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

June 24, 2010 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

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

Can Selling Hope or Hype Keep The Big Apple’s Winter Franchises Bright?

April 12, 2010 by Joe Favorito · 2 Comments 

It’s another dark spring in New York.  Save for the Devils, there is no postseason at Madison Square Garden, the Izod Center or Nassau Coliseum, so the attentions and the dollars of the casual sports fan can shift fully to baseball, and maybe a bit to soccer as spring fully arrives.  Now the lack of postseason for the Knicks, Nets and Islanders, and now again for the Rangers, is always a cause for concern.  However as Don Nelson, now the winningest coach in NBA history, said once, you sell two things in pro sports…winning or hope…and for another year, the world’s largest media market will look to again sell hope…and a good amount of hype.  Will it work again?

A Devil of a Branding Problem…

October 12, 2009 by Joe Favorito · 1 Comment 

There is arguably no team in the NHL that has produced a higher quality on ice product over the last 15 years than the New Jersey Devils. The level of play and professionalism in the business of hockey that the team has displayed is arguably second to none not just in hockey for that matter, but in all of team sports.

The Immediate Hope Of A Good Draft…And How It’s Used…

June 27, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

With the NHL and NBA Drafts happening withing 24 hours of each other, it was interesting to see all the subtleties and action that athletes and their agents, along with eams, quickly pulled together. A nice composite of the goings on before, during and then right after the draft was put together by Goodwin Sports Management in their Rookie Chronicles segments, which followed their three guys…Terence Williams, Patty Mills and DeMar DeRozan…as they got ready and then had their names called on Thursday night. The best thing was the unique perspectives from each athlete and how they got ready and then went through what really was a life changing experience that few can appreciate. The immediate Twitter reaction, and their response to questions, also showed the impact active players can make for a brand with fans in a 24/7 news cycle. The Knicks also offered up their picks and coach Mike D’Antoni for a chat with season subs, also a nice touch for a fan base that craves access and is being given a chance to connect for the top dollar the team demands. On the NHL side, the draft in Montreal took on a multilingual feel, with a number of teams, from Vancouver’s Roberto Luongo to Chicago’s Scotty Bowman speaking in French to the Canadian crowd as they made the picks for their teams, a nice touch to give the teams a bit more diversity and personality on draft day. However the best play probably came from the Islanders, who on one of the few sunny getaway days in June, managed to amass 10,000 fans at Nassau Coliseum for a draft party as they took the league’s number one pick and immediately built goodwill for a long-suffering and oft-ignored fan base. They not only made the popular choice in John Tavares, they had him messaged correctly and gave the fans all that they wanted to hear and experience in the draft…hope for the future. Well played out on the Island, across both leagues and into the digital space.

Mets Do A Good Job Of Spreading Positives In A Down Economy

October 13, 2008 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

We have all seen the effects and fear and potential cost cutting measures that teams and brands are putting into effect to safeguard profitability should the economy worsen.  Now while many have taken the prudent approach to guard their best assets and look for more ROI, some have chosen to move ahead with long term plans, and show the value of the  brand in the marketplace even in a slow economy. Neil Best has a good overall look at the New York economy and how local teams could be affected, but the best news put forth this week was by the New York Mets, who despite another disappointing end to the season continue to crank out good news on brand support, this week announcing they have sold out of suites in CitiField.  Darren Rovell had a solid q and a with the Mets Dave Howard about how it is possible and what this says about the value of the Mets brand in the area,  despite all the negative financial news and some projects for slow spending by the consumer.  The messaging and the timing were solid for the business, and showed how well placed stories, even in the most difficult of times, can give the fan and the business pause for a positive outlook ahead.

Dishin Digital…Nike’s ballgirl and ESPN 360

July 1, 2008 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

With the constant debate over the value of the digital content comes a few more glimmers of hope that there are ways to properly and effectively utilize both the viral and commercial space in sports.  First on the viral side, via YouTube, comes Nike’s latest amazing stunt video, this one showing a ball girl climbing the wall to make a catch at a baseball game.  Then on the more traditional side is Media Post’s  Dave Goetzel’s breakdown of the value of ESPN 360 to filter through a crowded sports landscape and provide those online with pieces of the events they want to see most, along with indepth coverage of events that the ardent fan would enjoy.  The ESPN 360 breakdown is not just an anlysis of what the feature now holds, it gives those interested a great view into the potential of what the platform can be.  The Nike spoofs, like those organic campaigns by Vitamin Water, are designed to entice the viewer through a series of the amazing, and leave some room for debate as to their reality.  They are also done clean, with little signage, leading the viewer even closer to thinking the pieces are authentic.  They are done purely for the buzz value, which Nike hopes will lead to a bigger payoff down the line.  Whether the videos of theses amazing feats will lead to larger sales or brand awareness is TBD…but they do generate buzz and word of mouth, two things key to Nike’s branding.  ESPN360’s potential is mush more tangible, since it will or will not lead to ad dollars and viewers.  However risky, both are examples of key brands finding ways to effectively use the space through the nontraditional. 

