Mixed Martial Arts Winning A Perception Fight…

March 14, 2013 by

If you have been to New York’s Times Square in the last five or six years toy would have seen it, the billboard towering over the Marriott Marquis. Amidst the glowing brand ads throughout the square and the endless video displays is the huge promotion board for the UFC, always telling the tale of their next upcoming pay per view. Every big name in the sport has been featured on the billboard as their event came and went, a constant reminder to everyone that the largest Mixed Martial Arts promotion is alive and growing around the world. Except of course in New York, where the sport remains illegal, one of the few states in the U.S. where professional MMA cannot be held.

However that long battle may soon end, as New York Governor Andrew Cuomo stated this week that he is now open to having the sport legalized in New York, which can open the doors even more for Madison Avenue and others to ramp up their support of MMA. Why and how is this move important for the UFC and other promotions like Spike’s Bellator brand? Simple. There are few sports as experiential as professional MMA for the fan, and as close as New Jersey is, it is still not New York for companies who want to engage in the brand, and an OK in New York will boost the image, and the marketing appeal beyond what it currently is.

Now the legalization move won’t mean that suddenly the Nets at the Barclay’s Center or the Knicks and Rangers at Madison Square Garden are going to suddenly be cast out for cage fighting. In reality, the move will help the State’s casinos upstate even more that the large facilities in New York. Those smaller venues can host profitable smaller promotions that will draw a younger demo into their gambling establishments more consistently. For companies like Fox, the UFC broadcast partner, and Spike, the Bellator broadcast partner, it will give a chance to showcase an elite event a few times a year right down the street from where its main advertisers live and work. It will also provide a new backdrop for the programmers reality shows on the sport, should they choose to use it.  The use of New York as a marketing tool is certainly not new for the sport…like NASCAR and recently Major League Soccer, the UFC and Bellator have brought their athletes into New York for press events and trainings. Now they can deliver the complete package to the Big Apple, probably helping erase some of the doubt of brands that are still on the fence about the sport. No longer will they say…if it’s so hot why can’t you compete here in New York. It is one less objection to battle, and more legitimacy for the sport.

Is the change potentially in New York the be all and end all for the sport? No. Does it mean that suddenly promoters and fighters will have a huge new stream of get rich quick cash? No. Events are still expensive to produce and will be very carefully regulated. However for the promotions like the UFC and Bellator potentially, the legalization in New York is a big win in perception and value, and a nice next step for their business, whether you like fighting or not.

Filed Under: Boxing, CBS, Fox, Fox Sports.com, Gaming, Mixed Martial Arts Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

“Brand Tennis” Gets A Bounce…

March 4, 2013 by

It’s never easy to create a global initiative in anything for one day, let alone anything to do with sport…on a weekday at a time of year when most of the sporting world is thinking soccer, pitchers and catchers, basketball, ice hockey, lacrosse or any myriad of ideas. Tennis? The hard courts of Melbourne are a memory, the clay of Roland Garros and the grass of Wimbledon is still covered and even in the US the spring outdoor events at places like Key Biscayne and Indian Wells are only starting to come into focus. Then you lop on schedules for indoor events both exhibitions and scheduled tournaments, Davis and Fed Cup, and getting casual fans and the media to focus on tennis  on a Monday in march seems like quite a challenge.

 However the International Tennis Federation, with a huge lift from two mega-exhibitions in New York and, and the support of over 40 countries have put a stake in the ground, proclaiming Monday March 4 World Tennis Day…a day where lessons indoor and out, events big and small, will serve as a call to action to remind people of the benefits and star power that the sport has, as the weather in many places gets warmer and people start to look for outdoor activity. It will also serve as a good call to action to event promoters around the globe with tickets to sell for upcoming events to give media and fans a chance to engage with them at a time when thoughts may still be elsewhere for tournaments this summer.

World Tennis Day is centered around two high-profile events; BNP Paribas Showdown in New York’s Madison Square Garden that this year will see Rafa Nadal highlight a card that also has  World No. 1, Victoria Azarenka, Serena Williams and  Juan Martin del Potro,  and a new event of the same name to be played at the AsiaWorld-Arena in Hong Kong with Agnieszka Radwanska, Caroline Wozniacki, John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl.

