“I Will. Protect this House:” Under Armour, Corporate Nationalism and Post-9/11 Cultural Politics

From the Sociology of Sport Journal

Review by Ryan Smith in KIN 501

In this article the author talked about the company Under Armour and how it got to where it is today. This company was started in 1996 but truly found its identity after Sept. 11th 2001. It is a company that always specialized in performance apparel for sports but after 9/11, they wanted to exhibit more nationalist pride. They also wanted to show a more masculine and side to their brand of sportswear. As a former player for the University of Maryland football team, the CEO wanted to target these more masculine sports for promoting Under Armour's products. As a way to show their pride in both the military and our nation, they chose the slogan “Protect this House”. Using this marketing campaign, it showed their vision for focusing on the defense of athletic, corporate, and military spheres. To help the marketing of their products in these areas, Under Armour started a partnership with the NFL and Zephyr technology. This shows that they are current with the most popular sport in America and also have these newest advances in technology. Under Armor has shown that this is not just the words of a marketing campaign. They have proven their support by actually doing many important things to help support our troops. One of the things they've started is the "freedom initiative." This is also partnered with the Wounded Warrior Project. Under Armour also sponsors events that are both military and sport based like the "Tough Mudders," an intense race that resembles a military obstacle course. Another one of the ways they get their name into the main stream of the sports world is by providing custom football uniforms and cleats to universities of Maryland and Texas Tech. When they did this for these two teams, they wanted to keep the themes of militaristic and nationalistic pride, so they made them both in camouflage print, with the Under Armour logo on them. They have also used the NFL scouting Combine as an important event to help promote their corporate identity and reinforce a sense of national pride.

I felt that in this article by Gavin Weedon was very interesting to me because Under Armour did a very smart thing in capitalizing on nationalism after what happen on 9/11/2001. Under Armour was looking for a way to become more main stream in the sports industry, so they took their identity of the brand in a direction where the consumer would want to be a part of the company. Under Armour can show through there cloths and their advertising that they are nationalistic, masculine, and militaristic. This was a good way for people to feel like they were a part of the company and being that patriotic shows that Under Armour cares about our nation. I feel the people really responded to what the company was trying to do with their slogans that they came up with “Protect this house”. The slogan can be thought of in so many different ways like in sport or the way that the military talks about protecting the US. I think that rallying people around your corporation with something as nationalism is a good idea because it is something that everyone can relate too.

Super Bowl Experience for SHSRM Students

JMU SHSRM students have the unique opportunity to apply to work the 2013 Super Bowl in New Orleans.  Select students would be working:
- NFL Experience: NFL playground for adults/kids with games, simulators, contests, etc.

- Super Bowl Boulevard: Local street dedicated to entertainment and NFL festivities.

- Saturday of Service: A day of community service activities.

- Networking: Event for student volunteers to network with executives.

The deadline to apply is Friday, November 16.  Please click here for more information.

"Healthier Concessions Menus Present New Booster Club Challenges"

From Athletic Business

Review by Korey Page in KIN 501

In the article by Michael Popke titled Healthier Concessions Menus Present New Booster Club Challenges presented the dilemma that some school districts are going through now that they are trying to fight obesity. Portland Public Schools in Maine announced in August of this year that they were doing away with high sugar and high fat foods and drinks at schools and at school events. This meant that you could not get your typical vending machine food such as chips, nachos, candy bars, Mountain Dew, and Coca-Cola from classrooms, cafeterias, field trips, and concession stands at school sporting events.

With them not being able to sell or have food items that are high calorie, high sugar, and high fat it puts a damper on what booster clubs can sell at sporting events and how they go about to raise money. This is the issue that was presented in the article and was talked about in briefly but there is another issue that was not touched on and could become a bigger issue: fan experience. In the article it stated that Portland Public Schools are to sell low calorie and healthier food instead of the nachos and pizza you would expect from a stadium while watching a high school sporting event. When going to a sporting event, you expect the staples like nachos, hot dogs, hamburgers, and pretzels. With the new polices you will now expect to get humus and reduced-fat string cheese and low to no calorie drinks. I find the lack of choice is what is going to hurt the boosters and the fans.

This article stated that Portland School System enacted the policy over the summer with little resistance. This was because during the summer the general public did not hear about it until school started. Also at Durham (N.C.) Public Schools there has been a wellness policy in place for six years like the one in Portland, Maine but they are looking to change their policy to help with more choices. The larger issue is the law that was passed recently in New York City banning large sodas. With the government cracking down on obesity by instituting these laws it could be only a matter of time before it reaches over into the world of professional sports. By evidence of the article it is already an issue for public schools. There are proponents and opponents to these measures just like any other issue. Some are for it but others would like to have a choice, not a ban.

Looking at the grand scheme, when and if this affects collegiate and/or professional this will affect the overall fan experience. With fewer choices of things people want could lead to unrest in the audience. This is a good thing for people who want to eat healthier because now they have more choices than what was previously offered but to the vast majority this will be a problem if they do not find a balance. These laws and policies also affect sponsorship relations. When looking for corporate sponsors your choices will become limited and you will have to find companies who appeal to the policy that are in place. Also having food sponsorships in place before such policies are introduced could lead to friction and redoing of the contract.

"Augusta National Adds First Two Female Members"

From The New York Times

Review by Jacob Harris in SRM 334

Augusta National Golf Club is one of the most historic golf courses and is currently the only home to the most popular major in golf, The Masters. A lot of sports fans didn’t realize exactly how huge of an event occurred in the golfing and sporting world this past fall with the first two women to ever become members of this prestigious club. With a lot of scrutiny and controversy over the pasted 80 years, the moment finally came with the introduction of Condolezza Rice and Darla Moore as the first and only two members of Augusta National at this point in time.

This past spring through fall wasn’t the first time that these issues and discussion have come up. It wasn’t till 1990 and after the club was almost 60 years old until the first African American gained membership. Martha Burk also fought hard and led a campaign to gain women membership in 2002. At that time the Augusta chairman, William Johnson, said that maybe one day the club might invite a female to join, but seeing that they are a private club, they can go about business the way they please. To gain membership into Augusta, one has to be invited by a small committee, there is no such thing as applying for membership like other golf courses. The spot of chairman changed hands in 2006 and talks began to stir up again this past spring. Finally the announcement came in August that the club hit a new milestone with its new female memberships.

As far as the media, this was nationally covered and it was a big deal to the public relations team at Augusta. Their beloved tournament was coming up when these talks began to arise and questions were starting to be asked. They also had to develop a plan on how to keep things calm because as mentioned before they are a private club and do things their own way, which didn’t really please the media. Instead of getting answers, the media got a lot of “no comment” responses which usually frustrates most fans and the media. Everything did end up turning out well and Augusta National even issued a news release for the announcement of the women members which is not something they usually do. Augusta is a very private club and is all about doing business their own way, but with this new addition, they may be opening up to the media more often. ---

Review by Ryan Dunn in SRM 334
Augusta National Country Club is well known for its privacy as well as its all-male membership. But as of August 2012 Augusta National has agreed to allow two women to join the club. Condoleezza Rice and Darla Moore were formally invited to become members and will be the first two female members of this historic golf club. 

Augusta National is well known as the host of The Masters golf tournament. It is an 80 year old club. Augusta added its first African American member in 1990. The membership to Augusta is closed meaning a person cannot apply for membership but has to be invited by a membership committee to join. They have had many prevalent members including former president Dwight Eisenhower.

The decision to add women members was one that many people had been waiting for, for a long time. In 2002, Martha Burke started a campaign in which she tried to convince Augusta National to add women members to its role. It took 10 more years for it to happen. Nancy Lopez who is in golfs Hall of Fame was quoted saying “This is a big steppingstone for women in golf and for women in general because of what Augusta stands for.” Ms. Lopez was right.

