Sporting The Goods

Drafting New Customers

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 01 May 2013 12:23:00 +0000

NFL draft day has come and gone but it was more than just a drafting of athletes. While you may have been too busy watching the draft and celebrating or mourning your team’s pick to consciously notice, a certain jeweler was busy trying to draft us to their team. Pandora jewelers played several commercials during the draft showing top draft picks like Geno Smith and Eric Fisher, presenting their mothers with Pandora bracelets on draft day accompanied by a heart felt message. Last year was a difficult year for Pandora, experiencing a 30% drop in profits. They hope that this marketing tactic will ramp up their mother’s day sales by associating their brand with rising success and stardom.

These men are about to be millionaires and the first thing they purchase is a Pandora bracelet for their mothers. Pandora hopes that men will jump on the bandwagon and treat their mother’s to the same kind of gifts. So will this work for them? Just like Super Bowl winners say they are going to Disney World, will draft picks say they are buying their mothers Pandora? The potential for continued success through this type of campaign really depends on the success of these athletes this season. Pandora is really taking a gamble with this advertisement. Just because a player does well in college, it does not mean that his talents will transfer to the pros. There is a large chance that, no matter what the talent, these men will not live up to expectations. So, if this were to come into fruition, Pandora would be associating themselves with something that doesn’t live up to expectation. Not the greatest idea for a company that depends on its customers coming back several times a year to make a profit. Pandora took a risk with this one and we’ll see if it paid off come mother’s day and whether or not we see similar ads next year.

Employee Problems

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:46:00 +0000

The majority of business owners understand the importance of having positive press. Many people may think that bad news is better than no news, but the small business owner knows that a little bad press can easily break their company. Employees often don’t realize that their actions have so much wait on the press that the company gets. The executives put out press releases and try to share a positive story, but that can easily be overshadowed by an employees wrong-doing. A great example of this has surfaced this month in the form of Rutgers University’s athletic program.

Rutgers University is a school in Newark, New Jersey that has spent a lot of time creating a good name for itself. It has received many accolades and is ranked highly for many of their degree programs. The athletic program as a whole has maintained a good reputation but the reputation of the whole department was tarnished this month because of the moves made by two men, Mike Rice, the basketball coach, and Tim Pernetti, the athletic director.

If you don’t know the story, a video surfaced that showed Coach Mike Rice abusing his players, both verbally and physically. Once this video surfaced, Rutgers athletic director, Tim Pernetti, was forced to fire his head coach. It appears that this action would have been enough to save the face of the program; unfortunately that was not the case. Why? This was not the first time Pernetti had heard about the abuse. This had been an ongoing problem of which Pernetti was aware and was attempting to handle. Pernetti thought that, rather than fire him, it was a good idea to try to “rehabilitate” Rice, at the cost of the players. It is fair to say that if this video would not have surfaced, Pernetti probably would have continued this “rehabilitation” process and Rice would still be in practice abusing his players.

As of late, the university has also fired Pernetti in an attempt to clear up their name. They want no relationship with either of the reasons for this tarnish on their record. This goes to show that acting too late can look just as bad for your company as not acting at all. This also shows the importance of hiring the right people and doing thorough background checks because an employee’s problems can become a company’s problems in an instant.

Planning a Business

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 05:12:00 +0000

Starting a new business is a scary concept. There are so many factors that can make or break a business that many dare not try to enter into the field of entrepreneurship. But for those few that do try, it can be an amazingly rewarding experience, especially if you’re going in with a good business plan. Creating a proper business plan, in a way, helps the new business owner predict the future. It identifies the variables and helps you prepare for the worst but also for the best. When creating your plan, it is important to look at industry experts for ideas and advice. While there are many sports business experts, lets take a look at the advice that two would give: Mark Cuban and George Bodenheimer.

Mark Cuban is the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, a successful entrepreneur, and a wise investor. So what is Mr. Cuban looking for when he is considering a potential investment. In an interview with Forbes contributor Michael Wolf, he shares some of his reasoning behind investment choices. According to him, its not always just about the idea. You can have a great idea but not be the right person to implement or run that business. A lot has to do with the way you carry yourself. He also feels that a successful business plan is about creativity and industry value. A creative person will always come up with new ideas and ways to keep the company going.

Of course the business has to add some value to the industry. If there is no need, there is no business. But Cuban is not only looking for ways that you add to your own industry, he’s looking for ways that you add value to his. Make sure that your business plan not only explains the benefits to you or society, but also how this company is going to benefit this investor. They see you as an investment, not a charity, and more likely than not, they are going to be looking for something in return.