In the US, The United States Tennis Association (USTA) has already established promotion were clubs are asked to open their doors as part of a month-long drive to get children playing the sport. Over 2,200 clubs in the United States took part in this initiative in 2012 and the goal is to eclipse that number this year.

For their part, the ITF has offered up their own simpler grassroots style event to clubs around the world with a similar goal…so the question is, will it work?

An initiative of this size needs two part…star power and commitment to follow through at the grassroots. For the two anchor events, New York and Hong Kong, the stars for the night are in places, and the global television audience should effectively help merchandise the benefits and the fun of the sport at a time when many won’t be thinking tennis top of mind. The mobilization of thousands of club pros around the world not just on the day, but n the weekend prior and the weeks following, is also key to making the promotion effective.

 Now is this a global media event with millions watching live? No. Does it need more brand opportunities away from New York and Hong Kong to activate at a consumer level? For sure. Will it suddenly vault tennis back into a higher level of daily awareness? No. What this event does do is give those casual fans a strong reminder to start picking up a racquet, it creates some nice brand awareness in two key markets for the stars of the game (especially Nadal whose injuries have kept him out of the spotlight as one of the game’s most telegenic faces) and it gives the hyper local a great rallying point. Sure it needs lots of follow-up to sustain the bounce the game will get for a night, but as an attempt to create buzz and grow the game, the concept of World Tennis Day is a good one, and one that as it expands can have even more impact on healthy lifestyles than it will on finding the next Grand Slam Champion.

 A good promotion, and a nice next step for a game that needs the boost.   

Filed Under: ESPN, ESPN/ABC, NCAA, Olympics, Tennis Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

No Bull…PBR Gets A Chance To Ride A Quiet NY Weekend To Success

January 4, 2013 by

This weekend the New York area will be without a boxing match, an MMA card, the NFL, the NHL, arena football and indoor soccer. There is a smattering of college hoops and a little NBA, but what can someone with a hankering for some action check out. Well the PBR is back for its annual stop at Madison Square Garden. From its bulls to its interactive displays, its riders and its clowns, the PBR experience is certainly a unique one for sports branding coming through New York for what is its only east coast appearance.

In previous years the PBR has tested jousting, marched the bulls through Times Square and offered up first hand visits to try and distinguish themselves from other events in the area. There is usually a Giants playoff game or some NHL looking to draw attention. This year, the sports card is pretty much all bull for a weekend which the Tour uses to kick off its season and remind Madison Avenue that its fans and its product are unique to sport.

Why MSG in January? Even with a slower economy than when the circuit first came to MSG, the PBR still pulls some major brands from Ford to Stanley Tools to Wrangler to Cooper Tires, and even a new official chainsaw in Echo Power Tools (try selling that category, MLB). Their exclusive TV partner, CBS, also needs to entertain and engage partners in the buying capital of the sports world, especially since the PBR does not come any closer than Fayetteville, North Carolina at any point in 2013. We do live in a global sports environment now, but being able to experience an event like the PBR for skeptical brand buyers is very important, and there is no better way than hosting a showcase event in their backyard.

Families may be looking for a post-holiday event to attend that is both affordable and a bit different, and the casual sports fan is looking for some live event that is not of the norm and is a ways away from a normal trip to “The World’s Most famous Arena.” Add in the NASCAR-like appeal of the bull riders, the spectacle and drama of the bulls and you have an event that can actually draw attention and pull in a strong weekend crowd in a very fickle environment.

Aside from the spectacle of PBR, the fact that it is a stand-alone East Coast event for the sport, at the same time every year, can even make the weekend a destination spot for staycationers in the burbs, but also for fans of the sport from up and down the east coast and parts inland. All that works because of the consistency of the calendar, and a willing partner in Madison Square Garden. If the event moved from time to time, or if it had to go up against better weather or any host of other events in the crowded New York schedule, the event would be nowhere near as successful. Casual fans would not seek it out, or be able to circle the date with consistency. Even diehard fans would have to adjust from the rigors of daily life, and any stretch from annual consistency could spell doom.