Augusta has always gone about their business by their own accord and this situation was no different. Augusta National has been publicly scrutinized by the media as well as such figures as President Obama and Governor Mitt Romney. This did not make Augusta cave though as they waited until for a time when no one expected it to happen to announce the invitation to both Rice and Moore.

The media jumped all over this story when it came out. It seemed that every news station across the nation had a story about this. The question of when Augusta National would invite a woman to join was one that no one knew the answer to. So when Augusta decided to invite two it became national news and everyone jumped on it.

"State Farm benefiting from 'Discount' ads"

From ESPN.com

Review by Peter Brosnan in KIN 332 (section 2)

This article focused mainly on Aaron Rodgers and his role as a spokesperson for State Farm Insurance. Everyone has seen the commercials and nearly everybody knows about Rodgers’ signature touchdown celebration, but what does it all mean? ‘Discount Double Check’ actually refers to a program where State Farm gives discounts to customers for various reasons such as safe driving and combining home and auto insurance. Whether or not people know what this term actually means, the important thing is that people are talking about it. Social media tracking company Bluefin Labs said that there were 6,400 comments about the ‘Discount Double Check’ during and three hours after the Sunday Night Football game between the Packers and Texans. This was due to Rodgers, as well as some taunting opponents, performing his famous touchdown dance numerous times, but most importantly it was due to the fact that almost everyone has seen these commercials.

State Farm succeeded in their initial goal, which is to get people to see their commercials and get everyone talking about it. However, what I believe they need to do next is to explain what in the world the ‘Discount Double Check’ actually is! I believe there is no point in advertising a product or program when it is not even understood by the consumers. I tried to search online for what purpose the ‘DDC’ actually serves its’ customers, and all I found were articles about Rodgers and video clips for the commercials. Rodgers is a great spokesperson; intelligent, funny, talented, exciting, etc. However, there comes a point when State Farm needs to stop going for entertainment value and instead explain how they have a step up on their competition. Don’t get me wrong, the first step in their marketing plan has succeeded immensely, but before long most people are going to start getting sick of the same commercial over and over again.

"Exploring saturation levels for sponsorship logos on professional sports shirts: a cross-cultural study"

From the International Journal of Sports Marketing & Sponsorship

Review by Jeff Campbell in KIN 501

The article, “Exploring saturation levels for sponsorship logos on professional sports shirts: A cross-cultural study” analyzed the effectiveness of sponsor logos on professional hockey jerseys and their effect on the brand itself. The researchers were testing to see whether increased amounts of sponsor logos on the jerseys themselves had an effect on brand identity, affiliation, and effectiveness. 

The researchers categorized jerseys into three categories: the logo-free (clean) approach used by the NHL (only the team logo present), the restrained approach used by the American Hockey League and Russian Kontinental League (up to two sponsor logos present), and the unrestrained approach (characterized by unlimited amounts of sponsor logos on the jersey). They then created three hypothetical “alternate” jerseys for various hockey teams with varying amounts of sponsor logos and surveyed hockey fans to gauge their reactions to the shirts. The study measured the intensity of the shirt advertising on the fans’ attitude toward the team, intention to purchase team merchandise/apparel, and sponsor brand recall rate among the three different shirts.

The results followed the researchers’ proposed hypotheses. In terms of the sponsors’ interests, there was an abrupt drop-off in brand recall when more than two logos were present on the jerseys. In terms of the managers of the team/franchise, it appeared that attitude towards the team and purchase intentions did not significantly drop when there were two or fewer logos on the jersey, but the presence of more logos resulted in more negative attitudes. In general, the more logos that were present lead to more negative attitudes towards the team and jersey.

I feel like this study is important and practical in several ways. As a leader in this industry, we may one day be forced to make a decision regarding issues similar to this. How we balance the financial gain and benefit that sponsorship presents with retaining a loyal fan base willing to purchase our merchandise is an extremely important discussion to be prepared for. According to the results of this study, team identity and fans’ purchase intentions do not significantly decrease with two or fewer logos; therefore, one can reasonably assume that selling two sponsorships will generate revenue while retaining desired fan behaviors and attitudes. It is also an insightful study into the benefits that sponsors receive from choosing a specific team or organization to partner with. Sponsorships should be a win-win deal for both sides, but this study shows that, at least in terms of these jersey sponsorship logos, the product will be diluted and the recall will be less significant with the presence of other sponsor logos on the same product. This creates a less effective sponsorship and could lead to certain companies severing their deals with the team. It obviously also affects the organization itself, as it has a direct influence on merchandise sales and perhaps more importantly on team affiliation and positive attitudes about the franchise.

I also think that this study is relevant because it can be expanded to include other sports and other leagues. The NBA is currently discussing adding sponsor logos on their jerseys for the first time, and this can serve as a relevant blueprint for the NBA and other leagues to follow to maintain their apparel sales and fan loyalty. It also is a telling fact that those surveyed in this study were college student-aged individuals, which is a high-priority demographic market for most sport leagues. They want to touch this demographic in order to build long-term fans, as fans who are affiliated with a team for a longer time may be more inclined to purchase that team’s merchandise.

An interesting extension of this study would be to expand it to more popular sports in the United States (NFL, NBA, and MLB) and also to analyze the effect that these logos have in professional soccer, where on-shirt advertising is already popular. A future study could also include a more broad demographic, rather than focusing almost solely on college students. I like the idea of a survey of the fans, and I think that could be especially useful (and good PR) if they are involved in a similar survey in order to choose a new alternate jersey for the team. This gets them involved, makes them feel like they have a voice with their team, and allows for the team to create a jersey that they know is popular with fans and will therefore hopefully sell well. By judging the purchase intentions and attitudes reflected onto the team by their fans, team managers can then pursue the appropriate amount and type of sponsors for on-shirt advertising while not diluting their product or the sponsor’s gain by a significant amount.

This study is interesting and applicable for our class in that it deals directly with marketing and shows the potential pitfalls of oversaturation. While we talk about the importance of lining up sponsorships and generating those revenue streams, this is a good example of how thin of a line it is at times to balance each interest (revenue and maintaining fan interest). The study is a good read for an aspiring leader of a sports organization and was an interesting discussion with the trend of on-shirt advertising becoming more popular on the professional level.

"Jerry Rice talks 'Madden,' 49ers, Kinect"

From ESPN.com

Review by Emily Goodin in KIN 332 (section 1)

Hall of Famer Jerry Rice is helping the NFL in the fight to battle against obesity rates in the U.S. by becoming this year’s new spokesman. Jerry Rice is teaming up along sides the NFL by implementing the use of the Xbox 360 to get kids of all ages excited about physical fitness and fight the obesity epidemic that is surging the nation. According the American Heart Association today 1 out of 3 kids and teens in the U.S. are obese. I is estimated that by 2030, 42% of the U.S. population will obese unless something is done. Research led by Duke University, estimate 11% of the adults will be nearly 100 pounds overweight. 

On Monday, September 24, 2012 the “60 Million Minutes Challenges” was launched as part of the NFL’s Play 60 program. The program wishes to educate children about the importance of daily exercise, and help reduce the growing trend of childhood obesity. The program challenges children of all ages to pledge to be active for 60 minutes every day.

In October 2007, marking its 5 year anniversary this year the NFL has teamed up with The American Heart Association to launch a national wide campaign to inspire kids to get 60 minutes of physical activity a day, encouraging kids to live a healthy life style. It is a program that has been implemented in schools across the cross the country, number over 1500 PLAY 60 Youth events have been organized, and with other 100 youth fitness zones having been built.

The Xbox “Run the Hill” with Jerry Rice is an interactive video game that helps promote physical activity through using your entire body through connect. Play 60 is getting the message out to children to live healthy active lifestyles.

"Does Money Buy Championships?"

