taking lessons from the professional except with out the ridiculous cost. Other sports such as skateboarding and swimming have begun their own websites to try and promote their sports to the public. I can only speak for myself but I usually only watch swimming when it is on for the Olympics so this could possibly bring more interest to the sport.
As a sport marketer you are always trying to create ways to bring in revenues and I think that developing this website and making it available to the public will do just that. Once the website demonstrates an interest from the audience the website so expand into different avenues such as merchandise. Sponsors will then want to advertise on the website to gain revenues for themselves and also it will provide feedback for them on their merchandise. The internet is being used for various types of communication and I think this is an excellent way for sport marketers to present an attraction to the sport of skiing as well as a profit.
[Week 7]“New Orleans Hornets: The long road home” V-10, I-25, P-1,12-13
This article is talking about the situations 2-year later of Katrina disaster in New Orleans, US. The employees and the team of Hornets are starting to go back to the New Orleans area. The Hornets’ managers and other franchise still worry about the “uncertainty” environment in the rebuilding city, New Orleans.
It seems the Hornets team is ready to be back to the “new” New Orleans for selling their sport goods and re-establish a last brand image for their audiences.
I think this is quite a good start for the Hornets, regardless the condition of “uncertainty” environment in New Orleans, because the new rebuilding place could also pose a potential benefits of market for investment. In contrary, there exists a huge potential risk for any franchises and company in trying to resume business there.
To the extent, I would suggest the managers of Hornet a couple of tips. First of all, since the local construction is rebuilding at present, the society, residents and business of New Orleans are still remaining in a difficult situation and the life style is still not as normal as it was before. For a low risk, the respective team should wait and see for a certain period to observe and may not invest too many financial and human resources into New Orleans area. For a good calculation in determining whether the business has come back to New Orleans, I would say the investment plan should take a peer watch along with tourism and local rebuilding infrastructure. Be ready to take actions when time comes.
Right at this point, it would be more difficult to set up the marketing strategies in such critical moment as the team’s expectation.
Otherwise, considering the outside of natural challenge in New Orleans, hurricane is another “uncertain” element in New Orleans. Does the New Orleans State still possess a good geography advantage for companies to invest in the sport marketing? For this answer, I would say, it’s still a sort of “uncertainty”. Natural disaster is still a grim challenge to the business as long as there is a chance for the natural disaster.
[Week 8]" American Le Mans says it’s picking up speed”
V-10, I-25, P-8
The article on the current rise of the American LeMans Series is quite interesting. The American LeMans was founded in 1999 by Don Panoz as a series of endurance and sprint races. Teams compete in four classes with races that last from 2 to 12 hours in length. After years of mediocre attendance rates, the series has increased attendance by 40 percent for the 2007 schedule. The final race of the season will be held in Monterey, California where attendance will surpass the 900,000 mark, up from 629,000 last year. LeMans series official have indicated that the sponsorship revenue has increased 10 percent this year alone. This increase in visibility has also generating elevated TV ratings. The series has just inked a three-year deal with Speed for the 2008 season.
The LeMans series has engendered tremendous growth over the last few years. The main reason for this growth is there ability to attract corporate sponsorships. Large multinational corporations understand the impact that racing has on the American public. NASCAR has been successful with attracting corporate sponsorships and has reaped the awards. LeMans is hoping to follow the paradigm that lead to the success of NASCAR. These companies are looking to expand their brands into this ever-growth market segmentation. This segment consists of 15-40 college-educated men with huge amounts of discretionary income. These young men are will to spend their money on merchandise and memorabilia. LeMans series has the possibility to rival Formula One racing in the next few years with the right marketing plan. They can even reach the pinnacle success of NASCAR with the next ten years.
(Week 7) "MSG must pay NHL's legal costs in lawsuit"
V-10, I-25, P-6
Unable to resolve a dispute over Web site control and other promotional ventures, Madison Square Garden sued the NHL in U.S. District Court. MSG is accusing the NHL of violating antitrust provisions and improperly taking control of the Rangers' digital media rights. The NHL is seeking to control the licensing of teams for all commercial purposes and to stop teams from marketing apparel, merchandise and memorabilia, the suit said. MSG asked that a judge order the league to stop limiting team promotions, and it also wants the court to clarify the boundaries of the league's rights. According to the bylaws of the NHL constitution, lawsuits brought against the league must be funded entirely by the team filing the suit.
In June 2006, NHL team owners voted overwhelmingly to create a standard template for team web sites and to centralize online efforts.
Sources close to MSG say that the organization is well aware of the rule and felt strongly enough about the case to move forward anyway. A preliminary hearing is set for October 23.
[Week 8] "Putting a myth to bed?" V-10, I-25, P-1, 38-39
I do agree with the article, but not whole heartedly. I think the article brings up two great points. The first point being, the exclusion with late start times of a major market that Major League Baseball is worried about, and that is the 6-17 years of age bracket. I think that many youngsters are not able to stay up and watch the action of their favorite teams or a sport that they cannot gain access to the best competition because of these starts times. I think that Major League Baseball has a major conflict of ratings in the present day and building a future fan base with the current youngsters of the east coast. The second point, I think when it comes to start times for a league they are going to do what is best for the league at the current state because that is what makes money today. I know from a fan standpoint I like the late start times, but as a kid I would watch the games and it affected my sleep times very much. I know that I was tired during the school day, but happy because I got to see the whole game live. Baseball and basketball might need to look into 8:30 P.M start times, because it helps east coast youths to watch a solid two hours of the game and this would not be to bad for the west coast fan who comes home at 5:30 P.M. I think they should look into re-airing the games during the day or after the kids come home from school to promote fan viewing, especially for youngsters. I know that the sports industries are about the development of fans and supporting the youth, but at the end of the day these businesses are more about the dollar. That is why many people are turned away from a lot of aspects of professional sports.
I think this article affects the sports industry in a major way. The reason I feel this is because this issue deals with the viewing pleasure of their fan base. I understand that they are trying to appease fan bases from across the country, but I think if an east coast team plays there needs to be a major consideration for the east coast fan. The NBA had start times of 8:15 and 10:30 for a night double headers and this at least allowed the viewing of fans to catch one of the two games on a doubleheader. When the finals started they had start times at 9 PM and games would end after 12 A.M. and this was a major problem for not only kids but adults that had to wake up for work the next day. I think they need to find a happy medium that allows the fan to watch the game and not have to adjust their sleep cycle or day to day routines to be a fan of sports teams in these leagues. I think that as a fan I would be happy knowing that my opinion mattered in the game scheduling of a certain league.
[Week 8] "Tire companies seek traction with consumer" V-10, I-25, P27
This article is about the tire company and how there product has problems taking off. The problem is that when someone thinks about getting new tires the last thing they really want to say is ‘wow I can not wait’. When in the market for tires it usually is because it is a necessity, and that causes a problem for these tire companies.
If the tire companies would like to make a name for themselves they have found that it is not going to be from the seeking for this individual product. There is an understanding that instead we must promote and extract their name out to the public so that there is a name recognition, most of us already know this from the Goodyear Blimp. Companies like Cooper Tire and BF Goodrich now center toward particular groups, these being college aged students. The way that they are doing it is to promote extensive media by an tour to a special sporting event of ones choice.
So what we have here is the main 3 tire companies now instead of doing what normal companies to when they have new product (that is to promote give always), they buy into sponsorships through major sporting events hosting anything from over seas games to signing large contracts to be the NFL’s official tire of choice.
[Week 8] “ESPN prep game gets title sponsor”
V-10, I-25, P-7
This article discusses how Under Armour has once again put their name out for public consumption - this time as the title sponsor for ESPN's newly created high school football All-American game. The game, which is to be televised on January 5th, 2008, will feature more than 80 of the nation's top high school seniors. For Under Armour, it's their fourth high school All-American title sponsorship (Baseball, Softball, Lacrosse, Football).
As the title sponsor, UA will receive venue signs, commercial inventory, hospitality and uniform, gear an apparel rights during the game.
This is an easy move for UA, as they are quickly becoming a sports apparel and sports marketing giant. UA (which I believe will surpass Nike as the number one sports apparel brand within the next 5-10 years) has crept onto the scene and now placed themselves on every shelf in every high-end sports apparel shop. UA is also making their presence felt in the collegiate ranks, providing all-sports gear for the University of Maryland, Auburn University and the University of North Texas. UA also serves as the official brand for football uniforms for Texas Tech and South Carolina. Although UA has only one current sponsorship with a HS Football team (Southlake Carroll HS) I believe the move to grab the title sponsorship for this high school football game is the precursor to UA creating a great deal of partnerships with high schools all over the nation.