Consistent and effective year in, year out branding and timing leads to a good churn of the casual fan and builds brand loyalty for the core follower, which translates into three days of an enthused, supportive and engaged fan, which is what all events strive to deliver in these challenging times, especially in the largest media market in the country.

So is the PBR season opener a model for branding success for niche events? It has many of the elements for a good one off, most important of which is exciting live content in a weekend which is as quiet in the area on the sports calendar as any. If it spectacle you like, the PBR certainly delivers.

Filed Under: CBS, Gaming, PBR Tagged With: , , ,

The Battle For Gotham…NBA Style

October 18, 2012 by

There have been times in the past 20 years where the Nets brand has made attempts to solidly establish itself in the hearts and minds and pocketbooks of Madison Avenue. Jon Spoelstra trying to change the name of the team to The Swamp Dragons, the time when the team made their runs to the NBA Finals with mega-talent like Jason Kidd and Kenyon Martin, the coaching genius of Larry Brown and the late Chuck Daly, all made the Nets more of an interest and a curiosity to casual fans than a real threat to the brand of the Knicks and their seat atop Penn Station in “The World’s Most Famous Arena.” The Knicks are a New York institution, the Nets are a basketball team.

In the last few years ownership change, two moves, first to Newark and now to Brooklyn, have given the Nets more substance to their bluster than before. Gradually the team would add sponsors never seen before in an NBA circle, try new “influencer” ideas, boast of “record” increases in attendance and sponsorship without really ever getting into the numbers to see what the “records” actually were. However they  did get attention. The Knicks? The continue to operate as an established brand. Never doing a constant barrage of news but ann ouncing large scale partnerships as their renovated home evolved over quiet summers, finding a more international fan base who would come to MSG at very high prices like they would go to a Broadway play, and bringing in bold face names both on and around the court to keep the franchise in the lexicon of popular culture that matches what even casual fans deems to be  interesting. Interesting like watching a train wreck or a reality TV show sometimes? Yes. But interesting enough to keep people engaged.

So while the Knicks fire back with a salvo of news every once in a while, the Nets continue to go all out in screaming about the Barclays Center, its innovative lights, its first ever in Brooklyn events, to anyone who will listen. Only now the difference is that the screaming is being heard by a more national audience, almost as if the franchise is an expansion team. Deron Williams is on the cover of Sports Illustrated, Nets gear is a hot seller, the arena is state-of-the-art, and most importantly, their long-awaited new home opens at a time where Brooklyn has become the destination of more high net worth thirtysomethings who can pay premium prices than ever before.  The new arena also has had the benefit, one of the few, of being able to book a large number of events this fall while MSG (and The Prudential Center in Newark and Nassau Coliseum) continue to sit largely idle because of committed and unused dates due to the NHL Lockout. While that doesn’t directly effect the battle for hoops fans, it does give Brooklyn a boost in added interest, which ultimately leads to exposure for the Nets brand. More people in, more thoughts about Nets basketball.

Now none of this means the Knicks are hurting with exposure in the public eye. Their team may be older, but they have established names. Their building may not be new, but it is renovated and state of the art. They may not have an aggressive new owner but they have one with deep pockets. they may not have to boast of new fans but they have thousands lined up to purchase tickets , and have a large corporate base within minutes to draw from. They may not have new subway lines with sparkling stations, but they  sit atop one of the busiest transportation hubs in the world, which means MSG is an easy stop for high net worth commuters on their way home, or even for those coming from the north or south who are making Manhattan a destination.Whether you love or loathe the Knicks, they are still prime water cooler talk.

Sports fandom is also tribal, and those tribal loyalties just don’t turn overnight. The Nets have been courting the urban fans for several years, and can now play in front of them. However that casual courting is much different from a marriage. Sure people will come by for a visit, but will they come back again after they sample the new digs? Or will they go back to old habits in a part of New York (Manhattan) where they spend more of their waking hours? Yes the Nets will again be more affordable, but will affordable mean profitable,, or do you need mega-prices to make it in a very tough business environment? yes the Nets by default will have more people who can go to games in the urban environment that is Brooklyn…younger, hipper and more vibrant than Newark or the Meadowlands. But will those people keep coming back? Yes the Nets have brought in new sponsors looking to engage in a new building, but will all those sponsors be able to lure very busy clients away from Manhattan and into Brooklyn? They still have to cross a river, not a street.