From Concordia University St. Paul - Online

Review by Jenny Hansberry in KIN 332 (section 2)

I came across this article and found it to be an interesting topic to bring up in class. Growing up an avid Philadelphia Phillies fan, I certainly had my opinion about the New York Yankees and how they spend their organization’s money. I have always thought that the Yankees “buy their championships”, and it would be ridiculous if they did not win the World Series every year since they buy the top players. However, after this article, I realize that money does not always guarantee a ring at the end of the season. 

One of the most interesting statistics I found from this article was that the MLB has more of a diverse result in championships than any other professional sport. I was surprised because I would think that since there is no salary cap in the MLB and wealthy organizations can get whichever players they want that they would have the same teams winning over and over again. Since this is not the case, it is hard to understand exactly why some teams spend such an immense amount of money every year. From a marketing standpoint, the teams who have more money within the organization for players, coaches, staff, the stadium, fans, etc. are also bringing in more money on a game to game basis. Tradition and history ensure teams such as the Yankees or Phillies to never have to worry about not having the fans behind them to make a profit every season.

Another reason why I thought this article was interesting is because the teams, especially in baseball, that are being focused on as the teams that spend the most are not currently playing anymore. This World Series is the Tigers and Giants, neither are which spoken about in this article. Therefore, it brings up tremendous marketing opportunities to help build up their teams to maybe one day become as historic as some other teams in the league.

Helmet Safety and Concussions in Football

From Athletic Business

Review by Kara Beckley in SRM 334

Our current event discussion comes from an article titled, Making Headlines, from the September 2012 issue of Athletic Business. The article emphasizes the importance of helmet safety and the high occurrence of concussions. Concussions in high school sports have increased by 15% annually. Some professional organizations have implemented new regulations to help decrease injuries, such as Pop Warner football banning head to head hits, and the NCAA and National Federation of State High School Association requiring players to sit out the next play if they lose their helmet on the field during a game. The article also discusses advancements in technologies for helmets such as Force Cap Technology’s air-filled sack inside of a hockey helmet to exist as protectors during hits.

This article, written by Michael Popke, has a clear and decisive theme: to develop helmets for a safer athletic playing environment. It starts by reviewing the rules that have been put in place from the effect of concussion increases. Developing technologies assist the body of the article to flow with information that convinces the reader there are enough new precautions we can take to produce safer helmets. The conclusion is well written; focusing that the start of realizing there are flaws in helmets lies within an organization. Emphasis on the Youth Football Helmet Replacement Partnership’s pilot program wraps up the article in great detail to relay the message of safety concerns. Sports media and the article of helmet safety are relevant in a few ways. First, helmet safety and the rising concussion concern would not be spread if it weren’t for the media. They help to inform the public of the issues at hand. Second, if the media shows concern about the topic, it will seem important. Lastly, media can portray helmet safety in a way to persuade the need for future changes. 

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Review by Danny Barto in SRM 334

There is no question that one of the main concerns for NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, is the topic of helmet safety and concussions. The focus on helmet safety is not just at the professional level, but also at the youth, high school, collegiate, and semi-professional football leagues. Helmets play the most important role in the battle against concussions and their devastating effects on the brain. These effects can sometimes be immediate, such as short-term memory loss, or there can be long-term effects such as dementia. It’s not just football that parents and coaches are concerned about. Athletes that play soccer, lacrosse, or hockey are all just as vulnerable during play than any other sport involving contact. The topic of concussion safety is a very serious subject with the NFL, the media, as well as parents and the youth. 

Many parents and players believe that if you are wearing a helmet you are automatically safe from head injury. These views are far from the truth according to Inez Tenebaum, chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Tenebaum stated that, “it is vital that parents, coaches, and players understand that there is no such thing as a concussion-proof helmet.” He goes on to say that the best answer is, “safer and smarter play.” This explains the rule changes that have been implemented at almost all levels of football. These changes that have occurred have prohibited headfirst tackles and result in stiffer penalties for violent hits in hockey and football. There have been many innovations in helmet manufacturing and design since the focus shifted to concussion prevention. The article explains that old helmets are designed to prevent structural injuries such as a broken nose or jaw, but a concussion is a functional injury that affects memory and motor skills while leaving the player disoriented after the impact.

The media has played a big role in informing parents, coaches, and athletes about the dangers of certain sports and how to play these sports safely so that concussions can be minimized. ESPN has done multiple documentaries on the health effects that a concussion has on the player immediately as well as the long-term effects. It seems that many stories in the news concerning sports is about player safety and how to prevent serious head injuries. The media along with the major sports leagues like the NFL and NHL have the biggest impact on how safe the game is played.

This article was extremely informative how concussions are being prevented by the use of new technologies and safer play. The sports media has done a great job lately at getting the word out about helmet safety and new rules and regulations being implemented in all types of sports leagues. Companies are developing new technologies that will make the game safer for our kids to play in the future, but like Inez Tenebaum stated in the article, “the best answer is safer and smarter play.”

"Will a Ring Finally Turn LeBron Into Michael Jordan of Marketing?"

From Advertising Age

Review by Mandy Adkins in KIN 501

In the article “Will a Ring Finally Turn LeBron Into Michael Jordan of Marketing?” by Rich Thomaselli (2012), the author explains how LeBron James winning his first NBA title has earned him great exposure in the marketing world. 

After LeBron lead the Miami Heat to a 15 point win over Oklahoma City Nike quickly put out a sixty second commercial showing a jeweler creating a championship ring for LeBron. The previous two years have been tough for Lebron due to his decision to leave Cleveland as a free agent to join Miami, as well as his poor performance in the 2011 finals. The decision to leave Cleveland paired with the unimpressive first year with Miami resulted in a low number of endorsements for the celebrity player who people believed would become the next Michael Jordan (on the court and in terms of excessive endorsement deals).

Fortunately for LeBron this year was a successful one. He was named Most Valuable Player and is now viewed as a winner, which is a desirable trait for any company looking for someone to endorse their product. This past year LeBron was making $30 million in endorsement deals. His major endorsements included McDonalds, Sprite, Vitamin Water, and Sheets Energy strips. However, he only appeared in ads during the NBA finals for State Farm and Nike. At the time the article was written, the belief was that other marketing partners of LeBron’s were holding off and putting more effort into marketing during the upcoming Olympics. Another belief was that marketing partners were hesitant to go all in during the finals due to the risk of LeBron losing a second consecutive NBA Championship.

Now that the final game has been won and LeBron is a ‘winner’, companies have a lot more opportunity for how they decide to brand LeBron. Sports marketing experts believe that LeBron could make an additional 30% to 40% on top of his current $30 million dollars in endorsements. LeBron also has great potential to gain increased exposure in the international market place. His Miami Heat jersey was the number three seller outside of the United States at the time the article was written.

All in all, LeBron’s NBA Championship win has cast him into the top levels of the marketing and endorsement world, creating an avenue for him to potentially become the Michael Jordan of marketing.

A critique of the article is that the author discusses LeBron becoming the next ‘Michael Jordan of marketing’ (even in going as far as making this the title), but does not discuss any details regarding Michael Jordan in the world of marketing. Clearly Michael Jordan is a very well known individual, but not everyone is knowledgeable on just how big Michael Jordan is in terms of NBA basketball and marketing products. The way the article is written assumes that everyone reading it knows what is meant by ‘LeBron becoming the next Michael Jordan’.

The concept of the sixty second commercial spot that was put out shortly after LeBron won the NBA final game was an excellent marketing move and increased the awareness of LeBron as finally a winner. I agree with the critics that this win has given him the potential to excel in terms of endorsements and product marketing.

"Sponsor-Supported Video Boards Make Impact at High School Level"

From Athletic Business

Review by Donna Jones in KIN 501

In today’s day in age you have to stay up-to- date with the times. Michael Popke’s article in the Athletic Business Journal, titled “Sponsor-Supported Video Boards Make Impact at High School Level focused on that up and coming phenomenon. The article focuses on the positive views of a few high school athletic directors regarding video boards. This concept of video boards on the high school is not new, however, this article looks at a few schools in Tennessee, Wisconsin, and Minnesota who are paying for these video boards primarily with the help of outside funding such as private donations.