UA has proven to be a top of the line product, as companies such as Nike (Dri-FIT) and Reebok (NFL Equipment) have followed their lead on the moisture wicking products. It was only a matter of time before HS athletics became a billboard for major companies... and it was only a matter of time before a company like UA got involved.
I wonder if UA would be interested in inking an apparel deal with Conemaugh Valley High School? Call me...
[Week 8] "Bode aboard 'Myspace for skiing'" V-10, I-25, P-4
This article is about alpine skiier Bode Miller creating a "myspace-like" website. He is teaming up with his agent Lowell Taub and a California technology firm to develop this skiing social networking site. The website will be found at skispace.com, and will combine resort and equipment reviews, trail conditions, instruction, user-generated material, and a variety of other content.
I think this is a real good idea because there are no places on the web for avid skiers to interact, share ideas, and basically have fun. The idea of creating webpages like this one may soon become popular in other sports as well. There is currently one for swimming called swimroom.com which turned out to be a big success. Another example is sk8site.com developed by several skaters and Wasserman Media Group. Skispace.com is set to launch next month, and i would not be surprised if other social networking sport sites started coming.
[Week 9]"Avoid slogans, empty promises in crafting true brand statement" Volume 10, Issue 26, P-23
This article talks about the difference between branding and using slogans. It uses Major League Baseball as its example. The article starts off by stating that if a team did not make it to the playoffs this year they probably started trying to create a slogan for next years ball club. This inevitably doesn't have to be and shouldn't be the case if the teams want to retain a true fan base. The article then specifically talks about the Chicago White Sox. It talks about how they the organization looked within itself and found an identity that they could give to the fans. This is more than a slogan. This states who they are and they came up with a brand that simply says "Win. Or Die Tryin". This kind of brand promise has created a strong foundation for the future market of the organization. This branding is more credible because it is who the team is and not just another slogan that will probably go unfifilled in the next year. This type of action keeps fans loyal to the team no matter if they are winning or losing.
I think that this is an interesting concept and I can see how branding is a better approach to marketing than slogans are. I for one am a fan of a team that uses slogans every year to try and create buzz in the city and year in and year out the team does not uphold the slogan. Being from Pittsburgh and seeing how the Pirates use slogans every year makes me understand how having a brand could keep fan loyalty. If the Pirates would develop an identity and stick with it I am sure that they would keep their fan base and probably draw more fans to the team, but the Pirate organization is not interested in winning. This is why they have to create slogans because having a brand means that they would have to put a team out on the field that actually could get fans excited.
Week 9. "Penguins' owners get $56 million." V.10 I. 26 P. 1,44.
This is a story that I have been folowing at home in the news. So I was surprised to see an article about it in the SBJ. So naturally, being a huge Penguins fan and an even bigger fan of Mario Lemieux, I choose this article. I remember when Mario signed his 7 year $42 million contract. Back then it seemed like a lot of money, but he was well worth every penny. Unfortunately his health forced him into uearly retirement. At that moment the team still owed Mario around $32 million in deferred payments. Mario had a few options when all this went down and lucky for us he decided to stay, save the franchise and keep the Pens in town. So when he returned to the penguin for a second stint, it was purely motivated by money. He knew that one way to protect his investment and get folks in the seats and make money was to get the best player back on the ice, that being him.
Over the past year Mario and his partners almost did the unthinkable of moving the franchise. This was the most agonizing 6 months of my life. Every night I would go to bed wondering if I was going to wake up and find out that the Penguins have moved to another city. Again money was the key factor. After long and painful talks with city an state officials the Pens decided tovstick around for a long time. Now that everything is finalized, the Penguins made a class move and decided to re-payed Mario a portion of what was intially owed to him. Twenty-one million seems like a small price to pay when you think of all he has done for the game of hockey and the city of Pittsburgh. If it was not for him I might be watching the Kansas City Penguins right now play the Maple Leafs. So from the bottom of my heart I say thank you Mario!!
Week 9. "New WNBS team in Atlanta will push for up-tempo marketing" V.10 I. 26 P. 6.
This article is about the newest addition to the WNBA. Atlanta will play home to the newest expansion team in the WNBA nexy season. Atlanta will share Philip's Arena, which is already home the the NBA's Hawks, and the NHL's Thrashers. This team will be the 5th non-NBA, privately owned team in the WNBA. The owner Ron Terwilliger, will pay $10 million dollars over the next 10 years for the team, and expects to build a good sized fan base, in order to not only bring more attraction to the WNBA, but to do better than breaking even, and make a little bit of money. There have been worries about a team lasting in Atlanta, because previous teams in the area have been unsuccessful, but Terwilliger blames poor management and uncaring owners as the reason for teams like Charlotte folding. He believes that Atlanta is a great city,that is full of potential.
I thought the article was great. I always like to see expansion and growth in womens sports. The WNBA has done ok in the past ten years that it has been running, and I believe that now is the time to add more teams, and get into the business. Though the WNBA is not as popular as the NBA, or other mens sports, I think that it is becoming more popular. The competition, and speed of the game has made a dramatic increase since its inaugural season in 1997, and I think that as the WNBA continues to grow and become more popular, the speed of the game, and the competion of the athletes will also evolve. Overall I think that the WNBA is and will continue to become more popular, and that Terwilliger i smart to create a team and join a wonderful league now, while it starts it journey of growth.
[Week 9] “Sea Wolves skating in Biloxi” V-10, I-26, P-6
This article talks about yet another professional sports team, whose arena has been destroyed by a natural disaster. The Mississippi Sea Wolves have had to find another place to play their home games ever since the 2005 season when Hurricane Katrina hit and flooded out Mississippi’s Coast Coliseum, which was the team’s home. The team has missed the last two seasons in the Coliseum and is very eager to return.
Co-owner Mike Rogers is anxious to be returning to the stadium, especially since 800 of the 950 season-ticket holders from the 2005-2006 season have asked to remain season-ticket holders. Not to mention, it has been very costly to keep the team going without a home rink. It was estimated that it cost about $500,000 to keep the team going over the past two seasons. Some of this money went to purchasing new equipment for the team after Katrina sent about seven feet of water into the Coliseum.
There were offers made to the owners of the team to sell the franchise and move the team to another city, but the owners decided to keep the team in its original location. I think that it was a great idea to keep the team in the original city. It is important for such a larger organization to be able to overcome such a horrible natural disaster. I also feel as though it is such a great feeling for that organization to be able to rebuild and reopen its doors to the people who supported that organization before the disaster. The sports management department made the right choice in keeping the franchise in its original city.
I think that this story is remarkable and will help to greatly generate more revenue for the Sea Wolves franchise. The sports management for this franchise was very smart in leaving the franchise in its original city because I think that it will only bring in more fans and more revenue for the organization. It shows the city that even though they went through such a horrible disaster, anyone is able to over come it and anything is possible. There is not a better way to give back to the community that supported and helped build the franchise than to keep it with that community.
I also think that more people will want to attend games in the newly remodeled Coliseum simply to see what has changed and how the organization has recovered from the disaster. Because of this, the sports management department will have to be ready to accommodate a larger crowd. They will need to make sure that they have enough security available to handle the larger crowd and enough vendors as well. I think that this is great for the sports management department to make sure they haven’t lost anything by not being able to host this event in over two years as well as increasing their revenue. More people will watch their favorite team, which is usually the team that resided in their town, in their own stadium.
Week 9. “Penguins Owners Get $56 Million”. Vol. 10., Iss. 26, Pg. 1, 44
It was nice to see Mario Lemieux getting a big payday last week from the Penguins new financing deal. If you followed the fight for a new arena for the Penguins last year like I did, you know that there was a high level of concern among fans that the franchise would relocate to Kansas City if they did not receive a new arena deal. In my opinion, a new arena for the city should have been planned out and constructed a long time ago. It has been awhile since I’ve been to the Mellon Arena, but it wasn’t in too good of condition even back then.