These perceived battles have happened in other cities. The Clippers have risen up to try and challenge the Lakers in the eyes of the local fan, and the result appears to be a market which can love both at least for the short term. New York has its own caste system with Jets/Giants and Mets/Yankees, each appealing to a certain core fan. There are Cubs/White Sox loyalties that rarely change. The biggest difference here is that both the Knicks and the Nets are trying to appeal to a more elite audience with deeper pockets than probably ever before. Both like the casual fan, both both need big bucks to make this work.

Then there is also the ultimate litmus test, what happens on the court. The Knicks are older, and established at least with name players. The Nets are younger and looking to challenge with new names (which is not different from other times the team has tried to grab fans). So in order to fill the void of distressed tickets each night, the team needs to win.  The Knicks larger base means they have less tickets to sell, at least for the short term. The Nets, a smaller base which leads to larger expanses of open seats. That eats into the bottom line.

In the short term, it appears the market can bear out both efforts. Opening night will see “sellout” for both. Over time, can the Nets plan push them into new fans who will change loyalties or bring in fans who never really followed basketball? That new immigrant, one raised on soccer and cricket and rugby vs. baseball, is in full force throughout Brooklyn. He and she is prime to be converted and join their more local team from time to time. But that will not happen overnight.  the Nets have always been about the quick headline, the Knicks the slow and steady build with the brightest of lights on their side, win or lose. Which strategy, or maybe both, will ultimately win out is worth watching. It will make for interesting times for both fans and brands, as a full NBA season tips off in a few weeks.

Filed Under: Ambush Marketing, ESPN Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Nets Have The Sizzle, Will The Steak Follow?

September 3, 2012 by

Last week the Brooklyn Nets started their countdown clock to the long-discussed opening of Americas newest showplace, the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Not a day goes by without another announcement of a concert, high school hoops extravaganza, new billboard going up, community visit, concert or “innovation” as the organization continues to scream “Look at Me” to anyone who will listen or not.

The team has re-made itself on the court under GM Billy King, re-signing Deron Williams and adding Joe Johnson while adding a host of other new faces to go along with the new look and their new arena. Every week there is a new boast of a sponsor or a ticket milestone, along with more than a few rumblings of other major attractions like an NHL game or the Women’s Final Four in the offing soon or down the line. Promote, promote, promote and never miss a moment to remind someone that a new building will be coming into vogue in at least part of the world’s largest media market, in its most populous borough.

There is probably no organization on the planet which has tried as hard to find ways to place itself in the media than the Nets and the Barclays Center in the past 18 months. From the added exposure coming from Kris Humphries’ ill-fated and short lived Karadashian experience, to the constant push of brand partners and the man who is pulling the pieces together from a sales side (Bret Yormark), everyone has at least a casual knowledge of where the Nets will be.  Every day there is a reason to at least be intrigues by the goings-on in Brooklyn, whether you like NBA basketball or not.

Now of course all of this is not going on in a vacuum. Just across the river Madison Square Garden is undergoing their second summer of renovation, occasionally parachuting in with updates for the media on what a renovated MSG will look like like. Following their Olympic performance, stars like Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler have made their way back to Gotham to grab their own headlines with teammate Amar’e Stoudamire taking in the US Open or attending Fashion Week, and if the NHL does start on time, the Rangers have made themselves more media friendly with their marketing of Henrik Lundquist and company. There is also the Nets recent home, the Prudential Center, which still remains the most accessible arena in the area thus far, with a team (the Devils) that has done a great job of engaging in the social space.  So the Nets and the Barclays Center have take the aggressive approach to position themselves and their partners as the “must see” venue of the fall, each and every day in the marketplace.

