This week Matt Crevin of Voice of the Box interviews the player participation crew. Each team within the NFL has a crew like this at work to document every play. They determine which players are in each and every play from scrimmage. Learn about this behind the scenes role with a heavy emphasis on sports photography.
As we turn the page and look ahead to 2010, let us address a topic most marketers have a strong opinion on: ambush. Whether you believe ambush marketing of official events is creative and cost-efficient or an unethical and illegal mortal marketing sin, the fact is 2010 will see more of it than many marketers care to envision. Global events such as the Olympics and World Cup will fuel the fire, as they have in the past, but this time the battleground may be waged on a relatively new frontier: social media.
Sure, some will attempt to solve ambush with legal claims such as trademark infringement and unfair competition. Last week Major League Soccer filed a lawsuit against Black and Decker for their Dewalt promotion around exhibition matches (competitor, Makita, is the official sponsor of MLS). However, ambush marketers – and their legal teams – will likely find new ways to skirt IP issues with the Olympics, especially in an environment without precedent like social media. When you’re spending 100 million for an official deal, both property and sponsor should probably be proactively identifying ways to mitigate ambush rather than (or at least as well as) relying on reactive legal remedies. Consider this, Coke spent an estimated $70 million to be one of the top 12 Olympic sponsors — and $5 million to $15 million more on the torch relay, but according to at least one study, up to 60% of consumers believed Pepsi was the official sponsor in Beijing. Scary stuff for CMO’s and properties.
Just when you thought you could put the finishing touches on your year-end list of best/worst stories, University of Florida football coach, Urban Meyer, added yet another chapter to 2009’s book of sports public relations case studies.
On Saturday, all modes of media went into overdrive when the 45-year-old two-time national champion coach announced he would step down after the Gators met the Cincinnati Bearcats in the Allstate Sugar Bowl, January 1, in New Orleans. He cited health challenges and priority of family over football in his decision.
TV Revs: ’09 Down 22%, Rise Predicted in ’10
Jason Peck recently asked 16 sports industry thought leaders (a few of us who write here among them) to share their thoughts and predictions for sports and social media in 2010. The result was an awesome ebook full of some solid insights.
In this post I’d like to build off the foundation Jason (and the others) created and identify the top 10 trends to anticipate in 2010. My methodology was relatively simple. I read through the ebook a couple of times and took diligent notes on the reoccurring themes that emerged among the contributors’ predictions.
Here are the results:
1.) Transition to Social from Traditional – This is trend is happening everywhere, not just in sports. We’ll continue to see companies pull dollars out of traditional media and invest in growing their communities, engaging their fans, and providing unique experiences. This was never more evident than when Pepsi announced they were launching the Pepsi Refresh Project instead of buying Super Bowl spots this year.
Matt Crevin of Voice of the Box interviews Mark Allan from NFL Films. Mark is a seasoned professional and takes us through his role as camera operator. He also shares what companies like NFL Films looks for from young up and coming talent looking to break into this unique piece of the sports business.
Am I the only one who finds that the University of Alabama canceling classes January 6-8, thus postponing the start of its spring semester so its students and faculty can attend the BCS National Championship game in Pasadena, Calif., ironic?
I’m all for giving Crimson Tide fans calendar flexibility to travel to see their team take on the University of Texas for the right to call themselves title holders, but from a public relations standpoint, the decision flies right in the face of one of the reasons the Bowl Championship Series hierarchy says a college football playoff is not practical.
Nothing is quite as powerful or as meaningful to a prospect as the benefits of ticket ownership for their children. Talk about the benefits of tickets to them personally, and many will say OK… but talk to them about the benefits related to their children, and suddenly the purchase becomes much more personal and emotional. Parents will often do WAY more for their children than they’ll do for themselves.
What kinds of things can you talk about regarding season tickets that can relate directly to a prospect’s family? Here are a few examples:
72% Of Advertisers See More Digital Spending In 2010
“I kind of felt I dug myself out of the hole and started doing the right things.” -Chris Henry
Early yesterday morning, Cincinnati Bengals’ wide receiver, Chris Henry, passed away after falling out of the bed of a pickup truck. On Wednesday, Henry was involved in a domestic dispute with his fiancée at their home, when she got in a pickup truck and began to drive away. According to police, Henry hopped into the bed of the truck, beating on the back window. About a half-mile from his home, Henry fell out, suffering what turned out to be fatal injuries.
For most people, Henry is best known for his troubles off the field. His problems began in December 2005, when he was pulled over for speeding. During the stop, police found that Henry was driving without a license or valid insurance, and was in possession of marijuana. His problems continued in ’06 (suspended for two games), ’07 (suspended for eight games), and early ’08. At one point in late 2007, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told Henry that any future issues could result in the end of his career in the league.