Riding The News Cycle…

May 13, 2008 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

Like the unicycle, the bicycle or the motorcycle, the news cycle is a very powerful entity that can move brands from one place to the next, or if mishandled can cause problems for those trying to control it.  The granting of access, strategic planning, the anticipation of issues, understanding the needs and wants of media, satisfying the needs of business and media partners and solid communication up and down the chain all factor into the shortening or lengthening of the “ride” of the cycle.  Like any other cycle, the unforseen or unanticipated items… outside news stories, lemgthy contract negotiations, travel issues…also factor in.  However for those in the cycle business, having all the controllable parts in place are key.  The most recent “news cycle” in New York has been revolving around the New York Knicks hiring of new coach Mike D’Antoni, and the extended cycle the process has taken in the press, from Thursday’s initial reports, to confirmations that he had been offered a contract, to confirmation that he had signed to a Tuesday press event, all without the availability of any of the principals in the story (D’Antoni and Knicks president Donnie Walsh) speaking directly to the media.  A look at the cycle, as well as a look at the media and how the story has already spun back and forth, was presented in today’s New York Daily News by Bob Raissman.  Now since this is positive news, the Knicks have done a great job of stretching the story out and waiting until everything is signed and presented correctly to officially make the announcement.  They have been able to gauge the positive and the negative in the media over several days, gauge fan opinion and make sure those who will speak at the press event are well prepared, with very few surprises.  All should create a confident and smooth first day on the job for the new coach.  With positive news such as this for the brand, the lengthening of the news cycle was very appropriate and well done.  The followup tomorrow should be positive and well positioned, giving the story almost a week of life in an offseason time when most non-playoff teams are quiet.  It also is positioned at a great point leading into draft evaluation (and ticket and sponsor renewals) so that the long term summer effect will be a good one. When the news is negative and the goal is to shorten the news cycle, the same amount of affirming the facts, communicating and extensive prep should also be applied.  Rushing to answer questions or not having everyone on the same page can be deadly with negative news, despite the obvious rush to try and quell the tide.  Taking the time to step back and make sure all is in order may extend the cycle a few hours or a day, but in the end can avoid the unnecessary give and take that sometimes comes from a rush to answer. 

Knicks Take A Bite Out Of The Bottom Line To Give Back

April 15, 2008 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

PR Move of the Day: The New York Knicks have not had an easy time of it from any angle this season, but through the on-court problems and public struggles the fans have remained loyal, and to recognize that the team will take a sizeable hit financially Monday night and offer free food to all in attendance to the sellout game with the Boston Celtics. Now while there are many that will say that this token gesture is just that, but for those in the business who realize the financial cost that the team will absorb in the name of season-ending goodwill should see this as a smart move that can bring some long term change, and help soften the non-playoff season for one of the NBA’s most valuable franchises. Finding ways to generate good will in the nation’s toughest media market is never easy, but credit has to go where credit is due, and the Knicks brand deserves credit for pushing the idea through on a night where they could make some good season-ending revenue. This is really the second long-thinking and solid move by the Garden in recent weeks…two weeks ago, the Rangers announced the righting of what many deemed a dead issue by announcing the retiring of two NHL Hall of Famers from the past, Harry Howell and Andy Bathgate. Many teams tend to focus on the current generation at the expense of a past that current fans cannot relate to, and hence may not be as big a draw. But the team here should great reverance for tradition, and will create some special memories for current fans, by making asure these two legends also get their due. Nice job also by the Rangers PR staff in finding the right way to break the story, with longtime New York Post hockey writer Larry Brooks getting first crack at it.

Nets Carbon Neutral Night Very Enlightening…And Other Hoops Hits…

April 3, 2008 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

PR Move of the Day:  The New Jersey Nets may have had a blow to their playoff hopes Tuesday night with the loss to the Sixers, but they keep beating the brand awareness race by pulling off the first-ever (I guess) Carbon Neutral Night against the Sixers.  The Newark Star Ledger did a nice piece explaining the environmentally conscious efforts of the team, with a nice entree into the project by future arena sponsor Barclay’s Bank.  The very creative effort reminded the world about the unique partnership, gave some great added value, and of course had some solid environmental messages for fans and business partners alike .  Nice trend setter.  And speaking of trendsetters, Nets CEO Brett Yormark and Florida Panthers COO Michael Yormark had a nice piece on CNBC this week, which can also be seen here.  Also on the “green” kick, check out First Call, which has a celebrity mix on the going green movement away from sports.
Other hoops notes included long-time friend Donald Hunt’s efforts to get Wilt Chamberlain on a postage stamp , while Coke made some interesting news switching star LeBron James from their Powerade brand to Vitamin Water.  VW’s use of “organic” integration (see Dwight Howard’s dunk practice video) and unique athlete promotion (the Knicks’ David Lee’s “Next hairdo” competition)  will certainly be tested with the highly visible James on the Glaceau team now, but the opportunity to take integration to a new level now has a solid NBA platform. On the hoops abroad list, be sure and check out the UK start-up Basketball 24/7, a real strong attempt to raise the profile of the game in England both in an Olympic year and with the NBA coming back in October.   Lastly, this time of year also has its share of positive call-up stories, and yesterday’s piece in the Miami Herald shows how the Heat/D-League relationship has worked for both the NBA and the D-League.