Loyalty in the National Basketball Association

by Sam Chan | August 27th, 2010 | View Comments

NBA All-Star Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat recently made headlines being quoted for saying that loyalty has no place in free agency. Bosh mentions that at a store, you’d go to a store that has the cheaper price for your item, so how is basketball any different? You go where it makes sense for you.

I admit I was a bit shocked by Bosh’s comments because I am a fan of Chris Bosh and I respect everything he does on and off the court. While his new teammate LeBron James was busy rubbing it in Cleveland’s face, Bosh chose the high road and thanked all his Toronto fans for his time there. However, in this case – I have to disagree with Bosh. Just because sports are a business does not mean loyalty should be “an added bonus” as he puts it.

Sports Business Weekly Buzz

by Ben Sturner | July 30th, 2010 | View Comments

Euroleague Basketball signs first-ever title sponsor

Europe’s main club basketball competition is going to be renamed Turkish Airlines Euroleague Basketball after a ground-breaking sponsorship agreement signed by the airline and the league.

Tim Tebow Gets Chance To Take On Michael Jordan

Jockey announced the signing of Tim Tebow to a multi-year endorsement deal to endorse its line of products, including what it calls its new “Staycool” collection, which will hit stores in the spring of next year.

It’s the brand’s biggest sports endorser since the company signed Baltimore Orioles pitcher Jim Palmer to start posing in briefs exactly 30 years ago.

TaylorMade-Adidas Pits Two to Twitter Way Into a Job

How far would you go for a job? Would you eat a bug or wash an elephant? Both those challenges were presented to two contenders for the title of social-media catalyst at golf juggernaut TaylorMade-Adidas. To test the social-media mettle of its two finalists, the company dispensed with round-robin interviews and luncheons and dispatched them on the ultimate job tryout: a 50-day, nine-country golfing trip chronicled on Facebook, Twitter and other sites. Along the way, the contenders must respond to interactive challenges that include everything from creating a viral commercial to participating in user-generated contests — such as eating a bug or washing an elephant on their most recent stop in Thailand.

Want to Score in Sports? Create a Connection

And few people are more qualified to make sense of this turbulent and fascinating year than Michael Levine, co-head of CAA Sports since 2007. Mr. Levine leads a unit that not only represents more than 500 of the world’s most famous athletes, but is also active in the areas of corporate marketing, broadcast rights and sports-property sponsorship sales. Ad Age recently caught up with Mr. Levine for a wide-ranging conversation about the state of the sports world.

Sports Business Weekly Buzz

by Ben Sturner | July 26th, 2010 | View Comments

The Elliptical For The Rich, Tai Chi For The Poor

* Every year, the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association releases its state of sports participation in America study. The 64-page document is filled with interesting tidbits that will make you smarter at the office water cooler.

* Of all the fitness machines, the elliptical motion trainer has the highest percentage of participants whose annual household income exceeds $100,000 a year. Forty percent of those who use the elliptical make over $100,000.

Internal Watchdog Criticizes ESPN for Ethical Missteps on LeBron James Coverage

* ESPN’s internal journalism watchdog sharply criticized the cable-sports network for what he said were ethical missteps in its recent broadcast of a TV program devoted to basketball star LeBron James.

* The Walt Disney Co. network two weeks ago aired a one-hour special about James, who used the program to announce that he signed with a new team, the Miami Heat. In an unusual arrangement, James’s sports-marketing company suggested the program to ESPN and brokered an arrangement whereby the show’s advertisers donated money to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, a charity James supports.

EA Sports Campaign Taps Football Stars, Fans

To launch the 11th iteration of its NCAA Football game, EA Sports is taking both a national and regional approach with its advertising campaign. A national television commercial features fans and football luminaries (such as Ronnie Lott, Tim Tebow, John Elway and Desmond Howard) talking about their college football fanaticism by completing the phrase “Where I come from …” with a team-specific comment.

Sports Business Weekly Buzz

by Ben Sturner | July 9th, 2010 | View Comments

LeBron Can Make More With Heat Than Cavs

But if you match up what James’ salary would be for the first five years in Cleveland and the five years in Miami, you find that the Cavaliers are only offering him $4 million more.

Tebow Leading League In Jersey Sales

It has been three months, and Tim Tebow still hasn’t taken a single (real) snap under center for the Denver Broncos, yet he’s leading the league in jersey sales.

Gillette, Not the Best Ads a Man Can Get

Cynicism runs amok among our hallowed list this week. And the biggest culprit of that kind of audience distrust is none other than Gillette. The razor maker owns the top spot with last week’s debut video, “Perfect Length,” as well as this week’s No. 5 slot, newcomer “Young Guns,” which drew over 3.7 million views combined.

