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.

Kobe vs. LeBron…or Dwight…Digital Immediacy Gives Brands Flexibility Like Never Before…

May 23, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

It used to be that media plans, carefully crafted and built over time, could be gone in a heartbeat if an entertainer bombed or ran afowl of the law, or an athlete was injured or failed to live up to expectations. The classic story has always been the Dave vs. Dave decathlon battle leading to the Olympics that never materialized because of injuries and underperformance. Even three years ago, Amex’s “Andys Mojo” campaign built around Andy Roddick for the US Open, flamed out when Roddick when down too early in the tournament, and there are countless stories of teams pulling down billlboards after early season trades or problems. However today’s digitial opportunities gives media and brand at least more flexibility than before. Even the LA Dodgers “Mannywood” issues could have been much more costly in years gone by if the team did not have the ability to adjust on the fly. Was it somewhat costly? Yes. But not to the extent of other years, where billboards, ads, and other pieces could not be swapped out digitally. Even media guides, once a massive spend to store and print, are now being updated and adjusted more on CD and online, saving time and money. Latest case in point on this issue are the brands that have spent and built toward the NBA Finals and a potential Kobe vs. LeBron mega-final. Jeremy Mullman in Ad Age on Friday had a good piece pointing out potential pratfalls for brands building who have built NBA campaigns and are not part of the the matchup, especially adidas and Gatorade, while Darren Rovell had a good piece earlier in the week about Vitamin Water and their ability to adjust by also having an underused Dwight Howard in their stable of athletes. Both give great insight into the gamble of aligning with one particular athlete or entertainer vs. overall partnerships. However both also show savvy brands that can now adjust in a digital environ and deliver impactful messaging around an event like the NBA Finals by delivering right to the consumer online and with social media, and even some guerilla branding if needed. Just a few years ago, none of that would have been possible and the brand damage could have been massive. Now the ability to adjust on the fly is both creative and a time saver and provides flexibility in messaging that few could have predicted. Picking the right spokespeople is always important…being able to adjust in times of crisis is even more important, and the media environ now provides that opportunity.

Getting The Right Spokesperson…Johnny Mac and Prostate Awareness

April 3, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

The celebrity endorsement world is always a tricky one, especially in times where every move and every dollar is being scrutinized as it is today. David Schwab’s First Call blog this week had a good look at the marketability of some athletes like LeBron James and Shawn Johnson, and why they can be successful as brands while other’s can’t, but another great example of a successful spokesperson was put forward this week by the folks at Taylor for their client GlaxoSmithKline and their “50 Over 50″ challenge promoting prostate cancer awareness. The group selected the still youthful and always outspoken John McEnroe as spokesperson, a great choice who can not only deliver messages, but someone who continues to have an amazing presence across generations, enabling the program to not just speak to those over 50, but to the younger males (and females) who can encourage those in the demo to make sure that prostate health is a priority. McEnroe’s ability to make light of, and deliver the messages of an awkard subject makes the program very impactful, and the surrounding media coverage, digital components and viral video delivered around a time of the year when the over 50 demo is tuning into major events like baseball opening day (MLB also has prostate awareness high on its list with Ed Randall’s Bat For The Cure a great charity), The Masters and of course The Final Four, really gives the program and the spend associated with it the broadest exposure possible. Many times “star value” for a spokesperson outweighs the value of finding the right person to deliver credible messaging, but in this case the two go hand in hand and will get the brand bigger, and perhaps more long-lasting, exposure than they had thought possible. Well picked, well orchestrated, well placed.

