Hall of Fame Voting: A New Brand Through The Power of the People?

January 5, 2010 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

This month two of the strongest, if not the strongest, Halls of Fame will reveal their 2010 selections, the Baseball and Football Halls.  The annual selection issue always operates under stealth and the very tight control over the voters, and usually has more than enough intrigue, suspicion, and debate.  However with an ever shrinking number of potential voters on the baseball side, and the need for more overall recognition on the football side, could changes in selection be in the offing? The baseball side, which includes only votes by those in the Baseball Writers Association of America, is suffering from the loss of so many fulltime newspaper  jobs recently and may have to add other segments, especially broadcasters, in order to keep the legitimacy of those who actually cover the sport on a fulltime basis intact.  That of course does not also reflect the ever-growing and more influential bloggers choices, or for that matter, the input on some level of the fan.  One interesting move this year was a vote by the Baseball Bloggers Alliance, a group of the top bloggers in the space,  to announce their Hall of Fame choices and the reasoning, in advance of the actual Hall vote.  It wasn’t in any way disrespectful, and it showed professionalism and great forethought, and could be a foreshadowing of a group that could be influential in coming years.  The opening up of fan debate and blogger interraction also gives rise to the notion that the voting system could be tied to a partner, with a full digital integration platform.  With the right safeguards put into place, and by providing all the right information, such a system could bring added revenue, more interest, more innovation and even greater visibility to the Hall, at a time when all institutions are looking to grow fan base and visitors year-round.

Will Soccer In New York Ever Hit The Goal?

August 30, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

With the first hint of fall you start to hear the bounce in thousands of parks and recreational centers across the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. It is the thwack of kids from four to their mid-teens dribbling and passing soccer balls. Like baseball and softball in the spring, fall soccer is a rite of passage more now than ever before amongst young kids. Still even with the grassroots success, the connection to the pro game still lags behind, perhaps in the New York area more than anywhere else in the United States, and it is that disconnect which has continued to slow the growth of MLS in the biggest media market in the world. While MLS has had great success in Washington, great buzz in LA, solid plans built out in Dallas and Columbus and Chicago and New England, the New York market remains a frustrating afterthought.

Why Being A Fan Helps The President…

July 17, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

There are many cynics that may say President Obama can spend his time, and the countries’ dollars…doing better things than glad handing the MLS champion Columbus Crew at the White House before heading off to throw the first pitch and hang out in the FOX booth at the All-Star game. However, the man who the Washington Times called this week the “Sports Fan Chief” , was astute enough with his team to recognize early on in his run to the White House that sports is a common bond for those on the fence about anything political, and gave him, more than any other candidate, another link to a demo that may or may not have voted or listened to him at all. Starting with his one on one with Scott Price of SI, his pickup games, his throwing out of the first pitch at a White Sox game, his NCAA tournament brackets, played a little golf and pickup games with the North Carolina hoops team, the President took the time to show that human side of him through sports, and it resonated with the casual fan who in tough times may give his administration pause and a bit of a second chance that they may not have if they had no connection to him at all. The ceremonial aspects of the Presidency, whether it is meeting a championship team or saluting the Girl Scouts, are part of the job and rarely if ever detract from the duties that need to be performed. If those ties for President Obama to sport are more public, especially in a time where America is looking for heroes and is working to get the 2016 Olympics, then so be it. There is a need for heroes and good messaging through sport to address needs like childhood obesity, girls participation in an active lifestyle, and even the growth of brands attaching to sports and entertainment, and if the President can use the cause celebre’ through sport to raise the profile of those issues, it makes great sense. Sport is also a great tie to diplomacy and as a way to connect back to those in the military who are defending the nation, and in these times of transition for the nation on a global scale those ties no matter how subtle can also be beneficial to the overall health of the country. Yes sports is a multibillion dollar industry. No it is not insurance or health care or education, but it does touch all, and if sport provides a bridge to the everyday business of the country as well as feel good opportunities for the people, it makes great business sense to be involved.

Fragmentation In Niche Sports Proves To Be A Killer…

July 3, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

Speaking with one voice, whether it is to a business partner, the media, or to fans is always important, especially in the alphabet soup of niche or second tier sports. With the limited dollars and eyeballs available for the casual fan, splitting the marketplace with alphabet soup of organizations usually leads to confusion and can ultimately drive partners on to a platform which is much more simple to understand. The latest example of split markets being a killer is in indoor soccer, which despite the huge success the outdoor game is seeing in the US, just fell further off the roadmap this week. Last year the Indoor game split into two “leagues,” both of which struggled for any kind of existence in far-off marketplaces, and despite the local success of teams like the Milwaukee Wave and the New Jersey Ironmen (who were in two different leagues by the way) the sport is on the verge of extinction. Another sport teetering but doing better with some unity is lacrosse, where the National Lacrosse League extended commissioner George Daniel this week, sending a positive message to all involved. Still, lacrosse, indoor and outdoor, needs to be presented as one platform to be an effective tool, but at least in their case the sport has a platform of success to build on. Indoor soccer has hurt itself with divergent forces for the indoor game, forces which told the sports world they were too fragmented to present a unified front, and in the end, all suffered. Would having one unified league have worked? Perhaps. But with the alphabet soup presented last winter to fans, media partners and business partners there was no chance of survival in an already tight marketplace. Hopefully the indoor game can be resurrected and lifted by the continued success of the outdoor product, but with too many cooks it will be next to impossible to deliver.

