Landon The Brand…

July 1, 2010 by Joe Favorito · 3 Comments 

While France and Italy were wringing their hands and Nigeria was suspending their team for two years, the United States was moving on to figure out how to capitalize on the next step success that was realized in the World Cup.  Despite the loss to Ghana, more casual fans tuned in, logged on and talked about World Cup in the States than ever before, giving the sport a new opportunity in its growth at the professional level. So what’s next?  The NHL used the success of the Olympics to elevate it’s awareness for the rest of this past winter and spring, how can MLS and professional soccer in general do the same?

St. John’s Pulls Out Some Nostaligic Threads With “Ugly Sweater Night”

December 23, 2009 by Joe Favorito · 1 Comment 

College hoops in New York has been dormant for too many years. The last two years, not one local college even reached the NCAA’s or the NIT, so all the good brand equity and loyal following that had been built over years of success for Rutgers, Seton Hall, St. John’s, Manhattan, Hofstra, Fordham et al… has been lost. That doesn’t even begin to take in the losses from the casual sports fans who would follow and attend games, especially for SJU at MSG and Seton Hall at the Meadowlands, when the two were giant killers and at the top of the hoops hierarchy. The good news is that the potential to rebrand and grow as marketing properties still exists in the area, an area where hoops in the winter is still very very strong. The other piece of good news is that the teams in the area…Seton Hall, Rutgers, and now St. John’s…finally appear to be on an upswing on performance, which can lead to more interest. Still that casual fan to fill distressed seats, even on campus, can still be very elusive in this transitionary time. So what to do? Well St. John’s came up with a great promotion for a pre-holiday Tuesday, holding “Ugly Sweater Night” on the Jamaica campus. those showing up with the ugliest of sweaters get a discount on a ticket and a chance to win other prizes, including being part of a faux Guiness World record for the largest collection of ugly sweaters. The event pays homage to the Red Storm’s legendary coach Lou Carnessecca, who was known for his garish collection of sweaters during his time on the St. John’s bench. Will it fill the building? No. Does it get some buzz and create a fun visual at no cost? Yes. It also may move a few tickets at a tough time of year against an opponent, Bryant College, that no one would be lining up to see. On another level it sends a connection message to the current team and supporters of the glory days past, which is the team was stuggling may be troublesome, but in today’s positive times, is a good message and connection. Now ugly sweater nights are not new, but to tie to a sometimes forgotten tradition it is a smart and easy promotion for the Johnnies.

The “Owner As Brand” Fades Into The Twilight…

November 27, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

The passing this week of the beloved Washington Wizards owner Abe Pollin was the latest in a series of instances recently that seem to show us that one of the great storylines of American team sports, the iconic “owner” that we loved or hated and sometimes followed with as much or more passion than the players themselves, is fading into the distance of corporate America. Yes, we still have Jerry Jones with the Cowboys and a community and business leader like Mike Ilitch with the Tigers and Red Wings, but these days a single owner as the personality of his or her franchise seems to be more a hindrance than a help when teams’ cost of doing business or connecting to a community is in play. In addition to Pollin’s passing (his legacy is well detailed in many pieces this week in the Washington Post, including Thomas Boswell’s great read), we have the fading health of the Yankees George Steinbrenner, the recently disclosed illness of the Seahawks and Tralblazers owner Paul Allen, Lakers owner Jerry Buss taking a back seat in running his franchise, and the disfunctional issues with the Raiders and owner Al Davis. Then pile on the public divorce cases of the Padres John Moores and the Dodgers Frank McCourt, both effecting those franchises bottom lines, and there is a very good case that the individual leader has gone the way of the dinosaur. Now in today’s all access media market the argument can probably be made that there is less of a need to have the owner as the organization front man or woman. Fans want access more to the players who they are spending the money on, and probably are less interested in the billionaire owners footing the bills for the talent. Still the owner as the brand and the face of a franchise, more as promoter and pillar of the community than as rich playboy, was what drew many to sport in the first place. The Maras and the Rooney’s of the NFL, a man like Sonny Werblin with the Knicks and the Rangers, Lamar Hunt taking his oil money to help start the AFL, the Yawkeys of Boston…all became touchpoints as sport became big business and their faces and reputations rose and fell in the community with the fortunes of their team or teams. Now these men certainly did not act alone, and the most successful always assembled the right business teams to run said franchises on the day to day. However the team brands and their individual personal “brands” were one in the same. Steinbrenner’s Yankees took on the personality of their owner, both good and bad. Maybe today’s high demand world of everchanging loyalties and interests may not lend itself to such individuals as much as in the past, especially as the battle for the discretionary dollar, but the personality of the owner was part of the mystique of the team brand and was part of the passion that drove the business of sport. Yes its easier to be lukewarm about corporate ownership and maybe it puts more focus on the athletes. However knowing the owner always made it more fun and a little more intriguing, and that personality involved with the imprint of the franchise got sport to be the business it is today. It is probably an era lost, but one which should be reflected on positively as another icon passed this week.