George Bodenheimer is a true story of starting at the bottom and working your way up. He began his career in the mail room at ESPN and is now the President of ESPN and ABC Sports. In his journey he realized the importance of a business having a strategic advantage. While many businesses focus on the goods or services being different, many forget that there are other ways to stand out. In an interview for the Archive of American Television, he recognizes that the advantage of ESPN has nothing to do with the work itself, but how the work is done, the corporate culture. He says that his people are passionate, take risks to gain the biggest rewards, have a can do attitude, respect one another, and aren’t afraid to make a mistake in order to better themselves or the company.

He also came to another realization when he was first starting out. In an interview for the VIP Speaker Series, he notes the importance of making career decisions, not money decisions. When creating a business plan, it is important that you are not just in it for the money. There is going to be a lot of hard work to come and if you don’t love what you’re doing you won’t succeed.

So when you’re writing your business plan remember to be creative, bring value, have a strategic advantage, and don’t do it for the money, and one day you could be the expert we look to for advice.

Digitizing Sportswear

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 03:23:00 +0000

In this new age, digital marketing has become key for companies to stay afloat. Unfortunately, for many traditional companies, making the move to digital has been a slow crawl. One of the many markets that has seen digital marketing significantly impact sales is the sportswear market. Upon a review in 2012 by L2, a digital marketing company in NYC, with the assistance of the NYU Stern School of Business, the digital IQ rankings of 42 sportswear companies were released.

According to D’Amico, “the report analyzed each company’s moves in mobile, social media, on their websites and within the digital marketing space (appearances in search rankings for example).” Six (6) companies were given the rank feeble, ten (10) were considered challenged, thirteen (13) were seen as average, eleven (11) were honored as gifted, while two (2) stood high above the rest as geniuses. Those two companies were Nike and Adidas. Let’s take a look at those companies to see what they have done to earn such high marks.

ADIDAS

An example of Adidas’ impressive digital marketing campaign made it into another Sporting the Goods post for their use of augmented reality in their advertisements. More information on that promotion can be found here. Another thing that Adidas did was turn a negative into a positive through social media.

When one of their main endorsers, Derrick Rose, was out with a severe knee injury they used it to their advantage and created the YouTube web series “The Return of D. Rose.” Rather than having their top endorser disappear from the mainstream for a while, they were able to keep a weekly buzz and increase their fan base. (The first episode of the series can be seen below.) Adidas has also created miCoach to compete with the similar Nike product, where users can digitally track their performance and compete with their friends.

Video provided by YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xt6at8wCkbw

NIKE

Nike has moved away from the majority of their traditional media advertisements (TV, print, etc.) and begun using more social advertisement through social media sites. A big recent push for Nike came during the 2012 Olympics with their “find your greatness” campaign, which ran online before and after the games and later appeared on TV. Nike realized that we are in a time where everyone wants to be a star and this ad helped shift the focus from professional athletes to everyday athletes. They encouraged people to tweet their accomplishments and dreams with the hash tag #findyourgreatness. These ads had views in the millions and the twitter campaign created a measurable increase in the company’s followers.

Something else that has helped Nike reach “genius” status is the creation of Nike Digital Sport. This division creates products such as the popular Nike ID, Nike +, and the new Fuel Band. Probably their most successful move to digitization, Nike +, is a technology that allows consumers to actively participate in the Nike experience by recording and tracking their exercise progress and receiving tips for improvement. This also allows Nike to track its consumers and the demographics for their different products.

Briana Scales

*images provided by google images*

Super Bowl Spending

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 16:07:00 +0000

The Super Bowl is here again, which means its Money Time… ummm… errrr… Game Time! If the NFL were a pimp, the Super Bowl would be its prostitute, and its top one at that. The Super Bowl makes millions for the NFL and many of the losses from smaller turnouts through out the year, can be recouped in one game. But the Super Bowl is not only working for the NFL, it’s working for everybody. It is estimated that the Super Bowl is worth about 500 MILLION dollars to its host city. This is thanks to huge boost in tourism that the big game creates. This means business for hotels, food and beverage, tourism, casinos, souvenir shops, and anything else that town has to offer. It also boosts a cities earning potential for years to come because it creates hype around that city. Moreover, it’s not just the host city that sees an economic boom that day; bars, restaurants, casinos, grocery stores, liquor stores, cable providers, businesses all over the country see a boost in sales.

