Tigers, Phils Team Up For Great Push That Landed A Star…

July 10, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

One of the big problems with the team sports environment is the reluctance to work together on joint projects that could benefit multiple markets. Because the focus is so much in-market to grow ticket sales and relevance for brand partners, rarely will teams focus on projects that could be mutually beneficial to both without being an encumbrance on anything the team is doing in their area. It is viewed as a missed opportunity of focus, because in today’s marketplace fans exist everywhere, and to find ways to cultivate out of market fans, especially when your home market is a travel destination, is a mistake. However into that fray comes the All-Star vote competition for MLB, and although several teams did work together to push their stars (one NL, one AL) the most creative and effective campaign had to go to the Phils and the Tigers, who worked together to push stars Brandon Inge and Shane Victorino in a BranTorino campaign into the All-Star game. The play on words was tremendous, coming off Clint Eastwood’s Michigan based movie, Grand Torino, and again giving America a chance to give the Motor City a little push while it recovers from its financial hardships. It was also significant in that the winners in the record voting came not from major markets or from marquee stars, but from cities where the sport is supported by the blue collar, and the players selected reflected that. Bran-Torino is a great example of what teams can do if they work together and have an effect on their own in multiple markets, a project which can have huge benefits, economies of scale and potential regional sponsor ties if played right. Nice hot for the Tigers and the Phils and their well-deserving fans.

Deciding When The Envelope Has Been Pushed Too Far

April 9, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

A few recent instances have come up which show when sports or entertainment brands can test the waters to see what is acceptable for their fans and more importantly, their business partners. First was the UFC. CEO Dana White has done a phenomonal job of building that property to as close to mainstream as MMA may ever get, especially in a down economy where discretionary dollars will still go to the main four team sports, as well as NASCAR and soccer, in North America. Still, the UFC, with their great TV partner in Spike, have carved a niche with sponsors like Bud Light and Harley Davidson among others. Not huge spends, but very smart ones to access the demo and the UFC experience. Then last week, White went off on a video rant, aimed at a journalist, with profanity and anti-gay comments. It was premeditated, well thought out and then posted on the UFC website. Totally unprofessional and uncalled for and damaging to the brand for casual fans. Now White did recant some of his comments the next day after they received strong criticism, but there was no outcry from most MMA fans or from their brand partners, at least publicly, so perhaps the shock value outweighed the brand damage and the UFC got some edgy headlines with an edgy leader that they enjoy and can benefit from. Still it was way over the edge for a sport looking to be mainstream and poor leadership. Next comes a very interesting Yardbarker blog by the WNBA’s Chantelle Anderson on what the public perceives as sexy and what is not. It is a very well thought out post by a young female athlete and really oputs into perespective what can be edgy and damaging to a brand for women and what can be more acceptable, garner attention and be mainstream. Then Media Post today has an interesting piece on the letter writing campaigns around a too sexy Burger King commercial, aired during many sporting events, which is promoting a kids meal. Again, it is suggestive but not risque, but it caught the eye of a special interest and advocacy group during a sporting event which may make other groups sit up and take notice, and in these challenged times could create a problem for Burger King with the discretionary dollar of conservative families. So here we have a CEO dropping F Bombs and living to fight another day, we have a subtle mix of cartoon characters with a national popular brand being called on the carpet, and we have a top athlete wondering where the middle is. If you are a property, you hope you are smart to make sure partners stay in line but still speak to your clientel, and have leaders who are savvy enough to tow the line and still give your fan base what they want. End of the day, if the ticket buyers and the advertisers remain happy and engaged, then the envelope remains in a good spot. It is when the push becomes a distraction that the crisis management begins.

High School Athletics…Max Preps Becomes King With CBS

September 3, 2008 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

As America becomes a football nation with college, high school and the NFL all on tap this weekend, the interest in finding ways to brand and activate on the high school level has never been higher.  The latest example is the partnership between Burger King, CBS Sports and the mega-high school site Max Preps to combine forces to activate and brand high level high school football this fall, and into signing day, in the digital and television space.  The move is a great one for Burger King, as they seek to become to high school football what McDonald’s is for high school hoops, and it gives both Max Preps and CBS a bonafide mainstream marketing partner from which to both activate and build upon on a national basis (good piece by John Ourand in the Sports Business Journal announcing the partnership).  While some still debate the issue of promoting high school athletes in this country, the fact remains that the athletes with their great local stories should be told, and that their parents and the followers of “Friday Night Lights” are as passionate and devoted a consumer market as exists anywhere.  So long as the rules of engaging high school athletes are followed correctly, the program should be a great launching point for all three brands as they grow together in the space.  Great move by BK to own the space for the long term.