An Athlete Gets A “Feel” For A Brand…

October 18, 2009 by Joe Favorito · 2 Comments 

On Sunday, Jets kicker Jay Feely entered the record book for consecutive field goals made as a Jet, breaking a record held by Pat Leahy for over 20 years. Feely’s success on the field has been tremendous, yet his feel for using his stature in athletics in a major market to develop a long term vision for success may be even more impressive. As documented in several media outlets this past week, including Greg Bishop’s feature in the New York Times, the Jets kicker has been able to find ways using both social and traditional media to build his brand, and give both casual and diehard fans a little more insight into what he is all about. The result is an athlete who has a presence now in media where he feels well adjusted, well read and well thought out, in both the sports and the political world, and he has been able to use that exposure to build out a potential second career, not just when his athletic days end, but in the offseason when he has more time to focus on the long term. Although some will say it may be easier for an athlete who happens to be a kicker to have more free time to delve into other things (probably an unfair assumption as the special teams performers of the NFL may have the most tenuous place on a roster most times), the truth of the matter is that Feely’s work in looking into leadership roles, both in sports and in society and social media, and then parlaying that interest into a vibrant career is both rare and admirable. One must keep in mind that Feely does not have the flash and dash of Twitter success stories like Shaquille O’Neal or Chad Ochocinco, and his posts may be a little more cerebral and outward looking than most athletes. On the political side, he is not the lightning rod for controversy, but his thoughts have gotten him placement with Sean Hannity on a regular basis on FOX, and could lead to a larger role in the future. Will it lead to big time endorsements, even in the media capital of the world? No. However Feely’s work is a great example of an athlete understanding the limits of time in the limelight and using that time to effectively build his brand, whether that brand is in the media or in business. The fact that he has been able to embrace and understand the value of a social media platform as a communication device for thoughts makes it all the more impressive, and can give his career a kickstart for the longterm, even as he continues to kick for the green and white.

Is 24/7 High School Media Coverage Worthwhile?

September 29, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

It has been a question for a long time…when does sports stop being a game and become “big time?” For years, tennis and golf and club sports outside of the United States have have taken the club or academy route, and let young people turn pro when they could compete. With that comes the pressure and media attention and sponsor endorsements and time management that come with fame…just like it is in entertainment…and sports is entertainment, correct? Also for years, small town sports, especially hoops and football, have been what communities revolved around…Friday Night Lights, Hoosiers etc etc… Now with the growth of television and new media, and with it the demands to capture that younger audience and families by brands, takes the coverage of high school sports to a new level. ESPN’s launch of regional websites and the launch in New York of MSG Varsity, highlight a new level of coverage, branding and scrutiny brought to high school sports well beyond the borders of a local town. A recent article in the Bergen Record highlighted national football power Don Bosco Prep, and the struggle the school has to balance big time high school athletics and local competition as one example. Yes its true that for years sneaker companies have thrown dollars at elite prep school to travel all over the country for basketball, but now with dedicated mainstream coverage, more websites and brands backing the outlets, is it worthwhile? One thing is for sure. The brands and the media entities launching the ventures see the same thing in sports that news outlets are seeing…the consumer flocks more to local coverage than national coverage these days, and the more niche the better. The advances of news media have decreased production costs and increased the ability to access information, and thereby can drive new revenue streams for high schools much like they are being driven by colleges. People look at LeBron James and the ancillary revenue brought into Akron’s St. Vincent-St.Mary’s during his time there as invaluable in keeping the school going and getting much needed revenue in the door for all programs (read James’ book Shooting Stars, with Buzz Bissinger to get more insight in his high school days). Can that happen on an even bigger stage now for high schools that are not elite, or even more so, can elite high schools build sophisticated branding and media packages that they themselves can sell? Interesting question. And if they can, are the coaches and athletes properly prepared for the onslaught and pressure of that media coverage? Do the brands expect these coaches and athletes to deliver messages and understand the value they are expecting? How different will the elite high school coverage be from college coverage, and will brands use this to be more successful and cost efficient at reaching a core audience? Last year Burger King set out to own high school football like McDonald’s owns high school basketball through a partnership with CBSSportsline. While that was one night a week of a featured game, the new outlets look to cover high school sports 24/7, and although there is certainly a huge amount of sports and stories to be covered, will the brands flock just to elite athletes and elite games? All remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure. With the launch of mass media now covering high school 24/7, the game of sponsorship and branding on the high school level could be changed forever.

