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

Sports Business

From Albert Pujols to LeBron James – Are Top Athletes Overpaid?

“But what, exactly, is the assertion behind “overpaid?” Most who say it simply mean that “athletes make too much money,” an understandable opinion. Eight-and-nine-figure paydays for top athletes may be too much for some of our comfort, but as far as being paid more than they’re due … most aren’t.”

Let’s Start Paying College Athletes

“With Emmert’s backing, the N.C.A.A.’s board of directors, composed of college and university presidents agreed to make it permissible for Division I schools to pay their athletes a $2,000 stipend. When I saw Emmert in November, shortly after the new rule went into effect, I told him that the stipend struck me as a form of payment to the players. He visibly stiffened. “If we move toward a pay-for-play model — if we were to convert our student athletes to employees of the university — that would be the death of college athletics,” Emmert retorted. “Then they are subcontractors. Why would you even want them to be students? Why would you care about their graduation rates? Why would you care about their behavior?” No, he insisted, the extra $2,000 was an effort to increase the value of the scholarships, which some studies estimate falls on average about $3,500 short of the full cost of attending college annually.”

Sports Networking

Top 5 Women’s Sports Events of 2011

“2011 was an intense year for women in sports. While we’re looking forward to more excitement in 2012 (including the Olympics!), let’s also take a look back on this year’s top five most memorable moments in women’s athletics, good and bad.”

What LeBron James Can Teach Us About Personal Branding

“The NBA season tipped off on Christmas day, which meant a return to the spotlight for LeBron James and the Miami Heat. As you probably know, LeBron James generated controversy–not to mention numerous headlines–last season with his decision to publicly jilt the Cleveland Cavaliers in favor of the Miami Heat. In the process, LeBron’s personal brand evolved substantially from a fan favorite, to a villain, to a gradually “rehabbed” image this off-season. There are a number of lessons that are relevant to business owners seeking to build a strong personal brand in 2012. Below are three of the most important.”

Sports Marketing

Loving the Online Era of Sports Marketing

“This week I have been telling you a little more about myself. Now comes the revelation of something that has been the cornerstone of many relationships throughout my life and has already been passed on to the next generation as well. I am a New York Giants fan. I bleed blue during the NFL season.  And while I can’t be at the game I can live many things I could never experience during the years of the pre-social media era. I “like” the Giants on Facebook and I was given this picture today through an update which got me pretty excited.”

Ducks New Uniforms Steal From Disney’s Day

At the Happiest Place on Earth, several hundred Oregon football fans had more than one reason to cheer Tuesday. Early Tuesday morning, Nike unveiled the newest — and, according to the company, the best — set of uniforms for the trend-setting Ducks, who will wear dark ‘Pro Combat’ gear for the Rose Bowl.”

Sports Sponsorship

The Reason Why Sports Sponsorship and Marketing has Started to Become Popular in Asia

“Asia has no doubt now become a marketing and advertising playground for worldwide brands and businesses to grow their market over and above common reach. Many companies have acknowledged that sports provide an amazing possibility to be changed into an influential and profitable marketing strategy for virtually any brand’s growth plus it absolutely outshines classic merchandising efforts by reaching a mass which far outnumbers the ones from other channels. ”

AirAsia Extends Sponsorship Deal with 1Malaysia Racing Team

“AirAsia Bhd is maintaining its presence in the Formula One racing scene and this has seen it extending its sponsorship agreement with 1Malaysia Racing Team Sdn Bhd (Caterham F1) for another year, starting Jan 1, 2012.”

Sports Ticket Sales

News Flash: College Football is Run By Corporate America

“To fully understand the corporate greed of college football, just take a look at the names of the 35 bowl games that are currently being contested. Every single one of them has a corporate sponsor in its name. Even the self-described “Granddaddy of Them All,” the Rose Bowl, has a sponsor — The Rose Bowl Game presented by Vizio. But that doesn’t even compare to some of the other corporations who will put their names on bowl games this holiday season.”

