Sports Marketing & Promotions

Where would companies like Nike, Gatorade, Reebok and Under Armor be today with out the backing of sports? More than likely not on the top list of sports brands known to man. How these companies and others like them continue to grow in the market has to do with sports marketing and promotions. In the following I will discuss the three factors that I believe to be the some of the best practices in sports marketing and promotions. Sports marketing enables a particular sport to work with brands to gain new fans and consumers through lifestyle marketing. Focusing on the activities and attitudes of consumers allows companies to customize their products and promotions to target those needs.

I learned that finding the target market and studying them is the first step in any marketing. Knowing who is paying attention to your company and what they like is only a part of the world of marketing.

The next piece of the puzzle is knowing just how to reach them.  In sports each approach is different. Marketing to fans of golf will not be the same as marketing for lets say football. The ending goal might be the same, generating a buzz, getting fans in the stands and enhancing their experience.  Sport fans are different from regular consumers in the ways that they consistently follow their favorite team through out the year whether it’s the season for it or not.  Purchasing jerseys, box seats and even traveling (e.g Super Bowl) to see their team play. You wouldn’t see a person going to a Wal-Mart across the country just to find a certain product. Sports fans are a marketers dream. They show up in herds and spend large amounts of money to support their team.

The final aspect I will touch on incorporates the what, who, and how. It combines all of those key ingredients together to formulate the starting of a great marketing and promotion campaign. Knowing how to reach your fan base comes in the form of how to reach them and HOW to reach them. The first how I have already discussed, the second how has to deal with media vehicles. Determining the best way to reach the audience has to deal with understanding their lifestyle, behavior and attitudes.  The younger generation is prone to digital media more so over print, while the older generation tends to stick with what they know. Television advertising will always be around and effective for folks that tend to watch sporting events from the comfort of their own home or local sports bar. Finding out the appropriate blend of marketing is also important. The message has to be able to be transferred from one medium to another without confusing the consumer.

So to recap the best practices for marketing and promotions to me are:

1.     What – What are you selling/promoting

2.     Who – Who are you marketing to? Who is the target marketing and what are their interests

3.     How- How are you planning to enhance the fan/consumers experience? How are you going to get them interested in the product/service

4.     How – How are you going to get the message across? What media medium is best to use for your target market? What devices do they frequently use?

If all of those questions can be answered in detail, then I believe a strong marketing and promotions campaign has the chance to be successful.

Sexy men in sports

I have been late in my postings of the next "Sexy men in sports" This is all due to the fact that I wasn't sure which sport to cover next. Swimming, Basketball, Baseball, UFC, Golf Gymnastics!? Soo many sports and sooo many creditable athletes. This is going to take some serious research and good quality shots of these men doing what they love to do, and what we love to swoon over. So until next time hopefully I'll have a man for you all.

To blog or not to blog

A question, where do you look to get your news, sports and entertainment updates? Newspapers, television, magazines, the radio? In 2010 all of those mediums seem obsolete. If one cannot tell, I use the Internet and love doing so. Now all the information may not be creditable, but its fast and easy. In the world of information gathering more and more people are turning to the Internet. Blogs are becoming especially popular with sports enthusiasts; they can get the story from the point of view of fans and professional outlets.

Now the hard part about blogging comes in obtaining the proper press credentials. A lot of leagues (professional and college) take great strides in protecting the nature of their sports. In particular the NCAA has a committee consisting of representatives from institutions and conferences administers each NCAA game. This committee has developed policies for media credentialing. The one main event that is popular in obtaining these credentials is during the NCAA Championships. As found on the NCAA website the two ways media outlets can obtain these credentials are:

1. By consistently covering a team during the regular season
2. By meeting NCAA requirements for print-media circulation or electronic-media market size.

With those criteria in place a person would believe that a well-known confirmed media outlet would have the authorization to cover the event in any media. Well during an NCAA baseball game in June of 2007 a journalist for The Louisville Courier-Journal was removed from a game for live blogging. To the NCAA credit there was a memo sent out to all press stating “any blog that has action photos or game reports, including play-by-play, scores or any in-game updates, is specifically prohibited." In the reporters defense his supervisors informed him to continue with the blogging anyway.

The journalist updated his blog a total of 17 times with minor plays and some scores before his credentials were revoked and he was ejected from the game. The issue revolves around the First Amendment, freedom of speech. The newspaper had considered legal action against the NCAA and the University of Louisville for violating the journalist’s First Amendment rights, but decided against it.  The original argument made by the Courier-Journal came from their representing attorney,

"It’s a real question that we’re being deprived our right to report within the First Amendment from a public facility," Fleischaker said, according to Bennett’s blog. "Once a player hits a home run, that’s a fact. It’s on TV; everybody sees it. [The NCAA] can’t copyright that fact."

