The Sportsbiz Weekly Buzz is a collection of articles curated by Sports Networker’s Online Marketing Coordinator – Steve Richards 

Sports Business

Baseball, Not Football, Has the Super Salaries

“Welker makes $2.5 million a year. That’s a great haul until you consider what a worker bee like Welker would make in a baseball uniform. There always has been a crazy salary disparity between America’s pastime (baseball) and America’s obsession (pro football). But it has become so insane that Indianapolis police should be on alert this week. NFL players need to buy drums, stop showering and pitch tents outside Lucas Oil Stadium. It’s time to Occupy the Super Bowl. The can’t-miss slogan: ‘We Are the 100 Percent That Makes Less Than Vernon Wells!’”

Palace of Auburn Hills May Eliminate Half of It’s Luxury Suite Suites

“After 11 home games this season, the struggling Pistons (4-18) are averaging 12,619 fans a game, worst in the 30-team National Basketball Association.”

Sports Networking

10 Pro Tips for Writers Using Social Media

“We recently covered 10 inspiring social networks for writers that can help you extend your influence and develop your content. But what about the mainstream networks? How do you successfully raise your profile and gain a following? Six well-known authors and writers, who are experts in this type of personal branding, share their methods and suggestions on how to use social media to push yourself forward in the writing industry. Whether you’ve been using social media for a while or you’re just starting out, you might learn something new.”

Managing Your Personal Brand Via Online Presence and Reputation

An interesting and fun graphic look at how you can boast and manage your person brand in four easy-to-follow bullet points.

Sports Marketing

Lucas Oil Gets Brand Boost From Super Bowl Venue

“Any company with its name attached to the Super Bowl is about to score one of its biggest marketing bounces of the year. And none will realize a bigger victory than California-based Lucas Oil Co.”

The Super Bowl’s Real ROI

“Each year, it seems the Super Bowl gets further hyped and inflated. Witness the 7,200 fans who paid $25 just to observe Super Bowl XLVI’s Media Day on Jan. 31—an event for which NFL Network provided “nearly five hours of coverage,” to cite USA Today. Through Sunday, host city Indianapolis expects to receive up to 150,000 celebrities, corporate executives, and well-to-do football fans, with an estimated economic impact of $150 million, according to the Indianapolis Convention and Visitors Assn.”

Sports Sponsorship

Engaging Audiences Through Sports Sponsorship

“A brand will enter the world of sponsorship with an objective; typically – and in the most part historically – to raise awareness. Now however, sponsorship has the ability to deliver so much more; to enhance the reputation of a brand and bring positive association to the values and core DNA which defines that brand. This potential brings with it the importance to define ‘why’ – why a brand has associated itself with a specific event or initiative.”

It’s A Shame Nesbitt Has To Go Outside Canada for Key Sponsor

“When speed skater Christine Nesbitt competed at the world sprint championships last weekend, one of her more prominent sponsors was a Dutch telecom company, Galaxy Group.

You can see them displayed here over her heart and on her left shoulder.”

Sports Sales

Luxury Suites Rule In Professional Sports Revenue

“All 137 luxury suites at Lucas Oil Stadium were sold out months before the opening kick-off for Super Bowl XLVI, according to stadium officials in Indianapolis. With a minimum reported price of $80,000 per box, that kind of money has turned luxury-suite revenue into one of the most dominant forces in sports, analysts say.” - Makes you wonder if the Pistons best move is cutting their luxury suites in half to add a restaurant.

Why More Pro Athletes are Scoring Franchises After Sports Fame

“Jamal Mashburn had everything an athlete could dream of. During his 12 years in the NBA in the 1990s and early 2000s, ‘Monster Mash’ was instrumental in turning around the Dallas Mavericks; he also set several scoring records and was even selected for the All-Star Game while playing for the New Orleans Hornets. But despite all that success, he couldn’t stop thinking about briefcases.”

Sports Social Media

Super Bowl XLVI Just Became America’s Most Tweeted Sporting Event

“Super Bowl XLVI just became America’s most tweeted sporting event after the game between the New England Patriots and New York Giants hit a record average of 12,233 tweets per second (TPS), according to Twitter.”

Wolves Control Their Own Message With Twitter

“[Kevin] Love had chosen to announce the extension via Twitter, a move that’s become more popular among athletes in recent years but is still far from the norm. In 2010, Kevin Durant announced his extension with Oklahoma City on Twitter, and C.C. Sabathia tweeted to inform the world that he’d signed a new contract with the Yankees in October. Shaquille O’Neal even announced his retirement last June via the social media site.”

Sports Media

NBC Only Good, Not Super

“NBC didn’t have a bad Super Bowl. Not by any measurement. But it could have – and should have – been better. The networks all do such a good job of covering major events like Sunday’s Super Bowl XLVI that our expectations are high. Some at the network level might say too high, but I don’t think so in this case.”

U.S. Shuts 16 Sports Piracy Websites Pre-Super Bowl

“Three days before Super Bowl XLVI, U.S. prosecutors said they seized 16 websites that illegally streamed live sports and pay-per-view events over the Internet, and charged a Michigan man with running nine of those websites.”

