MLS Cup Sets Template For Future Soccer Success…

November 24, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

One of the most significant games in the history of professional soccer took place in the Pacific Northwest in the late summer of 1977, when the New York Cosmos, led by the legendary Pele, won their first North America Soccer league title by defeating the original Seattle Sounders 2-1 in Portland Oregon. This past weekend, perhaps the most important game since then in the evolution of professional soccer in the United States again took place in the Pacific Northwest, where a crowd of over 40,000 saw Real Salt Lake defeat the Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1 on penalty kicks to take the 2009 Major League Soccer title?

Gettin The Right Flavor of NASCAR: TMS

November 17, 2008 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

As the economy takes its effect on NASCAR, one thing that hasn’t suffered is the diversity and depth of innovative promotion and the PR support that goes with it.  Latest example is Texas Motor Speedway, which brought in celebrity chefs like Rachel Ray, Tim Love and Mario Batali, linked in drivers, fans and other partners to create an “Asphalt Chef” competition to the early November race.  The result again lifted NASCAR to another level with the casual sports and entertainment fan…tieing the highly popular celebrity chefs and their ardent followers to the sport, which brings in new eyeballs at a time when the ardent fan is feeling the dollar crunch.  It also exposes the drivers involved, Bobby Labonte, Carl Edwards and Juan Pablo Montoya, to an audience away from the core, who will hopefully not just watch but activate with the other products each driver endorses, once again growing ROI for partners, the drivers and the sport at a critical time.  Great effort, wider exposure, no downside at a time when “food tv” and the celebrity chefs associated with it are growing faster in popularity than almost any other TV genre.

Winning Matters: Ask the Red Bulls

November 15, 2008 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

With a large, diverse cultural base and one of the most fervent grassroots soccer communities anywhere, Major League Soccer had hoped since it’s start that the New York franchise would be one of the cornerstones for driving the growth of professional soccer in the United States.  After all, the only piece that the defunct North American Soccer League had working in a positive direction was its New York franchise, the Cosmos.  However the then-Metro Stars now Red Bulls have always struggled both on and off the field to attach with fans, get media attention or build stars.  Even with a far superior outreach this year, the initial coverage has been a very steady increase,  but still nowhere near the coverage of any of the other local teams both on and off the field of play.  However into the fray pops a huge upset playoff win agianst Houston last week, and the Red Bulls, now one win away from the MLS Cup Championship game.  The unexpected playoff run, in a city that hast seen one championship since the Yankees in 2000, comes at a great time for the club and for MLS, as now all the pitching and good will the team has built with the media over the course of the season is ready to pop.  It also comes at a time where the Red Bulls are finishing a stadium of their own, Red Bull Arena, and it gives them a great chance to tell the league story of affordability in a time where discretionary dollar is lacking.  Some of the examples of the key storytelling where in Saturday’s New York Times, where Harvey Araton went through the value plan for the Red Bulls, USA Today, and in the Bergen Record, where Stefan Bondy had a solid profile on the young fans who have been following the club around for years, usually in anominity.  Now does any of this happen without the improbable playoff run?  No.  However it is a very good example of building contacts, having the right story lines in place and being able to strike when the moment arises.  Being prepared for the sunny day in tough times, is just as important as rainy day prep, and the Red Bulls have scored big time this week in taking advantage. 

Sarah Palin, NHL Combine To Grab The Casual Fan…

October 10, 2008 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

The NHL has come out firing and grabbed the attention of the casual sports fan and the business partner through a successful “NHL Rocks” campaign, well attended and competitive games in Europe, a sensational centennial campaign by the Canadiens and a rebirth of the Blackhawks brand in Chicago, all of which is overshadowing problems in small markets like Nashville.  The league will take another step to grab the casual viewer again Saturday night in Philly, when Governor Sarah Palin attends the Rangers-Flyers game and drops the first puck as part of a promotion to find the “Ultimate Hockey Mom.”  The move is a solid one for both sides…the Flyers get tremendous added exposure, as does the league and regardless of the reception the Governor gets, will now be tied to a potential Vice President for future endeavors.  The Republican ticket then gets to play the card that Senator Obama has played so well early on in the campaign, that of showing a solid connection to the average sports fan, so often a skeptical and reticent voter.  Should Governor Palin come off well Saturday it could score points and votes as well as buzz.  Who knows, with a Flyers win and a successful season (for her and the Flyers) she could become the good luck charm Philly has lacked since the late Kate Smith used to come in to sing “God Bless America” at the Spectrum in the ’70’s.  Well timed and solid play by both sides….smart for the NHL to pitch, smart for Palin to connect.