The “Owner As Brand” Fades Into The Twilight…

November 27, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

The passing this week of the beloved Washington Wizards owner Abe Pollin was the latest in a series of instances recently that seem to show us that one of the great storylines of American team sports, the iconic “owner” that we loved or hated and sometimes followed with as much or more passion than the players themselves, is fading into the distance of corporate America. Yes, we still have Jerry Jones with the Cowboys and a community and business leader like Mike Ilitch with the Tigers and Red Wings, but these days a single owner as the personality of his or her franchise seems to be more a hindrance than a help when teams’ cost of doing business or connecting to a community is in play. In addition to Pollin’s passing (his legacy is well detailed in many pieces this week in the Washington Post, including Thomas Boswell’s great read), we have the fading health of the Yankees George Steinbrenner, the recently disclosed illness of the Seahawks and Tralblazers owner Paul Allen, Lakers owner Jerry Buss taking a back seat in running his franchise, and the disfunctional issues with the Raiders and owner Al Davis. Then pile on the public divorce cases of the Padres John Moores and the Dodgers Frank McCourt, both effecting those franchises bottom lines, and there is a very good case that the individual leader has gone the way of the dinosaur. Now in today’s all access media market the argument can probably be made that there is less of a need to have the owner as the organization front man or woman. Fans want access more to the players who they are spending the money on, and probably are less interested in the billionaire owners footing the bills for the talent. Still the owner as the brand and the face of a franchise, more as promoter and pillar of the community than as rich playboy, was what drew many to sport in the first place. The Maras and the Rooney’s of the NFL, a man like Sonny Werblin with the Knicks and the Rangers, Lamar Hunt taking his oil money to help start the AFL, the Yawkeys of Boston…all became touchpoints as sport became big business and their faces and reputations rose and fell in the community with the fortunes of their team or teams. Now these men certainly did not act alone, and the most successful always assembled the right business teams to run said franchises on the day to day. However the team brands and their individual personal “brands” were one in the same. Steinbrenner’s Yankees took on the personality of their owner, both good and bad. Maybe today’s high demand world of everchanging loyalties and interests may not lend itself to such individuals as much as in the past, especially as the battle for the discretionary dollar, but the personality of the owner was part of the mystique of the team brand and was part of the passion that drove the business of sport. Yes its easier to be lukewarm about corporate ownership and maybe it puts more focus on the athletes. However knowing the owner always made it more fun and a little more intriguing, and that personality involved with the imprint of the franchise got sport to be the business it is today. It is probably an era lost, but one which should be reflected on positively as another icon passed this week.

Soccer Kickin It In The Great Northwest…

May 17, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

While the NHL deals with the mess in Phoenix and rumors abound about other struggling franchises, MLS continues to make smart moves to grow the business for the long term. The new Seattle franchise and their quick success on all levels shows that calculated growth can make sense. By starting with the franchise as a base and building the rivalry hub for the future with expansion into two other underserved markets in the summer months…Portland and Vancouver…both of which had previous success in the sport…is a huge visionary move for the brand. Seattle’s success combined MLS move to bring in people who knew the region (like former Seahawks exec Gary Wright), talent which was established and not haphazard and an embracing of all that has been successful in terms of tradition in the area, right down to team colors and name choice. While many franchises and brands look to be bold and set themselves apart with brash colors and loud statements, the MLS club embraced all that is good and built quickly, a model which will probably be copied with the upcoming expansion. Now is all great with MLS in this economy? No, as evidenced by Michael Lewis piece on the Red Bulls issues at the gate in his Big Apple Soccer piece. But with success stories like Seattle, MLS has again shown that they have learned from others as to what works, and can create an effective startup brand under the tightest of markets that can embrace and grow with a community.

