We sometimes get caught up into the day to day, seasonal nature of the business of sport that we forget that we are here to have fun, and sometimes have to look to, and try a few “What If’s” to break through the clutter. Many times these opportunities are sitting there right in front of us, but we fail to grab them because they are outside the regular routine, or may take a little effort, or may not have a clear ROI return to them.
We forget that the fun, creative stuff is often worth the effort.
Two cases in point recently.
BYU has had a solid football season, and as they head toward the Alamo Bowl they are led by their quarterback Jake Retzlaff, the first Jewish quarterback in the traditionally Mormon school. Jake has embraced the “BYJew” moniker has fun all season, and it led some smart people to put together one of the more unique NIL deals of the year, with the kosher food company Manischewitz.
A junior who was named the starter before the season, few saw the partnership with an iconic Jewish brand founded in 1888, which makes kosher products, including matzo, macaroons and wine. However some smart entrepreneurs saw an opportunity to grab a moment and ride a very unique wave of success with a brand the young QB was able to identify with…and the rest has been a great table setter of “what if’s” in the still evolving world of NIL. Maybe instead of looking for a collective effort at a school, you could tie emerging brands to athlete ethnicity or origin across many sports…athletes who may not as a one off make the list of brands or donors kicking in dollars JUST for football, or just for basketball, but because there is an identifiable ethnic or cultural tie to the athlete.
The person who came up with the “What if” for the partnership was not part of a large scale marketing firm trolling for dollars…he is a comedian. Eitan Levine, who has gained a big following over the past year, first when he broke the Guinness Record for most first pitches thrown out in one season, and more recently with his Jewish comedy content, saw the opportunity and as they saw, found a way.
Manischewitz said it will produce limited-edition Jake Retzlaff Matzo Boxes to “celebrate the intersection of athletic achievement and cultural heritage.” Retzlaff will also share his story and connection to Manischewitz in video content on social media.
Who knew? Well, no one would have who didn’t understand the culture, and see the opportunity. A partnership to root for, and watch, especially as we hit the holidays.
JOHNNIES FIND UNIQUE RELEVANCE: Then you have St. John’s coming into their own for men’s hoops as the Big East season really gets going. Still, it’s New York, and you have to continue to find points of relevance to drive interest and awareness. What did they do? They announced on Thursday a partnership with cllct the year-old collectable platform created by Darren Rovell, to serve as the Official Collectibles Partner of Red Storm Athletics.
To start, the pair will partner for Coming to America Night on Dec. 28 against The University of Delaware. Why? It is the anniversary of the St. John’s men’s basketball team’s game versus Marist, that was featured in the iconic 1987 film starring Eddie Murphy. A highlight of Coming to America Night is the #FINDTHECTATICKET campaign, an interactive initiative to locate and recover physical tickets from the contest with Marist on Dec. 28, 1987, at Madison Square Garden, where the movie’s scenes were filmed.
St. John’s and cllct will offer fans a $1,000 reward for the top three highest quality original tickets from the 1987 game. In addition, fans are encouraged to share their memories and discoveries from the game by using the hashtag #FINDTHECTATICKET. To submit your ticket for authenticity, email a photo of the front and back to biz@cllct.com or bring the physical ticket to the St. John’s men’s basketball game on Dec. 28.
Fans in attendance for the Red Storm men’s basketball contest with Delaware will be treated to a variety of Coming to America Night activities and entertainment. In arena activations include movie trivia and music, contests and games with 1987 themed prizes, an exclusive exhibit featuring an authentic McDowell’s uniform – a nod to the fictional fast-food restaurant in the movie, and custom merchandise such as a specially designed “In the Face” t-shirt, referencing one of the movie’s most iconic lines.
What’s the risk? Nothing. It drives awareness and maybe fills some distressed seats for a nonconference game, gets some holiday buzz, and shows that even one of the most storied franchises can find a way to take themselves not too seriously and look for innovation in a way that can be more than a little uncommon. The event also drives awareness for cllct, which continues to find ways into a hyper competitive and very crowded space, by opening up doors into an untapped area…the college athletics market.
Fun ideas…both part of “what if” where some dogged follow through brought a spark of an idea to a bright light without compromising anything, or even costing any additional spend.
More needed please.