I agree with that statement. If it’s happening and everyone can see it happening in a public area, how can one copyright that. The swing of a bat, the pitch of a ball, the scoring of a run, it’s something that happens at different times, on different levels and to different people.

A representative from the NCAA states that the NCAA has a bundled rights agreement with CBS and ESPN, which pays for the rights to cover NCAA championship games. A spokesperson from ESPN has said that their rights cover live TV, and that they did not request for the journalist to be removed and was never asked.  There are individuals who are totally for blogging and feel that blogging is just another way to reach fans and newspaper readers. They mention what is to stop a person at home watching the championship from blogging. The NBA and NFL both allow credentialed reporters to report online during the games that are time-delayed and limited.

I see no harm in blogging during a sporting event. If people are able to watch a game on TV the chances of them giving that up to go online and read a blog is very rare. A blog like a newspaper is for people who miss the action and would like to know the score of a game, the highlights of a game and just the overall experience from their choice of media entity. We are in the day and age of the Internet and receiving information in that way. Some media outlets have gotten with the times, while others like the NCAA are still struggling to be open-minded. 

References

Student Press Law Center

NCAA

Cnet

USA Today

Check the fun at the door

Don Imus

Some things are just not right to say, no matter how funny it may seem. I am sure everyone knows of controversial radio talk show host Don Imus and his infamous statement that caused uproar. Granted everyone should have the freedom to express his or her first amendment, but with that comes consequences a person must be ready to face. Don Imus is known as a radio host, writer, humorist and an all around wise-cracking individual. He is mostly known for his off color comments about individuals on his radio show. I would put him as the older generations Howard Stern, a rude with no remorse “shock jock”. In April of 2007 while talking about the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championships on air with his executive producer, the two of them had banter about the Rutgers University women’s basketball team. A transcript of some highlights were released to the news media:

IMUS: That's some rough girls from Rutgers. Man, they got tattoos and—
McGUIRK: Some hard-core hos.
IMUS: That's some nappy-headed hos. I'm gonna tell you that now, man, that's some—whew. And the girls from Tennessee, they all look cute, you know, so, like—kinda like—I don't know.
McGUIRK: A Spike Lee thing.
IMUS: Yeah.
McGUIRK: The Jigaboos vs. the Wannabes—that movie that he had.

With news of the mostly African American womens basketball team being referred to as “nappy headed hos” Don Imus became the center of a Sports Tort lawsuit. Sports torts involve legal actions against professional athletes, teams, organizations and the live for a civil wrong done to an individual. Sports law tort is defined as “actions include lawsuits claiming medical malpractice against team doctors, defamation suits alleging that a professional athlete has been libeled or slandered, and negligence actions brought by both players and spectators for injuries during a sporting event”(Archerlaw).

Rutgers Women's Basketball Team

Kia Vaughn, a center from The Rutgers Women’s Basketball team filed a lawsuit against Don Imus in August 2007 for libel, slander and defamation. Immediately after the transcript hit the media Don Imus issued a public apology that did not seem to go well over with some fan and activist groups. Imus was suspended and then fired from his show. Not surprisingly Don Imus had a lot of support from fellow comedians and journalist who believed that everything was said in a tongue and cheek matter, that free speech was exercised and therefore an apology and suspension should have been enough.

Going back to the lawsuit many people argued that how can a no name player sue for defamation and slander if no one has heard of her before. Ms. Vaughn and the rest of her team too offense to the term “ho” more some than the statement about their hair. Blurring the line between what a “ho” is and what a prostitute stands for.

For me I know what I am, and what I am not. Being called a “ho” in any situation can be embarrassing and hurtful, BUT if you know you are not one, and do not carry yourself in such a manner, I say what is the big deal. The “nappy-headed” remark was indeed racist as many has seen it to be, even more so considering all the players had straight long hair. Should Don Imus have been fired? I say no, like most comedians he made a racist, sexist joke that some took offense to. If everyone who was ever offended by comedians such as Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, and George Lopez and decided to sue, the courts would be overrun with frivolous lawsuits.

Kia Vaughn

In September of the same year, just a month after filing the tort suit, Ms. Vaughn and her lawyers had decided to drop the case. Ms. Vaughn claimed to have wanted to focus on academics and basketball. I personally feel that the case was withdrawn because of the entire backlash it was getting. Rutgers basketball team had people on their side, but when word of a lawsuit came about, that is when said people had to take a step back. Now here are some questions I asked myself, Was Don Imus wrong? Yes. Did he deserve to be fired? No. Was the apology and suspension enough? Yes. Were Kia Vaughn and the rest of the basketball teams image hurt? No. Being called a “nappy-headed ho” did not deter them from getting a job or playing on the team. All and all they walked away with hurt feelings.







