Squeezing Til The Sponge Is Dry…

October 14, 2009 by Joe Favorito · 2 Comments 

In the 1970’s and into the 1980’s big tobacco fueled some of the most successful sports branding opportunities in history. Whether it was Phillip Morris’ support of Virginia Slims tennis or NASCAR’s Marlboro Cup, the cigarette brands created some of the most large scale and effective activation platforms in sports history. Then came all the legislation against smoking and the tobacco brands, and for the better in terms of health and social consciousness, all the spending stopped from those brands. So sports moved on, using the lessons learned in many of those activation platforms to bring in new brands who would spend, maybe not at the large numbers of tobacco, but who would continue to grow business and fill the gap. Banks and financial institutions, insurance, and technology, filled gaps with new money and new ways to reach the consumer.

Expecting The Unexpected: AFL Handles David Baker’s Resignation

July 27, 2008 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

With another successful Arena Bowl on tap (featuring two good markets in Philly and the Bay Area), expansion possibly to Europe, improved ratings on TV and more market by market coverage, the AFL should have had a love fest this weekend in New Orleans for a sold out Arena Bowl.  As a matter of fact, longtime comissioner David Baker said as much on Mike and Mike this past Friday morning.  He was well messaged, hit all his points and for even the causal fan the outlook of the AFL from it’s top man seemed bright.  As we know in sports, things sometimes are not as they seem, and later in the day Baker surprisingly resigned from his post, throwing the league into immediate uncertainty and clouding what would have been a bright weekend.  As is consistent with a solid PR team, the AFL handled the crisis in stage one very well.  Baker immediately spoke to the biggest voice (AP’s Barry Wilner)  which got the AFL message out as positively as possible in an unusual situation.  Throughout the weekend all interviews from players to coaches to broadcasters, have spoken about nothing but the positives and the future of the AFL and Baker’s legacy and have deftly avoided questions of the timing of the announcement and what else could have gone into it.  Ironically the timing has probably played in the AFL’s favor…late on a summer Friday after a series of pressers where there was no indictation of an issue.  The board also acted correctly in naming associate comish Ed Policy into a governance role and giving Baker the ability to leave his post after Sunday’s game.  Now where the speculation and rumors go from here is anyone’s guess.  However in keeping all interested parties on message, getting the correct message out to the fans and the media and keeping everything focused on the athletes and the teams and minimizing distraction, the AFL scored big points in the news cycle.