Nats Send Mixed Message, Isles Try To Clarify One…

April 20, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

As one season starts for a star-crossed franchise (the Washington Nationals) and one ended (The New York Islanders) it is interesting to look at the messages sent to fans by the actions of the team. This weekend, the Nats benched and fined one of their young, marketable players, Elijah Dukes, for showing up a few minutes late after attending a team-sponsored community relations appearance. While the question of zero tolerance for deadlines is left to management, the question of what message it sends to fans and to players is another issue. First, since it was a team-sponsored appearance, it shows a lack of connection between the business and personnel side, which in this economy, when teams need everyone understanding the bigger picture, is very troublesome. Secondly it now gives players who question the value of team appearances to opt-out for fear of team reprisals. Third it gives the media fodder to continue to pile on a sinking ship, at a time when Dukes work on and off the field should be highlighted. Fourth, it creates a distraction for all on both sides at a time when the team is struggling to gain fans, activate sponsors and come together on the field. Usually things like this can be handled back of the house and should not become public. Although we can’t say for sure what the history is, the message the team sent forth is problematic to all. Then there is the Islanders, who put forth owner Charles Wang to the media to talk about the future of the club as it gets the number one draft pick and tries to accelerate its position for a new facility on Long Island. Wang’s messages were not mixed at all, they were pretty clear and he delivered what fans wanted to hear. However sometimes a little too much clarity can also be problematic, as Wang called his present and home for the forseeable future, Nassau Coliseum, a dump, and said is he had to do it over again he would not have purchased the team. Unlike the Nationals issue, Wang stated fact that was the clear message of the organization with regard to the arena and the future of the team, and the organization should get credit for putting him out to speak to the media. Criticizing the current arena and second-guessing a decision at a time when you need to continue to build loyalty with fans is another issue as to when too much is said, but given the lack of candidness in sports today even that can’t really be faulted to a great degree. Good move and positioning by the Isles, problematic moves by Washington.

Crisis Management: LA Angels

April 11, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

One of the biggest reasons to have a strong communications leader in a company that has a public face is in times of crisis. Keeping everyone on track, following the flow of information, working with public authorities and media who may not be familiar with your situation or practices, and having the organization speak with one voice are critical when problems arise. For better or worse, one of the best groups at dealing with crisis, more because of habit than anything else, are the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The Angels, led by their long-time head of Communications Tim Mead, were dealt such a difficult situation this week with the sudden, tragic loss of pitcher Nick Adenhardt, but they handled the public positioning very well. No one spoke to media until all the facts were in and the authorities confirmed all the details. There was careful thought put into what memorial plans were put in place, the team worked hand and glove with MLB to communicate all details to national media, former teammates were reached out to and the family and the situation were given the proper respect. The Angels, and baseball, seem to have more of these types of tragedy over the years but the situation never becomes old hat, it is always a fresh emotional wound for everyone. But by acting professionally, speaking with one voice and making sure all the details were handled correctly, the Angels again showed their true professionalism in a time when emotions run very high. Without going into all the details of stories, perhaps the best look at the situation was by si,com’s Jeff Pearlman, it is worth a read.

Another Example of New Age Message Control…Curt Schilling.

March 24, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

It was probably over a year ago that if an athlete or even an entertainer broke major news on his or her blog he or she would have been vilified. Yet the reports that Curt Schilling, an athlete who is actually working in the digital world with a few ventures, including a gaming company, announced his retirement in his words, on his blog 38pitches.com, and with little fanfare, barely made a negative dent in the media. The Boston Globe report was a great look back at Schilling’s career and his impact on things bigger than baseball, and ironically the access quotes in the story were much more others talking about the pitcher than him talking about retirement. As mentioned, Schilling does take the digital world very seriously, and his blog often offers up opinion and commentary on things that have little or nothing to do with baseball. The issue with this was not the announcement, but the more universal acceptance of the medium. There will be media interviews with Schilling as the days roll by, and he really hasn’t been in the mainstream sports world for a while, but there is no doubt he was an athlete and personality of influence, and it still remains a marvel at how quickly the “missives” controlled by the speaker and used by the media because there is no other access, is becoming the norm for getting the message out. The additional benefit to the speaker is how sites for top athletes who are now building themselves as brands can use news to drive traffic and partnerships. Schilling’s blog and url ran in every major media publication as it was the only source of the statement. Therefore all that traffic and access to his advertisers and “click through’s” become his. If he had called a reporter or a radio show that proprietary traffic would have gone elsewhere. Thus by driving the traffic and controlling the message Curt Schilling won on many fronts, and can now do whatever mass interviews he desires as followup. Another example of the changing flow of media information control.

More Major Moves For The Minors…

February 17, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

Even as pitchers and catchers report in the States for Major League Baseball, our master marketers in the minors continue to be innovative and find ways to keep their local brands active, alive and relevant to the consumer, their partners and the media. Aside from the host of promotions announced taking off on the ARod and the Michael Phelps issues the past few weeks, there was the Fort Meyers Miracle, who immediately jumped on the story Julio Osegueda, the college student who questioned President Obama last week about benefits and then said he wanted to be a DJ or an announcer, and hired him to broadcast the Miracle’s home opener. Ben Hill broke the story on MILB.com, which has since made it to NPR and a host of other news organizations, garnering the Miracle great exposure outside of the market. Throw in the Lancaster Barnstormers, who turned their field into an ice rink (reported by Brian Gainor) for their season subs, and thats a great set of activation and brand growth in the minors that any innovator should take note of.