Now will it work?  First of all the market is big enough to adequately support the venues full time. The amount of shows and events coming through such a wide media market with amazing public transportation hubs can keep the event calendar flowing. The rebirth of New York as a tourist destination has also helped fill the distressed inventory of MSG in recent years, and that draw to a borough not far away should also help the Barclays. Will the team play well enough to have fans show up night in and night out for games against subpar opponents?  Will the arena be a technological innovation along the lines of Kansas City’s Livestrong Park, which has emerged as the most tech-savvy of all new facilities to date? Will die-hard Knicks fans who have to traverse Penn Station on their daily commutes be drawn consistently to an aggressive  vibe in Brooklyn? What happens when the sizzle comes off the new arena in a years time? Old habits are tough to break, and that’s when the real selling will come in…on the rainy days when there are few “firsts” left in the Nets bag of tricks. As much as the Jets have sold hype, the bottom line is their Stadium co-tenants, the Giants, have found smart and innovative ways to engage their fans AND win, which in a market like New York, is what you need.

There is no doubt the Nets and their PR and Marketing teams have created sizzle. Now they have to serve the steak as well. Great first step, one worth watching for what the next one will be.

Filed Under: College Baseball, Minor League Hockey, NBA Teams, NHL Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Does The UFC Really Need New York?

March 25, 2012 by

On May 5, a stones throw from the Empire State building, Jim Miller will battle Nate Diaz before a packed house over close to 15,000 and a national television audience in the latest UFC event to hit the New York area. it will have the hope, the hype and lots of hometown flair, especially for the New Jersey born Miller, another successful event for Zuffa around the Apple. Billboards and bars throughout Manhattan and the five boroughs will push the event, and a good time will be had by all, from brand partners to fans, celebrating another step forward for the UFC, if not for the sport of Mixed Martial Arts.

In and around the event, the UFC brand will look to break records in other venues, from Stockholm to Atlanta, where Rashard Evans and John Jones will meet in what will be another landoffice success for all things UFC. Merch will fly off shelves, trash will be talked, and the south will get its strong dose of a huge crowd to keep the MMA Bandwagon going. So with all that great news, what’s the problem?

The problem remains that the MMA is still not legal in New York State, and despite the fact that the May event will be in the area, it will be at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, not Madison Square Garden. Jones even voiced his disappointment this past week about the lack of UFC in New York, saying that he had hoped that his Evans fight would have been the first in The Apple. So despite grassroots efforts, hard lobbying and talk by athletes, New York remains steadfast in their lack of interest in legalized MMA. Now the fight against the fight is becoming less for sure, especially with politicians changing seats and a national election coming in November, but the question remains, does it really matter in the growth of the sport to have the UFC on Broadway?

Some supporters talk to “millions” in revenue for the state if MMA becomes legalized, but the truth is the biggest money making events would be limited to one or two a year, probably between the new Barclay’s Center and the Garden, with another one landing in Buffalo at some point, or maybe the cavernous Carrier Dome. MMA from the gym side does very well already in New York, as the home base for star trainers like Renzo Gracie. Sure smaller shows, all with minimal gates and purses and stars, would pop up and have to be regulated, but the UFC would not suddenly gain billions with legal MMA in New York. What it would get is the perception of becoming more mainstream, which could open the coffers of additional brand dollars from Madison Avenue which may be less averse with an OK from Governor Cuomo’s office. It would be another chip that Zuffa could claim, much like their FOX deal, to move the business of the UFC forward, one less objection to battle.

Now is there any fan who would not make the trip, especially now with public transportation available like never before, across the river to see the UFC just because it is in New Jersey? Are there really politicians, with all that is going on in government, who would suddenly make legalizing MMA in New York a priority? The answer is probably no.

Dos the UFC deserve to bring their business to New York? Yes. They have done all that has been asked and then some, and legalizing the sport would remove one more stigma for those who support, and probably bring a few casual fans on board. However without legalization, the UFC and some others have done well in venues like the Prudential Center and the IZOD Center and to some degree in Atlantic City all on their own, and that should continue in May.