2,000 Students Expected at Music City Bowl

“Piling a bunch of people in a car and going to a famous destination is how a lot of great tales begin. For Mississippi State University students and recent graduates, bowl games represent the perfect excuse for that classic college road trip story. The Bulldogs program qualifying for back-to-back postseason berths has given college students two straight trips to experience another valuable memory of not only the finale of a college football season but also what is possibly the final trip of their academic careers.”

Sports Social Media

The 2011 Sports Social Media Superstars

“There’s no question that sports and social media are indelibly intertwined. Of course, you could say that for social media and just about anything in society these days. But while Facebook, Twitter and various other platforms have been around for a few years, 2011 seemed to be the tipping point. Beyond Twitter spats and among an ever-updating array of trending topics, social media has become a go-to source for breaking news as well as a forum where fans can celebrate, commiserate or connect with players and fellow and opposing fans. With all that in mind, @Page2 looks back at the biggest sports and social media moments of 2011.”

2011 Belonged to Twitter. So Does the Future of Sports Media

“Every morning starts the same way for me, I roll over and check Twitter on my iPhone. I check Twitter before I check my email, my text messages, or even get out of bed. My wife has even threatened to start her own Twitter account to remind me to take out the trash. I read all the news from the 170 or so people I follow and then I read every single thing y’all send my way. Put simply, I’m addicted to Twitter. Twitter is a media game-changer, the Cam Newton of Internet companies, and I’m going to tell you why”

Sports Media

Top Sports Media News Items of 2011

“It’s tradition that news organizations look at the top stories of the year as December winds down.  Why should we be any different?  Here are what we consider the top sports media news stories for 2011.”

Fox Sports Media Group EVP Doug Sellars Dies at 50

“Toronto native Sellars, who joined Fox Sports in 2000, was instrumental in the formation of Fox’s Speed (previously the Speed Channel). Since August, when he was promoted to his most recent position, Sellars had overseen studio and event production for Fox Sports Media Group’s numerous channels and entities, including Fox Sports, Speed, Fox Deportes, Fuel TV and FoxSports.com. He also served as an adviser to the Big Ten Network.”

Sports Technology

Mark Cuban is Dead Wrong About Smartphones at Sports Games

“A couple of days ago, Dallas Mavericks owner and all-around smart guy Mark Cuban blogged a passionate post about how he didn’t want smartphones at basketball games because he believes that every time you’re looking down at your device is a moment where he has failed to do his job of entertaining you. While I respect Cuban and this argument, I believe it is dead wrong and that smart teams will embrace mobile technology to enhance the sports-going experience in multiple ways.”

Game On: HD Streaming Site FilmOn Debuts NCAA Basketball, Football Channels

“FilmOn, the premium-content internet streaming site that met controversy earlier this year over lawsuits involving CBS, CNET, and copyright, is expanding its line up, adding two new sports channels for NCAA Basketball and NCAA Football. FilmOn says it will be offering the content in partnership with XOS Digital, a company that provides digital asset management services to college sports organizations.”

Sports Jobs

More Than 800 Unpaid Interns Hired at Arts and Sports Groups in Two Years

“Research by the Labour MP Luciana Berger shows that in the last two years 884 unpaid interns were employed by 34 organisations funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Some 467 were employed in 2010, dropping slightly to 417 in 2011.”

Jordan Juenemann Thrilled to Land Internship in Athletics

“Jordan Juenemann will be spending more time than usual in Allen Fieldhouse second semester.’I’ll be a working man — 8 (a.m.) to 3 (p.m.) until we practice, wearing a suit and tie,’ Juenemann, Kansas University’s 6-foot-3 senior walk-on basketball guard, said proudly. The exercise-science major, who minored in business the past four years at KU, has landed a 15-hour internship with KU’s Williams Fund to complete his undergraduate academic responsibilities.”

