September 2011

3 Ways to Attack Your Sports Career

by Chris McKinney|September 20th, 2011

When you begin to develop your strategy for breaking into sports, there are three good ways to attack it. However, the most effective way — one that leads to landing your first job in sports — is to combine all three into one unified plan.

Below I’ve outlined each angle of attack.

1. Your Sport

Your passion for sports is key. But not just any sport, “Your Sport,” the one you love the most will be the driving force. Focusing on a particular sport gives you a solid starting point with your career plan.

Let’s say your sport is football. Your objective is to identify all the employers in the Football Business Universe™ (FBU). It’s OK to include the Dallas Cowboys, or whatever your favorite team is, but you’ve got to be able see past your team because that’s where the most opportunities are. Let your love of football drive you, not your favorite team.

The key to uncovering employers in the FBU is to look at all the companies connected to football: ESPN, ABC Sports, local affiliates, etc. (Sports Media). Adidas, Nike, Under Armour, etc. (Sports Apparel). Octagon, Genesco Sports, The Marketing Arm, etc. (Sports Marketing Agencies). TwinLab, Dymatize, etc. (Sports Nutrition). Coca-Cola, AT&T, Ford, etc. (Sports Sponsors).

These examples barely scratch the surface. There are thousands of employers connected to football. [click to continue…]

About Chris McKinney

Chris McKinney is the president of SPORTS LAUNCH™, a career services firm dedicated to helping college students and career-changers launch sports careers. Chris' new book, How to Land Your First Job in Sports: 7 Simple Steps can be found on www.SportsLaunch.net.

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Tips for Designing Tablet-Commerce Websites

by Dmitriy Gamarnik|September 15th, 2011

According to a report released by Forrester, 20 percent of mobile ecommerce sales are coming from tablet users and 60 percent of those who do own tablets use them to shop online.

As the tablet market continues to take a big bite out of the PC space, businesses are retooling efforts to develop websites designed for the tablet-and it’s not just ipads.

However, there are a few things you should know before jumping on the bandwagon. [click to continue…]

About Dmitriy Gamarnik

www.bluefountainmedia.com Dmitriy Gamarnik is a marketing analyst for Blue Fountain Media. He is passionate about two things – sports and marketing. Sports have been a big part of Dmitriy’s life since he learned to crawl. When he isn’t keeping up with the industry and providing top notch analysis in New York City, he works on his golf swing and coaches basketball in his home town of Plainsboro, NJ.

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Build Partnerships, Not An Advertising Network

by Joseph Yi|September 14th, 2011

With the ever growing need for ROI validation when it comes to digital marketing efforts, sports teams need to remember that when trying to derive measurable results, that ones brand shouldn’t be pawned off to potential sponsors to make a profit. Rather, teams should focus on building a comprehensive strategy that will allow them to build long-term, sustainable partnerships with sponsors rather than turn themselves into an advertising network.

After speaking with several sports professionals recently, it’s apparent that there are two parts to this equation. The first part of the equation are sports teams.

The Sports Team

By now, most, if not all sports have dedicated resources toward opportunities in the digital space. While digital opportunities initially started out as advertising space on portions of a teams website, the shift is moving toward exploring new ways to maximize team created digital content. The opportunity for a sponsor to buy ad space on a teams site still exists, but with poor ROI and ad revenue sometimes shared with the league, teams are adapting to the behaviors of the digital fan. [click to continue…]

About Joseph Yi

Joseph is the Social Media & Marketing Solutions Manger at GAGA Sports & Entertainment where he works with professional sports teams, including the Lakers, Clippers, and San Francisco 49ers, where he develops engaging content as well as social media and digital strategies to help teams better understand and engage their fans. Read more from Joseph and follow him on Twitter.

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Tia Norfleet, Driving Toward Nascar Debut

by Michelle Hill|September 11th, 2011

When you think of racecar drivers, what comes to mind? Men, mostly. And then along comes a female…but not just any female. Tia Norfleet is the first and only African-American female racecar driver to be licensed with NASCAR. That sets her apart as does her stunning beauty and racy figure which brings racecar driving apparel to higher ground.

Tia tells the world, “I’m all about empowerment and, at the same time, I want to grow into the woman that I want to be.” Tia not only embraces that philosophy on and off the track, she passionately communicates her message to young girls across the country. Tia was kind enough to answer some probing questions I posed to her recently.

Michelle: Since NASCAR is a virgin market for people of color, what is your overall plan to break the barrier and blaze a trail for others?

