What’s New On The Isle…

July 20, 2010 by Joe Favorito · 5 Comments 

The New York Islanders have had their issues trying to build a new arena on Long Island, and continue to look to find unique ways to build brand and regain some of the poition in the New York hockey market that they enjoyed during their glory days.  That push is going to be made even more difficult by the on-ice and now-off ice promotion that the New Jersey Devils have been offering up to casual fans, and the always strong presence that the New York Rangers have always enjoyed. Still the Islanders own a very unique piece of fan real estate, the corridor from Queens east through Nassau and Suffolk counties, some of the most populous and affluent suburbs of any area.  So what is a team to do?

Finding The Happy Medium For Twitter…Howard yes, Johnson no…

November 3, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

The twitter debate with regard to athletes and celebrities rages on as to what is acceptable and helpful and what is detrimental and contrived, and what at the end of the day is actually the best mix for use in the social networking space. Much like other media that have launched…sports radio, blogs, websites…the initial pushback is due more to the unknown as opposed to the medium itself. Sports remains a very traditional, very routine business, especially for those who are amongst its veterans in communications on the team side. The season has its patterns, and many times there is a reticence to differ from that pattern or try new things or embrace new technology, hence the pushback.

The Adaptability of The Shield…

September 9, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

It is one of the most closely guarded logos in the world…the NFL shield. Even with some of its tweaks over the years, the brands that stand with the NFL and its shield, and the programs they represent, have often been best in class, just as the league presents itself as one of the premier, if not the premier, sporting brand in the world. As we enter the NFL regular season, the first full one since the downward shift in the economy last fall and winter, it is interesting to note the continued support of brands and the diversity of decisions the NFL, its broadcasters and its teams are making to cope with the times we are in.

Johnnies Give A Seat To Tweet…A Move That Could Set The Pace…

August 28, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

It is sometimes the simplest of moves that make the most sense and can set the pace for others. This week, St. John’s University decided that they would have a designated, unbiased person have a credentialed spot for all their hoops games and be credentialed as a “Twitter” member of the media. His name is Peter Robert Casey, and he is a credible, well thought young person who both understands the media and has a passion for the game, and he has built a rather large twitter following, So St. John’s whose fall in the New York market from the college that was on par with all pro teams in terms of exposure to less than a blip on the radar these days, will give Casey a seat to tweet what he likes and when he likes throughout the course of the game, in pregame media sessions and postgame. Unlike other media members this will be his sole assignment…he wont be filing stories or covering other things (although he has that option)…and he wont be paid for his service. It gets St. John’s a little buzz, maybe draws some additional casual eyeballs their way in a crowded marketplace and helps get them some additional exposure. It is not unlike the Islanders, who had open space in their pressbox, creating a blogger area a few years ago, which paved the way for other teams to slowly welcome the bloggers into their space and led to former PR Director Chris Botta creating his t highly popular blog Islanders Point Blank. So whats the downside to St. John’s or other schools to credential an active twitter “correspondent.” Like the blogging space, credibility and traffic is a small concern. The person or persons should have legitimate media skills and be treated and act like a professional. They should also have a solid following and not be looking to use this opportunity as their chance just to build some personal gain only. End of the day it is simple, no cost with a good upside for any team or brand looking to grow its base. It can be no different than the radio stations doing live updates from games or the beat writers now filing blogs on the fly. One of the ironies of course is that it is a Big East school making this move, which is counter to the schools of the SEC trying to restrict media coverage and usage as has been reported lately (good summary on Sports Business Daily on the SEC’s moves). Now of course Twittering is different than posting live video and infringing on media rights, and St. John’s search for coverage is different from what Florida or Georgia still receives, but it is a smart move by the Johnnies.

Turning Up The Preseason Heat In South Florida…

September 20, 2008 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

The month of September is usually the time for the winter sports pro teams to really start the hard push to get their brands top of mind again.  Especially given the added competition and the lack of disposable income, those teams on the downside in tough selling markets have to continually be more creative, more aggresive and show more value than ever before.  Case in point is the Miami Heat.  Sarah Talalay’s sports business blog this week point three big plays the Heat made this past week, addressing the casual fan, the young fan and the corporate client, each designed to get buzz and remind folks that even with a slow season last year, the Heat brand can deliver value on many levels.  The first piece highlighted the tryouts for the Heat senior dance team, the second talked about Dwayne Wade’s involvement with Pepperidge Farm’s goldfish brand to promote healthy lifestyles with kids, and the third detailed the Heat’s program where team members and performers create the Heat experience right in the workplace. All were innovative, timely and creative and as stand alones were great campaigns.  Combined they showed the concerted effort of the team to address issues head on and give fans a reason to support and patronize the team with their hard earned dollar.  Big points for the Heat for the effort, with more expected going into traing camp.