Browns, Jets Both Move Quickly But With Different Tacts…

December 30, 2008 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

With three teams moving very quickly with front office changes on Monday, the Lions, Browns and Jets all sent messages to their fans and business partners that changes need to be made to improve the image of the team, and by doing so the day after the season, immediately avoided the twisting in the wind and distractions that often come with “evaluations” after poor seasons.  Especially in New York, fans have seen coaches dangle while decisions are made, so the Jets move yesterday was probably the smartest one for the franchise at this point.  However now that the smoke clears, it appears the Browns may have the most on one page as they look for direction going forward.  The story on Cleveland.com today details Randy Lerner’s issues and opportunities and how he may make choices, and why he made the choices he did, and gives some good insight.  The Browns remain a solid brand in Ohio, with a strong following, sold tickets and…in a market that even with LeBron James and a strong Indians franchise in a down economy…they will hold their place and build by keeping things tight.  Now the Jets?  Different story.  Even though they stood together on the announcement yesterday, the difficult questions posed by the New York media, as well as some conflicts of story, remained unanswered, and with a quarterback controversy and PSLs going into a new stadium to be sold, their stance going forward should be organized, smart, forthright and aggressive.  The decision to change coaches was made and that news cycle is now closed.  Now having all on one page and providing information in an appropriate manner that communicates to the fans and the business partners what the plan is should be next.  Will be interesting to see how and when those messages are conveyed by the organization. 

Browns Raise Interesting Questions With Regard To Political Activism

October 11, 2008 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

With Sara Palin set for Saturday’s puck drop in Philly, and NBA players like LeBron James, Greg Oden and Alonzo Mourning all speaking publicly in support of Senator Barack Obama this past week, it was interesting and noteworthy see the way the Cleveland Browns addressed the issue and opportunity of athletes in a football-crazed and swing state stepping up to support some candidates.  This week Brady Quinn and Joe Thomas took the big step to address the crowd in support of Senators McCain and Palin at an Ohio rally, and the opportunity that was seized could become a national play when the Browns and Giants meet this Monday night.  Even more interesting was the look inside the lockerroom that Brown coach Romeo Crennel and kicker Lin Dawson offered up in this week’s Akron Beacon Journal.   While Crennel in no way criticized his players, he did warn the team about letting political debates in the lockerroom being a distraction, and Dawson chimed in about this election being “quiter” than the past two in the lockerroom.  With such a close election it is more and more apparant that those who can move the casual voter…athletes, entertainers…may become more and more of a factor.  As we have said before, athletes should be supported for using their position of leadership to influence social change so long as they act responsible and are informed on their decisions by those who they trust.  It is not for everyone, as it is not for everyone in sociaty, to take a leadership stand.  However those who choose to do so should be supported for thier interest…it makes the athletes more interesting and more understood which will help build fan interest and can find ways to build brand and keep brand relevant.  The worry about political debate in the lockerroom also raises another question, as those who are in and around the athletic world see contstant debates over clothes, music, movies etc., all elements of intetest to the general public, yet those debates are rarely cautioned by those in authority.  It is interesting to see debate of the political or social nature singled out as being distracting in the lockerroom, as those kind of debates are probably the healthiest and probably the least volatile.  Kudos to the Browns players for stepping up responsibility and to the organization for addressing the issue publicly. 

Fun and Games…LeBron Plays Touch Football, The Jonas Brothers Rent Dodgers Stadium

September 25, 2008 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

Some great examples of the sports/entertainment crossover popped up again this week, albeit in different ways.  First there were the pop sensation Jonas Brothers departing from their teeny bop audience to celebrate a 16th anniversary…by renting out Dodgers Stadium for two hours. Then this week came a report from the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Branson Wright on LeBron James return to Akron to revisit his high school and take the field with some friends for a game of touch football.  Although the events are on opposite sides of the largesse scale, they both show the ability for the biggest athlete or the greatest entertainer to still find the simple act of a pickup game to serve as a common bonding ground for friends.  Now will the Jonas Brothers use the Dodgers Stadium fun as a parlay into extra bucks for rights to some video play?  Maybe.  Did James give Wright, one of the NBA’s most respected columnists, access to show is simple side to fans as the season approaches?  Maybe.  Were both stories worthy of showing that superstars can be guys guys too and address the needs of a wider audience?  Yes.  Regardless of any motives, the pieces both provided solid slice of life and gave fans of both entertainment and sport a welcome inside look into a more human side.

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