Lockout Fallout…Benefits For The Locals…

July 30, 2011 by

In some ways maybe East Rutherford and Florham Park, New Jersey don’t compare all that well to the pristine college campuses in Albany and Cortland, but for Jets and Giants fans one of the positive pieces of the lockout will suit them just fine. Instead of the quiet getaway for training camp, the teams will stay at home when practices begin this weekend (Giants Saturday, Jets Sunday), giving more fans the opportunity to come out and fill the bleachers which will line the teams new practice facilities. It is the first time that the two facilities will be open to the public during training camp, a rare peek inside for fans that could never make the trek to Albany or Cortland during the summer.

Now for the Jets, a home training camp is not all that unusual. For years fans flocked to Hofstra University, where the team trained year round, to see workouts, and that helped actually grow the teams Long Island fan base. Since the move of facilities to New Jersey, few fans have been able to see the pristine, state of the art facility the team has built and uses during the rest of the year, so the added time will be a great benefit. The Giants have moved training camp around for years…Pace, Monmouth, FDU-Madison were some of the stops before settling on SUNY-Albany. Their opening of the Timex Center was also off limits to fans, who will get a look at the new facility a little closer than the New Jersey Turnpike for their first time as well.

Now the move back to home facilities is more the rule than the exception in this lockout shortened preseason. Teams from the Steelers to the Ravens have abandoned the annual trek to college campuses and elected to save time and money by staying home this year, and that move could signal a change for future years as well, as teams continue to build larger and more diverse training facilities year after year. While that is a great loss to the economy of towns that welcomed NFL training camps in past years, it could be a boon to local businesses around East Rutherford and Florham Park, as thousands will look for lunch spots, drinks and other activities around the open Jets and Giants practices. The added time will also get some additional exposure for the teams’ title sponsors…Timex and Atlantic Health… who will get their logo and name splashed across all kinds of media exposure during a preseason that usually included only Cortland or Albany in past years.

Now there are some downsides for the teams. Added distractions being so close to home, the fact that the facilities were not originally built to hold thousands of fans (the Giants have had to bring in bleachers to line the field adjacent to a parking lot for example) as well as added police time and traffic, especially for the good people of Florham Park.

However the positives for fan growth, additional new local sponsors and good will coming off the lockout will outweigh the negatives for both the Green and White and Big Blue. In a summer of continued staycations and alternative local planning, the lockout may have produced the best free gift for football fans…the chance to see the formation of their local squads up close, without spending big bucks on travel or PSL’s.

Filed Under: NFL Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Can The Lockout Mean The Possible Demise of the Media Guide?

July 26, 2011 by

As the mad scramble begins in the NFL, one area that will have a scramble of its own will be media relations. The time-honored off season ritual of pulling together the printed media guide will go into overdrive as teams decide who and what will go in, and what will come out of what is still the most valuable tool anyone who needs information on a team can have. What was once months to assemble now becomes days or short weeks, and even with a boost from digital printing, assembly and photographers, rush orders for printers will no doubt be in place, with boxes to be sent around the league in time for the season opener.

However what once was the biggest concern of angst and anxiety for media departments, meeting the printing deadlines, have gone to another time, and the reduced budgets, concern for green initiatives, and the rise of technology, along with a shortness for turnaround, may be the beginning of the end for such printed works. Already leagues like the NBA and the NHL have had some teams go almost all digital with their media guides, and a good number of colleges have followed suit. The several hundred page printed guides are a large budget expense and in most cases have little return in terms of sales. They are a necessity of information which largely become outdated once a season begins, and this NFL season may be outdated before they are even printed, due to the fluctuations of budgets. Slowly and steadily teams have produced more interactive and updatable online versions of such behemoths, which with a little tech savvyness can become invaluable to the media, even more so that printed guides of the past. Now the need for having some printed materials should never be totally done away…there are people who do not carry laptops and need printed books for reference, and sometimes being able to search manually can outdo an online search for those who know the material…the day of printed guides being the rule more than the exception may be going away. Even sponsor ads, which used to offset costs, can be more vibrant and even useful in an online publication these days, all at a fraction of the cost.

The 24/7 world we live in today will get a great test for the media in the craziness of the weeks to come for the NFL. Rosters will flip, players will come and go like never before, and the struggle to complete a printed media guide that is efficient and fully usable will be challenged like never before. The challenge will lend its way to more technology, and although no teams will toss all their printed books in the garbage, the need for the printed media guide this year for gridiron media will be less than ever before, and maybe will mark the beginning of the end of the printed media guide in football at some point sooner than expected.

Filed Under: College Basketball, College Football, MLB, MLS, NBA Teams, NCAA, NFL, NHL Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Could The Spring Still Use Football?