The primary driving force in the negotiation between the city of Pittsburgh and the Penguins franchise was Lemieux, so if anyone in this situation deserves to get paid handsomely, it is him. He invested his own money into the team to bail them out of financial woes. Whenever you heard something about the debate, Mario’s voice was always at the forefront. He did this despite several setbacks in the process, including the state’s gaming board denying his chosen gambling affiliates, the Isle of Capri, a gaming license. Lemieux would now be forced to deal with Detroit casino owner Don Barden and his group, for he was counting on assistance on from the city’s new casino in helping pay for a new arena. Mario could have broken off negotiations right then, packed up his bags, and moved the franchise to Kansas City, who had a brand new empty arena built and simply waiting for a tenant. But Mario stayed, worked with Barden and the city, and finally at long last, a deal was reached. I believe that after the commitment and hard work he has put in to ensure that there will be many more “hockey nights in Pittsburgh”, no one deserves the money more that Mario.
"Front Row to help Royals make new video boards pay off"
Week 9 Pg 22 vol 10 Issue 26
This is an interesting article for the new wave of ball park marketing. It is about how Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City played on by the Kansas City Royals are implementing a $256 million dollar renovation that involves a high definition megatron as well as LED units on the out field wall.
A lot of marketers would say that there is no way that an expense like this is going to be a well thought of investment, but the way that the people in Kansas City are thinking is that they might think they have a point. When talking about an investment like this it is usually looked at as a 5 or 10 year plan, but the way that they are looking at it is this will create better signs and grater flexibility for meeting the consumers marketing budget. That being said, they are marketing this toward the small-market clubs.
These boards will be versatile enough so that I should be able to let everyone see including television, therefore upping the price when nationally televised. Basically they are saying that there will be millions that are going to be able to see what the specific product has to offer no matter what, this is how good the screens will be.
All though I do think that this is going to be a step out of the box as of our generation goes. I also think that they might be the first stadium to do something like this. The now wave is coming soon and that is to be as technical as possible, and the more technical the better looked at. Old is old faster and new is old faster so to keep up you have to be able to take risks.
"Front Row to help Royals make new video boards pay off"
Week 9 Pg 22 vol 10 Issue 26
This is an interesting article for the new wave of ball park marketing. It is about how Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City played on by the Kansas City Royals are implementing a $256 million dollar renovation that involves a high definition megatron as well as LED units on the out field wall.
A lot of marketers would say that there is no way that an expense like this is going to be a well thought of investment, but the way that the people in Kansas City are thinking is that they might think they have a point. When talking about an investment like this it is usually looked at as a 5 or 10 year plan, but the way that they are looking at it is this will create better signs and grater flexibility for meeting the consumers marketing budget. That being said, they are marketing this toward the small-market clubs.
These boards will be versatile enough so that I should be able to let everyone see including television, therefore upping the price when nationally televised. Basically they are saying that there will be millions that are going to be able to see what the specific product has to offer no matter what, this is how good the screens will be.
All though I do think that this is going to be a step out of the box as of our generation goes. I also think that they might be the first stadium to do something like this. The now wave is coming soon and that is to be as technical as possible, and the more technical the better looked at. Old is old faster and new is old faster so to keep up you have to be able to take risks.
[Week 9 ] “Indie cred: Team-less Bode adds 3 sponsors”
Vol-10, I-26, P-13
Why did I choose this article? When I saw the picture of Bode Miller initially, I was amazed, surprised and wondered to know who he is. Bode Miller is the first American of 22 years old for winning the overall alpine skiing World Cup title in 2005. According to the article, after Miller leaving the U.S Ski Team on this May, he was already being collected by 3 new sponsors and gained more than $1 million in next three years. Since a new status of Miller is an independent racer, his new sponsors believed that not only he can provide higher value than other players in influencing their teammates, but also he can create extra values for companies as a Ski player. Moreover, the men’s World Cup season is going to kick off on Oct.28 in Austria, Miller may attract more fans from different nations as expected. Similarly, given a sample for the ranked world number 1 tennis great player, Roger Federer, has a powerful ability to attract lots of fans coming to the court.
After reviewing Miller’s background, even though I don’t know anything about ski sports, I think he is a very successful ski player and also has a highly potential ability in being an endorsee for success with a fame reputation, good-looking appearance and high skilled performance.
No wonder, after Miller became an independent racer, there is quite a few sponsors would like to endorse him. From this point, I can understand that the value of a sport player weighs as a very important role in deciding what degrees of popularity the player can enjoy. Not only can a super star affect the consumers’ purchasing intention, but he/she can attract sponsors to endorse him/her. The first thing is that the players must be the first among equals in related field.
[Week 9] “Bypassing highlights, NBA goes for the heart” V-9, I-26, P-4
I agree with the article, because I have seen the new advertising campaign and I think it serves its intended purpose. They said the main reason for this style of advertising is to make the casual fan feel more connected to the NBA. I would not describe myself as the casual fan, but I think the still shots pictures of stars in different states of emotion help to strike more emotion in me. I think they picked out a wide variety of different emotions to help strike a chord with the viewers. I like the research that the NBA has done to know what the fans like and do not like. The four emotions that connected the NBA fans with the game was passion, intensity of competition, the power of teamwork, and the respect for the leagues tradition. These themes are embodied in one way or another in all of the pictures. The NBA has put together a number of different clips and some are made just for certain teams, the NBA does such a great job finding out what their consumers want and like and they exploit it. I like the idea that a business caters to their fan base, especially in an era where a lot of big business does not always have to.
I do not think that the article will have a great impact on the sports industry as a whole. I do think that the article brings hype to the start of the NBA season. I know from a league standpoint, the NBA has done a great job of marketing their pre-season basketball in the United States as well as in many other countries. They have made a great push internationally promoting the game and now they are staying consistent with the advertising of the league by promoting the tip-off of the season. The season starts October 30 and the NBA is as popular today as it ever has been. The NBA needs to keep up the good work as a business, the way the sport is developing and their constant work in the industry has set a benchmark for professional leagues not only in the United States but in the world.
[Week 9] “Breeders’ Cup sells out advertising spots for first time, despite expansion to second day”
V-10, I-26, P-4
This article talks about the sponsor’s advertisement of the Breeders’ Cup. I was very shocked by this article because I did not think that there were be many sponsors for horse racing. I did not realize how much attention horse racing received from spectators. The Breeders’ Cup is not something that I usually hear people get excited about like the super bowl or the Olympics but it could be for the part of the country I live in. But this article definitely has my attention now especially since it has sold all of its advertising commercial spots for the first time in history. As a sports marketer this is an area that some people might over look and in reality it is a great opportunity for sports marketing.
The championship races actually added an additional day of racing to its schedule and originally thought it would be difficult to be able to fill all of the spots with sponsors but it was the opposite. Dodge was a major sponsor of the Breeders’ Cup and actually bought a majority of commercial spots for the two day event. Part of the marketing strategy for Dodge is having an informational booth about Dodge with Trucks there for participants and an opportunity for a lucky fan to win a vehicle. There were also other sponsors such as Century 21, Grey Goose, John Deere, and etc. The Breeders’ Cup was successfully in marketing strategies this year and plan on providing even more revenue for next year. These strategies are beneficial for sports marketers especially with some sporting events that are not as popular. It is important how things are presented and how you appeal to sponsors to get their business and the Breeders’ Cup is doing an excellent job of making their sponsors interested.
[Week 9] "Penguins' owners get $56 million"
Vol. 10, Iss. 28, Pg. 1, 44
I feel this article discusses some of the key aspects of how money is produced to buy or build team arenas, or even save a franchise that is bankrupt.
Apparently in the NHL, one way to fund the production of a new stadium is for owners to borrow the money against the value of the team. When the Penguins were trying to finance their new arena they borrowed $100 million. If that sounds like a lot, NHL owners are permitted to borrow up to half of the total value of the franchise, which means the NHL itself must feel that the Penguins franchise is worth approximately $200 million. The new arena itself is said to cost around $290 million, much of which is being paid for by the revenue of the new casino in Pittsburgh, as well as city and state officials.
As a result, once this deal was finalized, Mario Lexieux was paid a sum of $21 million. Lemieux and Ron Burkle own approximately 90 percent of the Penguin franchise. Mario Lemieux acquired a large part of his holdings in the team when the Penguins declared bankruptcy in 1998. At the time the franchise owed Lemieux $32 million in pay. Lemieux chose to defer his salary and invest in the club. As a result, the sum of $21 million was his payback.
[Week 9]"What made Izod snap up Meadowlands arena naming rights?"
V-10, I-26, P-16
I chose to review this article because the area of naming rights in athletic venues is of great interest to me.