Tia: My plan is to do my best, be myself, and hope that someone somewhere is inspired by what I am doing. It is true that NASCAR is a virgin market for people of color. My goal is to educate and inspire people of color through this platform that I have been given. There are many jobs within motorsports. One could be an engineer, race car driver or marketing professional – whatever it is; there are plenty of opportunities within this sport. [click to continue…]

About Michelle Hill

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

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The Best And Worst Names In NFL History

by Trevor Turnbull|September 9th, 2011

There have definitely been some interesting and memorable names throughout the history of the NFL and football in general. Some of these players were seemingly destined to play football with names like “Boss Bailey” and “Blue Cooper”. Others inherited nicknames over time like William “Refrigerator” Perry and Floyd “Pork Chop” Womack.

The NFL Name Game Infographic

As all good stats are best explained in an infographic….here are some of the best, worst and most seemingly inappropriate names in football. This is a great list, but there are many more funny NFL Player names that are not listed on this infographic. How about “Atari Bigby” or “Guy Whimper“?

What do you think? What are some of your favorite names in NFL history?

By WhitePages.com

About Trevor Turnbull

Trevor Turnbull is the COO of Sports Networker & the Sports Executives Association .

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The Greatest Show on Turf – The Rugby World Cup

by Chris Conway|September 8th, 2011

The biggest sporting event on the planet this year – the Rugby World Cup (RWC) – starts later this week.

The RWC is now big business and is the third largest sporting tournament in the world (after the Olympic Games and the FIFA Soccer World Cup).

As many of our readers are based in countries where rugby is not a mainstream sport, sportsnetworker is pleased to provide an overview of the tournament to whet your appetite.

History

The RWC is now in its seventh edition. The sport, according to legend, was begun by William Webb Ellis at a public school in Rugby, England in 1823, but didn’t stage its first World Cup until 1987. That World Cup was co-hosted byAustralia and New Zealand. In 1987, rugby was still an amateur sport (although clandestine payments to players were rumored) and the Cup had a relatively difficult start. Sponsors were still being lined up just days before the opening kick-off and administrators even overlooked finding a trophy. The (now iconic) golden Webb Ellis Trophy had to be purchased from the shelf of a London jeweler at the last minute.

Sixteen nations were invited in 1987. The standard of play was mostly impressive. In front of a crowd of 48,350 at Auckland’s iconic Eden Park and a television audience of just over 300 million people, the New Zealand All Blacks won the inaugural tournament, defeating France29-9 in the Final.

The 1987 tournament was attended by 600,000 fans in total.

The first tournament changed the face of rugby. Twenty-four years later the game is much improved, faster and professional. Today the Rugby World Cup is a far bigger product.

Previous Winners

Only 4 nations have ever lifted the Webb Ellis Trophy:

1987 New Zealand
1991 Australia
1995 South Africa
1999 Australia
2003 England
2007 South Africa

The favorites for this year’s Cup are again the same 4 nations. New Zealand, number 1 in the world rankings, is expected by many to repeat their 1987 triumph on home soil. [click to continue…]

About Chris Conway

Chris is a strategic programs analyst at the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) focusing on, amongst other things, sponsorship research, analytics and acquisition. He holds a MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Business (AGSM). Chris took part in the school’s exchange program by completing a semester at Stern business school, NYU where he studied sports marketing and sports economics. Connect with him on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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Who Will Be The Next Sports Networker Intern?

by Trevor Turnbull|September 7th, 2011

Are you motivated, entrepreneurial, and looking for valuable experience to help you land your dream job in the Sports Industry? Looking to combine your knowledge of and interest in sports with your Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and WordPress skills?

If you answered YES to these questions…..then the Sports Networker Internship could be for you!

About Sports Networker

SportsNetworker is one of the top sites for professionals in the sports industry as well as those interested in starting a career in sports. The site reaches our network of roughly 50,000 sports executives and professional athletes and continues to grow everyday. We cover topics including Social Media and Sports, Sports Marketing, Sports Public Relations, Sports Sponsorships and Endorsements, Sports Agent topics, Ticket Sales and Venues, Professional Athlete Digital Branding and more.

Who Are We Looking For?

Sports Networker is looking for a passionate SPORTS MARKETING INTERN with online marketing experience, strong social and writing skills. We need someone knowledgeable of social platforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube and demonstrated experience working with WordPress websites. THIS IS A PAID INTERNSHIP that requires a passion for the sports industry, tireless hustle, attention to details and the ability to meet all deadlines.

Key attributes and skills for desired applicant:

Willingness to join an exciting team with ambitions for growth in our company
Willingness to learn quickly and to be trained on in-demand skills
Tenacious enthusiasm for sports, online marketing, social media and supporting team members
Creative writing skills, a proven passion for blogging and demonstrated experience with WordPress
Proven experience in creating engaging content, online networking and relationship building
Experience with Document Building: Word Processors, Spreadsheets, Databases etc.
Graphic Design skills considered an asset but not required
Your own computer with high-speed internet access

What Are We Looking For?

The SPORTS MARKETING INTERN will contribute to the branding, promotion, and implementation of an online marketing strategy for SportsNetworker.com. As a member of our marketing team, you will have a passion for technology, social media and sports.

