Getting An Added Fix Of Fall Football…The UFL Or…The Lingerie League?

May 30, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

With the AFL gone and the AAFL never started, the quest for NFL alternatives to fill the void continues on. While most agree that the talent level for the secondary football gap between college and the NFL is there…and the CFL has done a good job of trying to assume that role…the model that is financially and socially viable remains a mystery that even the NFL with NFL Europe could not solve. . So now we move to the fall and the launch of the once-delayed, several times evolving four team United Football League, while the once tried, well pitched and curiously positioned Lingerie Football League has also garnered its own position. the question is…can the UFL find an audience, and would anyone really care…brands or fans…about the LFL? While many have snickered, the UFL has pushed ahead and has done a good job of stealing enough headlines, signing media deals and positioning itself as a serious alternative or addition to the college and NFL audience. The coverage it has received, from AP to the Sports Business Journal to the markets where teams will be, certainly creates the air of legitimacy, and all the executives have done a great job of looking forward and staying on message. Now whether fans will show up…the price point is right…sponsors will sign on and media will cover remains the literally million dollar question. Many “good ideas” have come and gone in the recent economy, and even mainstream well established brands have taken a hit. However one thing is for sure, the people behind the UFL are pressing on and showing the confidence in an idea that helps in an uncertain climate, and look like they will create a platform that brands and fans may lean on as a cost effective alternative once the ball goes in the air. On the other side is the Lingerie Football league, which has done a great job of marketing itself and gaining mainstream business and some sports press by pandering to male dominated media. Media outlets from si.com to cnbc have given the league concept some play, and although the numbers of 8,000 guys showing up, TV partners signing on and “celebrity owners” have yet to materialize, the credit has to go to whomever built the PR plan and catered right to the male demo with which the league is looking to go to. Whether the concept gets off the ground and actually gets brands to sign on seems like the longest of longshots, but the buzz generated is certainly worthy of any startup brand. In the end which will last longer? For those looking to grow the sports marketing space the answer is probably both, although the UFL will certainly open more doors for the long term.

Tracking Awareness For Brand Success In The Concrete Jungle…

May 30, 2008 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

PR Move of the Day:  With the landscape always crowded in a major market like New York, finding a spot for niche sports to break through and grab recognition is always very challenging, and we have documented a series of successes and some failures since we started the blog in November.  The latest success surfaced in the last few days, as the Reebok Track and Field Championships looked for  angles to not just promote athletes but also drive interest in event attendance in a sport that has faded from the lexicon, even with the Olympics on the horizon.  The promoters took a world class story with both political and athletic overtones, the presence of Chinese Olympian Liu Xiang, and put him on a perfect weather day on top of the Empire State Building for a presser that combined all the elements of the city, the Olympics and the political issues and the event this weekend.  The move gave journalists, the event and the sponsors much more than a tired press event.  The result built good will for all involved and created an unmistakable photo op for NYC Tourism in addition to the event…Rich Deitsch’s piece on si.com probably summed up the success of the event best.  Great non traditional exposure, great way to spin the tried and true and take it to another level.