In this particular case, naming rights have recently become available for the former Continental Airlines Arena (NJ Nets home in the Meadowlands). The Izod brand quickly picked up a 5-year deal with the arena, scheduled to pay out $1.4 million per year. What makes this an interesting article is the brand and company which chose to venture into the athletics realm. Izod (not necessarily known for athletic apparel) took the leap not for branding opportunities as a sports apparel supplier, but for lifestyle recognition for the many events which will take place within the arena. "It's not about putting our name on the building as a billboard. Izod is a sports-spirited lifestyle brand, so the mix of sports, concerts and family shows just fit us exactly." (COO Allen Sirkin).
In an area which has usually been reserved for low-interest categories such as financial services, airlines, energy and telecommunications, Izod has taken a step towads marketing facilities around much more broad categories and lifestyle goals of companies. And at only $1.4 per year for naming rights, Izod was able to steal a prime piece of real estate in the nation's top market.
This is a great move for Izod, as they will certainly become more recognizable with sports fans and all others who attend events at the new Izod Center. My main concern here is the Nets' plan to open a new home in Brooklyn in 2009. With a five-year deal already inked, what will Izod do in 2009 when the Nets move their business to Brooklyn? Although the COO seemed very excited about hosting "family events" in this venue, I'm not quite sure he will be so excited when thousands of fans suddenly stop coming to the Izod Center when it's main attraction makes an exit.
This is an interesting article. It seems as though companies are truly living for the moment and not concerning themselves with pitfalls that lie ahead. I am interested in following up on this deal when 2009 rolls around - should be an interesting battle to see what the new Nets' home will be called.
[Week 9] "Penguins' owners get $56 million"
Vol. 10, Iss. 28, Pg. 1, 44
Matt Flaus
I think that this article shows how if sports team owners have a great knowladge of the game and are willing to sacrifice a liitle bit of money in the begining of their ownership, it can pay off in the long run.
When Mario Lemieux retired from the Penguins he left a dynasty team which won two Stanley Cups with Mario at the helm. When he retired the organization owed Mario 32 million dollars. Insead of suing the Penguins he wisely invested the money into buying a share of the team. As time went on the Peguins win and loss record fell off. But Mario then started devloping new talent and bringing in bright new starts. Before long the Penguins were back to being a great hockey market. Mario's patience and persistance with the team show that people that know the game can eventually turn a risk into a wise investment. With all of the intrest of the Penguins around the league they will now have a new area by the 2010 season so all of the young stars cann flourish in an area that they deserve.
Week 9] "Penguins' owners get $56 million"
Vol. 10, Iss. 28, Pg. 1, 44
Matt Flaus continued
The Penguins went from being vauled under 100 million dollars to doubling in value. This article is a great demonstration on making the best out of an oppturnity. Mario Lemieux is now a respected owner in the NHL and many teams are trying to replicate what he did with the Penguins to their own organization.
[Week 9]"A new play on revenue sharing?"
V-10, I-26, P-1, 25, 26
At the recent NBA board of governors meeting in New York, Dan Gilbert owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers suggest the idea of revenue sharing among NBA teams. This topic is a highly debated among NBA executives and owners. Many of the smaller markets teams are financially unable to compete with larger market teams. The current NBA system allocates a substantial amount of revenue assistance to smaller market teams. This implementation provides some financial assistance to smaller market teams. Still many of the smaller market teams aren’t able to compete.
As a staunch supporter of revenue sharing I believe that this system will not be successful for the NBA. The revenue sharing system only works when teams are penalized for spending over the salary cap. The NBA has only one team is currently over the salary cap. Unlike baseball where a large percentage of the teams over the salary cap. The revenue generated from this isn’t enough to provide any real assistance to smaller market teams. The NBA is on the right path with increase revenue assistance with capital earned from the international market. The owners of the NBA are unlike NFL owners in the fact that they are too greedy to share gate receipts with other teams. The success of small markets teams will face arduous times if the league doesn’t help these teams with financial assistance.
(Week 8) Teams pressed to do more with sponsors. V-10, I-26, P-32
The NBA is working with teams to place more emphasis being more active with their sponsors. It is the goal of the league to make this the primary focus of the team marketing services division. This can take many forms, such as co-branding opportunities in stores and with contests conducted online or through PDA’s or other handheld devices.
The team marketing services division was created in 1984, with the goal of sharing best practices among teams, and boosting ticket sales and sponsorship. The league has a list of 200 sponsor categories. Rising categories include athletic apparel and footwear, construction, real estate, and imported beer. Some teams have categories that other cannot due to location. Denver for example, is loaded with ski areas so the Nuggets take the opportunity to work with many of them. A new feature now allows each team to check online where they rank against each other in various sponsorship activities.
Boston for example has team with Re/Max, The real estate agency paying to restore basketball courts in the New England community. Some of the other top teams when it comes to sponsor activation are Toronto, Phoenix, Houston, and Portland.
I think this is a smart effort by the NBA. Sponsorship gives both teams and businesses opportunities to make money and create community awareness. If done effectively, sponsorship can be top revenue generator next to ticket sales.
[week 9] "Indie cred: Team-less Bode adds 3 sponsors" V-10, I-26, P-13
Bode Miller, a former United States ski team member, has gained three new sponsors since his departure. The sponsors committed over one million dollars over the next three years. This season Miller will be an independent racer, something that nobody has tried before. He hired his own staff, which consists of three former U.S. ski team coaches. everybody in the skiing world is going to be paying attention to Miller and his new team. If he can prove to be successful, i think a lot of skiers will follow in his footsteps. It is important to note that even though Miller is independent of the U.S. ski team he is still under the umbrella of the U.S. sanctioning body. Because of this he has to wear the team's Spyder racesuit, but anywhere outside of International Ski Federation areas he will wear his sponsors gear.
[Week 10]"Toshiba and Coors Light give fired Chargers coach a Schott" Volume 10, Issue 27, P-15
This article talks about how Creative Artists Agency (CAA Sports) signed the former coach of the San Diego Chargers, Marty Schottenheimer, who was fired early this year. The agency signed the former coach to a deal that will have him appear in three TV spots for Toshiba and for Coors Light. Trace Armstrong, head of the new coaches representation practice at CAA Sports and former NFL player who was also player president of NFL Players Association, thinks that Schottenheimer is a great coach and it took his firing for people to see what he has accomplished and recognize him as a great coach.
I think that this was good for Marty Schottenheimer and think that he is a good coach. Being a football fan and knowing about the history, I know that Schottenheimer has been a good coach. He has taken many teams to the playoffs and it is not all his fault that his teams have not won in the playoffs. You can not blame his Cleveland Browns coaching job when he lead them to two conference championships in a row and lost to Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway in one of his heroic comebacks or when Ernest Byner fumbled the ball when the Browns were going in for the go-ahead touchdown. This was not Marty's fault. And with the Chargers it was not Marty's fault that the defense gave up the points that they did and and interception that could have ended the game in the Chargers favor was ripped from a defensive backs hands and turned back over to the Patriots who eventually won the game.
Week 10. "Disappointment lawsuits give athletes another legal option." V.10, I. 27, P.17.
This is absolutely ridiculous! Players and parents are suing coaches and institutions for lack of playing time or loss of earning potential. This concept to me is ludicris. Parents and players are like are so caught up in themselves these days. Everyone thinks that they are Division I material. Now if they do not get a scholarship they are looking for someone to blame. Why not a coach, because it must be someone elses fault that they did not get it. Heavens forbid that they may not be talented enough! In society today everyone is looking to blame someone else. No one seems to take responsibility for their actions. In the article the author mentions that a boy and his parents sued a high school baseball coach, because he was disciplined by the coach and was forced to sit one game for trashing the coaching in a school newspaper. What kind of message are we sending the youth of America? Mess up, we'll make it go away. Hey if the boy had the courage to say the things about his coach in the paper, then he should of be a man and face the consequences, instead of running to mommy and daddy for help. Luckily none of these absurd lawsuits have been successful. In the article, a lawyer is interviewed and he said he sees potential in America for future success in this type of litigation. It is people like this that give lawyers and sports a bad name. If the courts start telling coaches who they can and cannot play, then I think I might have to resign and get out of the coaching business. No coach likes to be underminded, even if it is by a judge.
[week 10] "Blazers tap into microbrewery's popularity for new brewpub" V-10, I-27, P-16
The Portland Trailblazers have recently signed a five-year naming rights deal with a microbrewery to develop a restaurant in what was previously known as the Garden Club. The exact amount to renovate, expand, and rebrand the restaurant was not given, but the team's chief operating officer said it was upwards of seven figures.