Sports Technology

ESPN: “Mobile is the Primary Way We Reach an Audience”

“After revolutionizing the way people receive their sports information with the 24-hour network ESPN and its sister stations, Michael Bayle, VP and general manager of ESPN mobile, seeks to change it all over again.  In a keynote address at the MediaPost’s Mobile Insider Summit in Key Largo, Florida, Bayle detailed how it now considers mobile the ‘first screen,’ as almost 150,000 people access its mobile offerings at any given time.  According to Bayle, mobile is the most effective way to reach an audience “from an international standpoint.”

How The Super Bowl Is Going High Tech in 2012

“Football isn’t a high-tech sport, though many great football video games have been made for those of us not built for the real thing. This year, however, the Superbowl is going high-tech. Advertisers are tapping into social media to help promote their ads and products. And the NFL is streaming the game live for the first time ever. Even the security at Superbowl XLVI is high-tech.”

Sports Jobs

More Sports, More Tourism, More Jobs?

“The Olympic Trials of 2008 in Eugene brought $28 million in local spending to the economy, so can that amount be multiplied? A local sports tourism group in Lane County wants to give that idea a running start.”

Athletics Outfielder Michael Taylor Has An Offseason Job

“This is pretty neat.  Not as neat as the fact that Richie Hebner used to work as a grave digger in the offseason, but neat in the sense that ballplayers never actually work real jobs anymore, so it’s cool to see one who does.” - The real story is told in the linked video.

Sports Events

Eli Manning Has Taught Us To Never Underestimate His Talents Again

“I still can’t get over that throw from Eli Manning to Mario Manningham. As much as I respect the catch (it will be the greatest of Manningham’s career, no matter how long he plays), I am in awe of the throw. How did Manning make that throw? Why make that throw? Why did he pick the target of the guy with a corner in coverage and a safety flying over to crush Manningham? The 38-yard throw — which began an 88-yard, Super Bowl-winning touchdown drive that Bill Belichick will see in his nightmares — is just one more reason to never, ever question how good Eli Manning is. He will have some crappy games the rest of his career, because two or three times a year he stinks. But I ask you: What quarterback alive do you want with the ball in his hands in the last two minutes of a big game? Thought so. Eli Manning.” - Note that Peter King, possibly the best and most respected NFL analyst around, wrote the Eli Manning ballad you just read. Safe to say the younger Manning proved something Sunday night.

Stanley Banishes PGA Tour Ghosts With First Win

“One week ago, Kyle Stanley was reduced to tears after a heartbreaking collapse saw him surrender a seven-shot lead in final round of the Farmers Insurance Open. On Sunday, the American was once again in tears. But this time they were tears of joy after Stanley benefited from a similarly dramatic meltdown from Spencer Levin to seal a one-stroke win at the Waste Management Open in Phoenix, Arizona.”

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!

About Lewis Howes

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The Sportsbiz Weekly Buzz is a collection of articles curated by Sports Networker’s Online Marketing Coordinator – Steve Richards  

Sports Business

IMG Worldwide Squashes Rumors of Being Up For Sale

“I immediately contacted Jim Gallagher, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications at IMG Worldwide.  Gallagher quickly put the rumor to bed.  ”There aren’t ANY conversations going on with Lagardère, or any other company or individual for that matter, regarding a purchase of IMG,” said Gallagher.”

Nationals’ Negotiations With MASN Will Have Huge Impact on Franchise

“Television contracts and the money generated from media rights fees have become a crucial factor in how baseball teams are run. Along with ticket sales, they are a team’s primary form of income, and in recent years the fees across sports have skyrocketed. The Lerners have never had a say on their arrangement with MASN. Until now.”

Sports Networking

Sports Business Career Conference During The NFL Combine

“Participants will gain insight into careers in sports through presentations by successful sports executives, including GM’s, front office executives, Scouts, Sports Agents, player personnel, and well known media currently working in football. This event includes networking, information on breaking into the sports industry and advice on advancing your sports business career. College credit available for attending. ”

5 Tips to Turn Your Personal Profile Into A Professional Place

“Recently, Facebook introduced a few new features that will help someone who wants to use their personal profile for personal branding purposes. If you want to use the world’s most popular social network to promote what you do professionally, here are a few tips to get you started. ”

Sports Marketing

Marketer’s Best Best For Super Bowl? New York Giants vs. New England Patriots

“Game would have drama of rematch, fans who travel and the No. 1 TV market…When it comes Super Bowl participants, the best matchup for marketers doesn’t necessarily involve X’s and O’s, but rather dollars and cents.” NOTE: This article was written Thursday. The rich get richer.

2012 Super Bowl advertisers unveil a brand new, 40-year-old game plan

“Volkswagen will be airing a 60-second spot. So will their sister brand, Audi. Hyundai’s running a :60 just before the kickoff, on the assumption that that’s when they’ll have more of viewers’ undivided attention. (Of course, the fact that they’ll be paying only $200,000 to $4 million just before the game instead of around $6+ million during it may have had something to do with it.)”