The world’s largest video board, in the Cowboys Stadium is 11,520 square feet per side. Within many professional and collegiate stadiums, many teams have large video boards to display instant replays, statistics, news, etc. Does this concept of a large video board need to trickle down to the high school level? Mike Gosz, one of the high school athletic directors in the article, believes that installing large video boards makes strong fiscal sense. For a prosperous business, $5,000 for five years may not seem too strenuous. After all, they are receiving exposure to a crowd that may be unfamiliar with their product and service. This exposure may lead to increased business for that company.

At Gosz’s high school in Wisconsin, they have a nine-by-fourteen- foot video board for their football stadium, as well as a six-by-eight-foot video board in the gymnasium. These video boards provide 10-15 seconds of advertising for their sponsors. The more money the sponsor pays, the more exposure they receive. A long term goal of Gosz’s is for the advertising dollars to eventually support part of the school district’s budget. For some of these athletic directors they were simply testing the waters, they never felt like a video board was something they needed to have. They have been fortunate to have supportive people behind them to make this happen.

Administrators in favor of these boards realize that the money could be going elsewhere, but businesses are less likely to sponsor the construction of other areas around a school like a bathroom. They want to support something where they will get a bang for their buck. The athletic directors that have already implemented these video boards mention they sought out businesses in which athletics already had relationships with. They guaranteed their sponsors an “enhanced image and increased foot traffic.”

These video boards come with a few stipulations. This process was not easy for Gosz, in his district they were prohibited by the school board to advertise on anything but posters and in programs. Since the change, advertisers must abide by the “educational-friendly” messages parameters set. The example used in the article, a sponsor named “Bub’s Bar and Girl” would be mentioned on the video board as “Bub’s Grill.” In another district, there are restrictions on signage unattached to buildings. For example, a sponsor would not be able to advertise any specials on the video board. To allow schools to go beyond the initial regulations, asking them to censor who their sponsors are is not too much to ask.

Besides highlighting the sponsors, the video boards will be used for the starting lineups, opening kickoff, and special segments like “fan of the game.” At one school they plan to incorporate live-action footage courtesy of student-operated cameras. This would be a great experience for their TV production class. They would also want to highlight nonathletic events and non-stadium events. They also plan to involve their graphics department students to help companies who may not have the advertising budget to create a digital ad. This interaction gives the involved students real-life experience with clients.

Gosz’s school district offered two-and three-year payment plans to their sponsors and they also have a low-interest loan through a bank to cover some of the upfront costs. Another high school in that district loaned money from the school district for the installation of the board as well as other stadium improvements. Gosz felt as if “this is something that will eventually become the norm.” Because the video boards will be used to advertise/ promote other home events it seems like a good idea to expose the large crowd to an event they may not have previously been aware of. Yes, these boards are costly but as long as the schools are getting their revenue from private donations and sponsors I do not see an issue. Involving others, such as a TV production class makes this to be a learning opportunity. The sponsors are getting exposure and supporting the athletics program which makes both sides happy. I am interested in seeing where things will go from here on the high school level.

"Is Lacrosse on the Cusp of a Division I Sponsorship Explosion?"

From Athletic Business

Review by Meryssa Wacholder in KIN 501

Could men’s college lacrosse ever be on the same page as college football or college basketball? Is men’s lacrosse going to be the next big thing for Division I college athletic departments? The University of Michigan has realized the potential impact men’s lacrosse can have and has added a men’s Division I varsity lacrosse program to their athletic department. The article, “Is lacrosse on the Cusp of a Division I Sponsorship Explosion?”, discusses the University of Michigan’s decision to add a Division I men’s lacrosse program last year and what this decision will mean in terms of sponsorship for both the university and the sport. 

Men’s lacrosse is by no means a new concept for the University of Michigan. The wolverines have had a very successful men’s club lacrosse team for several years. In fact, the club team was considered by many to be the best in the nation, winning three consecutive club national championships since 2008. By making this jump from a club program to a Division I program, Michigan became the first BCS school to add a varsity program in 31 years. The last school to make this addition was Notre Dame in 1981. Although Michigan only won one game in their first season as a Division I team, the impact it has had on the school and the sport itself has not gone unnoticed. The article discusses how the University of Michigan is a high profile school athletically and by them making this addition, it may spark other BCS schools to do the same (Steinbach, 2012). By having such a well-known name or brand associated with men’s lacrosse, it helps promote the sport and likely help increase its popularity. Unlike football or basketball, college lacrosse is the highest level of play for a lacrosse player. The MLL (Major League Lacrosse) and the PLL (Professional Lacrosse League), the two professional leagues for lacrosse, lack the attention and popularity the collegiate game receives. Since 2003, the Division I men’s championship game has averaged an attendance of 40,000, ranking it in the top three for NCAA championship games in terms of attendance. The article stated that lacrosse is the NCAA’s fastest growing sport with participation numbers up 7,278 between 2006 and 2011 (Steinbach, 2012). This is huge for college athletic departments because as the sport continues to grow in popularity and becomes more of a demand, lacrosse is something athletic departments are going to have to consider adding if they have not already.

Men’s lacrosse has the power to change a school’s profile. This has been proven successful at the Division III level. Baldwin-Wallace College was mentioned in the article for this exact reason. They plan to add both a men’s and a women’s program in 2014. The school’s athletic spokesperson stated, “It is natural for us, not only from the standpoint of diversifying the options for students, but as a trend for growing admission.” (Steinbach, 2012). For schools like Baldwin-Wallace who may be hurting for students in the local geographic area, having these new options helps greatly, they are able to reach other areas of the country where lacrosse is well known and established. As far as large DI schools are concerned, lacrosse has the opportunity to change their image drastically especially if they do not have a BCS football team. School’s with a BCS football team may not need a new profile because they are already well established and recognized, their brand is already out there. However for big schools without football, having a men’s Division I lacrosse program can help the school reach a new demographic, play big-name schools like Ohio State or Notre Dame who they would not normally get to play, and possibly get the chance to have their school and team televised on national television. This is all huge in terms of promoting your school and your athletic department.

Men’s lacrosse at the Division I level is something that could take effect in the near future. With Syracuse leaving the Big East Conference and joining the Atlantic Coast Conference, the ACC has expanded its four-team dominant program. This creates the opportunity to establish a six-team ACC lacrosse conference, allowing for an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. This provides a great opportunity for a Virginia Tech or a Florida State to seriously consider adding a program; they would be part of a conference with some of the best lacrosse schools in the country all of whom would be visiting their campus. Expansion in the West is also a high probability according to the article (Steinbach, 2012). The women’s game is very popular there already. For the University of Michigan, adding a men’s lacrosse program seemed to be a no brainer for their athletic department. The school’s athletic director claims, “The sport will afford us the ability to travel to places the maize and blue have not typically gone.” He believes it will help their brand (Steinbach, 2012).

I really liked the article and thought it did a good job of identifying the potential benefits a school could gain by adding a Division I men’s lacrosse program. I could relate to the article because in the Northeast lacrosse is very big and it was very popular at my college, so I was shocked to learn so few BCS schools had a Division I team. I found this article to be very applicable to my field of interest, college athletic administration, because this could be a situation I am faced with in the future. The only thing I wish the article addressed more was the actual sponsorship opportunities that were being created or established with the University of Michigan and their new program. Are they going to use the same sponsors as their football program and if not, how are they going to market their new program to gain sponsors? I felt like the article talked more about how Michigan was being a sponsor for the sport. All in all, I felt it was a very interesting and well-written article and a must read for anyone interested in working in college athletics.

