Matching The Brand And The Athlete Not A New Challenge…

August 19, 2010 by Joe Favorito · 2 Comments 

Recently writer Michael Sokolve had a piece in the New York Times about the issues today’s iconic athletes have from a public perspective. Sokolove’s argument is that today’s greatest on field athletes…Tiger Woods and LeBron James included…needed to tell the world themselves how great they were to build a public, and very lucrative persona.  The iconic athletes of the past, he argued, let their achievements and those around them judge success in the public sector, and the need for self-gratification on achievements was not needed.  While it is easy to make that assumption, it is hard to say how the elite athletes of the past would have adjusted to the media trends and demands of today, and conversely, how today’s elite athletes would have done with different, and sometimes less, pressures of past generations.

On The Record…Sort Of…

August 5, 2010 by Joe Favorito · 1 Comment 

This past week has seen two prominent sports names…LeBron James and Brett Favre…dragged into the middle of controversy by being invlved in stories that were sort of on the record sort of not, but both show the continued issues media have with ethics, the battle to get out unique content and the growing rift between those who want coverage and those who have all coverage thrust upon them.  The first involved ESPN reporter Arash Markazi and his trailing of James and crew in Las Vegas. The murkiness over whether James’ team knew who Markazi was and what he was doing in a public place trailing the soon to be Miami Heat star is one issue, the fact that the reporter really didn’t find much and reported as such is another.  It is clear that Markazi never clearly stated or showed that he was a member of the media when he started asking questions to the group, but whether some people knew or didn’t know is the issue.  He did go to Las Vegas to see what he could find, and the resulting story, which ESPN did remove when it caused some controversy, was the product of his trip.  Should he have clearly said why he was there and asked for access, should James’ crew have known why he was there, should ESPN have removed a pretty benign story or should they have posted it in the first place is all the source of the debate.

So We Now Move On…

July 10, 2010 by Joe Favorito · 2 Comments 

Stephen King was once asked who his audience is for his novels, and his answer was that he writes for everyone who slows down to look at accidents. It is the sense of spectacle that makes events, no matter how bizarre or contrived they sometimes seem, that draws everyone to them.  Case in point was the past week, or month, or year, and all the information, misinformation, rumors and talk about LeBron James and free agency, all of which came to a head with a huge audience on ESPN Thursday night.  So now that the world knows and is debating winners and losers, what is it that we really know today that we didn’t know yesterday about James’ move to South Beach?  Some thoughts…

Majoring In The Minors: Lake County Joins The LeBron Fun…

June 24, 2010 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

So with the first day of summer comes a new rite of passage in select NBA cities…the beg LeBron sweepstakes.  Mayor’s, celebrities, fans, websites, media from sea to shining sea have come up with ploy after ploy to gain attention as LeBron James decides where to next ply his trade.  The recruitment James missed by forgoing college is now in full swing, with the stakes for some franchises who have cast aside previous seasons to build cap space now hanging in the balance, not to mention the dollars and equity of thousands of season ticketholders who have cast their lot and bet of James coming to save franchises in L.A., New York, Chicago, Cleveland and points in between. The recruiting has run from mainstream to viral, and will cost organizations a good chunk of change with the hopes of bringing an ROI to pass along to their partners and fans.

The Cost of Growing The College Brand…

March 21, 2010 by Joe Favorito · 1 Comment 

This past week we saw a unique yin and yang of college brand strategy in the New York metropolitan area.  Seton Hall fired coach Bobby Gonzalez for creating a renegade program (with some won/loss success) and besmirching the school’s overall image, while St. John’s fired head coach Norm Roberts for doing many of the things to create a quality program but not winning enough (also tack on Rutgers retaining head coach Fred Hill, who was given the chance by athletic director Tim Pernetti to create a little more stability and some wins for the program).  The two schools in a Big East Conference that is now more football driven for brand and dollars than ever before face a very difficult question, both on brand and finance.  What is more important, can you have both, and can you find a way to justify expenses to satisfy all?

Sports Books Worth Reading And Giving From 2009

December 20, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

I will be the first to say I am not a strong critic, nor do I read every book out there. However I do read a great deal and try to figure out what are the books that teach me something, even of some of the most public of figures, that I didn’t know before and what can I take away from this that can apply to work, personal life or friends, colleagues or family. Also, what do I think are just really well written stories. So below I have highlighted a list of some of the books I have gotten to and enjoyed, and others may enjoy too. Some are on most people’s lists…some are a little more obscure, but all are well written and have great value. I also have to admit I have not read Bill Simmons’ book or Chris Ballard’s on the NBA, or the Agassi book or my friend Jon Wertheim’s book on tennis this year. That is my bad, but that’s what the holidays are for. These are also in no particular order, other than Marty Appel’s name started with A and thats the first one I thought of. Feel free to send along other suggestions to me at fatherknickerbocker1@yahoo.com

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.

Can Sports Mimic Entertainment and “Say Now”?

