Because the NFL is so much the American spectacle and a weekly destination watch for much of American, we often forget that several franchises still need to work in case of those rainy days to build brand value year-round, keep fans and business partners interested and engaged, and find new ways to generate revenue despite lofty ticket prices, PSL's and TV money. For every sold out stadium there are a few still figuring ways to make sure market value grows. Perhaps the best example of that this offseason is the Miami Dolphins, under new owner Steve Ross. The fins have seemingly made a move every week, whether it is in fan access programs, new seating plans, altered colors, different naming rights deals and most recently, celebrity owners. Even with a much improved playoff team last year, the Dolphins ownership change, not to mention the sluggish South Florida economy, kept the teams brand building in flux, and with his hefty investment to buy, Ross and his management team have looked to every possible avenue, assuming nothing and taking no one for granted, to make sure that the Dolphins brand value ascends not just in South Florida, but in a national buzz and relevance quotient that is reflects in increased merch and ticket sales and a grander place in the NFL hierarchy. All the offseason buzz generation is a very smart move for the first year owner, and they have played to every segment of a potential audience to grow marketshare. While some may say, “Its the NFL, what do they need to sell themselves fo.” the answer is simple….as an owner trying to invoke change you never get a second chance to make a first impression, and in this economy taking anything for granted, especially in a market where discretionary dollars can go elsewhere, could be a very fatal flaw, even for the most solid of brands, sports or not.
