With NFL Europa gone, the AAFL never starting, spring football done, CFL not yet on the ske.and the draft now over, those who love football now have only to turn to the Arena Football League to tide themselves over until an outdoor game gets going.the AFL has done a solid job both in market and nationally (working with the teams and Dan Klores Communications) to identify and drive some nice additional coverage for the brand in the last few weeks. Some of the latest hits included a solid score on the front page of the New York Times sports ection this week on the value the New Orleans Voodoo is affording to the community in the post-Katrina time, a Men's Health piece with Dallas Desperados ironman Will Pettis, and a series of pieces on USS Cole survivor an.Colorado Crush lineman Charrod Taylor.brand going beyond the game to tell the personalities of their athletes to a larger audience…all the while building stars and finding ways to enhance the AFL and its partners. Nice job by the AFL to fill the football jones void.
A pair of must reads on athlete participation in sponsorship popped up yesterday…first in the Boston Globe was a piece on the enrgy drink market and athletes and celebs getting not involved just in a spokesperson role but having a vested stake in the business, and the success level brands are having…the second piece was in the Toronto Star looking at the opportunities the Washington Capitals’ Alexander Ovechkin may be able to capitalize on over the summer not just in the U.S. and Canada but abroad as well…it also looks at the potential hurdles the Russian may encounter, so it gives very good balance…lastly, on the “feel good” story of the year thuis far go to George Vecsey's New York Times column yesterday, which tells the story of the spur of the moment gesture of good spoirtsmanship put forth by the Central Washington University softball team, carrying carrying Western Oreon University's Sarah Tucholsky around the bases after she suffered a freak injury following a home run and was unable to circle the bases herself. Great piece captured as only one of the great writers of our time can.