September 15, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

Sometimes the best of marketing activation plays are the simplest. Even with all levels of social media in use, the sound of the spoken voice sometimes is the most effective, and sometimes most underutilized method of communication today, and remains a way for elite entertainers and athletes to reach very personally with their fan base. After all, anyone can Twitter or set up a Facebook account, or even write correspondence, but who can mimic the spoken word? It shows that the star is committed to his fan base by literally speaking to him or her. Ironically the use of reverse 911 technology has been the impetus for outgoing voice calls for years, and it has effectively been used in mass campaigns for politicians and for season ticketing calls and reminder by teams. But now the advance of that technology has created a much more personal opportunity, one which the mucic industry has been the first to seize. Monday’s New York Times profiled the work of Say Now, a Silicon Valley company which has literally engaged thousands of the top music stars to communicate one to one with their ever growing and very passionate fan bases. The technology enables fans to even get select live calls from pop stars, and gives the stars the ability to do mass open calls for those who choose to call in as well as answer questions asked directly to them, in their own voice. On the marketing side, record companies can also use the signup list to send voice messages about special offers and promotions, all of which have an audio opt in, and now movie companies are using the technology to get viral posts on call to action items built into their street campaigns. All very effective. So why not sports for “Say Now”? The company has tried sports in the past, with limited effectiveness. One reason is the constant time drag athletes have, as well as the limited amount of information that can be put forth that would remain interesting to fans. Movies and music have a build up to an event or a launch, sports is much more constant repetition. Also the Say Now brand is built both around star quality and individual marketing, something which team sports may have a hard time allocating, and something which individual agents may have trouble delivering dollars for. Now there have been some interesting uses of the technology as a ticket call to action, especially in the college space. Schools like Arizona State and Boston College have built immersive online programs that end with a call to action from a coach, but there is not a followup for constant, intimate contact in play after the first round of calls. That could come some day soon, and the Say Now idea would be very effective to build campaigns like an All-Star vote or a Heisman play. Who can make the Say Now jump from entertainment to sports as part of a digital and social media play? The athlete who can engage year-round, has relevant thoughts on and off the floor, and is committed to build brand. It won’t be an easy find, but it can be a very lucrative one for the right brand.

Loving The Comeback…Phelps, Watson, Armstrong…Even LeBron…

July 29, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

One thing the American sports public loves, especially in challenged times, is the art of the comeback. Even the biggest star, once shown with feet of clay, somehow moves up the popularity and sympathy list, when he or she starts the road back or finally gets toppled. Like the evil Mafia dons turned benevolent dictators, we seem to soften images, and often times brands are there to take advantage of the return to popularity as the once iconic become iconic again. Now does it “just happen?” No. Obviously the commitment from the athlete has to be there, and there has to be a solid marketing plan behind the brand reinvention, but with the commitment from both the athletic side and the business side, the re-image can sometimes be more popular than the original. Three cases in point from recent weeks. First Tom Watson. His unlikely run at the British Open, one where Tiger Woods again slumped, helped re-engage fans in the possibilities of what-if, even when he fell off the lead on the final day. Watson’s partners, which included Adams Golf, had a nice bump, and eventhough TV numbers were not record, his unlikely run gave the event some sustainability and probably re-energized his brand for a slightly older demo, as well as connecting him to many newer golfers for the first time. Second, Lance Armstrong. Eventhough there was the public falling out over the final days with teammate and eventual winner Alberto Contador over the timing of the team Radio Shack announcement , Armstrong again went through an amazing brand re-invention during his amazing Tour de France run. He twitters, embraced fans, softened a once hard image, avoided the pratfalls of the doping world and connected with the fickle French fans like never before, giving the sport and his brand going forward another huge boost. Third Michael Phelps. With his marijuana episode in the rear view mirror, the folks at Octagon have repositioned Phelps as the athlete America loves while most of us are jumping again into summer swimming pools. Even better for the future of swimming, Phelps actually lost a race this week, to German Paul Biedermann,a swimmer using a soon-to-be-banned swimsuit, which sets him up for even more watercooler talk going forward. Last is LeBron James...although with little damage really, James NBA playoff antics, and the mystery of the dunk film from this summer, showed some chinks in the LeBron armor, just small ones, which probably made him just that more interesting at this stage of his career to draw in even the small group of casual fans who may not have been that interested in all his positive work over the last few years. Now where can these brand re-inventions go in the future? A lot of it is up to the athlete, but with Phelps already looking ahead to 2012 and Armstrong back on the top of his racing game, the different demos that they speak to and the brands they engage should have some nice pop. For Watson, it may be more quiet endorsements and speaking around his golf, but all will be positive in the slightly older demo he speaks to, and for LeBron…how high can one go? After all, the elusive NBA title still awaits, after his upcoming Nike-sponsored world tour. We do love the comeback.

The Interesting Approach of Brand Ty Lawson…

June 24, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

As the NBA Draft approaches Thursday, it will be interesting to see the branding winners and missteps taken, and how quickly in this digital age teams will look to immediately activate with their picks…will guys be twittering new fans from the podium, who will be the first to stream and text messages back home and will any team look to Twitter their pick before it is announced, as happened in the NFL Draft? Speed and immediacy, whether they can be monetized or not at this point, will be interesting, as well as how well athletes today understand perceived brand value vs. real brand value. Tuesday’s Washington Post gave a great glimpse inside the workings of North Carolina’s Ty Lawson as he prepped both on and off the court for this Thursday’s coming out. The piece had great access into Lawson and the team around him that is prepped to strike once his name is called, and how they can roll out the new branded Lawson to the Carolina faithful, and to the faithful of his new team. It is a very smart message to try and show potential fans, the media, teams and brands that Lawson is ready for the marketing and playing tasks ahead. however one thing that misses from the article, and is critical to be factored in…are the plans of the team he is selected by. Are they ready to work with Team Lawson on his brand roll out…does it conflict with anything they are planning for their elite customers or partners? Are both sides ready to work together to maximize the opportunity each has created? It sounds simple, but often times it is not. The best partnerships are when teams and athletes start from day one to pull for a common goal…brandwise, community wise, activation wise, access wise and most importantly playing wise. For every LeBron James brand, there are countless others that tried to build upon failed on court or on field focus, and although some athletes can succeed as marketing brands based on just performance, the opposite, brand success with limited on field success, is the rarest of the rare. The Lawson prep story shows smarts by his team…hopefully he lands with the right team that can take advantage of his smarts both on and off the court.

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