Sometimes it is true that perception leads to reality, and maybe the reality of legalization in New York will change the perception of millions to suddenly enjoy a sport they really didn’t care for. However more likely is the fact that the UFC wll continue to thrive in the key male demo without New York. Either way fans will get their fill in the area come May, even if it is just across the river. If that changes in the future, great. If not, the show goes on elsewhere.

Filed Under: Boxing, Crisis Management, Fox, Mixed Martial Arts Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Best of Monday…The Mully Countdown, NIT Value and Mickey Mouse Soccer

March 19, 2012 by

As we hit the final day of winter, not to mention St. Joseph’s Day (also underrated as a holiday everywhere except Italy and Brooklyn) some good items and thoughts from over the weekend.

Warriors Count It Down: Monday night the Golden State Warriors will retire Chris Mullin’s Number 17 jersey and they have done a good job in extending the promotion beyond the window of those attending. Their “17 Days of Mullin” provided a sponsored (Cashe Creek Casino Resort) daily giveaway of everything from Bobbleheads to tickets to memorabilia, all fun and inexpensive. Their social media outreach during the period highlighted Mullin facts and tied promotions for followers to the night. Their website outreach is also all things Mullin, giving fans from around the country the opportunity to participate and make the night bigger than most retirement ceremonies. Very worthy for a Hall of Famer and for a team that looks for ways to grow regardless of what happens on the court. They found low cost ways to elevate the ROI for a sponsor as well, which is always helpful and shows the synergy between the business and communications side, with a little new media thrown in. Well done and well thought out and lots of fun.

NIT As A Value: For many fans, the National Invitation Tournament has been an afterthought for about 30 years. However since taking it over, the NCAA has tried to give the second tier event more value by adding in the winners of regular season conferences that get shut out of the NCAA Field, as well as rewarding bubble schools for a strong season. The scheduling is always tough given the fact that schools host many times during spring break and have to find alternative venues as well. However there is great TV exposure via ESPN and the pitch that the NIT remains an entree for younger teams to continue on. The event has structure unlike the pay to play events called the CBI and the College Insider.com, which have never found their footing in the mainstream for anyone outside of the participants. So what else can the NIT do to gain interest? How about sponsor activation trials? the NCAA Tournament is big dollars and pristine environs, how about finding growing companies looking to activate in the space, especially digital brands, that would be interested in unique promos at each site? At one point the NIT used a red, white and blue ball, could a subtle rule change be tested? How about a large scale charity component that could bring attention to the semi-finals and finals at MSG? Can there be a fan opt-in contest to select best plays, promotions or locales? Also could the finals and semi’s be shifted to a smaller venue to draw more bodies, even replicating post-season conference tournaments where the higher seed hosts? The lure of coming to New York is great, but there may be plenty of other places to out the NIT to give it more pop. It remains a worthy tournament for its participants, now it needs to be more relevant again to the marketplace.

Mickey Mouse Soccer: Monday Serie A powerhouse AS Roma announced a deal with Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex to be their winter training home, and to work on youth soccer partnerships. It is another sign that the commercial marketplace is growing for soccer, not just for MLS but for the world’s greatest clubs as well. The recognition and brand value elite clubs can leverage in the United States with fans and brands looking to get involved continues to elevate, and the move by Roma is the first, but certainly not the last, by some of the greatest teams in the sport to grab American dollars and marketshare. Smart move by the club and anothe good move by Disney to elevate the profile of what was at one point a blight on the company landscape, but has now become a great strategic sports destination.

Filed Under: College Basketball, ESPN, FIFA, MLS, NBA Teams, NCAA Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

MSG Makes Right Move Jumping On Linsanity Now…

March 6, 2012 by

It is one of the busiest weeks at the semi-refurbished Madison Square Garden. Hockey led to Gymnastics which led to hockey which led to tennis which led to a week of Big East and the Knicks and then the WWE, all in a nine day stretch. However while the Knicks and Rangers are away, the sales folks are busy, rightfully so, pushing the Linsanity angle if the bubble bursts.