The official name of the new restaurant is the Pyramid Taproom at Bill Schonely's Place. This was in recognition of the team's long time play-by-play announcer. The previous space could accomodate 120 people and offered buffet-style dining. The new space can hold 250 people, and offers upgrades such as twenty two high definition televisions. Trailblazer officials are hoping the restaurant will be open by their regular season home opener on November 7.
Week 10. "Disappointment lawsuits give athletes another legal option." V.10, I. 27, P.17.
This article is about lawsuits that are being filed by high school and colloege athletes against their coaches. These athletes are for different reasons being benched, instead of playing. The examples that were givne in the article mention more popular athletes, who are starters, or very successful on their teams. When they are benched, they are claiming that they are being put at a disadvantage, as far as getting exposure, and possible revenue.
I think that this "dissapointment lawsuit" is kind of stupid. I mean in one of the examples given, the pitcher got benched for what you would call diciplinary reasons, not because the coach wanted to prevent the athlete from gaining exposure. In another example, a young women transfered schools, and was not clear about the rules so was ineligable. This situation is unfortunate, but if you change the rules for one person, you have to change the rules for every situation that comes up. That is why I feel these lawsuits will cause nothing but trouble, because everyone can twist their story in order to help them to fall into the "disappoinment lawsuit" category. I feel like this option for athletes is more trouble than good.
Week 10. “Transformer: Fox Sports Robot turns into licensed toy.” Vol. 10, Iss. 27, Pg. 3
I have heard of sports heroes like Kevin Garnett, Peyton Manning, and Sidney Crosby being turned into sports figurines, but this is the first instance that I can think of where a made-for-TV graphic is being made into its own licensed toy. Anyone who has watched the NFC games on FOX network over the last 5 years should be familiar with this robotic character, which is used in the bumpers going to and coming out of commercials. It was just an interesting looking graphic back then, nothing really spectacular, just an added touch to the programming.
Part of me feels like this increased role of the FOX Sports football robot is due to the revival of the Transformers franchise, with the new movie by Steven Spielberg already out on DVD, and a whole line of its own action figures. I think they have seen that a market is out there right now for toys like this, and since they already had a model onhand, decided to market it more aggressively. Something like this is definitely aimed at young male fans, anyone over 25 really wouldn’t be that interested I’d think.
What did surprise me was the extent of FOX’s commitment to this new licensed toy. They will be conducting a “Name-The-Robot” contest, much like a name-the-mascot contest, there will be a line of t-shirts and caps, and the robot will even have a major role in this year’s Super Bowl. FOX must be thinking of keeping the robot around for awhile. I do not think, however, that this will be a long term product that will last. Gimmicks like these are usually novelties for a short while, then fans begin to lose interest and the idea is quickly dropped. The one hope I can see for the continuing use of the robot is the continuation of the Transformers franchise itself. If there are more movies produced, another cartoon series on a major network (maybe FOX could run this as a tie-in), and more Transformers toy lines, I can see FOX continuing to use the robot. Otherwise I don’t think we’ll be seeing it 4-6 years from now.
[Week 10] “Running up BIG NUMBERS”
V-10, I-27, P-18
The Marathon business is booming, with a perspective, and strong marketing in the United States. It sounds an interesting issue for me. From my image, I only assume that Marathon is an endurable running race for participants who are interested in taking the event; and the purpose of Marathon race is for health and recreation.
Nevertheless, after reading this article, I have had a new concept for “Marathon running race”. There is a total of 38,000 runners will take part in 2007 Marathon hold in New York City. The average revenue of this event is about $27 million. Oh, that is a huge amount of money for business. TV commercial, advertising and other business companies are attracted by this huge event in which has lots of potential customers. No wonder there are quite a few sponsors admires to involve in this great Marathon race.
With the topic on marathon races from my home country, Taiwan, there are a few marathon races, but most events are held by government for which they are trying to promote health concerns combined with sport together. I think there are different organizations which have different objectives in holding such kinds of events. From my points of view, I prefer the purpose on promoting health issues as a whole rather than certain political objectives or business purpose. If sport events are being used as a “business tool”, it would reduce the motivation for those participants.
Some may argue that a sport activity would be boring if lack of business support and media spotlight. It could reduce the joint efforts of sport along with culture, human interaction and music. In the other hand, I think there are so many opportunities of sports business. Marathon running race, which is no need a stadium or arena, is till can attract many business and earn a big amount money.
[Week 10] “Knicks’ premium seats carry steepest price”
V-10, I-27, P-4
This article talks about how the professional sports teams are raising their prices for premium VIP seating at events. This article concentrates on Madison Square Garden in New York and how it is providing various sections of expensive seating in the arena. The NBA has realized that people are paying high prices for suites at football games and they feel that they should start raising their prices to achieve the same success from loyal rich fans. The Madison Square Garden is improving their premium seating by offering private wait staff and having televisions to get the ultimate VIP treatment along with the VIP price tag.
I think it is a good marketing strategy to provide additional luxuries to premium seating because this is what makes these seats so attractive to potential sports fans. I just can not believe some of the pricing on these seats, no matter what the sporting event. People will pay big money for entertainment especially for sporting events so if Madison Square Garden is successful at achieving premium pricing (which they have already sold most of the new seating) then this will set a trend for other arenas as well. People always went the best that money can buy and if money is providing more luxuries the wider the pockets get.
[Week 10]"ING finds its niche in sports sponsorship"
V-10, I-27, P-22, 23
Grassroots sports are capturing the attention of large multinational corporations. Recently, the New York Marathon inked a lucrative seven-figure deal with ING. ING, the Amsterdam based financial services company is looking to expand brand awareness in the United States. ING is the title sponsor for four American marathons and several marathons oversees. ING has decided to avoid the more traditional sports in lieu of the ever-growing grassroots sports. These niche sports have relatively affluent demographic that excites these large companies. They understand that niche sports will allow them to align their products with the right demographic.
I believe that grassroots sports will continue to grow in the coming years. Spectators and participants are increasing at these newly popular sports. The participants of niche sports typically have high household income. This will provide sponsors the opportunity to reach an untapped demographic. Another positive of marketing aspect with niche sports is that sponsorship competition is limited. Unlike, traditional sports sponsors, niche sports aren’t filled with a large number of sponsors. This marketing tactic will continue to evolve in the coming years. After other companies realize the effects niche sports have on the bottom-line sponsors will have to become creative.
[Week 10] “Knicks’ premium seats carry steepest price” V-10, I-27, P-4
This article talks about new the VIP boxes in Madison Square Garden that are selling for $800,000 while there are eight more premium seat areas that will sell for $300,000. These seats will be called The Loft. The VIP boxes are located about five rows off the floor at center court and the new Loft seats are still under construction but will be located about fifteen row above center court. Wow, what a view! These seats are expected to be finished by the start of the NBA season.
Of these Loft seats, four of them will have four seats while the other four will have six seats. The things that go along with these Loft seats are similar to the things that go along with the VIP seats; however, food and drink will not be on the list of things that accommodate the seats. The owners of these seats for the year will be permitted to attend any event held at Madison Square Garden including any concerts. It was stated in the article that each seat would bring in about $36,900.
The sports managers are aware of the many changes that are about to occur in the city, with new buildings about to open, and are doing what they need to in order to attract people to their venue and increase their revenue. These managers are also aware that there are fans that are willing to pay the cost of the seats because there is an increasing demand for the courtside seats. If I were a sports manager and I saw that there was an increasing demand for something specific, such as these seats, then I would also do what I could to get more of the more expensive seats put in my venue.
I think that it is good that the sports managers are trying to extend the number of fans that are able to attend the games. All the other sporting venues have these luxury suites and seats that sell for just as much if not more, so it must be something that people want to purchase. From the article, the price of $300,000 is cheap compared to some of the other sports venues. I think that the sports managers did a good job at coming up with this price. Even though that number might seem like a huge amount of money, more than some of us would make in ten years, it is still lower than some others are paying and The Loft seats are brand new.
This is a good way for the city to increase its overall revenue and to bring more people into the city. With more seats, and a lower price for the new seats, the venue may be able to accommodate some events that they were not able to before. The arena is also getting a new score board which is a move in the right direction for the venue. I think that it is important for all venues to be up-to-date with technology. This will show the fans that the money they are spending is going for a good thing and the sports managers are concerned with what the fans and players want and are familiar with. Even though renovations are costly, it is always a good idea to update your facility every so often. If not, people will get tired of seeing the same old things and possibly stop going. If people hear that things have changed, they get curious and want to see what is going on and what the changes look like.
