"Lance Armstrong comes clean about doping with Oprah Winfrey, says he viewed Tour de France as 'level playing field'"

From Sports Business News and the New York Daily News

Review by Jordan Callis in SRM 334 (section 3)

The article that we chose to use for our presentation is one that covers what is quite possibly one of the most fraudulent and misleading icons of the sports industry in the last 20 years: Lance Armstrong. To summarize, the article discusses a few of the potential financial ramifications that Armstrong has brought onto not only himself, but also the entire industry in regards to how sponsors treat their athletes in the future. Howard Bloom explains that not only is Armstrong facing probable lawsuits from various businesses including SCA Promotions and The Times of London, Amaury Sport Organization is also prepared to ask for $3.6 million back from Armstrong for winnings he was paid during his seven Tour de France titles in a row. While these companies would like to think otherwise, Bloom explains that it is unlikely any parties will see much of their money back because of the legal situations, which is most likely why none of Armstrong’s former sponsors will be filing lawsuits against the now shamed cyclist. 

What all of this means for the future of sponsorship agreements between companies and athletes is that the morality clause, which protects companies from athletes who conduct themselves in a way that is detrimental to the company during the life of the contract, will be an absolute necessity and will be strictly enforced. This will most likely lead to more strife between endorsers and endorses in the future. When discussing relevancy to sports media, topics like these are exactly what the major outlets such as ESPN and other affiliates thoroughly enjoy, especially in circumstances like The Times of London are facing because they get the so-called “last laugh” after the allegations they wrote against Armstrong proved to all be correct, thus adding validity and credibility to the reputation of the newspaper. Controversy is always a great seller for the media, and the sports media industry is never shy in exploiting unfortunate stories such as this one. With the amount of viewership that has accumulated throughout the coverage of the Armstrong events, it is likely that sports media will continue to seek out controversy in the future, and when athletes like Armstrong give them reason to, it seems to be a never-ending “viscous cycle,” no pun intended.

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Review by Joel Simms in SRM 334 (section 3)

One of the world’s most inspiring stories of a man who had battled cancer and won seven Tour de France titles, seems to have turned from an inspirational story, to a story where a man has cheated in his whole career. Lance Armstrong had won the seven titles back to back from 1999 to 2005, which is very amazing for any athlete to accomplish in his or her career. Just a week ago, Lance Armstrong confessed on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” that he had used performance-enhancing drugs every year when he won the Tour de France titles. This was big news for the media because after years of denying the fact he used PEDs, he finally came out and told everyone that he used PEDs to win the titles. Now, a lot of people will view him differently and the media coverage of Lance Armstrong confessing he doped to win is going to broadcast everywhere. 

What Lance Armstrong accomplished in his bicycling career was something I admired. I was one of the people who had believed that Lance Armstrong had never used PEDs to win the titles and that he was an inspiring figure for those who battle cancer. Since he has admitted to doping, I have put my feet in his shoes to see how hard that would be. After his confession, I thought to myself, “That must have taken a lot of courage to admit that he used drugs after all of these years.” I still believe that Lance Armstrong is a nice person and that he wants to prove to the world that he can win without cheating by competing in the top-level sport again some day. I think he deserves a second chance to prove himself although it is going to be very hard to gain his trust again from society.

This current event is important to the course because it deals with several aspects of media broadcasting. Since the interview was conducted on a famous television show, a lot of people were tuned in to watch the confession. Other networks such as ESPN and NBC were covering the event as well. With winning titles, there comes big responsibilities and people begin to look up to you as a public figure. For instance, Lance Armstrong lied for several years about not using performance-enhancing drugs, and the consequences of doing that were the loss of millions of dollars in sponsorships and the trust of the people that admired him. This relates to the course because the goal of the media was to get the answer of whether or not he used drugs and broadcast it on television to have everyone know the truth about him.

"Teams Keeping Fan Interest During the NHL Lockout On FaceBook"

From Sports Networker

Review by Alex Willner in SRM 334 (section 3)

Despite the NHL lockout lasting roughly half of the 2013 season, teams have turned to social media to keep fans involved and excited about their organizations. Facebook and Twitter have become an everyday part of people’s lives and have the capability of spreading information quickly and efficiently. There are over 160 million Facebook and 107 million Twitter users in America. With numbers like that, there’s no wonder why NHL teams have focused a lot of effort on connecting with fans over social media. The Edmonton Oilers have cleverly created Training Tip Tuesdays, which is a weekly video posted on Facebook by the strength and conditioning coach, explaining different workouts and healthy food choices. The Vancouver Canucks implemented another creative idea by posting pictures of fans on Facebook. The page highlights fans wearing team gear from all around the world including Barcelona, Indonesia, and the Great Wall of China. The Nashville Predators pride is still running strong partly due to the teams’ effort in creating the Second Annual Social Media Scavenger Hunt taking place across the city. Winners are given great prizes such as free concert and game day tickets. Social media has created the perfect platform for spreading information and keeping fans energized about their locked out hockey teams. 