Make no mistake about it, Jeremy Lin, if he does nothing else, has already saved the Knicks season. Even with many subpar opponents, he helped lead them to wins they would probably not have gotten, and bridged a return to get Baron Davis healthy and Carmelo Anthony back in the lineup that gave New York a chance to be competitive the rest of the winter and into the spring. Without him, the Knicks are lottery fodder, probably with a new coach at this point.

So while his agent talks about looking at long term deals and thousands of offers, the Knicks have moved very quickly to maximize sales efforts, which is the smartest of moves in a league where every day weaknesses can be exploited and good teams adjust to the new, previously unknown star. As fast as Jeremy Lin’s star rose, a few weeks of lackluster play and losses could return him to earth, and Linsanity could fade into a deep afterthought. So while his agent looks for long term plans, the Knicks went out and became all things Korean…nailing a new tire sponsor, Maxxis International, selling ads on radio for Korean tourism and reaching out like never before to the Asian community for ticket sales, sponsored viewing parties and apparel sales. The targeting is smart for New York…whether it translates into more people flying to Korea for a spring vacation or buying Maxxis vs. the more popular and better leveraged Hankook brand remains to be seen. The association to the Knicks is great, but the picture won’t be complete until Lin and his popularity also chooses some partners to leverage with. The ethnic spend is much more about Lin than the Knicks for a Korean community…they like the Knicks, but they love their guy…so until he joins a brand the spend is very much a hedge.

For the Knicks, the short term value of Lin will turn into long term gain as well. This week they announced ticket increases for next year that will go into effect despite the fact that the team is still not assured a playoff spot with a tough schedule ahead of them. They struck while the iron is hot, knowing that a turned ankle of their new face can turn the fickle fortunes of New York very quickly, especially with the Yankees now revving their marketing engines as well.

Gotham is all about today, and today Jeremy Lin and the Knicks remain hot. Savvy move to grab all the dollars today Knickerbockers, one never knows what the future holds.

Filed Under: College Basketball, ESPN, NBA Teams, NCAA Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

A Week of Dogs and ‘Trotters

February 14, 2012 by

Say what you want about Jeremy Lin controlling New York, this week could belong to celebrities big and small, that have little to do with the orange and blue. Two New York area institutions at this time of year, both strong global brands, will look to capture their own slice of the marketplace. The first is the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, the annual parade of pooches that takes over Madison Square Garden for two days. The Dog Show has always had its own cache in New York, full crowds and unique characters, but now major brands like Subaru have found ways through the viral and the digital world to work with the NBC family of stations to extend the tie between man and dog well beyond those in attendance.

The Dog Show appeals to almost every demo, and pulls in ratings on USA Network that bring in solid ad dollars in the most challenging of times. Now with the advent of the Puppy Bowl as a lead-up during Super Bowl week, companies realize that the show is about the people and the personalities as much as the dogs and have found ways to draw a larger ROI during the few days with consumer brands that appeal to emotion, not just to pet products. Sure there are lots of grooming and health products for dog lovers, but now those who just like to watch from afar get to participate with cars and consumer goods who may not have looked at the show as an activation point before. NBC has found a niche to grow dog and cat shows in recent years, drawing decent numbers on other events around holidays when people are switching channels and may not have a specific interest in traditional sports. However the Dog Show remains the Indy 500 or Super Bowl of pet events, and that was made even more clearer not just on a local level, but on an international level with the way that social and traditional media have flocked to embrace the event this week like none other.

Then we have the Globetrotters. Always looking for a new angle, the traveling troup this year decided they needed a big change to embrace fans. The result is Paul “Tiny” Sturgess, who at 7 feet 8 inches is the world’s tallest professional basketball player. As if that wasn’t enough, the Globies also have paired the British-born Joining Sturgess with Jonte “Too Tall” Hall, the shortest player in Globetrotters history at 5-2. Naturally, he will be known as Too Tall. Whether or not the pair can play that well is not that relevant. What is relevant is the way the team and their brand continues to annually re-invent themselves in a way to have families continue to come back and experience the show in an era when such “traditional” annuals like the circus and the ice shows are doing a slow dive. It is not fast paced digital over the top instant action. It is traditional and always served up at the same time of year in the New York area, this time with a little more size to add to the show, one that is all about sight gags and less about athleticism than it used to be. The Globetrotter brand remains strong around the world, albeit with a little polish added on every year.