[Week 10] “NBA makes download store a fixture for regular season” V-10, I-27, P-7
I definitely agree with the article, because I feel that any additional media outlets that a company can make attainable to the average fan are a great idea. This idea not only can generate a profit for the NBA but helps in their marketing of their product. The NBA is starting to make use of the great technological market to help attract fans that might otherwise not have access to the NBA. They are selling the games to the fan that might not have viewing access of the particular game the next day at a relatively cheap price of $2.99. I wonder how they came up with this price but I guess if you rent a movie it will cost relatively the same price. These games that are purchased will also be run with no commercials, which are an added bonus to the fan. The NBA is targeting youths through the use of Facebook and YouTube where fans can view the newly designed fantasy games and ask questions via streaming video to the Inside the NBA crew of Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson. The NBA continues to expand the business market of its product through the different media outlets and international marketing. It will be very interesting to see if overdevelopment will affect the popularity or profitability of the league.
I think that the issue in the article will have a great impact on the sports industry as a whole. Anytime you provide advances in viewing technology and help to generate a profit for you business, businesses in sports are going to look into the ideas. I think that the other businesses need to watch the NBA closely and take the ideas that might be beneficial to their league. I do not think that every league can follow the NBA’s marketing strategy for the main fact that the NBA is very popular not only in the United States but also in the rest of the world. The other major professional markets need to do market research or come up with ideas that might be applicable to their fan-base on different forms of viewing options to fan of different age groups and backgrounds in an attempt to generate a developing fan-base. The NBA is definitely doing a great job in marketing their product and the growth of the leagues popularity is continuing to prosper.
[Week 10] "NBCSports.com returning to MSNBC.com"
Volume 10, Issue 27, Pg. 3
Controlling a sector of the sports market can be difficult with so many different companies competing for the same sport audience, especially when dealing with the internet. NBCSports.com found out the hard way that there are no exceptions to this competitive sport market. Thirteen months ago, NBCSports.com went out on its own and became a separate entity from MSNBC.com only to come back after much lower than expected ratings. The new NBCSports.com initially attracted 853,000 visitors in its very first month (September, 2006) and by October, 2006 the visitor numbers on the site grew to 885,000 according to Nielsen Online data. While these numbers may impress you, keep in mind that last month ESPN.com drew 18.7 million visitors, which makes it far and away the leader in stand alone sport entities. Part of NBCSports.com wanting to reunite with MSNBC.com again is to gain attention to their site through other types of luring content (i.e. people who use the world renowned site for news in general, will be more likely to visit the sports site that is promoted by it). For example, Fox Sports is teamed up with MSN.com and brought in 14.7 million visitors last month followed by SI.com at 6.7 million who partners with CNN.com.
I find this to be a very real occurrence that people in general prefer to get everything they need at once. Most people tend to do their grocery shopping at Wal-Mart, because it has everything else that they may need in addition to groceries. Though I am a huge sports fan and as a result, watch ESPN’s Sport Center religiously, I seldom go to ESPN.com. At work, my home page is MSN.com, thus I do get my daily sport fix through the internet at Fox Sports. Though the internet provides endless possibilities in receiving information, etc. the reality of it is that people still have a limited amount of time to acquire knowledge, shop, or get their daily news and as a result, unless you are a dominant force in the market you may have to work with other internet sources to promote your product.
Transformer: Fox Sports Robot turns into licensed toy
[Week 10] Volume 10 Issue 27 page 3
This is a interesting piece in the SBJ, not the most significant nor is it one that I would say should be on the front page. What this is, is a product that was made and marketed starting as a icon of the NHL now is well known for jumping around during NFL games on Sunday and Monday. It is the Robot that has an enjoyable look to it and just is good entertainment.
From my understanding the Transformer was made up in ’94 to market toward the ages 24 and younger to NHL viewers. Just thinking back to ’94 I would say that NHL was in need of some important marketing toward the sports specifically. I would say that the team did a good job and what they uncovered was an icon. Yes of course it was not the initially the same sport but it was made for “Fox Sport” and in all reality they were looking for personality, and a personality was found.
Now that this personality is found to be significant Fox Sport is doing what they should be doing, this is taking advantage of their findings. First they are making this a tangible object with talks of making it a product line. This is a find and they can break into new markets with this.
I think that this is such a good thing as a Sport Management personal because it shows what we as professionals can do, this can be a break through for Fox Sports. They have the ability to open up what they initially set out to do, and that is produce something to draw together people under 24 years of age.
[Week 10]"Beckham helps kick up some MLS numbers"
V-10, I-27, P-10
I chose to review this article for several reasons. First, I have absolutely no interest in MLS soccer, so I thought maybe I would be enlightened through reading this. Second, I did not follow the insane pandamonium that ensued when Beckham came into the US to play soccer... again, I thought maybe I would gain some insight as to the attraction.
Unfortunately, I was neither enlightened nor any more interested in MLS soccer after having read the article.
The article did shed some light on increasing attendance at the games, as well as a greater interest in watching the games on television. It was undoubtedly due to the arrival of Beckham, even though he played in only 4 of 11 away contests... thanks for the effort professional soccer player - apparently he was injured.
Regardless of my personal thoughts, this is good for MLS - people are becoming more interested and if this guy is the reason why people make the effort to watch more sports, so be it.
To my dismay, the numbers in watching MLS are increasing as the numbers for viewing NHL games are staying the same (terrible). Why don't Americans want to watch and play hockey? Oh yeah, it takes a tremendous amount of skill and it's expensive (equipment). Even though I am in favor of all sports, I have a tremendous dislike of professional soccer. Perhaps it is because of the 4 hour games which result in a tie score of 0-0. Or, maybe it has something to do with most of the players flailing about when they barely get bumped. Hmm... maybe it's the fact that a zillion-dollar superstar sat out 7 of 11 away games because he was "injured." Don't get me wrong, these individuals ARE athletes and they could kick an apple off the top of my head from 50 yards away - I just don't respect the passive nature of the game - something the players have allowed to take place. In a sport which penalizes players with cards and allows players to roll around on the ground as though they had just been hit by Jack Lambert when they were simply kicked in the PADDED shin - I just cannot bring myself to sit in front of the television and give this professional sport any of my time.
MLS players - stop acting, start scoring!
matt flaus
[Week 10]"Toshiba and Coors Light give fired Chargers coach a Schott" Volume 10, Issue 27, P-15
This is an interesting article that elaborates on Marty S. getting fired as the San Diego Chargers head coach and signing a deal with Toshiba and Coors Light to appear in their advertisments.
This type of action is good for young aspiring coaches to take note of. Marty was a very successful coach and it is hard to argure with that. He was fired after a very impressive 14-2 season with the Chargers. They lost in the first round of the playoffs which in turn got him fired. While he had his coaching tenure he kept good relations with the media and made contacts outside of football. This helped him find a scouorce of income as a back up plan. This shows that he marketed himself in the right way to further job oppturnities in the future. It is nice to see a coach caryy himself in a respecful manner annd do something with his life outside of football.
His example cann set the stanndered for young coaches. His class and public relations skills helped him market himself in the public and create oppturniteies outside of football. Becuase he carried himself with class he found another scource of income. This shows that "not burning bridges" can help you in the long run.
(Week 9)"MLS Signs first official automotive parts sponsor" V-10,I-27, P-9
NAPA Auto Parts has signed a three-year, seven-figure deal for MLS with Soccer United Marketing, the first automotive parts sponsor of MLS. This gives NAPA national rights, including intellectual property rights, field-board signage, a title night in each of the MLS stadiums, and print and online advertising. Chase, Visa, and Dick’s Sporting Goods have also reached sponsorship deals this year with Major League Soccer.
NAPA previously sponsored the Mexican National Team during last year’s season. The recently extended their sponsorship for 3 years to keep the hands in the national and international market. With its new market, NAPA plans to activate at retail and run sales promotions for its wholesale buyers. There are 14 teams in the MLS, and NAPA will bear its logo in every stadium.
I think this is a smart move for both sides. NAPA has the advantage of being the only automotive parts sponsor so they are facing no competition. MLS is a league needing money due to a lack of interest. With the arrival of David Beckham, MLS finally got some recognition and NAPA has decided to jump at the opportunity to create awareness among a untapped market.
[Week 11] “A new era in Newark” V-10, I-28, P-1.
