The Sportsbiz Weekly Buzz is a collection of articles curated by Sports Networker’s Online Marketing Coordinator – Steve Richards
Sports Business
Bankruptcy is ‘Wreckage’ From Years Of Drinking By Steinberg, The Real-life Jerry Maguire
“Leigh Steinberg calls them ‘checkout days,’ when he would drink vodka from morning until night, often straight from the bottle. Divorced and living alone for the first time, he’d drink while sitting on his balcony overlooking Newport Bay or while in bed, sometimes half-conscious.”
Snider Honored By Sports Business Journal
“Comcast-Spectacor Chairman Ed Snider was today named to the Class of 2012 of Champions: Pioneers & Innovators in Sports Business, an award from the Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal recognizing the architects and builders of sports.”
Sports Networking
Why Optimism is A Brand’s Best Friend
“How you choose to share about your challenge and difficulty defines your brand communication style. When you focus on the process you are going through and solutions, it has a better purpose and appeal. Several of my friends have dealt with health and career issues this year that they had no control over. Their poise, dignity and fear helped me and gave me tremendous respect for what they were going through and how they communicated it. They maintained a realistic, honest optimism about it all each and every day that I so appreciated.”
90% Of Us Should Come Out Of Our Shell
“Of a group of 8, you’ll have one or two loud people who dominate the conversation while the rest don’t talk nearly as much. The give-and-take among the entire group could be better but there’s too much of a constant stream of interaction between those select few. So the rest of the group shuts up and probably can’t wait to move away from the circle to get away from these constant talkers, if not leave the party altogether.”
Sports Marketing
Runner Sells Shoulder Ad Space For $11K
“Olympic athlete Nick Symmonds is the number one 800-meter runner in the country—and 6th in the world—but he had something else up his sleeve; he offered ad space on his shoulder to the highest bidder.”
Bwin Ordered To Halt Portugese Sports Advertising
“In Portugal, many local sports clubs and associations, as well as tournaments, have sponsorship deals with online gambling firms, as in some cases it’s the only way for them to generate the revenues they need to fund their activities. Bwin’s sponsorship deal of the Portuguese League Cup is worth a sizable €4 million, which means the tournament could potentially be in jeopardy if its main source funding was suddenly interrupted.”
Sports Sponsorship
McDonalds Commits to IOC Until 2020
“As expected, McDonald’s has extended its global sponsorship agreement with the International Olympic Committee until 2020. No precise financial details were immediately available but the deal will certainly be worth hundreds of millions of dollars.”
Duracell Powermat To Help Power New-look MSG
“As well as in-arena signage and digital exposure, the partnership will see Duracell Powermat wireless charging systems placed throughout the famous MSG, which is currently undergoing a major multi-million dollar transformation.”
Sports Ticket Sales
FCC May End Sports Blackout Rule
“The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Thursday issued a formal request for public comment on a proposal to end its sports blackout rule. The rule, first adopted in 1975, prohibits cable and satellite providers from carrying a sports event if the game is blacked out on local broadcast television stations.”
Selig Confident the Dodgers Will Be Sold By April 30
“Terms of the settlement between MLB and team owner Frank McCourt filed last month stated that McCourt must sell the Dodgers and the stadium within that time frame. ‘I’m confident it will be completed by then,’ Selig told reporters at a fundraiser hosted by Beverly Hills businessman Dennis Gilbert, who is among the potential bidders for the Dodgers.”
Sports Social Media
Christian Laettner and YouTube Sports Therapy
“Among the many joyous distractions provided by YouTube, which John Seabrook writes about this week in the magazine, is its rich back catalog of sports footage. The site has done much to change the way that sports fans interact with the past; our happiest vicarious moments no longer live fuzzily in the mind, or in the yarns spun by old-timers about the greatness of some leather-helmeted football player from the thirties. Nor does anyone need to dig through collections of dusty VHS tapes to find a few lost gems. Instead, our favorite plays can be called up on demand, to great time-wasting and spirit-lifting effect.”
Social Media Contracts The New Frontier For Sponsors
“THE RAPID growth of social media means it is now possible for millions of people across the globe to communicate directly and instantaneously with their heroes. This has created new opportunities in sponsorship.”
Sports Media
NFL’s Most Indespesable Broadcasting Talents
“This is not a list of the best or most talented announcers or production people, but which people each network could least afford to lose and why. We each drafted a Top 10 list without consulting each other and our results are below. (Last week when I posed this question on Twitter, Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Mike Mayock received the most votes.) Feel free to disagree with our lists, as I know you will.”
Kevin Johnson, David Robinson, Doris Burke Among NCAA Silver Anniversary Award Winners
“[Kevin] Johnson, who played at the University of California and starred in the NBA for the Phoenix Suns, was rewarded Friday for his on- and off-the-court exploits as a Silver Anniversary award winner. The award recognizes distinguished individuals on the 25th anniversary of the conclusion of their collegiate athletics careers. Other Silver Anniversary honorees were Sean Payton, David Robinson, Tim Brown, Doris Burke and Amy Perko.”
Sports Technology
Quicken Loans Arena Becomes First Sports Venue to Introduce “Wireless Touchscreen Concierge” Using SmartTouch Technology
“With just a touch of a fingertip, Quicken Loans Arena (“The Q”) suite holders are entering a new dimension of service excellence. In partnership with ARAMARK, the arena’s exclusive food and beverage provider, The Q is introducing SmartTouchtechnology using Apple’s iPad into its 92 luxury suites to deliver guests a richer hospitality experience utilizing 100 percent wireless touch screens. Convenience has never been so cool.”
PS3 Gets Some College Sports Apps
“It’s only been about 30 hours since we saw an all-Southeastern Conference national championship game, but the SEC isn’t content with just owning the college football world; they also want your game console.”
Sports Jobs
Win “The Ultimate Sports Social Media Job” With Xfinity
“Comcast’s Xfinity Service is launching a contest to hire an individual who will serve as the new voice of Xfinity in the sports social media space and go behind-the-scenes at some of the biggest nationwide sporting events in 2012, sharing exclusive insights and updates with fans.”
Sports Broadcaster Finds Online Audience
“Jon Wekkin is a sports broadcaster whose play-by-play accounts of Twin Cities high school and college sports aren’t carried on any TV channel, cable network or radio station. Instead, Wekkin and a team of professional announcers broadcast games at www.mnsportsnetwork.com where the menu includes live and archived hockey, football and basketball games, plus a smattering of wrestling and volleyball. Hundreds of viewers watch for free on nights when the website broadcasts multiple games simultaneously, most produced by a company crew on site.”
Sports Events
Brooklyn Awaits Nets, But Their Destination As A Team Is Unclear
“The question of where the Nets are headed as an organization and as a basketball team leads only to a host of potential destinations that range from exhilaration to dread, with an occasional detour into comic relief. Technically, and temporarily, the Nets are in Newark, on their way to a new home next season in downtown Brooklyn. By all other practical means of appraisal, their dateline should be limbo.”
Nadal Unmasks Rift With Federer
A good preview to the Australian Open built around the recent news of tennis’ two most recognizable figures being at odds.
Is there anything we missed this week in the world of sports business? Let us know your thoughts about the Sportsbiz Weekly Buzz in the comments below and please feel free to share this article with your friends on Facebook and Twitter!