July 24, 2011 by

This coming week, as NFL returns to business, marks the 25th anniversary of the USFL’s demise and their $1 settlement victory over the NFL. For those old enough to remember or have seen the ESPN special, the USFL thrived not because it competed head to head with the NFL, it thrived because it attracted a core of players that the NFL had overlooked, went to markets where the NFL had not gone for the most part, and played at a time where the casual football fan had an interest in seeing games…the spring. The real demise of the league was the Donald Trump-led push to move the league to the fall and go head to head with the NFL, a marketing and business machine that even 25 years ago was still ages ahead of the USFL in depth of talent and business acumen.

Now in the past few years we have had the UFL, which found some market success in places like Connecticut and Omaha, but remains awash in red ink for a slew of reasons, the biggest being it is again at a time of year when the NFL and its fans are focused on the brand NFL...they love their product and they don’t want or need any other in the fall. The UFL rolled the dice on a lockout going into the spring to draw casual fans and maybe some TV time, yet that was probably a poor gamble. Fans of the NFL want the NFL…they don’t want the CFL, college football or the UFL. Loyalties just don’t change that quickly. The sad thing is that the UFL could have made great brand inroads had they played in the spring the last few years, and could have really made a market push as a league for the people this spring. Into the void they could have gone loudly, filling an interest for the casual and the disgruntled, testing the marketing dollars of brands who may have been worried about the NFL, and providing a great showplace for the free agents and unsigned who needed a chance to play somewhere. It would have also continued to have been a great testing ground for new rules, new styles and coaches looking for a chance to either re-engage or find a new home.

Alas we received none of that. What we got was the UFL saying it was delaying their season and fans drooling for training camps to open. So that still begs the question, could spring football still work? This past spring showed that there was ample interest in football in the spring, with fans staying involved despite the lockout, and many very upset not to have minicamps to learn about. the fantasy and gaming world continues to look to football as its driver much more than baseball. There remain mid-markets that love football that probably can use cost-containment professional football, and if the NFL does not grow roster size there has been proof that there is still a solid amount of talent waiting to be turned over. The Arena League is still trying to find its way back with a spring version, certainly not yet at the high level it was when the sport folded, and the UFL has found some real viable markets where they have been successful. Could it work? Would brands take an offseason Hertz to the NFL’s Avis? Would TV support a promotable spring product and not have to worry about NFL backlash when new deals come up? One thing is for sure, America is a football crazy country. The question is…is the market important enough to support year-round football? The WLAF failed with the NFL’s backing, as had other leagues. The UFL started off with the right capital infusion and found some niche’s, but at the wrong time of year for fans to get energized. The argument that you have one NBA. one MLB and one NHL is different…those seasons are very long and give fans ample opportunity to see the product. The NFL, even at 18 games, still limits the in-season experience for fans, which could create an off-season alternative. The USFL at the time was in its way.

Welcome back NFL…it is important to be back, not just for the fans, but for all the brands and employees who need the financial pop. Maybe the quiet of this past spring could open another door in the future as well.

Filed Under: College Football, Crisis Management, MLB, NBA Teams, NFL, NHL Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Losing The Nuance…

July 22, 2011 by

Full disclosure, the headline of this post was stolen from Mike Greenberg this morning on ESPN’s Mike and Mike, but it is very true. Thursday into Friday we have again seen the power and buzz, and the silliness generated by the immediacy of social media. We again see that maybe social media isn’t for everyone, it can be a distraction and can cause the participants and others around them lots of unneeded stress. It also again brings up the question of how and who can help folks best manage their messages and get information out in a timely fashion.

Thursday unfolded with great promise and anticipation for both the media and fans with regard to the NFL Lockout. The owners announced a positive vote on the deal, with the players still having to vote and be presented with the details to bring full closure to the labor standoff. Then as the day unfolded, a huge amount of players took to their own space, the social media world, to voice their opinions on what they had “heard.” The information came from sources, most of which were unnamed, and were not in full detail, but many of the posts on Twitter were full of disdain and disappointment. Most were put forth well in advance of being briefed fully…the NFLPA did not fully communicate with their players until much later into the evening…when the union reps were able to fully go through the proposed deal and could offer an informed, balanced and well thought out communique. Player head DeMaurice Smith held his tongue, and although his “body language” portrayed disappointment at first, his thoughts were not spelled out ad hoc.

As the evening went on many of the players who were so filled with vitriol earlier in the day recanted, and took more of a wait and see attitude once they heard from their player reps. What the immediate rush to judgment did was cause confusion and distraction for the decision makers, and probably extended the process, and the fans disappointment, just a but further. The good news is that the PA did communicate in a proper and time efficient manner with its constituents, and the confusing news cycle of disdain was shortened. What the exercise did point out were again the simple rules for using social media.

1- Think before you hit send. If you are a public or nonpublic figure, don’t use social media as a self-serving way to vet your opinion to the world, unless it is what you really believe and are sure that is what you want to say. Make smart, informed decisions. Spew does no one any good.

2- If you send it, it doesn’t come back. Hitting delete after something has gone viral will not change the cycle, and the time one spends trying to retract and correct could be saved if you just think before you act.