Sports Sponsorship

Sports Sponsorship Moves Into The Fast Lane

“The cash it generated from sport sponsorship will soon overtake ticket sales, however brands now need to form commercial relationships and strategic partnerships on the basis of shared objectives rather than awareness.”

Sports Sponsorship Gets Its Own Indaba

“In recognition of the high power of sports sponsorship and marketing, the first fully focused Sports Sponsorship Indaba will take place on Friday, 27 January 2012, at the Lord Charles Hotel in Somerset, Cape Town. A main topic of discussion will be Government’s plan to ban alcohol marketing that will have an adverse effect on sports sponsorships such as the J&B Met.

Sports Sales

Liverpool’s Performance Didn’t Warrant Price, Adidas CEO Says

“Liverpool, which is also a five-time European champion, has replaced Adidas with a club record, 6-year, 25 million pound ($38.3 million) contract with Warrior Sports, a subsidiary of New Balance Athletic Shoe Inc. The accord, Warrior’s first major soccer contract, begins next season and is worth almost double the current agreement with Adidas.”

Tiger Woods is Still Golf’s Biggest Draw

“‘He is a giant of the sport,’ says Giles Morgan, head of sponsorship at HSBC, as record crowds are expected at the National Course for Tiger Woods’ debut in the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship…Around 40,000 people attended last year’s tournament, and the organizers are hoping to double that tally this time. While the Woods Effect may have different characteristics to its pre-2009 vintage, it is still a force.”

Sports Social Media

Four Action Sports Channels Hit YouTube

“During the past few months, most of the anticipatory hype has been lavished upon Tony Hawk’s Ride Channel, its producers now tasked with rolling out 22 shows. Teaming up with some of ‘the best people in the skate industry,’ Hawk says the channel will cover the gamut, from trick tips and tour clips to music and art.”

StatSmack Provides Legitimate Breakthrough in Sports Social Media

“StatSheet has launched something simple, and simply ingenious, to the sports social media public. Called StatSmack, and available online, through App Store and Android Market, the service allows sports fans to select their favorite team and an opponent from drop-down boxes, and access statistics that will make their tweets more relevant, edgier, and cutting.”

Sports Media

Lesley Visser Embraces Role As Sports Media Trailblazer

“Visser was the first woman on an NFL beat, the first woman to cover the NFL from the sidelines, the first to cover a World Series, the first woman to cover a Final Four as well as the first woman inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.”

WSCR Changed The Landscape of Sports – For Better and Worse

“When WSCR first flipped the switch, five years after WFAN launched in New York in 1987, nobody could have anticipated how sports talk radio would transform coverage of the local teams and beyond. Sports talk radio stations, now numbering more than 500 in the country, gave sports fans a voice they never had before, often giving players, coaches and team executives a headache they never had before.”

Sports Technology

A Fantasy App Store? CBS Sports To Launch “First Open Platform” For Fantasy Sports

“Depending on your familiarity, it might come as a surprise that fantasy sports is a huge business. In fact, according to the Fantasy Sports Trade Association via Ad Week, its total market impact is upwards of $2 billion, with direct revenues spent on fantasy sports products and services at over $800 million…Yes, fantasy sports are much beloved not only by regular ole sports fans, but by data and numbers geeks, who eagerly ply sports with every known statistical algorithm or formula to get the best teams.”

Nike FuelBand Motivates People to Make It Count

“Nike has introduced its FuelBand, a wristband that measures a user’s daily physical activity by acting as a calorie-counter, clock or a pedometer. It’s designed for anyone who wants to be more active and measures movement to motivate people.”

Sports Jobs

UT Students to Gain Work Experience At Super Bowl XLVI

“A group of University of Tennessee, Knoxville, students and one faculty member will help prepare special events and conduct other behind-the-scenes work at this year’s NFL Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, Indiana.”

McGarry: An Intern Is Born

“Not that it’s some stunning upset that life has more twists than a ballpark pretzel. But raise your hand if you’ve ever heard this one: One week you are home eating Thanksgiving dinner with the family. The next you are tossing footballs with Carson Palmer as part of your job. Meet John McGarry.”

Sports Events

Olympics to create ‘record’ wireless spectrum demand

“The London Olympic and Paralympic Games are likely to require up to 20,000 separate wireless frequency assignments, according to the communications regulator Ofcom.”

The Zone Defense Has Found Its Place In The NBA

“During the Western Conference finals two seasons ago, then-Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson derided, in his unique way, the Phoenix Suns’ use of the zone defense. Suns coach Alvin Gentry played along. ‘If we have to play our girlie zone, as somebody said, we’ll play our girlie zone,” he said. “We’re going to do whatever we have to do to win.’”

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!

About Lewis Howes

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The Sportsbiz Weekly Buzz is a collection of articles curated by Sports Networker’s Online Marketing Coordinator – Steve Richards

Sports Business

50 Most Influential People in Sports Business

“Media moves as well as labor harmony (or the lack thereof) shake up our annual list of the executives who set the agenda for North American sports.”