And then of course there are the commercials. With a 30-second commercial costing around $3.5 million it better have some results, and they usually do. About 110 million households, plus restaurants and bars view the Super Bowl game each year. You even have some people who watch the game just for the commercials. For this reason, a good or bad Super Bowl commercial could jumpstart the year for a company or send it on a slow crawl back up the economic ladder. A problem that many companies face in their Super Bowl commercials is over-production. This one commercial means a lot and they want it to be the best thing ever, but sometimes those expectations can get in the way and you see flops like 2012’s H&M David Beckham Bodywear commercial: an underwear line for men, that was marketed to women. I know very few men that have the desire to see Beckham pose, by himself, in his underwear, but that’s what they did.

One company that we have seen consistently get it right is Frito-Lay with their Doritos commercials. Peter Daboll, CEO of Ace Metrics, said that their "'Crash' ads are really not talking about Doritos at all. They're more like sitcoms. And viewers respond to them because they've got a certain authenticity, aren't overly produced and didn't of through five approval committees at the marketer or several remakes by the ad agency." Hopefully they can live up to these same standards this year and other companies will step up their game.

So grocery stores, waiters, and bartenders rejoice! The time is almost here.

New Orleans get ready! It's going to be raining dollar bills!

Sunday is just a few days away and soon we will see which companies get it wrong and who's climbing to the the top of the money tree.

Briana Scales

Making a Move

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 13:42:00 +0000

It is standard for athletes, once they reach a certain threshold, to look for products to endorse, but in this day and age it takes a little more to really reach super stardom. Athletes are realizing that they do not need to just represent a brand; they need to become a brand. So how is this done? Athletes are creating signature moves, phrases, anything to create brand association and get the people talking. Case and point, Tim Tebow. Tebow is not a starter. In fact, he rarely plays, but he has become a household name. People, who know nothing about football, know Tim Tebow. How did he receive such widespread popularity? He created a signature move, Tebowing. Whether deliberate or accidental, Tebow’s “the thinker” pose became a huge trend, which is still talked about and mimicked today.

Aaron Rodgers also has a move, now known as the discount double check thanks to State Farm, but still unmistakably his. To some this was poor branding on the part of State Farm. They tried to associate something with their brand that was already associated with another brand and the result, consumer confusion (I honestly had to look up which company the “discount double check” was for). State Farm did see some benefit, as an increase in call volume with people referring to the discount double check plan. However, most of the benefit went to Aaron Rodgers because what they really did with their commercials was give Rodgers’ move a name and increase is brand awareness.

The newest player on the branding scene is Colin Kaepernick. Unless you are a diehard football fan or from San Francisco, you probably didn’t know about Kaepernick until this playoff run, if you know about him at all. Well he is attempting to change that. Kaepernick has his signature move of kissing his bicep, which has begun to be called Kaepernicking. There is already some buzz about the new pose but after Kaepernicking makes its Super Bowl debut this Sunday, you can bet there will be a rapid fire of tweets, pics and YouTube videos, helping him create his brand outside of just the football world. Although, he may be ruining it for himself by trying to Trademark his move before it becomes really popular but we will have to wait and see on that one.

As you can see, one simple move with plenty of exposure can exponentially increase the brand and name recognition of an athlete. So, calling all athletes, its time to make your move!

Briana Scales

The Perils of Procrastination and other stories

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 15:27:00 +0000

As seen from the last post, there are many liabilities to look for in the event planning/management industry. Upon review of some Entertainment Law Update podcasts, I was able to identify a few additional hidden liabilities that may not be as prevalent but are every bit as important.

In episode 35, Gordon Firemark, the host of the podcasts, and a guest discuss an issue brought to us by the Golden Nugget Casino in Atlantic City. On April 30, 2012, several casino patrons were playing mini-baccarat when they, after a few hands, began to notice a pattern in the cards and upped their bets. The gamblers were racking up the chips but the casino let the game continue, assuming that there was a large cheating scam going on and that they could catch the person red-handed.

In actuality, the cards, which were supposed to be pre-shuffled by the manufacturer, had not been shuffled and were coming out in the same order from every deck. The casino cashed in a few chips but once the high rollers came in they denied them their money because they argued that it wasn’t the casino’s fault. And it wasn’t the casino’s fault, it was the fault of the manufacturer but the casino failed to stop the game when they noticed something wrong. As a sort of punitive damages, the judge ruled that the casino must cash in all chips. I’m sure next time they will step in before it’s too late and they make another $1.5 million mistake. So how does this relate to event planning? Be careful with party games, raffles, and even casino style games at your events. If there is a manufacturer error and you buy a roll full of winning tickets and sell them, unless everyone understands the mistake and agrees to cancel the game, you may have to honor all of the winning tickets. It is important to use dependable vendors and double check everything because once it’s at your event, it’s your responsibility.