3- Not everyone has to have an opinion every time. Sometimes it’s not about you, and it is better listening and making sure you have the facts before you speak. We have two ears and one mouth (and ten fingers to type with, but that’s another story), so LISTEN twice more than you speak. Now maybe you feel like you really need to have a voice, that’s great. Just make sure the voice is right and is in the proper, well informed context, especially when dealing with a very public issue.

4- Losing The Nuance. The written word, especially in social media, loses much of it’s context. Jokes are not funny, thoughts that were lighthearted can get misconstrued and most people don’t have the benefit of the background that you have. Posting off missives may seem fun and interesting, but a little mistake can cause a lot of damage. Calling someone can convey thought and ideas mush better than a series of random characters.

5- You Don’t have To Do It Just Because “Everybody” Is: It seems like more and more people are taking to social media to define and grow their “brand,” whatever that brand is. However a social media platform, like any other part of brand development, is not a “must do” for people that are not interested or equipped to do it. Many pitchers can’t hit, many actors can’t sing, many salesman cannot write, many writers cannot balance a checkbook. Know your limitations, understand the space and then listen to informed people, professionals, who can effectively advise you as to what works for your business or your brand. It is not for everyone, and not everyone needs social media to be successful. Speak when you really have something to say, not because everyone else does.

There was a story this week that University of New Mexico head men’s hoops coach Steve Alford has banned his players from using social media. While that may be extreme…it should be an informed, personal choice…it is probably well weighed out by the administration, and the “rush to post syndrome” will be avoided by the Lobos. It won’t make social media around the team go away at all…but it may help avoid the confusion and distraction provided by some who wanted to be first and be emotional, as opposed to being informed.

Filed Under: Ambush Marketing, College Football, Crisis Management, ESPN, NFL Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

The Collateral Damage Of Lockouts…

July 3, 2011 by

Labor disputes in any business are never fun. We all want peace so that our cars are sold fairly, our pools stay open, our garbage is picked up and our teams play when they are supposed to. While fans grow frustrated with the current lockouts in the NBA and the NFL, the seasons are still far off enough so that most social unrest is still below the waterline. However the real unrest at this time of year is through the collateral damage that work stoppages have on an industry, this time the industry of sport. Here are some examples as to how the lockout has effected and can continued to effect this who make their living off the field but in the sport.

NBA Summer League: Canceled early on this year, the Vegas Summer League created more hotel jobs, broadcast spots, vendor opportunities and entry level basketball career jobs for a few hundred folks. Young people attended an annual job fair for teams and others in the business which will not happen this year, creating a void and a backlog in opportunities.

Fantasy Sports: Conventions which filled ball rooms, sold meals, and helped the travel industry will not be held or have been postponed this summer. Dollars by brands have been held up for fall spends on fantasy sites, creating great angst amongst salespeople and those who run sites that are dependent on the dollars brought in through fantasy football. It may seem silly to some, but that ancillary and primary income, especially for digital sites, could be a huge issue come the fall if that money is not spent by brands or reallocated outside of the fantasy industry.

Broadcast: In addition to fantasy specific shows like those on Sirius XM curtailing their football previews, announcers and broadcast staffers have been furloughed or put on delay as to what their fall income will be. No NBA hoops in the preseason or summer means no work for tech people or announcers. NBA-specific sites cannot cover player events, which leads to less traffic, dollars, and working hours.

Football Camp Workers: Many NFL teams have announced the move of training camp from colleges back to their own training facilities. The loss of hourly wages, meals and hotel rooms in places like Cortland, New York can be very hurtful to a local economy which thrives in those three to four week stints every summer where media and fans descend on the town.

Advertising Sales: Whether one is selling or buying, the uncertainty in the marketplace means deals are deferred, and for commission based sales folk, that deferrment does not necessarily mean dollars will come back when the lockouts are settled. Those dollars may go elsewhere, to entertainment shows for example, or they may not get spent at all by a brand looking to cut costs. While some feel those dollars would go to places like college sports or hockey or September baseball, the bottom line is that NFL brands spend NFL or NBA brands spend NBA, and they may not necessarily have to spend elsewhere because at some point the lockouts will settle, and they may wait until that point to infuse dollars.

Ticket Sales: Many entry level jobs in sport start at ticket sales. While the NFL may not have that many seats to fills on a per-game basis, the NBA does, and all that offseason sales activity can be curtailed by the lockout. That curtailing means less sales and with it less opportunity to sell for young people looking to get a foot up.

While all the news is not glum, and some remain optimistic that the lockouts will settle, the uncertainty makes for more issues for those who live off the game but never play the game. Wen teams are back, the fans will forgive and return and the excitement of pro sports will keep business flowing. However until that point, there are thousands who need income who will have many sleepless nights, and that income may be very hard to recoup. here’s to labor peace, and ehlping those in the industry to get on with business.

Filed Under: College Football, Crisis Management, ESPN, Fox, MLB, NBA Teams, NCAA, NFL, NHL Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
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