With Jose Reyes on Miami Marlins, Queens Economy Could Take Hit

“Come April, Jose Reyes will probably be the first home batter at the new Miami Marlins ballpark, ushering in a promising age for an up-and-coming team. But what of the team and borough he leaves behind?”

Sports Networking

Three Ways to Dominate Your Market Without Spending a Fortune

“It is important for business owners to find something that makes them stand out in their market — to differentiate themselves from their competition. And that is where personal branding comes into play. Personal branding is a proven method by which business owners can separate themselves from the rest of their market. A strong personal brand positions the business owner as an expert in his or her field — allowing him to attract more business without slashing prices.”

49ers Host Women in Sports Forum (VIDEO)

“The 49ers organization hosted a Women in Sports Forum to encourage the growth of women in sports-related careers.”

Sports Marketing

Under Armour Fashioning Sports Marketing Battle to Continue Assault on Nike, Adidas

“In the world of collegiate and professional sports, it’s usually difficult to take a 15-year-old very seriously. But athletic performance apparel and footwear company Under Armour, founded in 1996, has played the game tough in going up against the likes of Nike and Adidas.”

Red Sox Gear Up Marketing Pitch for Fenway’s 100th Anniversary

“Red Sox fans devastated by the September disaster might go so far as to make a New Year’s resolution to never give another nickel of their hard-earned money to that team — but they’ll have a hard time keeping that promise. In 2012, the bunting will adorn Fenway Park not just for Opening Day, but for the ballpark’s 100th anniversary, and diehard fans will find themselves tempted with hundreds of ways to spend cash on centennial souvenirs.”

Sports Sponsorship

Sponsorship to Take Over As Biggest Sports Industry Segment by 2014

“A new report examining the global sports market over the five years to 2015 predicts that sponsorship will show a compound annual growth rate of 5.3 percent between 2011 and 2015, in spite of the difficult prevailing economic circumstances.”

Mercury Insurance Shares Secrets of Sports Sponsorship Success

“Tonight you can see the Los Angeles Kings aim to repeat their Saturday victory over the Minnesota Wild when the team faces the arch rival Anaheim Ducks at STAPLES Center.  For an encore, you can see the Kings compete against the Ducks in Anaheim tomorrow night.  While you are there, you can also see how successful sports sponsorships work and find ways to benefit your own business.”

Sports Ticket Sales

Buy Madison Square Garden Shares and Own 4 Sports Teams

“It’s a sale like this past week’s ownership stake in the Green Bay Packers that reminds me of how unique an investment in Madison Square Garden (MSG) is. The company is publicly traded and, unlike the Green Bay Packers shares, rises and falls with the success of the teams it owns and how much money it earns in a year. It is the dream of any sports fan to own a professional sports team. While almost all sports fans never make it to the front office or full ownership stake, they have the option to participate in owning shares of publicly traded Madison Square Garden.”

NBA Reaching Out to Fans with Special Ticket Offers

“The Philadelphia 76ers reduced ticket fees by as much as 61%. For 13 home games in January, mezzanine tickets are $17.76 or less, with no online fees if bought through the team’s website. Before the lockout, the 76ers reduced ticket prices on nearly 9,000 seats. The club plans to send its season-ticket booklets within two weeks.”

Sports Social Media

Watch That Tweet! NCAA Colleges Wrestle with Social Media Recruiting Rules

“If a college sports fan makes a plea for a player via Facebook or Twitter, does that constitute a violation of N.C.A.A. rules? That’s one of the questions at the heart of an academic paper by Victor Broccoli, a 2010 graduate of Tulane University Law School and lawyer in Rutherfordton, N.C. In a paper titled “Policing the Digital Wild West: N.C.A.A. Recruiting Regulations in the Age of Facebook and Twitter,” Broccoli argues that the N.C.A.A. faces difficulties when it comes to recruiting regulations and social networking.”

NFL Stars: The Secrets to Their Facebook Success

“You won’t see Jeff Weiner prowling NFL sidelines while barking orders into a headset, and he’s never won a Super Bowl or coach of the year award. But Weiner, 28, does play a crucial coaching role for NFL players by helping them leverage social media to market themselves and connect with fans. His clients are known for engaging especially well with supporters, and stars like James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley of the Pittsburgh Steelers rank among the most popular NFL players on Facebook.”

Sports Media

Networks Jostle for Tebow Sweepstakes

“The network lobbied hard behind the scenes to keep next Sunday’s Broncos- Patriots clash as a late game in its Sunday doubleheader after NBC made a strong pitch to broadcast the contest as part of its Sunday night ‘flex’ schedule. This upcoming CBS broadcast, with Jim Nantz and Phil Simms, will be seen by 70 percent of the country.”

Dodgers Can Sell Media Rights to Help Exit Bankruptcy

“A bankruptcy judge says he will approve a process for the Los Angeles Dodgers to sell media rights for future games as part of the team’s plan to exit bankruptcy. The plan calls for the Dodgers to receive initial bids by January 13 and complete the sale by April 30.”