In episode 18, an issue from the 2011 Super Bowl was discussed. The NFL was attempting to settle with about 400 of the over 1,000 angry fans that didn’t get the seat they paid for at the Super Bowl. The stadium had set up temporary seating in the arena for the big event and sold tickets for those seats. Unfortunately, neither the Cowboys Stadium owners and officials nor the league had the arena checked in advance and when the fire marshal did his inspection the day of the event, he deemed the temporary seats unsafe. About 860 fans were moved to the “nosebleed” seats and about 400 had to watch the game from monitors in a standing room only section. Some of the guests were offered the option to get a refund of their ticket price or to receive a ticket to a future Super Bowl. However, this was not offered to everyone and about 400 of the fans came forward in a lawsuit. Firemark’s guest points out that what is making this case so strong is that seat license holders (season ticket/pass holders) have come forward as the lead plaintiffs. These people are loyal and dedicated fans, the VIP of the league fans, and they didn’t even get their seat, which shows just how big of a screw up this was. The lesson here and an overarching theme is procrastination can cost you big. Don’t wait until the last minute to have your venue inspected. The inspection should have been done before they sold tickets for those seats. But even if they would have done the inspection a few days before the game, they could have taken the necessary steps to ensure safety. Another good lesson is to not promise something you can’t deliver. If the venue can only hold 100 people, don’t promise that you can do an event for 110 people, you’ll only get yourself in trouble.

Briana Scales

Fight For Your Right to Party!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 15:58:00 +0000

Bowl season is about to begin and with it comes bowl parties. Whether throwing a small house party or planning an event on a larger scale, there are things to consider. While event planning may appear to be all fun and games to many people, professional event planners realize the dangers of the games. There are many potential liabilities to consider when planning an event. One possible liability was demonstrated by an Atlanta event planner last year. In December of 2010, Terry Singleton received a letter from the Academy, but it wasn’t for her nomination. This letter was to inform her of her infringement of copyright. An event she had hosted around Oscar time utilized 7-foot gold statues, similar to those given out at the Academy Awards but not identical. She did not see a problem because the statue had no facial features and looked “more like a gold alien” but the Academy had a different idea and was looking to sue. Due to the Academy’s prestige and wealth, the planner decided to comply and came to an undisclosed settlement. While this may seem like a freak occurrence, incidents like this are an expensive liability that could easily be avoided. Be careful not to include any copyrighted material into decorations and if a client is dead set on having something copyrighted, tell the client he/she will have to pay to have the rights to use that copyrighted material. The client may change his/her mind.

Another liability to consider when creating an event is security measures. This liability can rear its head in many forms. The Aurora shooting earlier this year demonstrated the importance of taking extra precautions at an event. Movie theater patrons, who became victims, and their families are now suing the Cinemark theater for inadequate security at an event of this kind. The theater knew that they were expecting a large crowd of people for the midnight premiere of “The Dark Knight Rises” but they failed to provide security that matched that number of people. They also failed to have security at or alarms on doors that would be considered emergency exit doors. Making sure there is adequate security at an event is one of the easiest ways to avoid liabilities and thanks to cases like this, we may also be looking at the addition of metal detectors at all large events very soon.

Another liability that will more directly impact the home party thrower is alcohol. Many people do not know that under the Dram Shop Act, a social host is responsible for the actions of anyone that they send out of their establishment (including home) intoxicated. A case that we see regarding this is Bishop v. Fair Lanes Georgia Bowling (1986). While this case may seem old, similar cases pop up every year and have the same results. In this case two groups of people were near each other in a bowling alley. One group was obviously intoxicated and was taunting the other group; however, the bowling alley bartender continued to serve alcohol to the already intoxicated patrons. At the end of the night both parties headed outside to go to their cars, but the intoxicated party decided that this would be a good time to violently attack the group that they had been verbally assaulting all night. It was deemed that the establishment should have been aware of the danger that the continued serving of alcohol would cause. They were also liable for the attack because they sent the people out in an obviously intoxicated manner. The best way to avoid this type of liability is to make sure that alcohol is served at a moderate pace and do not be afraid to cut people off and take keys. Require people to take taxis or plan for them to stay the night. Be aware of possible consequences and hopefully come out of this bowl season with a win!

