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As most of the larger and higher profile leagues, and even some of the minor ones, slashed staff and cut below the line excess, one league that held ground, and may be able to gain marketshare with promoion and brand building, was Major league Soccer. Michael Lewis on the Big Apple Soccer blog had a …

A host of articles today bemoaned the lack of interest in the non-BCS bowls this past weekend, and the toll they will take in the wake of exposure for many of the programs. However Yahoo Sports had a great two part series this past week on the cost/benefit for the schools going to non-BCS bowls, …

Maybe it is the “economy,” maybe college football in its push to become more streamlined and protective has dulled creativity, and maybe there are just too many other ways to promote brands on college campuses these days, but it appears that the grassroots and creative ways that schools used to hype Heisman Trophy and All-American …

As much as the numbers in the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scheme are almost beyond comprehension by most on the street, what is understood and appreciated by fans are owners communicating messages directly to their patrons…ticket buyers, media and sponsors. This week, following a presser to introduce new closer Francisco Rodriguez, New York Mets CEO Jeff …

As we have noted before, minor league baseball, even with their affordable prices, constantly look year round to keep the brand relevant in the community and continue to reinforce brand. many times it can be done with the offbeat, the latest example is the Hudson Valley Renegades, who took the opportunity to create Benchwarmers Tribute …

A year ago the UFC continued to build its brand pretty much as it had before…by appealing to traditional MMA and fight fans with a smattering of the mainstream...a good part of the mainstream pitches were left to two principal competitors at the time, the IFL and ProElite, which forged mainstream TV deals and some …

Now it may have happened by accident, but an interesting development this past week for the Washington Capitals actually gave a front office staffer a few seconds of a lifetime on ice close to game time, and could unleash a new round of experiential marketing for teams and fans going forward, especially for the minors. …

Jon Wertheim in Sports Illustrated this week has a very good look at the Clippers Baron Davis and the steps he has taken to try and expand his business interests, invoke his passions, use his position as a platform for social change and still play good basketball. In a time where fans are always looking …

One of the biggest challenges in a crisis is getting all spokespeople on the same page. Regardless of the message, releasing the bigger picture information, positively or negatively, and having that information be consistent is a great show of solid planning. Such was the recent case with the WNBA and the demise of the Houston …

We are going to take a brief departure from the best practices we have focused this blog on to take a look at the inevitable belt tightening and workforce reduction that has finally come to the sports industry, with the latest cuts being at the NFL, which announced a 150 person deduction in workforce today