Football Hall Asks The Fans…

September 26, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

There is always a cloud of mystery and debate when any Hall of Fame announces its annual induction class especially since like any ballot that involves humans voting, there is always an amount of emotion vs. logic factored in. For the most part, the balloting is a closed system. Once you are asked to vote you usually stay on the list for life, regardless of whether you have a stake in the game or for that matter, follow that closely in some cases. Given the state of newspapers these days, the Baseball Writers of America have even voiced concern that there may not be a good enough cross section of voters in the coming years to adequately have a vote. Regardless of the Hall, the vote is almost always without inpout of those who visit and spend dollars every day following the sport…the fan. However this week, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, in part of their aggressive plan to add branding partners and become more diverse, announced a partnership with Van Heusen and JC Penney to collect the fans say in the voting for the next class. Now the “fans choice” won’t count for this year, but it will be acknowledged and could make a nice addition to the debate for when the new class is announced. The promotion is also a great move for the Hall, which is finding ways to make its brand “live” beyond the walls of Canton, Ohio for the football enthusiast, both with a retail promotion and a massive media and digital buy throughout the season. By using some elite bloggers to weigh in throughout the course of the season, the promotion will also be kept fresh and can stir debate not just for popular choice players, but for those on the fringe or those who can be a quirky choice for the fan in local markets. And by being the first of the “Halls” to ask the fan, the Pro Football Hall can keep themselves relevant to the casual fan year round, and could start a trend that makes the voting a little more interesting to discuss and debate the selection process.

Will Soccer In New York Ever Hit The Goal?

August 30, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

With the first hint of fall you start to hear the bounce in thousands of parks and recreational centers across the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. It is the thwack of kids from four to their mid-teens dribbling and passing soccer balls. Like baseball and softball in the spring, fall soccer is a rite of passage more now than ever before amongst young kids. Still even with the grassroots success, the connection to the pro game still lags behind, perhaps in the New York area more than anywhere else in the United States, and it is that disconnect which has continued to slow the growth of MLS in the biggest media market in the world. While MLS has had great success in Washington, great buzz in LA, solid plans built out in Dallas and Columbus and Chicago and New England, the New York market remains a frustrating afterthought.

The Quick On Vick…

August 18, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

As the endless stops and starts go along with Michael Vick, the two points that will matter to brands around the team and to fans who put down the cash for tickets and product are simple…will he continue to show remorse and work to improve his image and will he help the Eagles be a better team on the field and a better brand off it. Once again its way early to answer number two, but number one appears to have answered many of the questions to this point. Kevin Sullivan had a solid review of Vick’s “60 Minutes” piece on yahoo sports today showing that the athlete is taking all of this very seriously and is taking the time to listen and think about answers before letting them fly. Well dressed, well spoken, never caught off guard and he said all the right things. On the Eagles side, the press conference and all the actions since have shown unity to date. Owner Jeffrey Lurie, president Joe Banner, coach Andy Reid and all the players have pulled from the same playbook, speaking the same lines and acting in unison with support. There has been no split in ranks, all are well rehearsed and all are speaking the language of redemption at this point, a steady message which speaks to all listening that they are willing to give this athlete and this person a second chance, dog lovers and all. The most interesting question has been posed by Bob Ford of the Inquirer, which is why? Do the Eagles need the distraction or the test of talent to get them to the next level, and will it be worth it when every misstep is taken to a new level of scrutiny, even when the protests come. From an onfield brand standpoint that remains an interesting question. On the business side the first news cycle appears to be a positive and well communicated one, with some question remaining as to if and when Eagles top sponsors were pulled into the mix. However with no mass exodus on any front, the court of public opinion, at least for the first few days, appears to be leaning in the Eagles favor. There is also the notion, as was the case with some of the recent steroid revelations in baseball, that fans have almost become immune to scandal at this point. The Vick case has been well played out and even the casual observer now understands the plus and minuses, so how long will the controversy actually last? One news cycle over…another coming up, and a trip to New york looming for an exhibition game at the end of the month. The Eagles staff has now been through TO, problems with Donovan McNabb, the offfield issues with Andy Reid’s family and the tragedy of losing a top coach to cancer only a few weeks ago. Plus they have the comfort zone of the media controlled environment of the NFL, a plus that no other sport has. So can it play out quickly? No. Will there be brand damage? Not yet. Now if they can only execute on the field as they have executed off thus far.