Sports Events

These 11 Figures Made Biggest NHL News in 2011

“There are dozens of headliners in the NHL every year, but many create stories that become big for a day, maybe two before they’re forgotten. There are those, however, that create headlines that are so big and newsworthy that their stories live on for days, weeks, months and in some cases even years. In 2011, there was no shortage of players, coaches, and executives that made news that shocked and rocked the hockey world. We’ve narrowed the list down to the 11 biggest newsmakers of the year.”

London 2012: Does Olympic Success Fill A Nation With Pride?

“As 2012 begins, the BBC has revealed the findings of a poll which asked people around the world about the influence of Olympic success on their national pride. Nearly half of those questioned in the UK said performance mattered ‘only a little’ whilst the majority of people in developing and middle-income countries said they got the greatest lift from Olympic achievement. BBC 2012 asked members of the public in London, Bristol, Edinburgh, Dumfries, Wrexham and Belfast for their views.”

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 Coordinator – Steve Richards

Sports Business

NBA’s Owners Win Big 

“After all the talk of a broken system and badly needed overhauls in the league, Saturday’s resolution produced one odd result: Fans won’t notice much of a difference.”

Sports business maverick turned media master: How Cuban engages social media to capitalize on e-book

“You have to love Mark Cuban, even if you can’t stand the Dallas Mavericks. The man is all about the future, and his instincts are spot on. Okay, so maybe NBA commissioner David Stern isn’t so fond of the oft-fined Mavs’ owner, but if you appreciate business creativity, you must value Cuban.” - A second week in a row with an article about Cuban, but that just speaks to his business genius.

Sports Networking

Meeting people is easy thanks to sports networking night

“With up to 50 people attending the networking evening, sports council chairman Fiona Fyfe reckons the evening was a big success.”

WISE Los Angeles to Host Women of Inspiration Event

“The night has three honorees: Karen Brodkin, Senior Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs for Fox Sports Media Group; Susan Rosenbluth, Senior Vice President of AEG Live/Goldenvoice; and Amy Stanton, Founder of Stanton and Company, LLC.”

Sports Marketing

5 Tips for Marketing to Sports Fans on Facebook 

“If you’ve ever been to a sports game, whether it’s college, professional or even little league, you know that fans can be a bit, well, overzealous. But their rabid passion makes them a perfect audience for Facebook— they crave interaction with the team and will gladly engage right back.”

Building Brands: Since 2005, the sports marketing division of Learfield Communications Inc. has more than doubled its university marketing and broadcast contracts.

“The only hint that 505 Hobbs Road houses one of the premier sports multimedia marketing and broadcast firms in the nation is the massive satellite dish behind it. Other than that, Learfield Communications Inc., the parent of 54 university sports marketing companies and multiple radio news services, is relatively under-the-radar.”

Sports Sponsorship

Controversies have “cost Terry £6m” in sponsorships, according to experts

“England skipper John Terry has missed up to £6million in commercial spinoffs because of the controversies that have dogged his career.”

Nike offers RFU minor respite in face of World Cup shame

“The beleaguered RFU has received a small measure of relief from its current troubles after major sponsor Nike – the England rugby kit supplier – confirmed to Sportingintelligence that it is ‘not planning to change anything as a result of the recent RFU activities.’”

Sports Ticket Sales

Oklahoma Wallets and Pride Were Hurt

“The Thunder are Oklahoma’s only major pro sports franchise, and few NBA cities viewed the news of a labor agreement with more welcome relief. The team, in its third season, reached the Western Conference finals last season, and Thunder fans have an emotional stake unlike their counterparts most other places.”

Top Olympic tickets for sale, but it will cost you

“There are still tickets on sale for the men’s 100-meter finals at the London Olympics — contrary to what most people think. The opening and closing ceremonies too. Even beach volleyball (but not too many.) As with all things in life, though, there is a catch. It will cost you.”