This article talks about a new arena built for the hockey team based in Newark called the New Jersey Devils. This arena is called the Prudential Center and was stated by a fan as making them feel as though they were in Manhattan, another fan could not believe that the city is known for there high rates of murder. The Devils franchise was the first to build a sport facility in New York in almost 30 years, but this new arena is built in the middle of six major highways and other forms of transportation are within blocks, which make it more accessible to more people, which would hopefully bring in more fans.
I think that is a great idea by the sports managers of the Devils alone. It was a really smart idea to build the new arena close to so many different highways. To me, if the arena is easy to get to, it would make me want to go to an event in the arena. If I have the options to go to a game or an event in a stadium, or some arena, I would be more willing to go if it is easier to get in and out of than if it will take forever to find a parking place and forever to get out of the arena and back on the road. I think that many people are like that. People don’t like to have a hard time doing something.
The owner of the Devils had grown up near Newark and had a lot to do with selecting the site of the new arena. His company is also trying to re-develop the area and make it more attractive to a larger population. Vanderbeek is also planning on helping this project by adding some new buildings to the area such as a hotel and new dormitory for Seton Hall students as well as a few new parks.
The technology in the arena is also wonderful. There are no black light signs in the stadium but many large plasma televisions and a huge video board. With this technology, Kevin Morgan, the vice president of sales at the Prudential Center says that you can change the message on the board for each event 24 hours in advance. He thinks that this is great so that they can target each audience in the center. I have to agree with him. I think that this is a great idea. Sports managers want to attract as much attention to their arena as possible so that they can generate as much revenue as possible. By being able to change the messages, the fans of each event will feel as though the arena itself was set up specifically for them, not like some other arenas where there is basketball stuff everywhere for a rock concert.
Another difference in this arena is that Vanderbeek is not making any long term commitments to a specific soda company. He is going to have Coca-Cola in the stadium but he is also signing a deal with a local company, Boylan Bottling Co. This will not only give the fans something different than just Pepsi or Coca-Cola, but since this company is from the area, it will help to generate even more revenue for the city. I also think this is a great idea. It is always good to support the local businesses and by doing this, it is showing the community that the organization cares about them.
More of NBA China for sale
[Week 11] Volume 10 Issue 28 Page 7
I would have to say that this article is a evolutionary type of situation that is going on within the NBA. What it is saying is that the NBA China which is obviously already owns sponsorships and merchandising and licensing agreement, and media deals has been looking to sell up to 15 percent of their rights.
The rights would go to companies like Disney or a Chinese national company and they will only be able to buy about 5 percent of the rights. But I see this going farther and farther each year. David Stern says that they would do this to give the NBA a direct involvement to China through there mainland.
So as a sports marketer this would mean so much, and that is whether you like it or not things are growing, and they are going in ways that in 10 or 15 years will be norms. And imagine when these norms are here what is going to be the new evolutionary situation that you as a sports marketer must face. I would say the moral that I got out of this article is that if you want there is so many facets to get into as a professional. It is up to you to find the uniqueness of the facet.
[Week 11]"Lease terms limit pool of overseas candidates for NFL" Volume 10, Issue 28, P-36
The article I read talks about the leagues decision to take games overseas. They have discovered that there might be a small problem with their project. When a team is chosen to play overseas they are giving up one home game for that season. It was said that this would not be a problem over the next few years, but longer term, the league could encounter difficulties ensuring that every team gives up a home game before any club is called on to forgo a second home game to go overseas. This is were the problem could come because there are some teams that are refusing to give up a home game and they are not required by the league to give up a home game if they don't wish to. Also there are leases do not allow teams to give up home games however the league does point out that leases can be changed to adapt to the new international play policy.
I do not really know how well this new international play will take on in other countries. The NFL has taken off here in the United States but we do have to remember that it was not like that in the beginning. It took nearly 40 years and an upset Super Bowl victory by the New York Jets over the heavily favored Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III to gain popularity in American and it seems that it would take the same amount of time to do the same overseas. I think that there is just too much cultural difference overseas for the NFL to gain any kind of substancial revenue to make it a good business move. I don't know where this will move too but I for one and satisfied with the NFL right here in the good ole USA.
Week 11. "A new era in Newark." V.10, I.28, P.1,34-35.
I find this particular article interesting because the Pittsburgh Penguins are getting a new arena and I want to have an idea what it might look like and ammenities that maybe offered. The Prudential Center AKA The Rock is a state of the art facility. It offers a lot of new technology to help enhance the spectators viewing pleasure. 72 skyboxes are offered, private dinning areas equipped with frozen bars. The Rock helps to celebrate the history of New Jersey sports by displaying art work, photos and jerseys of old teams. The Rock has no back lit signs, instead the utilize huge plasma screens mounted on the side of the building and in the concourses. They rotate advertisements throughout the event and can tailor their ads for each individual event.
The New Jersey Devils moved there facility site from Meadowlands to downtown Newark. Newark, according to this article, is the murder capital of the world. The Devils are the first group to build a building in Newark in the last 30 years. I sort of like the Devils idea of trying to re-vitalize the downtown area of Newark. However you want to make sure that the area around the arena is safe for the crowd goers. They also are trying to develop the land around the site and bring in resturants, hotels and other businesses. Again it maybe hard to entise franchises to move to an area that has the reputation that this one has. Despite this distraction the arena itself looks outstanding. If you want to take a closer look, I do not think that it would be too difficult to find tickets. In the past New Jersey had a hard time selling out their games, even in the Stanley Cup playoffs. So, I sure that one of the selling points for the new arena was that with a new arena we will get fans to come. However the other night while I was watching the Penguins and the Devils there was only 6,000 people in the stands out of 17,000. Management has to be frustrated at the site of this. Every city in the NHL sells out when the Penguins come to town. People want to see Sidney Crosby. How bad is the following in hockey if you can't sell out for the Stanley Cup and for Sid the Kid? I think what they did in New Jersey was amazing and much needed, however what the New Jersey mangement team needs to ask itself was it worth $375 million?
Week 11. "The Top Team Brands." V.10, I.28, P.1, 17-18
Anytime there is a ranking in sports, I'm interested in it, no matter what the category is. It's one of the most frequent occurrences in sports, ranking teams and organizations. So I was into learning about who the top 100 team brands were. I wish I could say I was surprised on which team was #1, but I had a bit of an idea thanks to the graphic on the cover page.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, wow, what can I say? I've been a lifelong Steelers fan, proud member of Steelers Nation. It makes me proud that they are the number one brand in pro sports, because it shows the loyalty that the Pittsburgh fans show to their football team. It also shows that they will stick with them, win or lose. A big reason I believe that the Pittsburgh Steelers are the #1 brand in sports is the fact the the team and the organization very closely resemble its fan base. The Pittsburgh fans value things like family, hard work, consistency, a blue-collar attitude, and an old-fashioned perspective. The Steelers have taken these traits of Western PA and applied them in their team and organization. The Rooney family has own the Steelers for a long time, and I hope they always will. The Steelers play a style of football that is blue-collar, hard-nosed, smashmouth football...just the kind that the people of Pittsburgh can identify with and appreciate. The Steelers are really a reflection of Pittsburgh attributes, which is why I think fans are so loyal and supportive of their team.
[Week 11] “More of NBA China for sale”
V-10, I-28, P-7
This short article is about that the NBA league may sell up to 15% of NBA China stake for some suitors who are interesting to involve the business of NBA league such as merchandising and licensing agreements, media deals, and sponsorships. According to the NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver, said “There are a lot of potential interests in China” as we can expect.
After reading this article, I am not surprised why the NBA league and other companies eager to go to China seeking more benefits in the huge sport marketing. For businessmen or any organizations to search for their company or individual interests is an understandable business action in a global free market.
From my points of view, as China becomes the biggest population in the world, especially, its economy is boosting very fast in current years. From a view for a short period investment, I believe that it’s worthy to invest great amount money in China market. But for a long term investment, I will suggest that those companies should deeply consider all aspects of details in terms of political stability, location of geography, different culture, government policies on sport support, and so on.
Obviously, the superstar, Yao- Ming has been playing basketball in Huston Rockets since 2002 that the NBA image is deeply walking into the heart of Chinese people in Pei-Jing. Furthermore, in the future we look forward to seeing the successful marketing strategy of the NBA league prevailing in the China market. By the way, we could closely observe how China follows the steps of globalization booming in the mainland. Thus far, we do not see any setback and the question is how fast.