Petal Advertising

To create a sense of unique opulence, flower designers Blue and Blooms were bought in. This company was the first in the U.K. to use organic media in the form of flowers to promote brands. The innovative approach to printing on fresh flowers creates a creative marketing tool for companies looking to use branded flowers that turn heads and create attention.

Deceptions about Working in the Sports Industry

by Matt Clark | June 25th, 2010 | View Comments

Those who originally wanted to get involved with the businesses side of sports normally did so because of the simple fact that that they love the game. The majority of the people in the industry were at one time athletes themselves but quickly found out that there was a slim chance that they could make a living out of hitting a baseball or shooting a basketball. So now what were these individuals suppose to do whose lives constantly revolved around sports? Well I guess for them there was only one other option; it was time to join the business side of the industry.

Mental And Physical Training – The Keys of a Champion

by Lewis Howes | February 16th, 2010 | View Comments

Sports Executives Association

In order to be an elite athlete and win championships, you need to be strong both physical and mentally.

Having pure athleticism isn’t enough, as the visual and mental side of sports is the difference between sinking the last second shot to win the game, or chocking at the line and falling short of success.

This is true in your business or your career as well. Staying in great physical shape gives you the confidence you need to take on all of your challenges and projects throughout the day. And staying crisp on the mental side of things, while constantly educating yourself and your team on ways to improve your business is essential for achieving your own level of success.

Watch me try to catch my breath after a workout and share with you how the Sports Executives Association will help you achieve one of the two keys of being a champion in the sports industry.

Want to learn more about the S.E.A.? Make sure you sign up to stay informed about the launch date, and how you can get involved.

What are some other keys to being a champion? Could you fit them under one of these two keys, or can you add another key to this equation?

Sports Business Weekly Buzz

by Ben Sturner | February 12th, 2010 | View Comments

espn360

Rebranding: ESPN360 Becomes ESPN3 In April

By David Goetzl

The online live sports hub, ESPN360.com, will be rebranded ESPN3.com in April. ESPN3 will be available in 50 million homes, free to subscribers of broadband providers that have agreed to pay ESPN a TV-style fee to offer it.
ESPN has not used Web lexicon recently in referring to ESPN360 — classifying it instead as a network. In a statement, ESPN executive Sean Bratches, who oversees marketing, said the ESPN3 switch “closely aligns with the existing name convention” for ESPN channels. Expansion from the 1979 flagship began with ESPN2 in 1993.

(www.mediapost.com)

The Sports Executives Association

by Lewis Howes | February 8th, 2010 | View Comments

The Sports Executives Association is coming soon. Many of you have asked for more information, and emailing me about the release date. It’s coming soon, and I wanted to thank you for your patience.

I don’t want to spoil all of the goods by sharing with you every last detail, but I wanted to share with you this brief video to prepare you for the launch.

If you have not already signed up on the list to hear about the official launch date, make sure you sign up here and I will be sending out information over the next few weeks.

Sign up to receive more info for the Sports Executives Association here.

Sports Business Weekly Buzz

by Ben Sturner | January 15th, 2010 | View Comments

Haiti In Rubble: Marketers, Aid Groups Rush To Help

By Karl Greenbery

Coca-Cola has pledged $1 million through the Coca-Cola Foundation to the American Red Cross for disaster-relief efforts in Haiti. The company says it is also providing bottled water and other products through its bottler in the adjacent Dominican Republic.
The General Motors Foundation has donated $100,000 to the American Red Cross relief fund to help Haiti. GM also has provided a direct web-link that its employees can use to contribute personally to the Red Cross disaster fund. The company says its 10-year-old GM Global Aid has facilitated over $15 million in donations for disaster relief worldwide.
Wireless customers of AT&T can send $10 donations to the Red Cross International Relief Fund from their mobile devices by typing the word HAITI and sending it to 90999. AT&T says all money donated will be passed on to the Red Cross.
ConAgra has donated $100,000 to the ARC. The gift is in addition to ConAgra’s membership in the ARC’s Annual Disaster Giving Program, a commitment of $1 million over five years, per the ARC.
TD Bank is donating $100,000 to the Red Cross to support the earthquake-relief efforts. Kraft has given $25,000 to the ARC.

(www.mediapost.com)

Sports Business Weekly Buzz

by Ben Sturner | January 8th, 2010 | View Comments

ESPN 3D to show soccer, football, more

Sports broadcasting will enter a new dimension in 2010…the third dimension, as ESPN will unveil the industry’s first 3-D network.
ESPN 3D will showcase a minimum of 85 live sporting events during its first year beginning June 11 with the first 2010 FIFA World Cup match, featuring South Africa vs. Mexico, ESPN and ABC Sports president George Bodenheimer announced.