Although it is still early in the season, there are clear indications that fans have not forgotten or turned their backs on the NHL. NBC’s broadcast triumphed after opening day reporting TV ratings has never been higher for a regular season game since 2002 (excluding the winter classic). The Canadian broadcast network CDC, had similar viewer results after the Toronto and Montreal match-up. A staggering twenty seven percent of the Canadian population tuned in for the game totaling roughly 9.2 million viewers. Fox Sports Ohio drew irregular numbers in Columbus for the Blue Jackets game against the Predators, a one hundred and thirty percent gain over last year's opener. Although there is no statistical information indicating the rise in spectator numbers were directly caused by social media, it can be concluded that it only helped the cause. With teams becoming worried about losing fans interests during the lockout, social media has become a cheap, easy and effective way of communication. 

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Review by Melissa Knicely in SRM 334 (section 3)

A lockout during a sporting season is never a good thing; players, coaches, owners, team staff, and fans are all negatively affected by the quarrel. During this season’s NHL lockout, the relationships the teams have with their fans was one of the main concerns. The teams’ staff took to the internet as a main communication channel for interaction with fans during the lockout. During the lockout, many teams, such as Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens, Minnesota Wild, Vancouver Canucks, and many more, used social media to deliver hockey content to their fans during the down time. These teams recognized that the fans are the most vital part of their organization and that they should not be punished because negotiations were at a standstill. In particular, the Edmonton Oilers were excellent at providing fans with an inside look into the team’s atmosphere. The strength and conditioning coach hosted Training Tip Tuesdays on Facebook, the staff created a segment called “Now & Then” where they reflected on highlights of the past, and they also shared with fans some of the players’ favorite recipes in the Oil Country Cookbook. By providing this exclusive content on their social media sites it kept the fans engaged and wanting more. The importance of social media was prevalent during the lockout because without the use of it, it is very likely that fans may have felt neglected and rejected. Throughout the course thus far we have explored how social media can play a huge role in the reputation and persona that a team portrays and I believe this situation is a great example of that. Social media, in this case, was a great avenue for damage control. By keeping the fans interested in hockey and the status of the lockout, the teams were able to retain their fans and make them more involved than ever before.

"Katherine Webb, girlfriend of AJ McCarron, steals BCS spotlight"

From USA Today

Review by A.J. Monette in SRM 334 (section 1)

Katherine Webb stormed onto the national stage on January 7th, 2013. For many college sports fans, this was a day to be dedicated to the final game of the season, the BCS National Championship game. The game featured a highly anticipated match up between Notre Dame and Alabama, but the most memorable thing about the game was sitting in the stands. In the first half of the game, ESPN crews cut to a shot of Alabama quarterback, A.J. McCarron’s mother and girlfriend. The reaction from analyst Brent Musburger proved to be the highlight of the game, and a new overnight sensation was born.

Ten years ago this would not even have been a major story. This is not the first time a successful college quarterback has had an attractive girlfriend and it won’t be the last. It is also not as if Ms. Webb was a complete unknown figure, she was crowned Miss Alabama 2012 and went on to finish inside the top ten in Miss USA 2012. So what’s the big deal? Combine ESPN commentator, 73 year old Brent Musburger, a predominantly male audience, and the power of social media, and you will get your answer. Webb stated the game with just over 2,000 twitter followers, and as of January 26th, 2013 she is up to over 270,000 boasting a 120,000 follower advantage over her athlete boyfriend. This stat shows the power of social media. She was instantaneously thrust into the spotlight due to the reaction of fans on Facebook and twitter. She didn’t even do anything special; she was just there in the stands like any supportive girlfriend would be.

While she did not anticipate this level of celebrity, she is certainly taking full advantage of it. Since the game, Webb has landed a spread in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, a spot on ABC’s new reality show Celebrity Diving, a gig for Inside Edition as a correspondent covering the Super Bowl, and secured a place on next year’s Miss USA judging panel. Calling this woman a celebrity is a little far-fetched, but due to role of media and the reaction of fans she has managed to stay in the news far after the final whistle of the championship game blew. The comments made about her appearance were a little inappropriate, but they only added fuel to the fire. Constant tweeting and status updates about Webb made her all the more popular, and without social media this newest off the field sports phenomenon would just be another pretty face in the stands.