How the NFL continues to target women

From Ad Age and The Journal Gazette

Review by Christian McLaughlin in KIN 332 (section 2)

I chose to do an article about the current marketing done by the NFL directed towards women. I was really interested in this topic because I have actually noticed the increase in women fans over the past several years. Growing up, it seemed that NFL Sundays was all about the guys. Due to the NFL’s strong marketing campaign geared to women, we have seen a significant change in the demographics of football fans. The article said that 44% of NFL fans are now women! It also said that 43.3 million women viewed the Super Bowl. My only question about these numbers would be how many of the 44% are casual fans compared to diehard fans. I do not want to sound sexist, but how many of these women actually watch the game? To be fair, I also know that there are men out there that only watch football because other men watch, and it has become a social norm. On the other hand, the article makes a great point in that even the casual woman fan still wants to show team loyalty, meaning they are going to buy apparel. This is where I think the NFL has finally done a good job in its marketing strategy. They realized that women are going to be watching with the men, so why not tap into that market. I am not saying that all women are only watching the game because men are, I just want to make the point that I think the social aspect plays a massive role in the numbers. After reading this article I am shocked at how long it took the NFL to reach women. It wasn’t until the “Fit for you” clothing line, that the NFL made gender specific clothing. Social Media and celebrity endorsement then fueled the growth of apparel. Facebook became a platform for women to show off their new gear, and talk about their team. Alyssa Milano made her own clothing line that sells NFL apparel such as jerseys, handbags, boots, and jewelry. I think that the NFL has only scratched the surface with marketing towards women, and the revenue will continue to increase in the years to come. 

"Armstrong stripped of Tour de France titles, banned from cycling"

From SI.com

Review by Lindsay Brauch in SRM 334

In recent news, Lance Armstrong was stripped of his titles from 1999 to 2005, with an accusation of doping. With his most recent refusal to fight this accusation of ten years, the United States Anti-Doping Association had no other option. His old drug tests originally came out negative, but with new technologies, this was not the case. 

Not only were his titles taken from him, he was banned from cycling all together. Although he is still standing by his innocence, it’s a man’s word against the facts. Armstrong referred to the USADA’s actions a “witch hunt.” He felt that their actions in looking into his old tests were absurd.

As a result of being stripped of his seven titles, Greg LeMond, is now the only American to win the Tour De France in 1986, 1989, and 1990. According to USADA officials, at least ten of Armstrong's teammates were set to testify against him. Not only is it upsetting to have ten of your teammates not have your back, and lose your titles, as well as being banned from cycling, Armstrong’s ties with Nike have also been cut.

Apparently many witnesses said they knew or had been told by Armstrong himself, that he had “used EPO, blood transfusions, testosterone and cortisone.” It is also common in the cycling world to have been a doper. I feel as if it’s a little extreme to only focus on Lance Armstrong. He was not the only cycler to have been apart of it, its just unfortunate that he is the main focus. I’m not saying I approve, I believe the whole concept of it is wrong; I just think it needs to be fair. If you’re going to look at all of his old tests, they should look at all cyclers. I also don’t believe that doping should ever be seen as an outlook to success.

Armstrong was an idol to many, and a role model to aspiring cyclers. He was even a role model to cancer patients and survivors. It is an upsetting loss to the cycling world; he was their most popular athlete. How would you feel if your star player was accused of being a cheater, or even your hero? Wouldn’t your views change on him or her?

Lance Armstrong has to find a way to save his image, now that he has chosen not to fight this case anymore. In my eyes it is now clear that he was in fact using drugs. We also have to consider how this scandal is going to affect his Livestrong foundation. It’s still a fantastic cause, and it would be awful to watch it fall apart. I hope he realizes how his actions affect everyone. As far as how this relates to our class, it’s analyzing how all of his actions affect his life. It’s going to be looking at how all of his foundations and sponsors bounce back, and how he bounces back. The media is going to be focused on all of them for a while, each company and even Lance himself is going to have to find a way to be seen in a positive light. 

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Review by Christopher Hudgins in SRM 334

After nearly ten years of fighting doping allegations, Lance Armstrong decided to end possibly his biggest fight yet by quitting. Lance Armstrong Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned for life from the sport of cycling. Lance Armstrong refused to file for arbitration thus giving up on a fight that essentially wiped out 14 years of his miraculous career. This decision has shocked nearly everyone in the sports world especially in the close cycling community. Armstrong has stuck by his innocence through all the accusations and now to give up on the fight is what has shocked his former competitors the most. Former coach Johan Bruyneel said Armstrong was the victim of an “unjust” legal case, stating that he has never known Armstrong to back down from a fair fight. Many critics however believe that this decision to stop fighting is as good as a confession. This is in large part due to the fact that USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) claimed to have witnesses who had been told by Armstrong himself that he had “used EPO, blood transfusions, testosterone and cortisone” from before 1998 through 2005. Had Armstrong decided to pursue arbitration all the evidence would have been available for him to challenge. This decision to quit though could end up costing Armstrong more than just victories on the bike. Armstrong’s success helped sell millions of Livestrong bands and ultimately helped his Lance Armstrong Foundation. Since the foundation was started in 1997 it has raised nearly $500 million to promote cancer research and treatment. The recent turn of events and extensive media coverage of the recent findings in this scandal could cause his foundation to unfortunately take a hit in support. That first hit came almost a week ago when one of the biggest partners and supporters decided to cut ties with the ex-cyclist and his Lance Armstrong Foundation, after initially pledging their allegiance with Armstrong citing that “Lance has stated his innocence and has been unwavering on this position”. Some feel that the media whirl wind caused by this investigation and the ten years of fighting both USADA accusations as well as the media has ultimately just worn down the 41 year old Lance Armstrong. “There comes a point in every man’s life when he has to say, ‘Enough is enough.’ For me, that time is now.” These were Armstrong’s exhausted words before the deadline to enter arbitration, yet still standing by his innocence.

"Jaguars get keys to U.K."

From SportsBusiness Journal

Review by Brandon Jones in KIN 332 (section 2)

The owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Shad Khan, has finalized an agreement with the National Football League to play at least one home game for the next 4 years in London. Khan believes that this untapped market will be economical beneficial to both London and the United States. Khan is hoping that the publicity from these football games in London will lead to economic growth in the city of Jacksonville. Khan views this move as a win-win situation because the Jaguars will gain global recognition, which will in turn give the city a higher international profile, a global fan base, and an opportunity for Jacksonville and its businesses to grow. 

In a recent interview Shad Kahn stated that “We’re serious about marketing Jacksonville as a world-class leisure destination and more importantly as a place to grow business, a great place to raise a family and to have the full power of the NFL to leverage this area.” Kahn argues that expanding the target market of NFL fans would be beneficial to all of the teams in the future because more fans equal higher profits.

After reading this article I began to admire Shad Kahn because of his passion towards bettering his community and his team. Kahn is trying to help every Floridian’s business by attempting to increase tourism and foreign relationships. Overall, I believe that the NFL and Shad Kahn’s decision to expand the football marketplace overseas will pay off in the long-run.

"How video game is changing face of soccer"

From ESPN FC

Review by Heather Holston in KIN 332 (section 1)

I found an article from ESPN soccer net that was talking about the popular game FIFA. EA Sports states that their game is helping make soccer more popular in the United States. They say consumers play the game and then want to follow the teams they play. Also with the help of World Cups and technology, soccer is becoming a sport of the future for America. Americans can keep up now with their favorite international teams because of the internet. Most of these consumers are ages eighteen to twenty four. FIFA is the second most video game behind Madden football to do well. FIFA 12 sold the most video games in retail in a week. The latest version of FIFA 13 just came out September 25th. EA Sports first tried to get FIFA into Americans homes by using international superstars such as Wayne Rooney from Manchester United to promote the product. However, Americans haven’t progressed that much in soccer. They had no clue who Rooney was. EA Sports then came up with a different campaign. They started using American celebrities to promote the game. Some of the first celebrities to promote were Seth Myers, Steve Nash, and Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson. This caught more American consumer’s eyes and worked better for the game. FIFA 13 had celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Andrew Luck and Barcelona Soccer player Lionel Messi. I believe that EA Sports fixed the situation of how to message to the market very well. They looked for people who Americans knew to get more consumers. If they had stuck with Rooney, the campaign could have continued to fail. I believe if they keep using American celebrities, they will keep being successful in the market. I believe FIFA could out sell Madden in the future if they keep up the success. Along with the continuation of the growth of soccer in America. 

