For the last few decades, ESPN has been the unquestioned “Worldwide Leader in Sports.” What started as a Connecticut based, Connecticut focused, 24-hour sports network has now become more than ten popular channels across the world (including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN News, ESPN Classic, and ESPN Deportes) and a highly-trafficked website (ESPN.com) devoted to delivering the latest sports news all day, every day. ESPN also boasts a very popular, bi-weekly magazine.
In the short term (10-15 years), ESPN will continue to dominate for three simple reasons.
1. Distribution. ESPN’s reach is massive, on and offline. As mentioned, they have more than ten sports networks across the world, as well as ESPN.com (nearly 5 million unique visitors in the month of January), and a big-time magazine. ESPN has also delved into the world of social media, with more than a half million combined Facebook fans and Twitter followers. It’s hard to beat that kind of power.
Sam is a Creative Strategist for VaynerMedia, a social media agency based in New York City. Sam previously worked as an Account Executive for the New York Jets as well as the New Jersey Nets and spent time working with former NBA player Jalen Rose as well as NFL safety Kerry Rhodes. He now focuses on creative strategy across VaynerMedia's portfolio. You can follow Sam at http://twitter.com/gosam & visit VaynerMedia at http://www.vaynermedia.com.
Gregg Marc Miller interviews director Ron Shelton, a legendary film maker of classic sports films such as Bull Durham, White Men Can’t Jump, and Tin Cup. Set in the comfortable surroundings of Santa Monica California, Gregg gets up close and personal with Ron about his time as a minor league baseball player and discuss Tiger Woods days as star become scandal broke. Ron brings an interesting perspective and scope to our view of Tiger’s disposition prior to his controversial episode.
Gregg Marc Miller is the creator and host of the new blog and sports web show Who’s Huge in Sports? Gregg sits down with major players in sports, and related entertainment, in a relaxed environment discovering who they think is huge. Gregg cultivated his on camera skills as a performing artist in New York and Los Angeles. Through work in commercials, television and film he established relationships with various influential people in the Media Industry. He honed his technical skills working for years in video production, and sound engineering. Gregg can be reached through his website www.whoshugeinsports.com and by Twitter @whoshugesports or email. [email protected]
In reading Gail Sideman’s recent article about March Madness being the NCAA‘s best PR campagin, I began to think of the other PR benefits provided by this tournament. I grew accustomed to watching the Iowa Hawkeyes. Guys like Ricky Davis, Acie Earl, Reggie Evans, Russ Millard and BJ Armstrong (who I met again as he represented Derrick Rose and accompanied him to throw out the first pitch at a White Sox game the next day after being selected #1). Later I began playing football for the Panthers of Northern Iowa, it was guys like Matt Schniederman, Ben Jacobsen (the player) and returning alum coach Greg McDermott that brought the rise of Panther basketball. Ben Jacobsen brought it again to new heights.
Tyler Johnson is an innovative thinker inspired by the likes of Bill Veeck, Jon Spoelstra, Pat Williams & Brooks Boyer. Currently working for Kroenke Sports & Entertainment as a Group Sales Account Executive for the Denver Nuggets. Prior he worked as the New Business Development Executive with the Chicago White Sox. Tyler has also worked directly with the inventor and creator of Arena football and also for Mike Ditka’s former Chicago AFL franchise. As a former collegiate athlete and business sensed individual Tyler ventured to combine his passions to get into the business side of sports.
Do any of these teams sound familiar? War Angels, Fighting Fillies, Sting, Shreveport Aftershock, Carolina Queens, Connecticut Crushers, Tampa Bay Pirates, or Bay Area Bandits?
If you follow sports of all kinds, you’ll realize these team names belong to women’s pro football teams. Yes, Virginia, they exist. Female athletes in every sport have struggled to gain recognition from the media and the public. Today, women are stepping up their game in the pro football world and gaining huge strides, one yard at a time.