Through All Of The Hype, Even Reaching The Youngest Active Demo Still Needs The Right Mix…

July 9, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

One of the most elusive searches for traditional sports and entertainment properties is the quest to get younger…to identify with and activate against that very active audience that may have already grown tired of the traditional and looks elsewhere for its thrills. For an audience more interested in the half pipe and BMX than baseball or football, the ways for brands to reach them have changed in some ways, but in many ways remain the same. For all the social media activation, the core decision makers and those brands still need live events and television to complete the package, even if the potential audience (and the numbers that go with it) may show that those participating would rather be out doing than sitting inside and watching. The video game insertion play has made sense for some brands, and this week Doritos unveiled an “interactive bag” which, when combined with an online program, gives you new ways to watch a concert by Blink 182 (which means an adaptation to sports probably isn’t far away). So if the TV numbers are slight, and the live events are primarily freebies in terms of gate, what is the area where brands can get their activation profit bang? This week’s Bergen Record had a big piece on retail and the products the ways marketers are hitting their goals through promotion, using TV and the event costs as loss leaders to promote that will lead to product sale. In many ways this is the classic play that boxing, wrestling and most recently MMA have drawn their large numbers, although the goal was a pay per view event vs. moving product. You use the TV as the promotion to draw fans and lead them to the place where they will spend money…in this case retail. Thus far the brand loyalty for this group…similar to NASCAR…lies in the product first and the event second, with TV and digital a very distant third. The irony in that sequence is that the older marketing cognoscenti still scramble to figure out and throw money at, all the social media bells and whistles, sometimes at the expense of the traditional.

Does Yanks Move Help Or Damage An Elite Brand?

April 29, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

The story of the week will be the Yankees taking an about face to lower ticket prices, and Darren Rovell in his blog on Tuesday took a detailed look at some of the reasons. On another level, the rule of thumb many times is to hold the line and never lower or discount in season, as it hurts the long time brand value where people will now look to bargain for something elite that they could never get a lower price for before. Mercedes, Nordstrom’s etc. rarely lower prices, as you know with those high quality brands you pay the price for high quality service. Even in sports for all their oncourt issues, the Knicks front row and rows behind the bench at Madison Square Garden remain the priciest seats in sports. Now although some may argue this was just a slight PR spin and that the Yanks knew all along that they had minimums to hit and just adjusted prices closer to those minimums, that may not necessarily be true. The view of empty seats around home plate in what is an endless season can damage brand and become more the longer term story than the lowering of prices. Even Tuesday night, most stories still were spinning that the prices remain too high for the average family, and more discounting is needed. Then there is the issue of all those who paid full price and how refunding or additional tickets will have to be handled with them. For those elite seatholders, the higher price was never a real issue, so now angering them with “discounts” around them will also have to be handled. Now there is some value to public perception of reacting to the economy and fan demand to lower ticket prices, and the Yanks will get some due for that. The bigger question is will this “discounting” just make the Yanks another team and less of an elite brand? In this marketplace, especially in a new facility, getting people in to sample product and determine value is tantamount. The Yanks tried to hold the line and did the research to see what the public will bear, so hopefully the brand will hold, team performance will rise, and the lower ticket for the elite seats fills those voids. Short term damage slightly abated, and longterm if any to be determined.

Next Page »