"Red Bull Stratos Shatters Records - and traditional notions of marketing"

From Fast Company and USA Today

Review by Jason Gannon in KIN 332 (section 2)

The article I choose to do my presentation on was about the marketing implications of the Red Bull Stratos Project. In the article they talk about a project sponsored by Red Bull where a man freefalls from space. The freefall jumper was Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgratner, who started working on the idea with Red Bull in 2005. Just the other day, October 14th, Baumgartner set breaking records for longest free fall of 4 minutes and 20 seconds, farthest freefall of 119,846 feet, and highest max velocity of 833.9 miles per hour (faster than the speed of light).

The question then is, why would did Red Bull sponsor something like this? Red Bull was able to expose their name and logo to millions of people. The event was streamed live through Youtube where it set the record of 8 million live viewers streaming. The event is also going to be featured in documentaries on BBC and National Geographic Channels. The fact that television networks like BBC and National Geographic are running special programs about this event shows the bridge Red Bull has successfully created in reaching new markets. Red Bull will be able to enjoy recognition and admiration in a setting that wouldn’t normally feature an energy drink brand.

I believe this was a great strategy by Red Bull. By now we are all accustom to seeing extreme sports athletes drinking Red Bull like Shaun White, and Travis Pastrana. Not only did the Stratos Project appeal to extreme sport enthusiast, but also it tapped into a whole new market. The event was watched by millions of people with all different backgrounds and interests. Viewers range from scientist all the way to professional football players. Red Bull was successfully reached millions yet never mentioned their actual product once.

As consumers we are constantly exposed to different kinds of marketing efforts. What’s so unique about Red Bull is how they go about their marketing. They sponsor snowboarding events, the flutag contest, a formula 1 team and now a man free falling form space. All of these are great exposure for the brand but have nothing to do with the actual selling of an energy drink. Through Red Bulls ingenious marketing plans they have successfully associated themselves with thrill seeking and action sports. This is a good strategy since much of Red Bull customers are from this niche and believe in Red Bull’s mission statement of: “Red Bull Energy Drink has been developed for people who want to have a clear and focused mind, perform physically, are dynamic and performance-oriented whilst also balancing this with a fun and active lifestyle.”

So why are so many extreme sport athletes sponsored by Red Bull? Is it because the drink helps them preform or give them wings? There might be some truth to the effects of the drink on performance but ultimately Red Bull is responsible for a lot of extreme sports popularity and growth. Red Bull has continuously put these athletes in the spotlight, and set the stage for them to continue to push the boundaries and limits of their respective sports. It’s a mutually beneficially relationship in which each side benefits. Red Bull creates the stage for these athletes to perform and return Red Bull continues to expose their name and further their company image. In an industry that doesn’t have a leader in equipment or apparel, Red Bull looks to fill that void of being the extreme sports sponsor.

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Review by Daniel Allen in KIN 332 (section 1)

Red Bull has been the worldwide leader in promotion of extreme sports and they just catapulted themselves even further in front of the competition with the stunt pulled off by Felix Baumgartner. Mr. Baumgartner successfully skydived from the edge of space back down through our atmosphere and back to earth. The jump was watched my many on live television and by millions through YouTube within days after the jump. This Red bull “stratos” project as it was called had been in talk since 2005 with equipment being built by 2007. It was the perfect extreme sport marketing event to thrust forward Red bull in front of all their competitors. Mr. Baumgartner, the 43 year old skydiver, pilot, and stunt coordinator was the perfect man for the jump. The jump was a whopping 24 miles or 128,100 feet above the earth and according to the preliminary data he reached speeds of 834 mph or a speed of Mach 1.24. In doing this became the first person to go faster than the speed of sound without a jet or spacecraft. Red bull had a strong fan base before the jump but this jump personified there label perfectly. Steven Addis, chief executive of Addis Creson, a brand strategy company based in Berkeley, California, said “the Red Bull Stratos project was a high-risk, high-reward event that not only meshed the jump with the brand by not only connecting the taste of the drink but the power it delivers its consumers.” Red bull is literally giving themselves wings. They were one of the first to start in the energy drink market and now they are flying high by being the sole sponsorship of the jump and having everyone seeing that crafty bull and his wings on the helmet of Mr. Baumgartner.

"Athletes Brady, RGIII Buck Nike's NFL Sponsorship (in Practice)"

From Advertising Age

Review by Brian Barlow in KIN 501

The article I am going to review is Athletes Brady, RGIII Buck Nike's NFL Sponsorship (in Practice). This article discusses the current issue with players in the NFL being sponsored by other companies than the sponsor of the league itself (Nike). Last spring, Nike took over as the new equipment and apparel sponsor of the NFL. An issue that will always arise is when players are sponsored by other companies; in this case it is Tom Brady who is sponsored by Under Armour and Robert Griffin III who is sponsored by Adidas. The article explains how the first issue with sponsorship this season was when Robert Griffin III wrote the word “Heart” over the Nike swoosh on his warm up shirt during the pregame of his bout against the New Orleans Saints. The article reveals that the NFL contacted Griffin about the cover up and how he hasn’t tried to do it again since. The other incident the article describes is with Tom Brady. After practice one day at a press conference, Tom Brady put a piece of tape of the Nike swoosh on his shirt for the interview. Tom was never contacted by the league about this action, because “Policy only pertains to game day.” The article ends with quotes from the former Creative Director of Nike, Ernest Lupinacci. Lupinacci is quoted saying that the fact that these players are worried about covering up logos and such is “diminishing” to the players’ reputation. 

In my opinion, I don’t see anything wrong with doing these things on practice days like Tom did. I can somewhat agree with Lupinacci about doing this on a game day when one should be totally focused on the game and not focused about covering up logos and such. I found it interesting that covering up the logos ironically brought more attention to Nike because it turned into a public issue through the media and such.

"Role of the Internet Site in the Promotion Management of Sports Teams and Franchise Brands"

From the Journal of Promotion Management

Review by Ashley Schneider in KIN 501

The article explored the use of a Website and its influence as being a factor to build an allegiance to a brand new sports franchise. The researchers explored the concepts of promotion types, the attachment theory and how it affects sports fan, as well as the Psychological Continuum Model, and the concepts of an effective website and examined the Tallahassee Titans. When examining the types of promotions, they did know that these encouraged fans to be allegiant and promote a fan from a possibly attracted fan to an allegiant fan. The researchers did take note that these promotions could be used for a sports franchise that is just starting and trying to build a fan base. The article goes on talk about attachment theory and how it attributes to creating an allegiant fan. Mostly, the attachment theory examined how a team would need to create an experience that fans value, both emotionally and psychologically. The psychological continuum model picks from there explaining the stages that are involved for allegiance to occur. Allegiance can only become a reality when a person has recognized the team, favors a team, and perceives the value of the team. Once those steps have occurred, an allegiant fan is a possibility.

As a reminder, the research wanted to discover the influence a website had on developing this allegiance. Each one of the aspects needs to be involved in creating a webpage that enhances the experience of the team, and creates the allegiance. McClung et al (2012) examined the experience of the Tallahassee Titans, a former member of the American Indoor Football League. The Tallahassee Titans had an allegiant fan base before the players even stepped onto the field. They were able to do this by understanding the concepts of successful promotions, the attachment theory, the psychological continuum model and the important aspects of a website.