Michelle Hill, the Strong Copy Quarterback for Winning Proof, is a sports and fitness copywriter. My mission is to help pro athletes, coaches, and sports agents increase their success score in their entrepreneurial endeavors with my writing expertise and creative turn of mind.I write website content, client letters, media pitch letters, sponsorship proposals, and brochures for sports-related companies. www.winningproof.com
It’s official. Tiger Woods announced on his website that he will begin his comeback from the personal mega-bogey that derailed his professional career for four months.
Ben Roethlisberger is still fighting a sexual assault charge, his second such fumble in three years.
These are just some of the dozens of professional sports figures whose off-the-field actions have affected theirs and their organizations’ reputations.
Despite the proliferation of portable recording devices and media’s unprecedented coverage, athletes and coaches who enter the public limelight because of their talents, continue to endure public humiliation because of their own poor personal decisions. It’s for that reason I want to reach out via SportsNetworker with a PR primer. It could even be looked upon as an image savior.
Twenty years of public relations experience, including 10 in NCAA Division I sports information during which she received national awards for her work, have helped Gail Sideman emerge as a nationally-respected publicity professional in sports, social media and publishing. She is also a veteran support staffer of sports television crews for events that include the NFL, NBA, MLB, NCAA regular and postseason and others. You may learn more information about Sideman's business at www.publiside.com or follow her at www.twitter.com/PUBLISIDE and www.facebook.com/gail.sideman.
Q: Can Minor League Teams Build Social Media Followings?
Recently, Sports Networker reader Todd E. Jones wrote in with a great question. He asked, “Do you think it is possible to use social media to build or grow a fan base for a minor league sports team? A few hundred or even a couple thousand fans on Facebook is good, but if a team needs several thousands, is it possible?” Todd brings up a good point. We talk a lot about how established sports organizations (leagues and teams) and players, with large and passionate fan bases, can utilize and capitalize on social media. But what about teams and players in the minor leagues?
Current Success in Minor League Baseball
According to an article by Josh Leventhal on BaseballAmerica.com, “social media have become the perfomance-enhancers of teams’ marketing campaigns, except instead of being frowned upon, social networking is becoming accepted as the best and fastest way to get a message to your fans.” Leventhal continues, “Direct mailing campaigns are being replaced by Facebook and Twitter pages, where fans can actually interact with the team. Streaming video gives fans more access than a basic Website or message board ever did.”
Sam is a Creative Strategist for VaynerMedia, a social media agency based in New York City. Sam previously worked as an Account Executive for the New York Jets as well as the New Jersey Nets and spent time working with former NBA player Jalen Rose as well as NFL safety Kerry Rhodes. He now focuses on creative strategy across VaynerMedia's portfolio. You can follow Sam at http://twitter.com/gosam & visit VaynerMedia at http://www.vaynermedia.com.
Tonight’s New York Rangers vs New York Islanders matchup at Madison Square Garden will be unlike any other in the long-standing rivalry. While the “Potvin sucks” chants, a look back in time, will be prevalent for the Isles visit, the theater at Madison Square Garden will hold a special eye into the first ever 3D NHL hockey broadcast. The game will be shown live at the theater and broadcast on MSG Network.
The telecast will be the first live live 3D sports event delivered to the home. While the 3D viewing experience is the NHL’s first foray into the extra-dimension, it hints what is to come as 3D sports is on course to be the hottest new trend in game viewing. This 3D game nips at the heels of ESPN ‘s January announcement about the launch of a new 3D channel to be released in June, which has a minimum of 85 3D events planned.
While definitely straight-up cool, especially for a sport like hockey filled with hits, flying pucks and dropping gloves, there are some new challenges that surface.
Stephanie is an editor and project manager with Vaynermedia, working with the NHL to explore ways the league can use social media to engage fans and grow excitement around the game. She also hits the sports circuit as a freelance reporter for ESPN the Magazine, where she has been lucky enough to write since 2007. Her Flip cam is her favorite accessory. When not on Twitter and/or otherwise socially engaging, Stephanie enjoys snowboarding, cooking Italian food, the sport of hockey and taking years off her life watching her favorite teams, which include, but are not limited to, the New York Jets and the New York Mets.