[Week 11] “Noah opts for dad’s brand, Le Coq Sportif” V-10, I-28, P-6
I do agree with the article because it brings a new brand name to the United States. Joakim Noah’s father was a big time tennis star overseas and his son now present Chicago Bulls forward and two time national champ is serving as the marketer for this new brand of shoes. These shoes and clothing line have already become a big name in the European market and they are trying to extend their customer base by endorsing recognizable basketball icon Joakim Noah. The Le Coq footwear will be sold in high-ended stores in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and Chicago. This brand has been around for over 125 years and is still selling strong. The brand has actually been owned by Adidas for over forty years, but is currently being owned by Swiss holding company. The NBA is becoming a very diverse international market and it was only a matter of time before international products start to flow into the market. I do not know if the product line and the distribution strategy will allow this product to flourish, especially because Noah is an unproven rookie who will be fighting hard for playing time this year.
I think this article will have a minimal but significant impact on the sports industry. I believe that the marketing and popularity of this product will give overseas investors a heads up on the American market. If this product is successful it could open up future investments with foreign players in the United States. I can see many other big name international basketball players being very successful with marketing not only in their country but also in the United States. The NBA has done an outstanding job in marketing their international teams and players. The NBA has recently set record with the match-up between two Chinese national players playing on separate teams, they said this was one of the largest viewing audiences ever seen in the world for a sporting event and it was brought to the Chinese public on 19 different channels. The popularity of sports has set the stage for great marketing because of the high volume of the viewing audience. I look forward to seeing the design and success of the Le Coq footwear.
[Week 11] “Ravens build brand by targeting demos”
V-10, I-28, P-24
This article is about how the Baltimore Ravens are trying various promotions in increasing their sponsorships and spectator involvement. Sport marketers know through research that men and women consumers attend sporting events for various reasons. The Raven’s marketing team is developing creative ways to make their fans feel like they are all part of the team by having various activities for an array of spectators.
The Raven’s have what is called a “Purple Evening” that included women that are part of the purple club that are fans. The women sport fans wear their purple jerseys and for a set price are offered to come to the stadium and have purple martini’s, meetings with the players in the locker rooms, and actual play flag football with members of the Raven’s team as their coaches. My first initial reaction was that they were trying to sell to the women so they would attend more games for revenues but as I read the article it became clearer that they were doing this to open the door for different sponsors. Sponsors such as a jewelry company may invest in a football team to advertise their company in the stadium. This opens the door for many other chances at sponsorships that may not even have been recognized. The Raven’s are not just having these special promotions with women they are also incorporating a kid’s night and family evenings. I think that this is a smart marketing strategy for everyone to be involved and it is a creative for more sponsorship.
[Week 11]"Jets latest in NFL to sell practice-facility name"
V-10, I-29, P-6
(Taken from the SBJ online - Issue 29)
This particular entry details the recent partnership between the NFL's New York Jets and Atlantic Health in a naming-rights deal worth upwards of $25 million.
That number alone is not a major news story, however the naming rights will be for the Jets new practice facilities (to be officially ready for use in 2009), not an actualy stadium deal. Although the new practice facility will house the Jets business operations, as well as all of their practice facilities, it will not be a huge billboard for Atlantic Health. As a previous smaller sponsor for the Jets, this move now allows Atlantic Health to take over as the Jets official health care provider after having purchased the naming rights. As mentioned previously, the deal is not so much for exposure, but for the business relationship that Atlantic Health has not acquired.
"The tie-in for hospitals to football makes sense, but there has to be a meaningful business-to-business relationship, said one marketing consultant" (Muret, 2007).
With this partnership, there are now 6 NFL teams who have sold naming rights for their practice facilities - all in the health care category.
This is a very interesting move for the health care industry, in my opinion. In what seems to be a race to plaster your company name and logo on anything and everything, the health industry is showing their intelligence in scooping up state-of-the-art practice facilities for NFL teams. Again, the major goal of these companies is not to obtain media coverage through advertising, simply to gain a partnership with an organization which will be around for a long, long time.
Great move by these few organizations - look for the trend to continue.
[Week 11] "ESPN360.com loses Cravens to beRecuited"
Vol. 10, Issue 28, Pg. 4
I felt the article “ESPN360.com loses Cravens to beRecruited” was interesting, but not because it talked in-depth about the newly launched ESPN360 website and the success it has been having, but rather the push to update and promote the website brRecruited.com.
This website was actually launched in 2000 and is primarily for high school athletes. The athletes can go to the website and basically promote themselves in hopes of being recruited by colleges. True, most blue-chip athletes that are destined for Division I stardom do not need to use resources such as beRecruited.com, however there are thousands of other high school athletes dreaming of the opportunity to play at the college level.
The site’s new president, Jeff Cravens was formerly in charge of ESPN360.com, where he was able to bring new life to the website and incorporate many new features, such as being able to watch up to 10 sporting events at once. Craven’s goal is now to take beRecruited.com to a new level. The site claims to already have approximately 110,000 registered student athletes, 7,000 college coaches, and 3,000 high school coaches. Craven would like to have as many as 1 million registered student athletes.
[week 11] "More of NBA China for sale" V-10, I-28, P-7
This article focused on the fact that the NBA will be selling a lot more in China. It is said they are likely to sell up to fifteen percent in NBA China. The NBA had opriginally planned to sell off ten percent of its nascent entity, five percent of this being sold to a Chinese national company. Because of the tremendous excitment and success that came with NBA preseason games in China, the NBA will now up the minority stake to be sold. NBA China now includes all off the business' interests in China. This includes sponsorship, merchandising, and media deals to name a few. It is being valued at more than two billion dollars. The next step for the NBA is to partner with the Chinese Basketball League.
[Week 11]"More of NBA China for sale"
V-10, I-28, P-7
The NBA recently decided to sell up to 15 percent stake in NBA China. This decision came after the league experienced a large interest among investors. The NBA has successfully marketed the preseason in China to great fanfare. They have developed sponsorship, merchandising and licensing agreements with Chinese and American businesses. NBA China has been valued at more than $2billion by Goldman Sachs. Disney and a local Chinese business will each purchase a 5 percent stake in NBA China.
I believe that the NBA made a prudent business investment by selling a 10 percent stake in NBA China. The ever-growing market is beginning to show interest in the NBA. The NBA can limit some of their risk by partnering with investors. In addition, these investors can share the responsibility in the development of the league. These investors will definitely fight to see the survival of NBA China.
[Week 11] “Noah opts for dad’s brand, Le Coq Sportif” V-10, I-28, P-6
This aarticle is about Joakim Noah, who was a first round draft pick this year for the chicago bulls. His father Yannick is a very well known tennis player in Europe, who has been an endorser for the company Le coq sportif for years. Both Adidas and Nike have offered Noah wonderful endorsement opportunities, and he has declined them in order to endorse his father's company. I personally think that this is a great idea, not only will the possibility for success increase for Noah's company, but it brings a new brand of apperal to the US. The company is designing a new line of shoes and apperal to fit the american fashion and performance standards. The deal for Noah and Le Coq is set up to provide equity over time depending on the success of the company. Marketing in the Us will provide print initially and lead to television publicity in 2009. I think that this endorsement is a great way to bring in other endorsements from different companys overseas. i think the more exposure we get of their culture, and the more they get of our culture, the more sports like professional basketball will expand. I feel over tiem this will lead to more competitive leagues and better entertainment.
week 10 "Lease Term limit pool of overseas candidates for NFL" V-10, I-28, P-36
This month the NFL is looking to choose future international sites for next year’s game or games. The teams to play outside of the U.S. will be selected from a pool. The catch is that a team has to sacrifice a home game in order to play internationally. Many teams are reluctant to do this because many home fields offer a significant advantage for the home team. It is noted that the NFL does not have the power to force a club to give up a home game. Some of these teams include the Cowboys and Browns. The Browns owner expressed that he wants to keep the Browns in Cleveland because the city was without a team for most of the ‘90s. Other teams are limited to staying in the states because of their stadium lease. Other teams would have to pay money to play for the right to play out of the country. It has been circulating that the Chiefs might be one of the teams to play in Germany next season because they recently renegotiated their lease in order to play internationally.
I think teams should jump at the chance to play internationally. The Dolphins vs. Giants produced great results and those teams aren’t exactly fan favorites. I would love to see each team have the chance to play over seas. The fans over there aren’t given the opportunity to see live NFL action and I’m sure they would greatly appreciate the NFL bringing over world class players. International play opens up an untapped market and any team should capitalize on this opportunity.
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