Briana Scales

Boys Among Men: How To Compete

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 12:05:00 +0000

When thinking about basketball there are certain teams that automatically come into mind. Besides the home team, one cannot help but to think about the Lakers, Heat, Bulls, Celtics and a few of the other large franchise teams. Unless a smaller team is a playoff contender, it is not usually getting much press. So how do these teams gain momentum and amp up their fan base? How when you are the Kings or Warriors, playing in the same state as the LA teams (Clippers and Lakers), do you compete?

The seemingly obvious answer would be to acquire an all-star caliber player, but when you are a smaller franchise that is not always financially feasible. So many move to idea of a new arena: adding technology and creating architecture that will draw in a crowd. The problem with these ideas is that they bring people in for the wrong reason. Let’s say a team uses a large sum of their salary to bring in a star player and that player gets hurt or gets traded, now what? The team is in the same boat in which they started because people were not coming to see the team; they were coming to see the star. It’s the same scenario with the arena. There are all kind of natural and unnatural causes that could destroy an arena. If you bring people in for that reason, they go when the arena goes. By using these tactics, the team is creating a fan base for a player or for an arena. So how does the team create a fan base for itself?

While large teams look to marketing, for the smaller teams this is not enough. All NBA teams have a marketing department, but these people are mainly there to sell tickets and sell ads. These smaller teams need to open their eyes to creativity beyond basic marketing. They need something to draw people in and keep them there. They need to invest in a brand story. People invest in things with which they feel a connection and a brand story would give them that connection. Sarah Doody said it best, "If you want your product to be heard by consumers, it must be rooted in a story that consumers emotionally can connect with." A brand story would create a meaning behind the team and create affiliation with its current fans while recruiting its fans of the future. The proper story could create a cult like following for these small teams and keep them relevant for years to come.

Briana Scales

Spotlight: SMA Conference

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 11:36:00 +0000

Last week, the annual conference for the Sports Marketing Association (SMA) was held here, in Orlando, FL, at the Wyndham Hotel. This year they teamed up with Teamwork Online to add a day for students to network with some of the many sports professionals present and each other. This past Saturday, October 27, 2012, I had the opportunity to attend this event. It began with introductions and then the professionals shared their stories. The people we heard from were Tom Veit, Alex Vergara, Bob Crowley, Ed Willett, Rick Burton, Jeff Angolini, Donna Rowe, Jeffrey Gray and Marcellus Cooper. Here are a few of their stories:

Tom Veit is the President at the Solutions Group in Tampa, FL. He graduated from the University of South Florida with a degree in Government and International Affairs, proving that you don’t have to major in sports to work in sports. He has had several jobs in the sports industry, working in everything from soccer to wrestling. His most notable career move and the one he feels was his greatest success was when he was the president of the Philadelphia Union. He helped to start this team from scratch, assisting in not only the creation of team but also the creation of brand. He is currently working in Tampa, FL at a sports marketing and advertising agency that he helped to form.

Bob Crowley is a former figure skater and current CEO at USA Water Ski. Following his figure skating career he did what most skaters do and began coaching. This led to his position as the associate executive director of US Figure Skating. From here he began working for the US Speed Skating team and finds this to be his greatest accomplishment. Nearing the time of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, the team’s sponsor, the former DSB Bank, went bankrupt, forcing them to back out of their sponsorship. Stephen Colbert came to the rescue and helped raise the money needed to get this team to the Olympics. Mr. Crowley was in close contact with Colbert during this time and was one of the major players in this working. The team made it to Vancouver and won a plethora of gold medals, but following these games Crowley was drained and was ready to move on to the next big thing. Up for a new challenge, he took the position where he is now, the CEO at USA Water Ski.

Ed Willett is the Vice President of business development at the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA). He began his career in sports doing ad sales for Sports Illustrated and later ESPN. With a wife and daughters, he found the desire to be an advocate for women in sports. This took him to the LPGA in January of 2011. In speaking with him you could hear and see the passion he has for his job. You could also tell that he believes in the women of the LPGA and wants to help other women in the sports industry.

Jeffrey Gray is the General Manager for the Bluefield Blue Jays, the minor league team of the Toronto Blue Jays. What is unique about Gray is that he is the youngest general manager in professional baseball at only 22 years old. He began his baseball career as a batboy when he was 11. He continued assisting teams for several years and earned his BA in Sports Business from Saint Leo University in Florida. He continued working in baseball after graduation as the associate general manager of the US Military All-Stars. This team is the Harlem Globe Trotters of baseball. From here he received the opportunity to interview for a general manager position and in October 2012 he became the general manager of the Bluefield Blue Jays.