As some of you may know I’m a huge basketball fan and I live in the UK. A few years ago this meant following the NBA could be difficult at times. It often resulted in struggling to stay awake at work or school after staying up until 4 a.m. the previous night to watch a game.
The explosion of social media has made it so much easier to keep up with what’s going on not just in the NBA but across the world of sports. It has also given fans unparalleled access to their favorite teams and athletes. Personally, I feel there has never been a better time to be a sports fan. Here are some of my best reasons why:
Behind the scenes access: At no time in the past have fans had such insight into what goes on behind the scenes. This was really highlighted at the recent NBA All-Star weekend where many players were sharing behind the scenes videos and images on their Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Ash is the co-founder of FundSport.com a grassroots sports community providing sports clubs and athletes from around the world with professional, easy-to-understand advice and articles on all aspects of grassroots sport including sponsorship, fundraising, the Internet, social media, club management, PR and marketing. As well as being passionate about the development of grassroots sport Ash also has a keen involvement in the sports social media industry. You can follow Ash on Twitter at @ashread14
Lately, sports news has been resurrecting the age-old question of whether or not college athletes should be paid. Many wonder if paying college athletes would forever change the nature of the game. A lot of fans say they’d rather watch college sports; somehow they think it’s devoid of politics and the almighty dollar so prevalent in the NFL. Others wonder why college athletes haven’t been paid thus far since their bodies are on the line in each and every game.
Let’s look at three top points to make the case for paying college athletes.
Point #1 Just because a college kid gets a scholarship that includes a meal plan and housing doesn’t mean he has access to unlimited funds, or any funds at all for that matter; to order pizza on the weekend, buy some new socks or jeans, or even go home during breaks. A small wage would help college athletes have a balanced life apart from their athletic activities.
Michelle Hill, the Strong Copy Quarterback for Winning Proof, is a sports and fitness copywriter. My mission is to help pro athletes, coaches, and sports agents increase their success score in their entrepreneurial endeavors with my writing expertise and creative turn of mind.I write website content, client letters, media pitch letters, sponsorship proposals, and brochures for sports-related companies. www.winningproof.com
Every account executive in sports sales would be rich if they had a nickel for every time they’ve heard “It’s Not In The Budget” this year. It’s the all-purpose excuse for the new normal. After all, it’s an easy out for the prospect; how can any rep argue with a budget that they can’t see?
As a group of sales professionals, our success against a stingy budget boils down to two things:
A rock-solid understanding of the value of our product to our clients, and;
An iron will to continue to sell through their initial resistance.
Most everyone that has the power to write a check is nervous about the pressure they’re getting from all sides. Spending money in the “wrong” way has been the kiss of death for many executives, and no one wants to be the next victim.
Bill Guertin is CEO (Chief Enthusiasm Officer) of The 800-Pound Gorilla, a dynamic sales training and consulting company whose list of blue-chip clients includes the ticket sales departments of dozens of teams from the NBA, NFL, NHL, Major League Baseball, and Major League Soccer. He is the author of the Gold Medal-award-winning book Reality Sells, and The 800-Pound Gorilla of Sales: How to Dominate Your Market. Subscribe to his Sports Ticket Sales Newsletter at www.The800PoundGorilla.com, or follow Bill on Twitter at www.twitter.com/800poundgorilla.
For the last few decades, ESPN has been the unquestioned “Worldwide Leader in Sports.” What started as a Connecticut based, Connecticut focused, 24-hour sports network has now become more than ten popular channels across the world (including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN News, ESPN Classic, and ESPN Deportes) and a highly-trafficked website (ESPN.com) devoted to delivering the latest sports news all day, every day. ESPN also boasts a very popular, bi-weekly magazine.
As some of you may know I’m a huge basketball fan and I live in the UK. A few years ago this meant following the 
Lately, sports news has been resurrecting the 
Every account executive in 
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