Resources and References:
ArcherLaw
ABC News
Above The Law
The Chronicle
Fox News

30 years to late

Intellectual Property Infringement can be one of the most serious lawsuits around. Intellectual Property (IP) refers to creations of the mind: inventions, literary and artistic works, and symbols, names, images, and designs used in commerce. IP is divided into two categories the first is industrial property, which includes inventions (patents), trademarks and industrial designs and next is copyright, which includes literary and artistic works such as novels, poems and plays, films, musical works, artistic works such as drawings, paintings, photographs and sculptures, and architectural designs.



Intellectual Property in sports is something that a lot of teams and companies battle on a semi-regular basis. An issue I will touch on has to deal with copyright and trademark controversy in sports, a case between Florida State University and The Southeast Seminoles. This story has to deal with the fact that The Southeast Seminoles is using the name Seminoles, the Indian head, and its spear that appear to be the exact same of Florida State University which in turn falls under copyright and trademark infringement.



Now Florida State University is no stranger to the courtroom in regards to its sometimes-controversial school name. In the past along with many other sport teams named after Native Americans have seen lawsuits demanding a name change. Those against the names argue that it’s racist and degrading. Painting a picture that Native Americans were savages and even compared the names to the hot top racial use of the N-word. Those for the names argue that the names do not mean what those naysayers think. They see it as a type of motivational tool. To promote strength, courage and spirit within the players, fans, and community. Florida State University went up on the chopping block for the use of the name Seminoles and the logo of a Native American in war paint. In a turn of events the real Seminoles went to bat for the University and they were able to keep their name.

Florida State University Seminole

Now after battling to gain the right to use their name, FSU has come up another hurdle, Southeast High School in Bradenton, Florida.  Southeast High School has received a cease-and-desist letter stating “that says they are infringing on copyrighted university trademarks, saying FSU has a "valuable ownership interest" in the trademarks. The letter also states that Southeast is diluting the brand by using the logos.”

Southeast High School Seminoles

Now Southeast High School states that it has been using the same likeness for the past 30 years with the knowledge from both parties without incident. In the letter that was sent to the school’s principal there was not mention as to why now FSU has decided to take action. As to be expected alumni, students and staff were upset in knowing that a school they considered part of the Seminole family wants to disown them.



Is there really an issue here? From the high schools point of view the red flag for me is the random timing of the cease-and-desist letter. Why wait 30 years to cry foul, what could FSU possibly gain from demanding Southeast to change their whole image? The school has said that it cost at least $100,000 to change its logo and marketing plan. Some are speculating the sudden interest in high school has to do with declining interest in FSU and the athletic program. Is this a case of a big guy trying to phase out the little guy? I believe it is. Like I stated above FSU has had past issues with its name and maybe now they just want to hold steadfast and true to their name without sharing it. But my question like others is why now? Why not include them during the lawsuit years ago? Or even before the lawsuit began. Southeast High School does not want to fight over this issue and at the same time does not want to change its history. Maybe FSU is seeing how absurd it is now because they are in talks of working with the High School to come to an amiable agreement where both schools can use the name. I say more power to the Southeast Seminoles. Keep a hold of what Seminoles means to you and your school; courage, strength and the love of your community.




For a short news clip, watch below:


For more information and my resources check out the following links
Technorati
WTSP-Tampa Bay News
WCTV
Tampa Bay Online
Bradenton Online

Save Now

An interview with a blogger

When entering the world of sports there are many different avenues to take. If one is not an athlete, there are plenty behind the scene opportunities. I was granted the opportunity to interview one of the many persons who help to bring the news of sports to fans and enthusiasts everywhere; I am speaking of a sports journalist.

John Jervay is the NFL Web Producer at NBC Sports and has been in the industry since 2004. Mr. Jervay graduated from Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia with a degree in communications. After obtaining his degree Mr. Jervay retuned to his hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to put his degree to work. His first job in the industry was help at the radio station 103.9 FM; which recently changed it name to 100.3, as an intern. After that experience he was fortunate enough to become a production assistant at NBC10 Philadelphia. It was at this job that he would learn another side of news and sports journalism.

John Jervay at work

When I questioned Mr. Jervay about the steps that are needed to complete to get into this particular field, he was adamant about knowing how to write. Learning how to captivate an audience and make them want to read past your first sentence. That advice I truly believe in, anyone can write but it takes dedication and a passion to get readers to follow what you are writing about. To prepare himself for his chosen field Mr. Jervay made sure to keep up to date with the sports happening across the country as well as writing everyday. He is quoted as saying “ I treat it like its exercise and that is the only way my skills will remain healthy.”Today there are no other sports writers that Mr. Jervay aspires to be like, but he does enjoy the writing styles of J.A Adande, Chris Broussard and Tom Curran.