Following their presentation, we had the opportunity to network with these professionals and the other students. It was amazing to be able to interact with people who are doing or have done what I want to do. This was a very educational experience and I hope to attend more of these events in the future.

* Information was obtained through personal communication on 10/27/12.

Trend Alert: Augmented Reality

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 14:20:00 +0000

Sports fans are always looking for new ways to interact with their favorite teams and their favorite players. For the past few years sports teams and associated products have been using augmented reality to give fans this new experience that they crave. Augmented reality is, in short, incorporating aspects of a virtual world into the real world.

EA Sports and ESPN have teamed up to create EA Sports GameView. This technology allows analysts to interact with virtual players to show players’ techniques and provide insight into the game.

Red Bull has joined in the game with their interactive racetrack experience. Racing fans can use the Red Bull cans to create their own track, anywhere. You simply scan one can and then scan in the position of the rest of your cans and you can have own customized track on which to race.

The English soccer team, Manchester City, won the FA Cup in 2011 and wanted to give their fans a chance to celebrate with the players. They have created an app where fans can lift the cup with the team. They hope that this will keep a buzz about the win and help the fans maintain excitement about the team.

Adidas has done this with the creation of new soccer shirts for the Scottish national team in Glasgow. They set up a screen and footprints in a shopping center and when someone stood on the footprints they could interact with players, attempt to kick a goal, take pictures and view the new shirt. They have also done this with a style of their shoes. The shoe comes with a code on the tongue, which when held up to a computers webcam, allows the shoe owner access to a virtual neighborhood, with games and competitions.

I am sure that we can expect to see a lot more augmented reality experiences popping up within the next year. With this growing technology the possibilities are endless and it will be up to the companies to create more creative and fun and interactive experiences for their users and fans.

*Be sure to click the links for videos and a better understanding of the augmented reality experience!*

Project XX

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 15:30:00 +0000

In the past year there has been an insurgence of marketing to women. Politicians can’t seem to get enough of us as they have realized how great an influence we have on their campaigns. There has also been a push to women for goods and services that aren’t typically considered feminine, including sports. For many years sports marketers have done their best to appeal to men but have ignored women. It was believed that men were their target market and that advertising to women was a waste of time and money. As a woman sports fan I never understood why they would leave us out. Although some of us may be watching for different reasons, like seeing attractive sweaty men, we are still watching and enjoying sports just as much as the guys. Moreover, lets take a look at the stereotypical male-female relationship. The man works and the woman spends the money. Women make a large percentage of the spending decisions in a household, so doesn’t it make sense to market to the one’s who are going to be spending the money?

With a once declining market, sports associations began realizing that focusing only on men was not cutting it, especially for football. According to the ESPN Poll and US Census, 44% of all football fans are now women. In the past year, the NFL has embraced women as football fans and made a concerted effort to include this once excluded group. They have included more women’s apparel on their team sites and have even thought about women in the choice of their sponsors. This association has begun teaming with products that one wouldn’t traditionally associate with sports, like Febreze and Head and Shoulders. In April of this year they also teamed up with their first detergent sponsor, Tide. Instead of always using models, the NFL has begun using the wives, mothers and daughters of the players, owners and coaches in magazine ads and commercials. They have marketed their merchandise as not just fashion but women’s high fashion and the women are eager to buy. Sales of women’s merchandise have increased greatly in the last year and have resulted in a significant increase for total NFL merchandise sales. Women appreciate being recognized where they once weren’t and the NFL is seeing this thanks monetarily. I think its time for the other sports associations to jump on the bandwagon and discover their lost earning potential. But for now, to the NFL, thank you and good job.

Spotlight: National Sports Marketing Network

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 03:14:00 +0000

Trade associations are an important part of any industry. They give you the chance to meet people with like interests and career paths. Many also offer conferences, charitable events and career services. You could think of them as the fraternities of “the real world”. One industry trade association that I hope to become a member of and would recommend is the National Sports Marketing Network (NSMN). They have deemed themselves “the exclusive industry trade organization for sports business professionals in the United States” and rightfully so. NSMN’s members include league commissioners, network and corporate executives, agency presidents and a host of other sports industry professionals. This group is encouraging interaction between sports professionals and creating a more united front in the industry.