Can Soccer Take Advantage Of Its Big Kick?

June 26, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

Within a 24 hour period this week, the brand value sport of professional soccer in the United States took a huge jump. First came the coups of ESPN scooping up the Premier League from virtually bankrupt Setanta Sports, followed by the US’ stunning 2-0 win over Spain in the Confederations Cup, followed closely by Steve Nash’s second annual grassroots soccer fundraiser in a New York park, along with the Sports Business Journal piece that WPS is doing better than expected. From the grassroots to the professional, all seems to be going well. Now is there a way for some brand, or a series of brands, to take the good news, tie it in a package and use it as the latest, and strongest, all-encompassing boost for a sport that was already well positioned going into the recession (because of their structure and cost cutting measures) but now has a variety of platforms that are highly visible to attach to? We shall see. Of course Confederations Cup final against Brazil still remains, but the continued interest of Nash (who will be part of the ownership group for MLS Vancouver) as an ambassador with both the world class pros he brought to New York and with his NBA friends, plus a steady women’s product gives the sport another boost while others are struggling. However for brands who have held back on investment waiting for the economy to turn or the right opportunity to invest in, maybe this weeks series of events for soccer will get them a well placed kick for new activation and partnerships.

Can WPS Succeed In A Challenged Marketplace?

March 30, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

For those who were excited about the WUSA on its best days and all it could do to raise awareness, build brand and launch a legitimate stand-alone women’s professional sports entity comes Women’s Professional Soccer, which launched this past weekend. The good news is from a brand standpoint WPS has taken the best practices from WUSA and all the lessons learned, mixed in some WNBA smarts and a salesforce that has kept MLS growing and combined them into a neat package under Tonya Antonucci’s vision. The bad news is they are launching a national niche product in the worst economy on very limited funds, sponsor support and name recognition to the casual fan, who they intend to go after as much as the millions of young soccer playing kids across the country. Will it work? From a business standpoint for sports in general needs it work, as the more positive movement even a niche sport like women’s soccer has will help shake the tree for bigger established brands. From a casual fan standpoint? Tough to say. WPS is doing some very smart things…they have picked small venues to fill and grow, are marketing multinational players to a diverse audience, and are working with a single entity format which can combine expenses and push the brightest faces and smartest stories forward. They are attempting to use new media to push the product, although without a major brand spend and a big media partner that will be a challenge, and they are also looking to pair with the best and brightest stars from outside of women’s soccer to also push the brand off the sports page (and given the limited dollars for sports coverage these days their exposure would be small regardless). Will brand and media partners and the casual fan come? In this economy it will be wait and see for sure, and not wait and see for success, more wait and see for survival. If they can push the personalities of the players to diverse markets and tell those stories to the right media (some nice hits for the launch this past week) they have a chance. MLS continued growth will not hurt WPS success either. The question will be what deems success over time? If the answer is more young women being heathier, new role models and an exciting diverse product, then the chance is strong. If it is to make a windfall of cash, lure big brands and gain national broadcast TV exposure for the sport, then there will be some challenges, big ones. Regardless, the message that the league has sent to all by getting games started and looking globally for talent is a smart one, and one that, if there are brands ready to spend in the women’s soccer marketplace, or the women’s sports marketplace, they can take advantage of. Hopefully WPS catches a perfect storm to ride to success with some amazing play, activation and personality. The business could use more success stories.

Alive and Kicking…MLS Starts Another Season With A Boost Out West…

March 18, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

Maybe it’s because they are the least mature of the larger sports in North America, maybe its because they started with the single entity model and knew how to operate and build brand more lean and mean, or maybe its because their grassroots base combined with their breakthrough is still to come, but Major League Soccer, even in this economy, appears ready for more steady growth and even expansion and new brand building. With the season beginning this Thursday, the buzz, at least locally, is already a great sound with the new Seattle franchise, and it could be a breakthrough year for the league. The announcement that VW has reupped their multi-level partnership, including their large presence with the DC United, was broken by Tripp Mickle in this week’s Sports Business Journal, which had a number of extensive pieces on the league and its leadership. Now is all roses with MLS? No. They are starting at one of the busiest times on the sports calendar, between the WBC, March Madness, NASCAR and now golf and tennis beginning heavy US play, and their preseason really takes place in virtual silence in most markets. Even with those challenges though, the brands they have come back, they are finding more ways to activate with youth in key markets, the soccer-specific stadiums are finding their niches and even the Red Bulls advancing to the finals got some much-needed buzz in New York. They have affordability and youth and a good in arena show for all, even if the TV transition has yet to get there. MLS digital play continues to improve and speak to the core, and with additional brand activation in specific markets, maybe just maybe, if they continue building stars and the off-sports buzz, they could be the first to capture additional marketshare while many other brands are struggling to hold on, or as in the case with many niche brands, just fade away.