Aside from working as a web producer Mr. Jervay maintains a sports blog entitled After Further Review. It is with this blog that caught my attention of Mr. Jervay. His way of reporting what’s happening in the sports realm really appealed to me. I asked Mr. Jervay why he chooses to cover sports the way that he does and this is what he had to say “Because I feel like I “keep it real” I tell people how it is and not how the media wants you to feel. I try my best to put myself in my readers’ shoes and write what I feel they like to read.” So writing from the viewpoint of a true fan and not treating it as a job has kept Mr. Jervay grounded and allows him to combined both his love of sports and journalism. His passion is basketball but he also enjoys covering football and baseball. As a true home team fan, Mr. Jervay had the privilege to break the news of Allen Iverson’s trade from Philadelphia 76ers to the Denver Nuggets to his station. Another memorable moment was having the chance to interview Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat. Being able to interview him as well as getting to know him on a more personal level is an experience he says he will not soon forget.

My experience and time with Mr. Jervay has given me insight into what it takes to be a writer. My interest in sports is not that of a writer, but that of someone who thinks outside the box and is able to bring that creativity to a franchise. Thinking like a fan and not just business is what drew me to Mr. Jervay’s work. What is taught in this course is the basic outline of the sports industry, from the athletes to the venues they play in. I have learned that holding a degree in a sports related field will not always land you a job. Having the drive and passion, the ability to think not just one step ahead, but even two or three will make a person a great candidate for any job. Following Mr. Jervay’s advice in terms of writing, if you want to become a writer, do not be afraid to let others view your work and accept the criticism. Not everyone will like your style of writing, but if it is something that you love, keep up with it.

Biggest Sport Story This Decade

One of the top sports stories of this past decade I believe everyone should know, unless you have been living under a rock. This big news story that I am talking about has to do with a certain “royalty” and his decision to leave his kingdom for another.

Lebron James born December 30, 1984 is a native of Akron, Ohio. James attended St. Vincent –St. Mary High School where he was receiving national media attention while only in the 10th grade. At the age of 18 he was selected as the number one pick in the NBA 2003 Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was named NBA’s Rookie of the year in 2003-2004, NBA MVP in 2008-2009 and in 2009-1010, and has been both All-NBA and All-Star selection every season since 2005.

King James lead the Cavaliers to consecutive playoff appearances from 2006-2010 but have yet to win a championship. After years of great game play and constant fan loyalty in the 2009-2010 season was the start of strain for James. During the playoffs James was criticized for not playing well in Game 5 where he shot only 3 for 14 and scored only 15 points. He walked off the court for the last time as a Cleveland Cavalier to hisses and boos, even then the fan had no idea what was in store for them.

On July 1, 2010 Lebron James became a free agent. Being a free agent means a player whose contract with a team has expired and then becomes eligible to sign with another franchise. With that news many different teams approached James including the Knicks, Nets, Heat, Bulls, Mavericks, Clippers and the Cavaliers. His decision was kept under wraps during much speculation as to which team he would choose. Press coverage was all a flutter wondering what team he would go to and how it would effect said franchise.

On July 8, 2010 James took park in a television special “The Decision” to announce his move to the Miami Heat. While to some the move was something good, others found it to be a major slap in the face to the game and to his hometown of Ohio. The media ate up every moment of his choice and actions from that point on, some calling his elaborate dealings to be ego driven and unnecessary. Dan Gilbert the Cavaliers owners wrote an open letter to the fans of Cleveland where he was not afraid to show his true feelings toward their fallen King. NBA legend Sir Charles Barkley called James a “punk” for leaving the Cavs by way of national broadcast, and many more critics agree.

My take on the whole situation is this; Lebron can do whatever he pleases. He became a free agent and made a choice. The way he went about it I don’t necessarily approve but a choice is a choice. Granted his actions have cost him some fans and creditability but that does not mean he isn’t a great player. The whole media surrounding his choice escalated to a point where fans were either on the for Lebron or “die” Lebron team. The impact of this in the NBA franchise is a good thing in my opinion. It brought direct attention to the NBA and will certainly boost sales for Miami Heat tickets. This move has named the Heat the next “Dream Team” after the fearsome players of Chicago Bulls. Now being compared to Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen; Lebron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh will either have to put up or shut up.

 For more Biggest Sports Stories of the Decade check out the video below




For other news articles and my references check out:
Cleveland.com
ESPN NBA
Bloomberg BusinessWeek