Sports marketing has evolved over the last few decades. It used to consist simply of a television commercial, a signboard at a televised event, or maybe a player endorsement with a chosen player wearing a company logo on a shirt. Today, sports marketing is far more innovative and sophisticated. Sponsors want returns for their investment…
How to Market Yourself for a Job in Sports: 3 Keys to a Killer Pitch
There are many types of pitches. Some pitches are for raising money for a new company. Other pitches are designed to pique the interest of a book publisher or a movie producer. The pitch I’m going to help you with is designed to get you in front of the person who has the power…
A TIP SHEET FOR TIP SHEETS
Most everyone loves tip sheets. They’re easy to read, they don’t take more than a few moments to complete, and most often, they’re fun to read. If you’re an athlete embarking on your post-pro career or any other sports-related executive, a tip sheet, or a series of tip sheets, is a great way to establish…
Newspaper Paywalls = Opportunity for Sports Franchises
Photo by James Cridland While the year 2011 has already been designated as “The Year of the Tablet Computer” by many, it may ultimately be looked back upon as the “Year of the Newspaper Paywall.” The few newspapers that have already taken the bold step of putting their content behind paywalls, meaning it is only accessible…
Sales, Likes, And Fights: Five Reasons Why You Need To Take Note Of The UFC
(This is a guest post by Josh Nason) If you’re a sports fan, I’m fairly certainly that you’ve heard the letters “UFC” uttered at some point over the past several years — especially if you watch ESPN. But to understand the world’s biggest mixed martial arts (MMA) organization is to truly appreciate what UFC President…
How Much Should You Spend On Facebook?
In sports marketing, no matter how great an idea is, the question of cost will always come up. The digital space is no exception to this rule. Up to this point, a sports team’s marketing and business development budget in the digital space has for the most part been limited to a team’s main website…
The Fastest Growing Team Sport in the USA
A study conducted in 2010 by America’s Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA) found that rugby (union) is now the third fastest growing sport in the United States, following softball and ice hockey. In a previous study, which used data collected between 2007 and 2009, the SGMA had also revealed that rugby was actually the fastest…
Breaking Into Sports Takes Mental Preparation
“Ninety percent of this game is half mental” – Yogi Berra It’s been said that sports are 80 percent mental and 20 percent physical. But most athletes spend nearly 100 percent of their time refining physical skills, and little to no time working to enhance their mental game.
The Mark Cuban No Excuses Policy for Breaking Into Sports
When Mark Cuban bought the Dallas Mavericks, they went from NBA laughing stock to perennial winners literally overnight. (Check the win-loss record for the year Cuban bought the team. It will blow your mind.) One of the many things Cuban brought to the organization that helped turn it around was a “No Excuses” policy. What…
How Digital Solutions Are Strengthening Grass Roots Sports
You often hear how digital and new media impacts top-level professional sports to generate new revenue streams and reach its growth potential. Over the last few years there has been growth in the monetization of digital media and the likes of the NFL, NBA and MLB are beginning to cash in. Here in Australia, an…
Why Professional Athletes Struggle with Retirement
With all of the hype surrounding around Ian Thorpe’s comeback, you might have missed the latest announcement of another former Australian ‘super-fish’ Michael Klim returning to the Aussie swim team for London. At 33, he is a three-time Olympian who started his own range of skincare products after announcing his retirement in 2007 (when he…
Who Are the All Time Basketball All Stars?
The very first NBA All-Star Game ever was staged in 1951. This year the game will be celebrating its diamond anniversary, which is why the uniforms feature an integrated diamond pattern. Sunday’s game will go straight into the rich history of the NBA. As players and fans are making their way to the Staples Center,…
5 Questions To Ask About Your Sports Organizations’ Digital Team
Today, every sports organization has a digital team that’s in charge of the upkeep and management of the teams digital assets. From the articles that go up on the website daily, to the Tweets and Facebook updates that are shared with fans, a teams digital presence has grown from just banner ads and email blasts…
What Sports Franchises Can Learn From Howard Stern
On Saturday, social media newbie Howard Stern created quite a stir when he decided to offer impromptu running commentary on his Twitter account during an HBO airing of his autobiographical film ‘Private Parts’. His tweets provided behind-the-scenes insight, his thoughts regarding scenes and personalities, as well as banter with his fans. The King of All…
The Future of the UEFA Champions League
On February 15th, the UEFA Champions League will finally recommence. 16 of Europe’s best soccer teams are still competing for the title. Who will end up lifting the trophy? Nobody will be able to predict the future, well … except me of course. Below you will find 6 bold predictions concerning the world’s most successful annual…
How to Choose the Right Athlete to Endorse Your Brand
A savvy athlete can today command huge endorsement and sponsorship deals. A recent article on the BBC spoke of the endorsement riches awaiting British tennis star Andy Murray, despite his recent loss in the Australian Grand Slam final – his third unsuccessful attempt to win a major. In the Sports Illustrated feature on the 50…