So you may ask, what can this association do for me? The question should be what can’t they do for me. NSMN offers several services to its members. There are networking events, several times a year, around the country, and as a member you will have free access to all of these events. NSMN offers admission into their private social media groups (2 Facebook, 2 LinkedIn and 3 Twitter). This gives you the opportunity to discuss industry related topics and make connections with sports professionals across the United States. They will also help you set up a one-on-one meeting with other members. As if that is not enough, NSMN also offers members only industry discounts and a resume bank. This organization will keep your resume on file and contact you when someone presents a job that matches your qualifications; not to mention the industry workshops and the one-on-one sessions with career advisors.

So I see what they can do for me, but what are they doing for the industry and the community? NSMN is dedicated to promoting industry awareness. They offer professional development counseling and present issue-based seminars raising awareness of critical sports concerns. NSMN has also organized the charitable group Sports Tackles Cancer. The goal of this charity is to unite sports industry professionals and sports fans by fundraising for the fight against cancer. One hundred percent of the proceeds from their events go to a cancer research organization.

So how do I join? Unfortunately, NSMN accepts members by application only and sports industry experience is required, but this is how they keep their organization professional. Who wants to be part of a club that everyone can join anyway? The allure is that it is only offered to the best and by getting in you are now one of the best. So now is the time to acquire some sports industry experience. As a student, I plan to volunteer at sporting events for a season and do a stand out job. As long as you can show your involvement in the industry and get a raving review from someone in charge, you could be eligible for membership into this amazing group. Moreover, if you find that this is not the group for you, don’t fret, there are thousands of trade associations. You can search here for the association that best suits your needs.

Briana Scales

Cooling Out The Fans

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 04:13:00 +0000

This summer has been one for the record books. The heat has been overwhelming and outdoor arenas have not been the ideal place to venture, but in the sports world the show must go on! Baseball teams literally had their diehard fans sweating in the stands this season as temperatures were near 100+ in almost every state. Moreover, if you have been watching the games on TV you may have noticed that these outdoor arenas are far from full. Many of these venues are not prepared to accommodate these types of weather conditions and many fans have been forced to sit this season out.

Besides the sheer discomfort, these venues have become a safety hazard. Fans sit in the heat for hours, probably enjoying a few beers or other adult beverage, and then voila, they’ve just experienced dehydration; not to mention the sun exposure, which can cause sunburn or worse, skin cancer. The risks are just as bad for the players, who are exerting energy in play and in rest as a result of the heat. With climate shifts like this being of increasing concern, it is time for teams to protect their assets (the players and fans) and Wolfgang Kessling of Transsolar may have a solution.

In a TED X presentation in Qatar, Kessling offered passive and active strategies to enhance the comfort of patrons of outdoor arenas. Some of the passive strategies were shades and soft conditioning, which uses dry air instead of cool air to balance out body temperatures. Another strategy was using cold water pipes under the seat risers to balance out the heat. Active strategies included solar panels to create a solar cooling system, which when in place, will eventually become self-sustainable.

All outdoor sports teams should consider employing these strategies at their venues. People like knowing that someone is looking out for them and enjoy working with companies that have their best interest in mind. Creating an environment more conducive to physical activity will also increase player stamina, which will increase team performance. By creating atmospheres that are fan and player friendly, fans will be more likely to attend events and speak highly of the teams. Fans will enjoy their experience on game day and want to come to more games. In short, the ideas of Transsolar could translate into fan support and increased game attendance, which means higher profits for sports teams and outdoor venues.

Briana Scales

Jumpstarting A Ruined Reputation

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 14:37:00 +0000

In November 2011, the indiscretions of Jerry Sandusky, a case that began in 2009, were brought to the attention of the public. I will not go in to detail, as the media has overwhelmed us with information for months; consequently, we all know the drama that ensued, culminating in him being found guilty to 45 of 48 counts in June 2012. Sandusky not only managed to ruin his reputation, but he also took with him the reputations of the legendary Joe Paterno and Penn State University. Now with the conviction of Sandusky and the untimely passing of coach Paterno, Penn State is left to bear the brunt of the controversy. Receiving a seemingly exorbitant amount of punishment, Penn State has to rebuild and regain trust, but how?