Like the Dog Show, the Globies are throw back entertainment in a digital world. Maybe they are not for everyone, but by continuing to find new wrinkles in an old formula, both seem to be working and finding ways to draw attention in a crowded marketplace set all atwitter by the latest Knicks star and the Super Bowl champion Giants.

Filed Under: College Basketball, NBA Teams, NCAA Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Bruin Love, Taxing The Bulls, and Intimate Track…

February 11, 2012 by

As we reach the mid-point of February, a look at some good moves this weekend in the sports branding world.

DUNKIN LOVE: Dunkin Donuts continues to find new ways to grow its sports marketing platform, especially around its hometown New England teams. The latest promo involves Boston Bruins star Tyler Seguin, who will host a Romance/ Bromance meet and greet lunch with Seguin on Monday, February 13. Male and female fans can show their love for #19 by entering for a chance to win The Romance & Bromance Tyler Seguin Sweepstakes by clicking on the ”Tyler Seguin Sweeps” tab on the Dunkin’ Donuts Facebook page through February 9. Six lucky fans will win lunch with Tyler Seguin for themselves and a friend, a $19 Dunkin’ Donuts card and Boston Bruins gear. As part of the agreement, Seguin will appear in radio commercials to help promote campaigns such as “What Are You Drinkin’?” and “Caught Cold,” the company’s iced coffee marketing campaign. He will also be featured in Dunkin’ Donuts’ social media campaigns in 2012, conducting Facebook chats with fans and promoting the local Boston-area Twitter handle, @DunkinBoston. Seguin will also promote Dunkin’ Donuts Turbo Shot® coffee to provide an extra boost to fans and pro hockey stars alike.

It is a solid move for the defending Stanley Cup champs to again expand their relationship between one of their star players and casual fans and backs up DD’s work with creativity, social media and a nice activation just ahead of Valentine’s Day.

TAXING THE BULLS: The PBR seems to be making a new partnership announcement every week, and their latest one is yet another departure from the traditional. The Colorado-based league has brought on board Los Angeles’ Blue Tax Service as the official “Tax Liason Solution” of the PBR for the time leading up to and through April 15. It is a new, unique brand expansion for the PBR as they look to find ways to provide new services to their existing fan base and activate against a fickle casual fan that may follow when an event is in market but then drifts away the rest of the year. While at first glance it looks like a first year plan that is all about brand visibility in a very cluttered marketplace for Blue, the on-site advice and unique digital platform that the PBR can provide may give the brand new followers when choosing who to best assist when Uncle Sam comes calling in a month or so. Brands like TurboTax and H and R Block have infiltrated the sports market for years, but the PBR’s brand loyalty may help Blue aquire a foothold from which it can test and build off of for future years.

MILLROSE FILLS THE HOUSE: Even with huge global purses, a larger push toward fitness and an Olympic year, track and field on the professional level in the United States continues to be an afterthought in the eyes of most sports fans. One of the sport’s hallmark events, the annual Millrose Games, is looking to re-invigorate the sport by going small this weekend, moving out of cavernous Madison Square Garden and into The Armory in upper Manhattan (also the home of the Track and Field Hall of Fame) for the first time in over 100 years. Many officials saw this as a controversial step back again for track, but it may actually prove to be a very smart move for those at the core looking to embrace the sport. By filling the Armory and building the demand back up, organizers can re-create excitement which has been lacking for years. That excitement can bring in newer sponsors, casual fans and partners and stem the tide of disappointment and lack of interest in what can still be a very exciting sport. Even more fodder for the move was seen just a few weeks ago, when another elite track event was staged at Madison Square Garden to offset the loss of the Millrose and drew less than 5,000 fans. Those same 5,000 would create a raucous environment at The Armory, perhaps the most undervalued venues in the sport, which will again get a chance to shine.

Filed Under: Crisis Management, ESPN, NCAA, NHL, Olympics, PBR Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
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