Death of the Sports Interview

A bonus link for our loyal followers! This article has been getting a lot of publicity this week and for good reason – It is a must read for anyone in or interested in the sports media field.

Sports Technology

Investors Pump $1.75 million Into Bypass Lane’s Mobile “Beer-Me” Application

“The Austin-based company announced today that it has raised $1.75 million in new venture capital with funds earmarked primarily for building a sales organization. Investors include former Minnesota Vikings owner Red McCombs, Wasserman Media Group chairman and CEO Casey Wasserman and business managers for bicyclist Lance Armstrong. The nine-person company selected the investors on the basis of their connections to the sporting world, and expects to be able to draw upon their expertise to better penetrate the live sporting market.”

Stereobank Seeks 3D Sports Footage

“Having recently passed a 1000+ clip milestone, Co-Founder of S3D stock footage company Stereobank Benjamin Carlu, tells 3D Focus the company would welcome more S3D sports footage from contributors with the London Olympics 2012 fast approaching.”

Sports Jobs

Seeking Edge, MLB Clubs Invest in Front Office Talent

“The likely upcoming nine-figure contracts for free agent first basemen Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder still drive wins and losses, fan interest and TV ratings. But don’t overlook the increasing value of facts, figures and other data — and the people who interpret them.”

MBA Program in Sports Mangement – What You Need to Know

“Sports management is a lucrative career option that has not experienced any slowdown even during the recent economic crunch. This can be one of the best fields for those interested in business and sports. Equipped with an MBA in Sports Management you will open up innumerable career options in sports related fields…What You Need To Know Before Enrolling into An MBA In Sports Management Program”

Sports Events

NFL Teams with Disney for Super Bowl XLVI

“The league’s working with Walt Disney Co.’s Disney Institute on a “Fans First” initiative to train the 20,000 executives and employees who’ll work Super Bowl XLVI on Feb. 5, 2012 in Indianapolis, says Frank Supovitz, senior vice president of events.”

Big East Expansion: The NCAA Needs to Examine the State of Conferences

“The expansion is going to create a conference that spans coast to coast, something that basically defeats the purpose of a conference anyway.”

Is there anything we missed this week in the world of sports business? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below and please feel free to share this article with your friends on Facebook and Twitter!

About Lewis Howes

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Voice of the Box recently sat down with Brock Huard, the co-host of ESPN Radio’s Brock and Salk show and a familar face on ESPN TV. Not only is Brock one of the best at what he does, he is also a former all Pac 10 QB and enjoyed a 6 year NFL career too. In the interview, Brock details his transition into the sports broadcasting segment and provides guidance, advice and tips on how to break in to the sports industry. Any aspiring media personalities or pro athletes looking beyond their career should definitely take a look.

About Matt Crevin

If you are passionate about pursuing a career in the sports industry and want to discover how top level insiders got their start, connect with Matt today. Matt provides a unique look into the careers of many sports industry executives, revealing their success stories, advice and techniques you can put to use as part of your search strategy. Collaborate with Matt and start listening, learning, creating and executing your own action plan! Equipped with business background and sports insider’s knowledge, Matt is ready to share his passion and knowledge with you! He delivers to his individual clients a unique process and format which gives sports industry hopefuls a unique look into the numerous career opportunities available in the sports industry and more importantly how to position yourself to break in.

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Ah, Thanksgiving… Family. Turkey. Beer. Pumpkin pie. And football. For me, Thanksgiving is a day to spend with people I love, and to take a step back to think about all the things I have to be thankful for. What are you thankful for? At the top of my list are good health, happiness, family, and friends, without question. How lucky I am to have all of those things in my life. But what do you care? This is a blog about sports! And since it wouldn’t make any sense to write about those for this blog, I’ve decided to take a bit of a different angle.

Since football has become such an essential and inherent part of the Thanksgiving tradition, I thought it would be a good idea to share some of my favorite NFL-related Twitter accounts. These men, on a daily basis, provide fantastic and genuine content. And I highly recommend you follow them. So without further adieu, here are the five NFL related Twitter accounts I’m thankful for:

Jason La Canfora (@jasonlacanfora)

Jason is a reporter for the NFL. He has a blog on NFL.com which ironically hasn’t been updated in a while. Ironic because his Twitter account is incredibly active and engaging. Jason uses his account for news updates and @replies, but more importantly, he frequently retweets other football-related Twitter accounts. He’s just a great, all-around football news source. And I recommend you follow him. Now.

Chad Ochocinco (@ochocinco)

A classic choice, but what can I say? Ochocinco continues to impress. He’s consistently been one of the best athletes on Twitter, and his 1.4+ million followers prove it (thank you, Twitter suggested user list). He sends massive amounts of @replies, tweets photos and videos. Most importantly, Ochocinco is authentic. He is funny. He is rowdy (probably why he got suspended). And he is himself.

Note: Ochocinco tweeted from @ogochocinco until very recently. That account is now suspended.