Sports Social Media

Will Terrell Owens Dump Twitter for New England Patriots Job? 

“Weeks after dropping the news that T.O. couldn’t pay his child support, which resulted in an issued warrant for his arrest, TMZ reported that Owens has turned to massive online engine Twitter to bring in more money. If the statistics are correct, T.O. makes anywhere from $2,800 to $6,400 per tweet.”

Methods for Increasing Your Sports Blog’s Search Rank and Traffic

“In order to be the best you have to first learn from the best. Especially today, as the media landscape changes at light speed. This past week I had a chance to attend a business conference where I got to learn from the best.”

Sports Media

In working order

“Two decades ago, Jennifer Royle could be found on the Hockomock League’s field hockey fields and softball diamonds wearing the green and white uniforms of Mansfield High School. Since then, she’s blazed a far different trail for herself in broadcast sports journalism – one she hopes will lead her back from Baltimore to her native New England, and to its most hallowed sports venues.”

Saints to Recognize Members of the Media in Mercedes-Benz Superdome Press Box

“The New Orleans Saints will recognize ten distinguished members of the New Orleans sports media and public relations field inside the press box of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Placed on the glass partition of the third row within the press box are plaques honoring Champ Clark, Bill Curl, Buddy Diliberto, Peter Finney, Hap Glaudi, Wayne Mack, Bruce Miller, Bob Roesler, Jerry Romig and Frank Wilson.”

Sports Technology

Poland’s New National Stadium and Most Modern Arena to Feature Leading Cisco Connected Sports Technology as the Foundation for Stadium Operations and Innovation

“At the 10th anniversary of its annual Cisco Expo conference in Poland, Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) announced that Warsaw’s brand-new National Stadium, one of the venues for next year’s UEFA EURO 2012″ European Football Championship, is implementing the Cisco Connected Stadium solution.”

Apps help hone sporting prowess for all

“Smartphones can now give amateurs technical help and analysis of the kind that, until recently, had only been available to the professionals”

Sports Jobs

The NBA Lockout is Over and AEG/Nike are Hiring 

“While the NBA will not only bring back hundreds of players and millions of fans, the league’s return should also kick-start the league’s internship program once again and bring back thousands of jobs (at stadiums, in team offices, etc.) that were seemingly lost during the lockout.”

Find out How You Can Have a Work opportunities in Sport Relevant Industries

“Obtaining employment in sport enterprises is a way to merge your enjoy for sports and make a dwelling. Jobs in these fields are a excellent way to blend your enthusiasm for sports with developing a career. If you’re not in the business by now, you could wonder how to make a profession out of sports. When you feel outdoors of the box and uncover ways to make money from your passion, you will discover that there are lots of jobs in activity fields.”

Sports Events

B.C. Lions post rare Grey Cup triumph in front of hometown fans

“The Lions’ post-game celebration following their 34-23 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the 99th Grey Cup at BC Place was, in all respects, an over-the-top affair, ‘extreme and overwhelming’ in the opinion of a CFL media person, but perhaps that’s to be expected.”

Urban Meyer Ohio State: Buckeyes Make NCAA Look Stupid by Hiring Meyer

“The worst kept secret in college football could be ending soon as the Ohio State Buckeyes may soon formally announce that they are hiring Urban Meyer to be their next head coach. In the process, the school is making the NCAA look like bigger fools than it usually does.”

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

Sports Business

CEO Of The Year: Mark Cuban

“Mark Cuban may have purchased the Dallas Mavericks as a frustrated fan. And, considering his passion for the game, he may have a “basketball heart.” But it’s his business acumen—with its emphasis on the steadfastness of his front-office team—that many CEOs can relate to.”

Tuesday Blogdome: Guess how much Penn State merchandise sales have dropped since the scandal?

“WE ARE! Losing Money. As the Jerry Sandusky scandal continues to unfold at Penn State University, many people assumed that the Penn State brand — known nationally as pristine and rule abiding — would take a hit. Although probably few guessed that the hit would be this big, this fast.”