McClung (2012) concluded that the Tallahassee Titans website was effective in implementing and recognizing the process of creating an allegiant fan. Their marketing strategies were spot on and 58% of their attendees at the first game had already visited the website and could claim some sort of allegiance to the team.

I enjoyed reading this article especially when they were able to use a specific example of how it is possible to create an allegiant fan base. This will be extremely helpful to implement other marketing strategies that may come my way in my career. There were several other factors that the researchers may have neglected that could have influenced the strong fan base for the Titans, but they do mention that flaw in their discussion. It would be interesting to know if this could be possible if it were to happen now after the influx of social media, and if so, would it result in even higher numbers of allegiant fans.

"Nike behind study to make kids more active"

From ESPN.com

Review by Mike Freas in KIN 332 (section 1)Design to Move is a collaboration of over 70 groups that are beginning a marketing campaign to promote physical activity in America’s youth. The one company that is leading the charge is Nike. According to a recent study, children today are to have a five-year less life expectancy compared to their parents. 

The results are alarming. The study found out that children between the ages of 9 to 5 become 75% less active in the United States. In addition, in the last 44 years physical activity is down 34% in the United States. Even more alarming is the fact that they predict this number to grow to 46% in 2030. The study also went into the financial impact of this growing problem. The study found that the direct cost of the inactivity would be a 113% increase in health care costs by 2030.

Nike and the other organizations involved are trying to create a program and a marketing approach to curtail the problem and promote physical activity in America’s youth. They believe that technology is not to blame but should encourage physical activity.

I believe this article relates to marketing in numerous ways. The article talks about the beginning stages of marketing plan to promote physical activity. They have now formed and organized the organizations involved to help promote it. They have done the research and are now setting goals to try to fix the problem. They are in the beginning stages of creating a marketing plan to do achieve this. They have begun to use many big organizations and well known brands to lead the charge. They have even begun to collect athlete and celebrity endorsements.

"NHL lockout: On eve of non-season, disagreements continue"

From Sporting News

Review Erika Grimm in SRM 334 Interviews, press conferences, YouTube videos, and sports talk radio all have been deliberately used by both parties in the current NHL Lockout. Daly himself, the NHL Deputy Commissioner, said that he would use every place he could that had a microphone to sway the media and fans. The players made a YouTube video that was directed just towards the fans that pleaded their case. Both sides are using different sources of media to persuade interested fans that they are doing everything they can to have a peaceful outcome and this lockout is the opposing parties fault. 

From the side of the owners, they simply want more money. They believe the players receive too much and want to cut the revenue split closer to 50-50. During one of the sports talk radio sessions Bill Daly partook in, he claimed that he knows the NHLPA has been thinking of numbers; why don’t they just make an offer already. With this statement and others from the owners’ point of view, they put all the blame on the NHLPA. They are using their sources of media to gain the trust of the fans.

The players on the other hand, used a more direct form of communication to build a relationship with the media and fans. They made a YouTube video literally titled, A message from Players to Fans about the NHL Lockout. In this video, the players speak directly into a camera portraying a personal, intimate message stating they just want to play and the agreement they and the owners are working on will eventually work out for both parties. This video is the NHLPA’s way of persuading fans that the lockout is not their fault, and rather the owners’. They simply went about passing the buck with a heartfelt video instead of literally stating it on air.

Both parties are using different sources of media to build and sustain a good relationship with the fans. Regardless of the reason, the lockout is ultimately no good for the NHL program as a whole. In order to keep their frustrated fans dedicated customers, media must now be used by both parties. As a fan myself, I just hope to see the season start sooner rather than later regardless of the owners and players disputes.

---Review by James Daniel in SRM 334
The NHL Lockout started officially on September 15. Leading up to the lockout, coverage in terms of neutral sports networks was constant. What I mean by that is that of course NHL.com or NHL Network is going to cover the lockout constantly due to the face it really has nothing else to talk about. However since the league announced that it would cancel the first two weeks of the season totaling 82 games, there really has not been much coverage of the lockout from stations such as ESPN, ESPN 2 or the NBC Sports Network. With the NFL season already underway & the MLB postseason in full gear, it has been a topic of little coverage. That fact in my eyes makes the lockout more prone to drag out. With the NFL lockout, watching ESPN every day I saw coverage of it for hours. Likewise with the NBA lockout, who missed 16 games per team just a year ago. This was due in large part to the fact nothing else was on other than regular season baseball games & WNBA games. Being in the spotlight constantly by major network stations coverage puts more pressure on both sides to strike a deal. I saw a statistic that NHL attendance grew a small amount from the last lockout till now. Wondering why, it is simple now. No one is watching too many NHL games at this times of year anyhow. The first big game fans pay attention to other than Sidney Crosby playing Alex Ovechkin is the Winter Classic. That is why the urgency is not to miss that game, because the money the league receives from it is substantial. Looking at two years ago, it was the most watched event on NBC that year (the Superbowl was broadcasted on FOX in the 2010-2011 season). Even hockey great Wayne Gretzky hoped & was optimistic a deal could be done before the Winter Classic. That is the pressure, because if there are no games played through January 2, (The Winter Classic is schedule to be played on New Year’s Day) I think it is safe to say that there would be zero hockey played this year. So the key to ending this lockout may be more coverage.

"BeRecruited links to USA Today brand, others"

From SportsBusiness Journal

Review by Sean Cunningham in SRM 334

The article that we decided to do for our presentation was an article in the Sports Business Journal that talked about the recruiting company berecruited. Its recent business deals have made it one of the top recruiting companies in the U.S. This company uses their website to connect non-elite high school athletes with collegiate athletic programs. Currently there are 1.5 million student athletes registered. Berecruited enlarged and enhanced their company by recently agreeing to distribution and marketing deals with USA Today High School Sports, Kaplan Test Prep and the National Collegiate Scouting Association. Also they acquired fanvibe 14 months ago, which is a social sports streaming website. What berecruited wants to accomplish with these deals are benefits that will help their athletes gain recognition in the ultra competitive and crazy recruiting world. Some of the benefits include offering prospecting athletes free recruiting analysis from a NCSA scout, discounts on Kaplan test preparation products, as well as personalized highlight films. The article states that you can become a premium member for only $299. These types of sites along with the over the top media coverage have made recruiting so competitive that coaches and schools have resulted to breaking NCAA rules to land recruits. The media coverage now on college football recruiting has allowed fans to follow their team’s recruiting year round which puts enormous amounts of pressure on coaches to land big time recruits. These big-named recruits get celebrity like media coverage during the entire recruiting process up until National Signing Day. In conclusion, this article shows how much recruiting has changed in college athletics, especially in football to where it has now become a cut-throat business. 

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Review by Connor Butler in SRM 334

Recently, I read an article entitled: BeRecruited Links to USA Today Brand, Others. The article was about a website entitled BeRecruited, a social media website high school athletes use to promote themselves to college programs.

In class, social media has been a talking point many times. This article is representative of the role social media has begun to play in sports. The website allows high school athletes to create a profile or connect to the website through facebook, and use that profile to make connections with 25,000 coaches in 31 different sports. The website, through social media, provides more opportunities to players that may not be heavily recruited coming out of high school to receive some form of recruitment.

Recently, BeRecruited signed distribution and marketing deals with USA Today High School Sports, Kaplan Test Prep, and the National Collegiate Scouting Association (NCSA), in attempts to reach out to more athletes and boost memberships. Specifically, premium members will receive free Kaplan Test Prep products, as well as free personalized highlight films, and every new member receives a free recruiting analysis by a NCSA scout. BeRecruited currently has 1.5 million users, and expects that number to grow with the new deals that have been agreed on.