It really seems like Penn State just can’t win right now. Joe Paterno built Penn State’s present program and people are torn about the direction that the school should take. There are diehard Paterno fans (which include many of the Penn State students) that believe Joe Paterno’s legacy should remain at Penn State, good or bad. There are also people who believe that Penn State should completely separate itself from all things Paterno related. While I fall in the first category, I understand the importance of the second. If Penn State wants to overcome this adversity, there is no choice but for the institution to recreate itself. Many students came to Penn State because of Joe Paterno; but now there’s a new head coach who is going to have to sell future students a new program and a new school. While removing the statue and the name and the records of Joe Paterno may be heart breaking for some, it’s time to create a new untainted legacy and let people see that this institution is still worth their time and their money. Penn State is learning and teaching us all a very valuable lesson. Sometimes the only way to get through adversity is to break all ties with the past and form new bonds for the future.

Briana Scales

Summer Olympics… Wait That’s This Year?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 15:44:00 +0000

Around the world the Olympic games have retained their status as one of the most popular sporting events, but in the United States things are a bit different. In the past it seemed that most everyone in the U.S. knew the dates of the Olympics, the location, the stars to look for; but it seems, in this age, traditional events like the Olympics have lost their luster. I have talked to children who don’t even know about the Olympics. The Olympics used to be an event that united the nation, all of us coming together to support our athletes and show that we are the best. However, in a country of everyone for his/her self, is there still a place for these Olympic events? The athletes are not even as willing to win for their country. Will tradition weigh out technology?

One deterrent is the difficulty to attend the event. Other traditional events like the Final Four, the Super Bowl, and the World Series are all accessible to everyday people. If you can’t buy a ticket, there are contests for tickets that keep a buzz about the event. People are excited to possibly attend these events, but how many Americans are attending the Olympics unless the games are in the US. While the tickets are relatively inexpensive at £20 (≈$40) there is still the price of airfare; and what average American citizen can afford to take time off of work to go to another country for the Olympics, especially in a time of economic uncertainty? Another deterrent is the little known athletes. Unlike the other traditional events mentioned, we only hear about the majority of the Olympic competitors once every four years. We need to keep interest in these Olympic athletes all year round to make people want to see them compete.

Older generations will not let the Olympics die, which means that American media needs to find a new way to market the events to these younger people. The marketing of the games needs to become more technological and social. Olympic video games, Olympic trial webisodes, incorporating the Olympics in our TV series and reality shows: these are all viable options to keep the dream alive. Just like any other major event, it is time for the Olympic games to keep up with the times or get left behind.

Briana Scales

Tiger Woods vs. The Sponsors

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 17:12:00 +0000

It is no secret that, since his indiscretions became public in late 2009, Tiger Woods has lost numerous tournaments and with them numerous endorsements. But were these losses somewhat correlated? Lets look at the numbers. When Tiger Woods was winning he was endorsed by a multitude of companies. Nike, General Motors, Titleist, TAG Heuer, and numerous others all wanted a piece of Mr. Woods and were willing to pay dearly to get that piece.
Now let’s skip ahead to November 2009 when word of his infidelity was revealed. He was still #1 in the rankings but his endorsers did not want to be associated with an adulterer. Tiger’s stock had gone down. TAG Heuer and several other companies dropped him completely, while other companies like Nike, significantly reduced his monetary value. Tiger had lost his family, his fans, his endorsements, and now his ranking. By November 2011 he had fallen to #58 in the rankings after a 107 weeks winless streak. But things would turn around. In November 2011, Tiger Woods was offered an endorsement by FUSE Science and is now powered by FUSE. One month later Tiger would go on to win his first tournament in 2 years. While he is still not back to the old Tiger we grew to know and love, he is back to #4 in the rankings, with another win in May 2012.

So did this turn of events have anything to do with his new sponsors? We can’t be completely sure, but it sure looks that way. Just look at the psychology behind the situation. People inherently want to be believed in and admired. Other people’s belief in us helps to drive our confidence. When he lost his endorsements he lost some belief in himself, which led to insecure playing. Now someone believes in him again. FUSE is a relatively unknown company, however that is probably for the best. Tiger is getting the support to rebuild his confidence, without the pressure of a huge company staring down his back.

This endorsement was of great benefit to both parties involved and more small companies should jump on the bandwagon. Despite Tiger’s reputation he is still a household name. Go to an inner city school and ask children to name a golfer and they will say Tiger Woods. The majority of middle and lower class Americans are not as familiar with golf as they are other sports, but almost everyone is familiar with Tiger Woods. Small companies will benefit from the big name and the big name will benefit from the small support. If fans see companies jumping back on the Tiger Woods bandwagon maybe they will too and with all this confidence we will see our old Tiger back in action.

Briana Scales