Sports Networking

Messner lecture to address cultural impact of Title IX on women in sports

“‘Title IX is useful in a lot of ways, but it’s not fully responsible for the revolution in sports. It can’t be the only tool we use to address gender and equality in society,’ says Michael Messner, who teaches at the University of Southern California.”

Major League Connection Launched a New Sports Networking Site Dedicated to Connecting Althetes, Coaches, Scouts, Teams and Fans Around the World

“The site encompasses the most popular sports in the world, which include soccer, cricket, football, baseball, basketball, tennis, lacrosse, golf, hockey, rugby, field hockey, and others. The site is configured for top level domains, and language translation in the largest global markets from China and Russia to Canada and Brazil.”

Sports Marketing

SportAccord and IEC in Sports Create Media Platform for Multi-Sport Events

“SportAccord has ambitions to develop a series of events covering a whole range of summer and winter sports.”

Beijing Hyundai to build sports marketing to enhance brand strength

“Of culture, continued investment in sports marketing, is the new brand slogan of Beijing Hyundai ‘new thinking to create new value’ of specific initiatives on the one hand by cultural, sports marketing and consumer emotional communication, so that they get more emotional experience, thus affecting the user’s buying behavior.”

Sports Sponsorship

Sport Sponsorship Aims to Stay On Top of It’s Game

“Just when the world of sports sponsorship felt it had got over the worst effects of the 2008 global financial crisis, along has came a new malaise hitting Western economies once again.”

Medibank Serves Up Australian Open Sponsorship

“Australian health insurer Medibank has signed up as a sponsor of the Australian Open tennis event for the next three years.”

Sports Ticket Sales

NBA Lockout Could Help College Basketball Ticket Sales

“Season openers are two weeks away and the traditional powers — in their traditional conferences, for now — dot the preseason polls as potential national title contenders. But will the normally slow early-season NCAA ticket sales get a boost from the NBA lockout?”

Surprise Teams Bolster Mid-term NFL Ticket Sales

“It’s the teams that have had surprising success catching the attention of fans and boosting the ticket sales of former doormats.”

Social Media in Sports

Real Madrid Optimise Stadium Connectivity for Social Media

“Yesterday, Real Madrid C.F. announced a partnership with CISCO Systems to ‘make the Santiago Bernabeu one of the most technologically advanced stadiums in the world.’”

PlayUp Pushes to China

“By pushing into China, PlayUp establishes a presence in each of the three top markets for mobile sports. It is already active in India and Brazil.”

Sports Media

My Sportsman: Robert Lipsyte

Lipsyte follows a few simple rules. When you cover athletes, you don’t “god ‘em up.” When you write about sports (not “sportswrite”), you don’t “pipe” something even a half-step removed from the truth. And you always keep tabs on who holds power and how it’s wielded.”

Infographic of the Day: The Pro Sports Twitterverse

“In one zoomable map, it shows you who speaks loudest in the realm of pro-sports tweeting.”

Sports Technology

The Best iPhone Sports Apps of 2011

“Here’s a look at 2011’s best relatively timeless sports apps. It’s a mix of newcomers to the App Store along with two older apps that brought a few new updates in 2011 that kept them ahead of their competition.”

Tablet Computers are Game-Changer in Pro Sports

“In the halls of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice facility, players can be seen carrying iPads everywhere they go. They’re not goofing off or taking a break, it’s part of their weekly football practice.”

Sports Jobs

A’s Michael Taylor has been Interning at a Radio Station and No One Knows

“Seeing professional athletes do the work of the common person is always entertaining.  There’s something people generally enjoy about watching a guy who makes millions of dollars per year try to conquer the rat race.  A’s outfielder Michael Taylor has done just that.”