Past Lessons Worth Repeating…Joey Goldstein

February 15, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

As brands look for marketshare, ROI and media placement, it would be worthy to look back to some of those who were the pioneers in the field…as press agents. On Friday one of those pioneers, Joey Goldstein, passed away at age 81 in Florida. Goldstein’s spin work was the stuff of legend, and he worked with some of the greatest in the business, but most importantly he was a networker for the ages in a time when the only “network” that most knew were ABC, CBS or NBC. The New York Daily News Mike Lupica had a great look back on Goldstein’s career, but one of the best chronicles of a man and a business remains Doug Looney’s 1987 profile of Goldstein in Sports Illustrated. Now although many believe that the role of the traditional publicist is to never make him or herself the story, these two pieces captured the man who had a flair for delivery, an impeccable network, an ability to deliver for clients big and small and a great sense of theater. Maybe today some of those qualities have been lost in strategic communications, but the old school know-how of pitching and placing a story, solid writing skills, and the ability to know the media and the client remain and should be continued to be taught. Our book of last summer, Sports Publicity, took a look at some of the legends of the business, including Joe Goldstein and the late Mike Cohen, along with current senior leaders like Roger Valdiserri and Mary Appel. Hopefully the passing of a legend like Goldstein will give those in and entering the business pause to see what they can learn and apply those lessons to their current work. They are lessons worth learning.

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.

Rangers’ Dad Trip Great Access and InSite Into The Team…

January 19, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

It is a program that is growing in the NHL, and if it continues to go well may be copied by other leagues more often…the New York Rangers, like a few other NHL teams, picked a road trip and had the players’ fathers accompany them for a little bonding and giveback.  Now many teams will disappear into a “team building” opportunity during the long season…an unscheduled trip to Disney, bowling, a movie…but few times are the media and the fans given insight into such private moments.  However the Rangers, took a more public step in explaining the reasons and benefits of inviting the fathers along on a recent road trip, and by doing so gave the fans a look into the private lives of many of the players, especially those who are younger and don’t get much everyday exposure in a crowded media market.  Now each sport does create those special bonds between father and son over the long period and long hours on the road through the development time of young pro players, but hockey has a pretty unique isolation…with baseball probably the only sport similar in the U.S…where young players leave home at a very early age and much of that bonding time can be lost.  This special trip is a smart one to help the players have that special time at a great point in their careers,  and by letting the media and the public in for some glimpses, builds added human interest into a very long season.  Nice access, great story lines, great break from the everyday for the NHL.

The Price of Branding In College Athletics…

October 20, 2008 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

With the downturn in the economy comes the anticipated downturn in philanthropic giving, but along with that downturn will come more pressure from administrators at the collegiate level to show an ROI just as any sponsor or business partner on the professional side would see with an investment.  The days of big checks without analyized return, as well as the days of the “impulse donation” may be long gone.  With that. many large schools have looked to ways to enhance the corporate branding and media return, with consulting groups like IMG now assisting Universities to build out their most effective portfolio around athletic events.   Into that fray comes colleges whose success in athletics has been less than stellar, or who may have limited but not consistent success, especially in the high cost world of BCS football.  This weekend the New York Times took a very detailed look at the situation at Rutgers, where recent success has led to a very quick and much needed boom in infrastructire development.   Unfortunately the very public spend on football coincided with a sup-par season, a down economy and cutbacks in academic spending which, although not tied directly to the athletic spend, can still be correlated. So the question becomes at what price successful athletics?  Billionaire T. Boone Pickens investment in Oklahoma State athletics earlier this year was met with skepticism and support, but that was private funding in a public university and certainly was his choice. Iowa State’s acceptance of a $5 million dollar gift from supporter Dick Jacobson earlier this year (which would go towards a stadium upgrade) was similar…private money raised and cultivated through athletics, eventhough both were public universities with big budgets.  So will Universities of all levels now turn to consulting groups to have them identify who they really are in their market, and build out that market strategy as would any other major brand?  Will Universities now cash strapped in athletics step backward and re-evaluate the cost-benefit of major athletics?  It remains to be seen.  The guess is that only the major universities will go the consulting route while the mid-majors struggle to find ways to do things with young and releatively underpaid staffs, which ironically is probably the opposite of what most business schools at the same universities would tell brands.  If colleges can find ways to make the athletic experience just that, “experiential” to the average fan at the mid-major level, then the door to consulting groups and entrepreneurs will open wider.  However that door in this economy, will be very tough to push for the near future, especially when it is contingent not as much on education as it is on winning. 

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