My partner and I in addition to the article, decided to look deeper into recruiting and the media other than what is mentioned in the article. While websites like BeRecruited provide opportunities to lower level high school athletes, some athletes do not need the help. Today, media coverage of high school recruiting is through the roof. Media outlets such as ESPN, USA Today, and local television networks have regular coverage of the top ranked athletes and the schools they are choosing from throughout the season. Recently, there was a media frenzy over Jadaveon Clowney, and his indecision on where he wanted to play. Also, on signing day, camera crews are sent to the high schools of the top recruits in the nation, just for them to reveal where they are going to be playing. Do high school players need that much attention?

The article, as well as our extra research, shed a lot of light on the role of the media in recruiting today. Whether it is a social media outlet providing opportunities to lesser known athletes or the media putting players on a pedestal, there is a prominent, and growing, media presence in high school recruiting.

"NFL goes pink with A Crucial Catch"

From NFL.com and a NFL press release

Review by Amber Bolen in KIN 332 (section 1)
The NFL teamed up with the American Cancer Society four years ago to create “The Crucial Catch Campaign.” From then on, it has done nothing but expand to other brands and not only the NFL but colleges as well. This campaign shows that it is perfectly acceptable for men to wear pink to support a great cause. 

During the month of October, we see athletes wearing pink to accentuate their normal game-day attire. Personally, I thought they just wore the pink for the cause and support. I did not know that it was an actual campaign that raised a lot of money. The following brands assist in taking Breast Cancer Awareness month and the Crucial Catch Campaign to a whole other level. Barclays has an NFL Extra Point credit card and during the month of October, depending on how much people use their Extra Point card, they will donate up to $100,000. Ticket Master is donating ten cents on every game ticket sold in the month of October including printing pink tickets of these games to raise awareness. Gatorade is sponsoring the pink sideline towels at every “A Crucial Catch” game as well as created “A Crucial Catch” G Series special edition bottles sold at Kroger throughout October 12th. The following brands are the brands that are sponsoring the athletic pink apparel for the athletes: New Era (Breast Cancer Awareness hats), Under Armour (gloves), Nike (cleats and gloves), Riddell (pink helmet chin cups), Wilson (Breast Cancer Awareness footballs and quarterback towels), and Pro Specialties Group (pink shoelaces and Breast Cancer Awareness pins.)

I think the idea of many different brands to partner up and make the month of October something special for not only people that are battling this horrific disease but for families who have lost someone or have someone fighting breast cancer is such an amazing idea. My grandmother is a survivor of breast cancer and to see how many people can come together to find a cause truly warms my heart. I could only imagine how people that have lost someone and read this article felt. As a James Madison University student, I saw it carry over into a football game of our own. October 6th James Madison athletes dressed out wearing certain assets pink instead of the normal purple and gold. And the fans decked out in JMU apparel that was pink that also sponsored Breast Cancer Awareness. The NFL is a huge corporation and it shows how one small idea of creating a campaign to raise money for a cause can become a world-wide program.

Overall, the article touched me in ways I never thought a simple article could. It showed that even though these brands bring in millions of money, they are more than willing to reach out a helping hand. Not only did it show what brands helped in making Breast Cancer Awareness month more known, it showed that wearing pink was not just a show. It was a campaign that not only raised awareness but raised money to help find a cure for a deadly, world-wide issue.

"Cam Newton tackles fashion"

From the Charlotte Business Journal

Review by Jordan Grudko in KIN 332 (section 1)

I’m not the type of person to buy clothing or anything else really based on whose clothes line it is or who advertises the product, however I still think it is smart for athletes to do this. Not only does it provide another source of income for them, but it expands an athlete’s fan base allowing them to become more popular. This growth in popularity also will lead to more opportunities for income because popularity directly relates to the endorsement deals an athlete or person can receive. Cam Newton is an athlete continually growing in popularity, in a sport with continually growing popularity, so why not put out a clothing line that can only enhance his fame. He isn’t the first athlete to begin a clothing line, but few go beyond designing shoes and apparel like Cam Newton has. I especially think it’s smart to get involved in children’s clothing because kids look at athletes as if they are superheroes, and I think his clothing line MADE will be a huge hit with the kids. I think this is even more true in today’s day and age where looks and being cool is becoming more and more important to younger kids. I believe if an athlete or person of prominence has a passion for fashion, then they should pursue something along the lines of their own clothes line like Cam Newton has. He was very involved in the design of his line and with the help of Belk’s Inc., MADE by Cam Newton will be being worn by a lot of people in the coming years.

"TBS' MLB Overnight Playoff Average Remains Up 4%; MLB Net Sees Record Audience"

From SportsBusiness Journal

Review by Beau Banglesdorf in KIN 332 (section 2)
TBS is averaging four percent higher overnight Nielsen ratings through its first eight playoff games compared to last year and has seen an increase in 25-54 year old male viewers by fifteen percent. Certain games are even obtaining higher ratings than usual even though NFL games are on television at the same time. Through the first three days, TBS is averaging a 2.3 US rating and 3.6 million viewers which are up fifteen percent and fourteen percent respectively. In terms of viewers and US rating from last year on the third day of playoff coverage, both are up eleven percent. D.C. has had its best rating since the Nationals came to town in 2005 and the Orioles have had their highest rating since the were last in the playoffs in 1997. The Major League Baseball Network (MLBN) averaged 1.3 million viewers for the Athletics vs. Tigers game, which was the networks highest ever. Some fans and writers feeling like the MLBN’s handling of its coverage is greedy however. The MLBN is not allowing local markets to air the games it airs. 

I believe baseball is doing a great job making a comeback and becoming relevant to television ratings and audiences once again. Football and basketball had taken over for a while and I feel like it is nice to see baseball making marketing changes to bring audiences back in. The MLB has seen how effective the NFL and NBA have been with commercials geared towards their fans and now the MLB is airing similar commercials and the effectiveness of such commercials is being seen with the increased ratings. It does not hurt however, that some new teams have made the playoffs and it is not just the same teams this year that it usually is.

"Female Olympians count their post-Games winnings"

From UPI.com

Review by Ali Noel in KIN 332 (section 2)

The article “Female Olympians Count their Post-Games Winnings” dealt with issues between male and female endorsed athletes and how the gender gap is gradually becoming thinner. As the Olympic games came to their end, there has been a developing interest in certain female athletes and with that comes the possibility for lucrative sponsorship opportunities. In the past, male athletes have earned, on average, twice the amount that female athletes get paid in sponsorships. Although top male athletes will always attract the most attention, thus leading to higher paychecks, female athletes have certainly become more marketable and involved in high-paying endorsement deals in the recent times. Social networking sites are partly accountable for this increase in salary and endorsement deals for female athletes. These athletes have immense followings on social media sites which means they are able to influence and relate to fans and consumers. This article used Olympic gold medalist, Gabby Douglas, as a prime example. She has nearly 750,000 followers on Twitter, which means the products she endorses are being seen through her promotional tweets regarding that company’s product. For example, on October 8, 2012 she tweeted, “Best cereal in the WORLD!! Thanks Kellogg’s!” This tweet had a picture of Kellogg’s new cereal “Krave” and many people retweeted and favored this specific tweet. People are becoming aware of products through these athletes and it is increasing the company’s profits in the long run. Her expected earnings through this deal with Kellogg’s will bring Gabby almost $3 million. The article also discussed how high school Olympian swimmer Missy Franklin has given up some profitable offers ($2 million in endorsements to be exact) in order to remain eligible to play college sports. Some companies, including Pantene, have used multiple female athletes to mass-market their products. This is beneficial because Pantene’s mission is to raise awareness for the relationship between sports and health. Although some of these female athletes are earning millions in endorsement deals, they still have a long way to go before catching up to the leading men in the industry. Last year’s Sports Illustrated magazine reported 50 of the highest earning athletes, and not a single woman made the cut. This is partly due to the fact that outside of the Olympics, female athletes are not recognized nearly as much as males. Another reason is that females are usually portrayed strategically by sexualizing them and the target market (other females) do not respond favorably to this. These female athletes are far behind their male counterparts earnings-wise, but hopefully that will be changing in the near future.