Darnell Dockett (@ddockett)

Darnell Dockett is a professional football player for the Arizona Cardinals, but you’d never know it from his Twitter bio. “I wORk 4 WhoLE FOOdS,” he starts, “#90, PaRt tiMe StriPper, weIGHt room FreaK, I ate 2 rats along time ago, I study the movie BLOW , I see DEad peoPLE, I saw Your SEX tape!” Darnell doesn’t take himself too seriously, and that’s what makes him so great. He’s horribly candid, sometimes offensive, but like Ochocinco, he is himself. He talks to his followers, he tweets out things he thinks are funny, and he maintains his presence despite how his team is doing. The Cardinals haven’t had a great season so far. Last week, he tweeted, “I know all the Card fans are disappointed in our play this season and yall should be yall deserve better all we can do is Keep working!” Even if you don’t like Darnell, he uses Twitter the right way.

Adam Schefter (@adam_schefter)

Adam is an ESPN NFL insider and he is simply on top of his game. Because he often receives first word on breaking news, he is an absolutely amazing source for just that. Follow his account and get up to the minute information on injuries, trades, and league announcements. Further, Schefter provides his own insights on league happenings. My favorite recent tweet of his (in reaction to the Vikings’ beatdown this past weekend at the hands of the Packer), “Last time Green Bay humiliated an opponent as badly as it did to Minnesota today, Wade Phillips got fired on Monday.#justsayin.” What happened next? Vikings’ coach Brad Childress got fired.

Matt Higgins (@mhigginsjets)

I’m a little biased here since Matt is Executive Vice President of the New York Jets and the New York Jets are a client of ours, but Matt is doing a heck of a job. You don’t often see powerful sports executives using social media, but Matt is one of them, and he’s kicking butt. For one, he consistently engages with fans who talk to him. Most of his stream is full of @replies. He actually gives a crap about what fans say and ask, and his Twitter stream proves it. Other than that, Matt posts pictures, asks fans their thoughts on various things, and gives insights on the business of football. Since Matt is on the business side rather than the football operations side, his tweets are especially interesting.

Note: Even though Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) and Bill Simmons (@sportsguy33) are not football-exclusive, they’re fun to follow on Sundays.

While I hope none of you (Americans) are indeed reading this post on Thanksgiving Thursday (get off your computer, go enjoy the day with family and friends), I do want to thank you for taking the time to read this post, and any post of mine you’ve ever read for that matter. Enjoy your day and enjoy your football!

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About Sam Taggart

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.

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It all started on October 29th during a game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Milwaukee Bucks. Minnesota Center Kosta Koufos missed an open jumper. Several players, including the Wolves’ Kevin Love and Wes Johnson, went for the rebound. Love was hacked, sending him to the free throw line. As Love prepared to take his foul shots, Johnson walked towards him, extending his arm for a high five. Love and Johnson failed to connect, whiffing several times, before Love, determined to make contact, followed Johnson to his spot along the hashes and got the job done. Take a look for yourself:

While the video is funny, what’s really interesting is the way the content has been spread and highlighted. Before the days of ESPN, the clip would never have been seen by a national audience. It probably wouldn’t even have been highlighted in the postgame show on the local broadcast. But in today’s world, things are different. In just over two weeks, the video, posted by Wolves fan Kahnmatic, has over 1.1 million views and has become somewhat of a viral sensation, known on the Internet as “the most awkward NBA handshake ever. And on Monday, the Minnesota Timberwolves embraced the moment, releasing a video of their own, called “Investigative Report: The Awkward Handshake.”

A Shift in Control

A couple of years ago, the Investigative Report would have been a SportsCenter piece. ESPN would have taken the clip, come up with the concept, sent a team to Minnesota, and filmed the spoof. The video would make its appearance on SportsCenter, we would’ve all smiled and maybe talked about it at the office the next day, and that would have been that. Now, the team can create the content and distribute it themselves through the web, where there is a better chance of virality.

So, it’s a breath of fresh air to see the Timberwolves take control of their content. Granted, the Youtube video that built the initial buzz was not published by the Wolves’ official account (big miss), but the fact is that the organization embraced the hype that was being generated and decided to take advantage. Well done, Timberwolves.

This concept is what social media is really all about: a shift in control. Players and teams can now go to Twitter and Facebook and Ustream and Youtube to tell the stories they want to tell about themselves. You (whoever you may be) are in control.

Note: The one mistake the Wolves made is that they did not post their video to Youtube (which makes the video embeddable & more easily sharable) until after it had already been made public on their site and attracted its biggest buzz. Had they posted to Youtube right away, and made it the only manner in which people could watch, the video probably would have been shared more and gone more viral.

What do you think about the way the Minnesota Timberwolves handled this situation? What do you think this shows about the shift in control from mass media to social media? Let’s discuss below!

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About Sam Taggart

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.

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Before you read further, watch Nike’s latest commercial, “Rise,” featuring LeBron James.

The Background

Since most of you already know the story, I’ll make this as quick as I can. Feel free to skip through if you know the background. The last four or five months have been interesting for the King. After seven years in Cleveland and no championship rings, LeBron James decided it was time to leave.