Conflicted Intern-ally

“Internships can put some real world experience on your resumé and even land you a job, but some employers see them as an opportunity to get work done cheap.”

Sports Events

The Most Enjoyable Sports Events in China

“The truth is, on your China visa, you’ll be able to be witness to numerous international level sporting events hosted by China.”

Blazing the Trail in Top-flight Sporting Events

“Apart from being a business hub for the Middle East, the UAE is leading the region in many areas. Perhaps none more so than in sport, where it has steadily established itself as a centre for top-class competitions.”

Is there anything we missed this week in the world of sports? 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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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 made this powerfully effective is that he applied this policy to himself as the owner.

He created a physical environment in which the team would work where they would have “No Excuse” for losing. He paid the team very well, brought in specialty coaches, well-known chefs, nutritionists, personal masseuses, custom-made cushions for the bench, giant luxury towels, video games with flat screens in each locker and a private Dallas Mavericks jet to travel in.

Keep in mind: at the time, no other team in the league was doing this for their players. (Some are today.) The team was totally taken care of in every facet of their lives. They even had their very own team chaplain in nationally-known pastor Dr. Tony Evans.

The players knew very quickly that the owner was invested, both financially and emotionally, in meeting their needs. In turn, the team took on the same “No Excuses” policy when it came to performing and contributing their own assets to the organization. This “No Excuses” policy has worked beautifully, resulting in 50-plus wins for 11 (going on 12) consecutive years––a modern era NBA record.

Like the Mavs, you need to create a “No Excuses” environment where failure is not an option. But it’s not necessarily about creating a luxury environment like the Mavericks have. It’s really about creating an effective environment for you as an individual, where you can operate like a true professional.

Only you know what the right place with the right vibe feels like. It’s got to be a place you want to go everyday and build something meaningful. It can be as simple as a desk in your room, the local library, or even a coffee shop.

The most important thing is that you treat it like a sacred workplace, much as Eminem did with a place he called his “Lab” on 8 Mile Rd. There, the rapper created an environment—in a trailer park, no less—where he could dream, visualize and write rhymes that would eventually be heard (and paid for!) by millions.

Eminem was on a mission. So are you.

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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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Earlier this week, we had a vote for the top sports social media professional of 2010, and it garnered over 2000 votes. As voting wraps up today, we’ve decided to another one for the top sports business online resources of 2010. We’ve narrowed it down to these links, but if there’s one we’ve missed, let us know in the comments below, and if it attracts enough traction, we’ll gladly add it to the list. Read more about each nominee below the fold.
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Sports Biz with Darren Rovell

Darren Rovell brings you his unique take on the business of sports: a multi-billion dollar global industry and obsession full of personalities and products. On Sports Biz, Darren will give you his up-to-date take on everything from salaries to endorsement deals to marketing and promotions, trades and tirades – in short, everything that makes sports so exciting.

Sports Business Journal

Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Journal is a national weekly trade magazine, and the flagship publication for the Street & Smith’s Sports Group. Since its launch in 1998 it has become the undisputed authority on the business of sports and a must read for top executives in every segment of sports business—properties, sponsors, media, facilities, finance and professional services.

Blog Maverick

Mark Cuban is an entrepreneur, visionary, and owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks. Blog Maverick is his personal blog where he shares his thoughts on business, sports, and sports business.

CNN Sports Biz

CNN Sports Biz is run by CNN Money Senior Writer Chris Isidore who takes a weekly look into the business of sports.

Sports Business Digest

An all in one online sports digest covering the latest sports and business stories around the world. Run by Emmett Jones

Sports Biz News Blog

Howard Bloom’s career took a dramatic change in the spring of 1997, when Howard began publishing SportsBusinessNews.com. In its nine years, SBN has evolved into the largest and one of the most influential sports industry publications. Although Sports Business News is a paid subscription, Howard provides lots of free goodies in his online blog here.

Sports Marketing 2.0

This site is a digital think-tank for sports marketers in the Web 2.0 world.

