Racing Back To The Top…

February 14, 2010 by Joe Favorito · 1 Comment 

As one looks for continued signs of resurgence in sports marketing…record viewership for the Super Bowl and the Winter Olympic Opening ceremonies, more global sponsors building activation platforms, increased and more diverse ad spending dollars being but forth from ‘09…perhaps one should look to racing as a bell weather.  Yes it is true that “The Great American Race,” the Daytona 500, will just beginning NASCAR’s season this weekend, and that the aggressive new launch of IRL is still a few weeks away, but there are continued positive signs which are showing that racing, one of the the industries hit hardest in the recession the last few years, may be returning to form in terms of viewership, attention and brand awareness. NASCAR has started awareness campaigns in theaters across the country, designed to promote the personalities of the sport, has enhanced their digital presence and begun a more intense program to get their faces out to the widest possible audience going into the season.

Garden Growing New Partners, Ideas Again…

October 27, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

It has been tough times in recent years for patrons of “The World’s Most Famous Arena.” The lack of on court success, a slowing economy, an aging building and a weak public perception had caused a good deal of the shine to come off of Madison Square Garden and perhaps lower the perceived standard of excellence the building and the organizations housed in the building had long held. However, steadily it appears that perception, consumer confidence and new and innovative promotional partnerships may be returning the business of MSG back to where it had resided for so long, in the upper echelon of sports and entertainment marketing and branding in the world. The announcement of a long rumored renovation, the ever improving on-ice play of the New York Rangers, an enhanced outreach through digital media and an ever-growing unified community presence for all the Garden brands have led the uptick in interest and buzz as the NBA season approaches this week. On the business side, a just-announced landmark airline deal with Delta Airlines, complete with Garden icons Mark Messier and Willis Reed filling the captains outfits, new entertainment sponsorship plans, and brand extensions to other Garden-related properties are all contributing to an uptick in interest, new best practices for partners and a more entreprenurial overall atmosphere than has been seen in some time above Penn Station. Now can all go sour with bad teams on the court and on the ice? It certainly won’t be a positive. However what is being seen is the aggressive ability to effectively tell good business and branding stories to all constituents, much like the cross river rival Nets have been doing so well, and that sort of business buzz can help insulate partners if the athletic performance falters. Even with problems on the athletic side, all the moves are smart and solid and send great messages to partners that the Garden is more than willing and ready to solidify and create new business than ever before.

Does The World Love This Game? If You Are The NBA, The Answer Again is Yes…

October 7, 2009 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

This month three of the four major sports leagues in North America…NHL, NBA and NFL…will make their annual pilgrimage across the pond to court fans, build brand and extend what is hoped to be a more global reach in the coming years, when the economy improves and the time becomes right for leagues to play on both sides of the Atlantic. Two, NHL and NFL, have taken the regular season route for games, while the NBA continues its preseason schedule of games, this year in London. All three have their basic effectiveness and have slightly different goals…the NHL looks to markets that have a built in understanding of the sport and a strong professional base…this year Finland and Stockholm…while the NFL uses the game as a one week showcase for American football for expats and those who watch on TV.

Bucs Worldwide Outreach Starts To Rebuild A Brand…

December 2, 2008 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

The Pittsburgh Pirates have been the poster child for the small market, under appreciated brand for over two decades.  Even with a gleaming ballpark in a blue collar town and the great tradition of the 1960’s and 1970’s, the Pirates have struggled to make any dent in the local, regional or national landscape, especially with the success of the Steelers and the Penguins right in their own backyard.  So in the search for new, fresh angles, the team has looked internally to find a common bond that a new era of multiethnic fans could relate to, as well as continuing to play a youth movement.  The result is a series of well placed pieces in this week’s Pittsburgh Post Gazette on “The Pirates of the Caribbean,” and the organization’s concentration on going to all ends of the earth to cultivate a new level of talent for their fan base.  These stories, coupled with the report last week that the organization had signed a pair of pitchers from India, give fans hope and keep the brand relevant in a market that was bereft of both in most recent seasons.  Also by building up the diversity in the organization, the brand is laying the foundation for different sponsorship and ticket selling opportunities, both very important in the current economy with a brand that has lost its way.  Again it may not be a huge help if the team struggles mightily again on the field, but by looking abroad and telling the story in impactful media, the Pirates are looking to right what was a steadily sinking ship. 

On Athletes As Role Models and Sports Potential For Leading Social Change…

June 2, 2008 by Joe Favorito · Leave a Comment 

When the cynical look at sport. they see men and women (often highly paid) playing children’s games with little regard for the greater good.  However those who work in the business of sport and entertainment are constantly looking for ways to connect brands, athletes and teams with businesses for greater branding opportunities, and as brands become more socially conscious to reflect the interests of  today’s consumer, comes the need for more opportunities to use sport as as an opportunity for social change.  A few examples popped up recently in the media, all based around the ideal of how athletes and sport can help influence generations and perhaps influence social responsibility. First, Steve Politi had a good piece in Saturday’s Newark Star Ledger on who will be the new female role models in athletics for girls, and how some of the louder examples of women in athletics today may not be the right influencers.  Then Jason Whitlock had an interesting piece on FoxSports.com from the branding side, on the ways the NBA may benefit even more from this years NBA Finals because of the lack of tattooed and edgy stars featured in Lakers vs Celtics. Lastly, we found this piece on Prince Feisal of Jordan and his role in  Peace Through Sport, using sports as a platform to address conflict across cultures.  Each piece addresses a different area, but all tie together in showing how sport…for the grassroots, for the athlete and for the brands…can find ways to work positively for more than just the dollar, and have a positive effect on social change while still continuing along as a multibillion dollar enterprise.