In a prime time ESPN event called The Decision, LeBron announced to the world that he would be “taking [his] talents to South Beach” to play for the Miami Heat. Cavs fans were furious, their hometown hero (LBJ is from Akron, Ohio) was leaving them, having never delivered the championship he promised.

Basketball fans from all over were upset as well, mainly with how LeBron decided to handle the announcement. Even though the money raised during the show was then donated to the Boys & Girls Club of America, most thought it was a pretentious and selfish way to announce his decision.

Throughout the offseason, LeBron has come under a lot of fire. He’s been called out for quitting on his team in the playoffs, for leaving Cleveland, for The Decision. Dan Gilbert, the Cavs’ owner, publicized a nasty letter about LeBron.

Recently, LBJ came out and said he thought that all of the backlash from The Decision was partially a race issue, and that if he were of a different skin color, none of this would have been a big deal. Also, in the past few weeks, LeBron has retweeted several hateful and derogatory tweets, examples of messages he says he receives every day.

In the end, LeBron’s image has changed from a beloved NBA superstar, a hometown hero, and possibly the one-day greatest basketball player of all time to the biggest villain in the league (yes, above Kobe, he’s going to get booed everywhere he goes), a selfish superstar who betrayed his city for more money (smaller contract, bigger endorsements), more fame, and an easier championship ring.

The Message

The unquestionable number one thing the commercial does is address all of the events of the past four months. And it does this quite well. It references The Decision, his departure from Cleveland and the falling of the “We Are All Witnesses” banner with his image on it (gave me chills), the fact that he’s become a villain and that he surrounds himself with friends rather than mentors. He calls out Michael Jordan in the Hall of Fame scene, and Charles Barkley later on, both NBA legends who publicly called him out during the offseason.

Throughout the 92-second commercial, LeBron asks, “What should I do?” This offseason, everyone (including me) has had opinions on LeBron’s actions on and off the court, his decisions, his comments to the media, what he could have done differently, and what he should do moving forward.

LeBron seems to be saying, “You try being me.” Now, most of us (maybe all of us) would die to be LeBron James. And I’m sure LeBron James would even die to be LeBron James. But you have to consider the sheer amount of pressure the man has been under for the last ten years. He’s had a world of expectations surrounding him since he was a young teenager.

Obviously there are far worse things in life than being the most talented athlete in the world, and he hasn’t done a lot to deflect or hide from the media attention. But making a decision about where you want to play a game for the next few years, that impacts millions of people, has got to be a tough thing to go through. And it’s true, none of us knows what it’s like to be LeBron James.

There’s a contingent of people who love the advertisement but give all of the credit to Nike. Sure, Nike conceptualized it. And they did a fantastic job. The message is clear. The cinematography is tremendous. But LeBron had to ok it, film it, and own it.

The Twitter Aftermath

After the video’s release, LeBron took to Twitter. Throughout the day on Monday, he retweeted people who had positive things to say about the commercial.

@BunBTrillOG Just saw @KingJames new commercial “Rise”..did you? If you think you know him, think again. http://dlvr.it/7X0MH

@rickyjohnsonjr I just saw the new commercial big bro @KingJames did and its hot and its the best commercial nike ever did #realtalk

@eyeeleann I LOVE @kingjames new “rise” commercial!<3 makes me love him even more! “What should I do?”

Part of me would have liked to see LeBron let the video speak for itself. In a sense, retweeting these followers makes it seem like he’s trying to validate the commercial. “See? People like it! So there!” At the same time, it’s hard to get mad at an athlete for retweeting his followers, when that’s something I generally praise. Also, last week, LeBron retweeted some very hateful and nasty messages he’d received, which showed people that it’s not all roses for the King.

The Timing

Through the commercial, LeBron acknowledged what was a very tumultuous offseason, the day before the regular season began. The video was published to Youtube on Monday. The NBA season started on Tuesday.

On Opening Night, LeBron’s new team, the Miami Heat, visited the defending Eastern Conference Champion Boston Celtics, the team that knocked James out of the playoffs last year. There were massive expectations heading into this game, some even wondering if the Heat could go undefeated.

Instead, they fell flat, losing to the Celtics by 8 points, and starting the season 0-1. LeBron had 31 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks, but he also had 8 turnovers (the most he had in any game last season). At one point in the 4th quarter, it looked like LBJ might single-handedly lead the Heat back from a double-digit deficit to win the game, but the Celtics held on. Had the Heat won the game, and had LeBron been the reason for it, “Rise” would have become that much more impactful.

The Conclusion

Being a LeBron fan has been quite the rollercoaster. I definitely do not support the way he made his announcement to leave Cleveland for Miami. I also think he quit on the Cavs during last year’s playoffs, which is unacceptable.

Before that, I wasn’t a fan of him confiscating the video when Jordan Crawford dunked on him, and I wasn’t thrilled when he walked off the court without shaking hands after his team lost the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals to the Orlando Magic.