The Business of Sports

“The Business of Sports” is an industry blog dedicated to discussing new ideas and current events in sports business. The posts cover a wide range of topics, including ticket sales, marketing, social media, corporate sponsorships, fan loyalty, brand management, sports media, finance and more.

Sports Agent Blog

Sports Agent Blog is run by Darren Heitner, a member of the SEA, and a founder of a full service sports and talent agency.

Sports Jobs Blog

Sports jobs, sports career advice and tips on how to break into the sports industry. Run by WorkInSports.com

Sports Law

The Go-To resource for Sports Law. Honored by Fast Company as one of Three Best Sports Business Blogs and by the American Bar Association Journal as a Top 100 Law Blog

Partnership Activation

Brian Gainor founded Partnership Activation Inc., as a means to provide sports business professionals with consultation of industry best practices and innovative sponsorship/marketing concepts. Since its inception, Brian has used PartnershipActivation.com and the Partnership Activation 2.0 newsletter as portals to educate and network with those working in sports business around the globe.

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About Lewis Howes

Web | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | More Posts (187)

The Twitter infatuation has quickly spread to the world of professional sports, and the number of athletes using the service is growing daily. Through tweeting, athletes can connect and engage fans, build up their personal brand, grow and nurture their fan base, and even ask for help! Fans who grew up idolizing their favorite stars now have a chance to interact with them, and offer them advice and support. I complied a list of the top 10 NBA ballers (in no particular order) you should all be following on Twitter, because they are what makes the NBA “Where Twitter Happens.”

1) Shaquille O’Neal – @THE_REAL_SHAQ

Shaq (A.K.A Shaqtus, The Diesel, The Big Aristotle…) is one of the NBA’s most popular all time players.  Following 585 accounts, his 2,911,684  followers make him the most popular baller on Twitter. Though he doesn’t tweet every day, he is known to interact with his followers, and even uses the live broadcasting service Ustream. After all, how can you not follow someone with a bio that reads “Very quotatious. I perform random acts of Shaqness“.

2) Amar’e Stoudemire – @Amareisreal

Amar’e is another big man with a big Twitter presence. He Follows 182 people, and has 70,935 followers. He is very interactive, and often times re-tweets fans before answering their questions. Amar’e has a calm twitter personality, and always has nice things to say about the community, other players and even opposing fans. One of the most pleasant athletes to follow on Twitter, in my mind.

3) Dwyane Wade – @dwadeofficial

Considered by many to be amongst the top 3 players in the world, D-Wade follows 122 users and has a following of 309,325. A Frequent tweeter, Wade will keep you entertained by mentioning basketball, his friends, and personal activities. He likes to do unique things and let the world know about them. Whether it is the trending topic he tried to start on May 12, or the theater he rented for his movie “Just Wright”, he will make sure you are aware of it! His latest trend? #MaMaWade, which are quotes he receives from his mother and shares with the world. The Marquette grad is truly striving for an international presence and wants you to be a part of it.

4) Charlie Villanueva – @CV31

One of the nicest guys in the NBA also happens to be one of Twitter’s most popular. Following 342, the Pistons forward has 83,743 followers. Through following Charlie, you will enjoy his thoughts about basketball, personal life, and the many charitable efforts he is involved in. He is also very proud of his Hispanic heritage and the many communities he is a part of. A humble person in nature, Charlie takes time to respond to his fans and on April 13 he conducted 31 questions with CV31, where he answered 31 fan questions. My favorite came from  @Need4Sheed_com who asked “Who would win a cage match between Tayshaun Prince and Austin Daye?” Charlies answer was “LOL, Tayshaun because AD is still a rookie.” I wonder if that fight would happen before Mayweather V Pacquiao

5) Chris Bosh – @chrisbosh

While Toronto is building campaigns to keep Bosh in Canada, the raptor is building up his Twitter brand. Following only 39 accounts, he has 114,148 Followers. Bosh tweets about nothing and everything. Whether it is daily activities, basketball opinions, or what he is having for lunch, he will keep you entertained with all news concerning Chris Bosh. The only question he doesn’t want to answer is “Where will you play next year?”

