In the movi..The Dark Knight. the Joker, played by the late Heath Ledger tells Batman, played by Christian Bale,.If you want to upset the status quo and get people excited inject a little chaos into everyon.s live. ” While the level of chaos the Joker. was looking for was a bit more catastrophic, another group in green, the New York Jets, have done a good job of injecting some chaos, planned and otherwise, into their NFL season, with the results making them at least for the short term the media darlings of the fall sports season. Will it work for the long term, making the Jets of this era what.The Bronx Zoo. Yankees were in the late 197.. Hard to tell but they are keeping the media and their fans entertained.
Now two weeks ago, when the team dropped their season opener, tickets were still available and their internal issues appeared to be bubbling out of control, things may have been seen as going south. Even this past week the tea.s handling of wide receiver Braylon Edwards DUI arrest also caused great debate, especially heading into another nationally televised prime time game. Combining Edwards issue, the ongoing saga with Darelle Revis, the love or hate style of coach Rex Ryan, the upcoming return from suspension of wideout Santonio Holmes, the ever present face of owner Woody Johnson, the star quality of quarterback Mark Sanchez and the rebirth of Hall of Fame running back LaDanian Tomlinson. the team has filled notebooks, blogs and the airwaves with story after story, making the team has relevant in pop culture as they are on the field each Sunday in the NFL. Whether done right or wrong, win or lose they were still good copy, at least for the short term and in comparison to their stadium mates, the tradition filled and steady New York Giants, who opened the new Meadowlands Stadium with a win in week one but have stumbled since.
However sizzle in toda.s 24/7 world can only go so far before the next flavor of the month arises, and with a daunting schedule on the horizon the Jets appeared to be on the verge of chaos without substance. The steak arrived in the form of back to back wins against New England and Miami, giving all the boasting and headlines a backbone to match up with for now. Now the NFL has a major market story that has the capability to fill the front and the back pages of a newspape. at a time of year when baseball, colleges and the start of the NFL and NHL seasons, not to mention the Ryder Cup, will compete for drama, space and attention.
Is all the drama off the field actually good for the Jets bran.? For those partners looking for ancillary attention, probably. For those looking for the straight and narrow, maybe not..Hard Knocks. for all its criticism, brought great exposure to all of the Jets partners, and even added exposure to an entrepreneurial Taco Bell exec who found a way to have Mark Sanchez slip on a hat in exchange for some free grub. As the season progresses and the offield drama changes, the winning onfield will add to the brand enhancement for partners much more than what is in tabloid form, but that tabloid spin does keep the casual fan interested regardless of onfield performance, so the balancing act continues.
The Jets have chosen to push their brand on all fronts this year in an effort to gain some market share. That posh has made them more accessible, more outspoken and given them a personality that they have not had much of over the history of their franchise. Whether you like it or not you probably know more about the Jets at this early juncture of a season than at any point, save their Super Bowl III win, than at any point in their history. That helps to sell tickets, sponsorships and marketing platforms. It helps to generate buzz in social media. It helps their brand grow for the short term.
For the long ter.? All is TBD. Implosion could be around the corner, but so could continued success. It is a tough mix to maintain and maintain successfully but for those teams and brands wishing to take the open approach, the dollars may be there. If not, we are a forgiving society always looking for the rebound and the comeback, and that positioning down the road could also be in the offing.
One thing is for sure, the Jets are relevant today because of their wins and their stories, like it or not..The chaos injection continues.
[…] Favorito says maybe some chaos is good for the New York […]