The SPORTS MARKETING INTERN role includes but is not limited to the following:

Assist in the development of a cutting edge online marketing strategy
Monitoring conversations online around the Sports Networker brand and associated keywords
Management of content calendar, editing and publishing activities on WordPress
Content syndication and link building activities – Blog and forum comments
Development of targeted, keyword rich content to be used on social media platforms
Management of Facebook Fan Pages, Twitter accounts, YouTube channels and other emerging media platforms
Implementation and management of online contests and rewards programs that encourage sharing and engagement
Building and nurturing of relationships with potential sponsors, affiliates, advocates and online influencers
Weekly reporting on valuable metrics and actionable insights for fan engagement and website growth

As a SPORTS MARKETING INTERN, the majority of your time will be spent working remotely and collaborating with Sports Networker management using multiple online communication tools including Skype, Basecamp, Google Docs, Hootsuite, WordPress (Edit Flow Plugin), etc.

What’s In It For You?

THIS IS A PAID INTERNSHIP with a minimum required commitment of 25-30 hours per week. The duration of the internship with be for 3 months at which time we will review your progress and discuss future opportunities with Sports Networker. Compensation will be discussed with short-listed candidates.

Wondering about the benefits of working with Sports Networker? Point blank – it is rare opportunity and unparalleled experience. This opportunity with Sports Networker is a fully involved, learning by doing experience. You will be asked to take on critical tasks that directly contribute to the growth and success of Sports Networker.

And, of course, if you are passionate about sports and dream about working in the sports industry……this opportunity will give you the experience and networking opportunities required to help launch your career in the sports industry.

Application Process

If you are up for the challenge, we encourage you to apply for the SPORTS MARKETING INTERNSHIP role by completing the application form below. Applications will be reviewed by Sports Networker management and selected candidates will be asked to schedule a Skype interview.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: September 16, 2011

Thank you to everyone that applied for this position. We will be in touch with the shortlisted candidates soon!

About Trevor Turnbull

Trevor Turnbull is the COO of Sports Networker & the Sports Executives Association .

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Athlete Interview: How to Eat Properly, Maximize, & Recover on the Road

by Claire Kelly|September 4th, 2011

Most professional athletes travel frequently and spend large amounts of time in transit. Yet when you are in transit, it can be extremely difficult eating well and it also makes it more of a challenge looking after your body as you can’t always access a gym or fit in your cardio.

This week I decided to have a chat with Neil Fowler, Head of Sport and Exercise Science/Plyometrics at Manchester Metropolitan University in Crewe, to get some tips on what athletes should take with them when they are heading overseas to compete, and how they can best maximize their time.

CK: One thing I have found when I am away is I can’t get a lot of the food I normally would. What types of foods should athletes be taking with them when heading off for competitions?

Neil: So when you are travelling a lot your energy really gets out of whack. It is key to peak performance to stay properly hydrated, have proper energy balance, and make sure your body is in a state to play elite competition. The main items you want to take with you in your packed luggage are energy-dense foods: Energy bars, nutritional products, fluid replenishment items and adequate supplies of protein (i.e. tins of tuna).You can take all of these items with you as long as they are sealed, and it will save you time and money once you get to your destination.

CK: I know myself I spend a lot of time sitting in airports and on buses, etc. What are your top tips to maximize dead time and what kind of (small) items are best to pack?

Neil: There isn’t really too much you can do when you are in a seated position. My advice would be to utilize the time by going over the mental aspects of your game. You can analyze your performance, go over videos of your competition and stretch or exercise when you get a chance. Then when you get to your destination you will feel physically and mentally more prepared.

In my opinion the humble towel is one of the best items to take with you. You should never go anywhere without your towel! One of the smaller ones that you can roll up and then use to help with stretching your hamstrings, using it under your muscles (ie. your ITB). You can use it similar to a theraband if you don’t have one of those. A small sports towel is so versatile and doesn’t take up much room at all. I would recommend putting it in your hand luggage.

CK: Game recovery stuck in a hotel room?

Neil: All you really need for recovery to get rid of lactic acid is to create an ice bath if possible, and access to hot water. If you can’t access ice, you can still use the hot and cold taps and simply alternate. (i.e. one minute hot, one minute cold – do this at least three times). You can use your sports towel to stretch.

CK: Any other tips?

Neil: Tennis balls and squash balls are great for rolling, combined with your towel. Take lots of energy dense foods. You have to keep those energy levels high for when you land, that is crucial. And make sure you stay hydrated.

About Claire Kelly

Claire Kelly is a freelance writer, communications consultant and Australian beach volleyball player based on the Gold Coast, Australia. Experienced in social media marketing, conducting interviews, ghostwriting, editing, generating publicity and photography, Claire is passionate about about helping athletes and businesses grow through the power of the media and the internet. Follow Claire on Twitter @clairelkelly

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September 2011