Ironmen Make An Extreme Effort In A Tough Environment…

March 5, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

Newark isn’t nicknamed “Brick City” because of its soft and cuddly reputation. However it is hard by one of the most fertile areas for youth and high school soccer in North America, and its Prudential Center is one of the Northeast’s best kept secrets in terms of arenas. So into the fold comes the New Jersey Ironment, who with a limited budget made a go of it for the last year of the Major Indoor Soccer League. The team never went to the extreme to capture buzz in the marketplace, and there were not many who thought that when the MISL disbanded that indoor soccer was dead. However two groups emerged and one the Xtreme Soccer League, pulled together some decent markets, including New Jersey, to make a go of it. The problem of course is confusion in a limited niche marketplace, and with precious few dates for the season, the Ironmen have struggled at the gate and to build mainstream brand in the crowded marketplace. However they are trying to do all the right things to identify with the core and casual soccer fan in the area, and if they can build any financial and strategic marketing base, the team may be able to compliment in the winter what the Red Bulls and MLS may be able to do in the outdoor season. Big Apple Soccer had a look at the Ironmen and their community outreach , which along with tieing to former Cosmos legends, theme nights, a growing offseason camp business, and an affordable ticket price all give the team hope to build brand. Using this minor league success approach, along with some nice digital work to give fans a destination in lieu of any television exposure this season, is all a good first step. Next comes the hard part…establishing stars, finding excitement amongst mainstream media and getting on TV and radio somewhere, which is really the only way to get partners ROI they will need for a marketing spend. However in the NY marketplace, the Ironmen are trying on a very limited budget, and in a time when niche sports are quickly falling by the wayside, they may be able to find some ways to stay alive, grow their base at the grassroots, and be an affordable alternative the way minor league baseball is in the summer.

Local Sports Broadcast Cutbacks An Alarming Trend…Or A new Opprtunity For The Aggressive

January 23, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

With budget cuts continuing in local news, the alarming trend of newscasts eliminating sports, or namely the sports personalities on air seems to be growing.  In Friday’s New York Daily News, Richard Huff took a look at some New York area cuts and raised the questions many news groups are asking…why do you need local sports when you have so many sports specific channels in most markets?  For those casual fans who rely on the news for their inoput of sports, and more importantly, for the local sports teams (and the brands that support them) the trend is an alarming one, but is also one that can reward the creative with the build up of other platforms and inhouse vehicles to communicate both to the core and casual fan.  It also could be the impetus for the creative to make sure, just like in print,  relationships to tell stories are also developed on the local news side as well as the sports side.  The justification out forth is actually one that existed at the birth of the local news show over thirty years ago.  Anyone can read scores into a teleprompter…what is needed is the journalist and the compelling story line that makes “news” out of the games…that delivers the personalities to the viewer in ways they don’t get just by watching a game.  Some say that the local sportscaster in major markets is aging, and with it comes a reticence to leave the studio and rely on all the inbound media that can be folded into a broadcast.  Part of that lies perhaps with the sports brands themselves, which have limited access and built an us vs them and reactive attitude toward the media in this 24/7 newscycle.  So the result could be less eyeballs seeing local stories, which leads to less brand exposure, which leads to diminished brand exposure, which could lead to less awareness, attendance and sales.  Now while that may seem to be an alarmist stretch, it should serve as a wakeup call for brands to embrace new technology and ways to deliver news to the fan, or even work with the local news outlets to find cost efficient ways to deliver news for events that may not make it to a satellite or landline.  The local sportscaster is where almost all of today’s sports broadcasting icons have started…hopefully by working together that next generation of multitaskers who cut their own tape, file online stories, blog additional news, followup leads, recieve solid pitches from publicists and then bring great stories to air will give rise to whomever is next.  In the quest for more access and delivering the local story, the fan and the brand should not be denied…even if the platform shifts.

The Best Positioned League For The Downturn? MLS.

December 24, 2008 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

As most of the larger and higher profile leagues, and even some of the minor ones, slashed staff and cut below the line excess, one league that held ground, and may be able to gain marketshare with promoion and brand building, was Major league Soccer.  Michael Lewis on the Big Apple Soccer blog had a good look at why and how MLS was able to keep the status quo for staff and could be poised to reap the benefits when the economy swings back.  Soccer remains the world’s most powerful game, and even with the excess spending that has gone on in the Premier League, the game is still adapting and growing in this country on the professional level.  MLS has done a great job of slowly building their model and not overspending.  With the New York Red Bulls making it to the MLS Cup this year, the team pushed MLS into some solid coverage with the casual fan, which will hopefully translate into more interest as Red Bull park opens next fall. MLS has also done a great job of being innovative and introducing sponsors into major sports with effective promotions and added value (VW’s sponsorship and game jersey deal with the DC United being a good example), and that too may benefit more as brands look more for ROI.  Now will some of the fringe spending go away?  Yes.  But of all the major sports, MLS and the NBA in the U.S. have the best grassroots base at this time, and MLS is already used to being lean and mean…a prospect the other big brands…MLB, MFL, NBA, NHL and NASCAR…have all learned pretty quickly.

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