College Baseball, NFL, New York Times, Olympics

Hoopin It Up…Sarah Palin vs. Barack Obama

We have made mention and cited examples over the last few months as to how Senator Obama has made some very smart moves accentuating his athletic background, which will help the casual sports fan, not usually a group that rushes to the polls, identify with him.  It started with Scott Price of Sports Illustrated and has played out on numerous occasions during the primaries.  Ironically, Senator McCain, also quite a sportsman, although more an outdoorsman than a player, has not really played the athletic card to try and match the interest among sports fans, as he concentrates on other demos.  So along comes Governor Sarah Palin…sportscaster, basketball player and hockey mom…the answer to so many of the demos that have an interest in sports and had not seen any casual reasons to perhaps support Senator McCain.  Although obviously qualified in so many ways for the role, it will be interesting to see how the casual fan can react to a choice, even a subliminal one, with two sports-minded candidates on tickets now.  Newsday’s Neil Best has a good look at the Palin vs. Obama hoops “rivalry.”   

Some other good reads…Sarah Talalay has another look at the fantasy football space, this time on the college side, in the Florida Sun Sentinel…as the issue of seat licenses gets hotter, the New York Times has a look at a fan looking to sell sponsorship for him and his seat to offset the costs…wsj.com has a good look ahead to London 2012.