6) Lamar Odom – @RealLamarOdom

Following 44 and being Followed by 702,246, Lamar is a Hollywood man with a down to earth Twitter personality. Player for the Los Angeles Lakers and husband to Khloe Kardashian seems like a glamor filled life, but Lamar doesn’t update us about his Hollywood encounters. Instead, he takes pride in interacting with his fans, trying to answer most tweets he gets. When he isn’t answering your burning questions, Lamar tweets links to charities and foundations. A pleasant person to follow!

7) Dwight Howard – @DwightHoward

Dwight is a unique Twitter user. He Follows a whopping 4,386 accounts and is Followed by 1,565,600. What makes him unique is his tweeting pattern. He may spend a day responding to tweets without firing a single public tweet, and then spend a few days not responding to a single mention. He also tends to repeat his tweets, though many of them are for good causes such as the Dwight Howard Fund. At 8,779 total tweets, the Orlando star is one of the busiest users, and most unpredictable.

8 ) Fabricio Oberto – @obricio7

A surprise pick for this list? Not really. The Wizards player Follows 104 accounts and is Followed by 329,568 – a bigger following than many of the more known players on this list. Though most his tweets are in Spanish, Fabricio answers fans and continues to grow his brand both in the United States and Argentina, where he is a national hero. I need to brush up on my Spanish, so I can follow his tweets more closely.

9) Chris Paul – @oneandonlycp3

One of the league’s best Point Guards, Chris Paul Follows 254 and has 114,201 Followers. He frequently tweets about personal life, including his celebrity friends in his tweets. He frequently spreads love to his family and friends, but doesn’t seem to answer too many mentions. However, he always seems like he is in a good mood, so CP3 fans will have a lot to enjoy

10) Mark Cuban – @mcuban

Ok, I know his basketball skills aren’t quite NBA level (as we saw in the celebrity game during the All Star break), but Mark is an important personality to follow on Twitter. Not only is he one of the country’s most famous owners, he is an entrepreneurial minded individual, with knowledge and experience anyone can learn from. Following 657, his 140,716 Followers enjoy his opinion about technology, finance, innovations, charitable programs, and much more. Definitely worth the follow!

Bonus Follow: NBA – @NBA

The league is a popular entity on Twitter. Following 702 accounts, its 1,869,414 make it the 69th most powerful Twitter account in the world. (According to Twittergrader). The NBA will spread information about your favorite player and team so you always stay current on the league’s news. In fact, in the time it took me to type this, the NBA gained 7 followers. Will you be next?

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About Reuven Fridmar

Reuven is a fourth year student at Marquette University, earning degrees in Marketing and Entrepreneurship. He hopes to create sports marketing initiatives that drive value while focusing on charitable causes. Reuven lived in three countries and visited 13 total. He prides himself on being fluent in Hebrew, Russian, and English. People and idea lover. Connect with Reuven on Twitter @ReuvenFridmar

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If you are a basketball lover then you have to know the name Mark Cuban.  It is a name that resonates with the NBA as he is one of the most recognized franchise owners, someone who cares about the well being of his players and organization, an extremely dynamic individual, and all around great business man.

Although he has led the Dallas Mavericks to become a dominating team from one that was lacking before he was the owner, the deal almost did not come to fruition.  He almost bought another professional sports team in a completely different sport.  Watch this brief video from good friend Brian Cuban (brother of Mark) below to learn the behind the scenes scoop on what really went down.

What are your thoughts about this deal?  Do you think Mark should have bought the other franchise, or do you think Dallas is lucky to have such a great owner?  Be sure to follw both Mark and Brian on Twitter as they always have interesting things to say.

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