All that being said, I do like and respect LeBron. More than anything, I absolutely love to watch him play the game of basketball. Is he the perfect NBA superstar I always thought he would be? No. Will he be the greatest to every play the game? Maybe.

I personally think “Rise” was a good move for LeBron. Despite the commercial, most people still hate LeBron and have lost respect for him. I’ve heard people call the video cocky, and just another reason not to like the King. Maybe I’m just a fanboy, what can I say? I feel like by acknowledging all of the madness that has surrounded him over the past four months, LeBron finally made the right decision.

What are your thoughts on the video? As always, would love to continue the conversation below, so comment away!

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About Sam Taggart

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.

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I first started watching the ESPYS thinking I was going to write an article on the good and bad that happened during the event. I had my first entries all ready to go, I had segments written bashing Janelle Monae for those trifling singing performances between segments, and pieces written showing my utmost appreciation toward Erin Andrews and Brooklyn Decker for attending the award show; obviously because I have the utmost appreciation for their successful careers. Than as the night progressed I began to acquire a different tune about the ESPYS, one of which was not solely concentrated on the awards and entertainment of the night, but rather on the underlying meaning behind this huge event.

Approaching the ESPYS it is certainly easy to categorize it as another event that raises the stock and produces more accolades for the already rich and famous athletes strolling their stuff on the red carpet in L.A., but I was able to determine a different summary of the night; a night that highlighted the perseverance of individuals, the resurrection of towns, and the voice of the people in a collective environment.

Quite often their is scrutiny when fans have the opportunity to vote that allows them to determine the outcome of an athletic event or award. It is often claimed that the average fan does not have enough knowledge to wager their two sense into a decision, and therefore voting should be left to the “professionals”. Certainly at times I can back this decision, as I even thought about doing so when the New Orleans Saints were awarded the trophy for best team. Drew Brees and company produced an electric offense and a stellar team during this past season, but can you really compare them to the women’s basketball team at the University of Connecticut that compiled a final record of 33-0 and won a national championship. It was not until the conclusion of the ESPYS that I realized that they were not all about statistics and numbers, but rather it brought a certain emotional and personal level to the stage, a level that was created largely because of “uneducated” fan.

After analyzing the event it is now easy to conclude that the winners of the night were based on various emotional appeals and the connection between American fans and their nation and cities. Should the Saints have really won the Best Team Award, its arguable, but the story linked to that team and Katrina and how our nation rallied together during a time of distress was too powerful for voters to have it any other way. Was Landon Donovan and U.S.A. soccer really the most worthy recipient for the Best Moment Award? They could have been, but what they really did was allow an entire nation to come together as a collective unit while allowing our country to cheer for the red, white, and blue.  That being said, maybe that is the same reason why Lindsay Vohn ousted Serna Williams and Maya Moore for Best Female Athlete. Was Vohn really the better athlete, or could we not detach our American pride from the equation.

By no means am I trying to claim that certain individuals did not deserve their awards, but rather I am embracing the idea that emotional events and times of unity can be ever so powerful. The most memorable moment was probably acknowledging an individual whom you have never heard of before the evening began, Ed Thomas. If you still do not know who Thomas is, that is okay, but what you need to know is the emotional tie that was brought upon the audience during the explanation of his life, a story that allowed an audience of multi-million dollar athletes to realize what they do for a profession is only a small scheme of the big game we like to call life. It was also during the Jimmy V award presentation, when George Karl was presented the award for his perseverance, that everyone was able to realize that there is so much more to everyday living than sports.

Certainly the night was filled with humorous skits joking about Bret Favre’s age, critiquing LeBron’s James’ decision, and questioning Tiger Wood’s steering ability, but when the night was over I was able to reflect on the ESPYS and understand that there is nothing more powerful in our world than emotional connection. Sports are a huge part of our industry today, but in the end everyone must remember something my parents would constantly tell me when I played sports growing up, “remember, it’s only a game.”

We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give. The decision is yours.

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Images by @ESPYs

About Matt Clark

Matt Clark is currently an intern for Sports Networker, studying sport management and public relations at York College of Pennsylvania. He has an extreme passion for learning about new trends in social media and technology and how it is revolutionizing sports. He has contributed as sports editor for the York College newspaper, been an event manager for collegiate sporting events, intramural supervisor, contributor to the sports information department, and executive board member on the Sport Management Student Association. Matt is heading into his third season as part of the game-day entertainment with the Scranton-Wilkes Barre Yankees. Connect with him on Twitter @mattgclark

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I swore to myself before the start of the NBA free-agency period that I wouldn’t write about LeBron James. Sports media are putting in enough hours of coverage about his team status, for all of us.

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About Gail Sideman

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.

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My exclusive interview with Steve Lavin, former UCLA Men’s head basketball coach and ESPN college basketball analyst. He is now the new head coach at St John’s University in NYC. Steve and I have known each other for 14 years. I sat down with Steve at his home in Marina del Ray, California to discuss his experience in coaching, learning from the great John Wooden, and of his work with legendary broadcasters at ABC and ESPN.

About Gregg Miller

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. gregg@whoshugeinsports.com

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