This story pertains to our class in particular because it shows us how key social media is becoming to our industry. It makes the world a much smaller place, and it also warns us how something that may not seem like a big deal, can turn into something massive. It also shows how far we have come as far as the role of media in athletics. The role a commentator plays should be one of informative, and to help explain the game. However that may not be the total target market anymore. We are more involved in the personal lives of athletes than ever. This trend can only be expected to continue as the prevalence and scope of social media increases. As the next generation in this field, we need to make sure we are up to date and brush up on our tweeting skills or we may find ourselves at a competitive disadvantage. 

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Review by Becca Gibbs in SRM 334 (section 1)

On January 7, 2013, AJ McCarron played in the BCS Championship against Notre Dame. Although his performance was enough to defeat the Irish 42 to 14, he was not the star of the night. Cameramen focused their lenses on 23-year-old Katherine Webb, girlfriend of Alabama’s quarterback, Aj McCarron, throughout the entire game. Commentators began to commentate on her rather than the championship game. Before the game Webb had about 2,000 followers, but by the end of the game she had over 90,000 followers. Now she has 237,000 followers on Twitter.

Although Webb is Miss Alabama, she did not attain fame through pageants. Sports fans and enthusiasts have recently taken a huge role in the expansion of social media. Twitter has become a favorite website for fans to use because of its efficiency and timeliness. Fans now have a direct line of communication with professional athletes through Twitter by simply tagging them in a post or tweet. Clearly enough people watching the BCS Championship game became mesmerized by Webb’s beauty to create such frenzy.

Sports media has been booming with the creation of Twitter and apps that make exchanging information and opinions easier. The sports industry is trying to keep up with today’s technology. Teams and players are creating accounts in order to stay close with their fans and followers. Katherine Webb is now immersed in the sports world, and the media can take full credit for that.

"Armstrong Asked to Return Olympic Medal"

From Athletic Business

Review by Jauan Latney in SRM 334 (section 1)

The big story that has recently come out about Notre Dame’s Manti Te’o is only behind Lance Armstrong’s admissions to Oprah Winfrey in the sports world. There have always been plenty of people coming after Lance Armstrong accusing him of doping, but no one ever had the proof to set it in stone. This always left doubt in the sports world on how “legit” his seven Tour de France titles were. All of that doubt has now been erased with certainty after Lance came out on the Oprah Winfrey show, admitting to doping in all contests.

A week before the interview was to be released on to the public, there had been plenty of advertising and talk to build it up. People took to twitter to put in their opinions as well as making headlines on sports channels and the news, without even airing on TV yet. When this interview finally aired it was split into two separate shows where Oprah got into the issues that everyone wanted to hear the answers to. He admitted to using drugs and said about the whole thing “I view this situation as one big lie” and felt that while he was living the lie it didn’t feel wrong at all. This all flows directly into class because of how the media is now running with the story as well as regular people on social networks. Shows the connection certain media people have with athletes and how the word of something can spread like wildfire from a tweet.

I think the way he went to a popular talk show host to admit to his wrongs was good for him in a way to get the apology out to many. He still had a very negative affect on many people’s lives which will be hard to fix but at least he is trying to right his wrongs. The way the information spread throughout the world shows how much media has changed and can shed light on any event, anywhere in the world. I personally hope Lance is forgiven after the struggle of cancer in his life to even return to cycling. I can understand taking back the medals but there is no need to bash him.

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Review by Brandon Lee in SRM 334 (section 1)

During the past few weeks we’ve seen a good amount of big stories in sports world. From the national championship game and the controversy with Manti Te’o to Ray Lewis’ retirement and his Super Bowl run, the excitement has been there. However one story that has trumped them all would undoubtedly be Lance Armstrong and his long awaited admission to using performance enhancing drugs. 

Lance has won 7 Tour de France titles and speculations have rose before yet there was never concrete evidence of him “doping”. However after many years of these speculations, Lance agreed to have an interview with Oprah Winfrey and speak on the subject. A week before the interview was to be help, the media began to advertise this event and did a great job of getting people excited to hear the details of the story. Oprah and Lance explicitly agreed that the interview was to be “no holds barred” during it and she would ask questions that may be uncomfortable to speak about but had to be done. In this interview Lance Armstrong admitted to not only doping, but doing it during all 7 of his titles. He apologizes to all the people he hurt by not admitting earlier and seemed very sincere with his the apology. I feel that these apologies are from the heart however the fact that he’s trying to race again may have pushed him to say what he said to get in good standing with the public, media, and the cycling committee. I do feel however that the committee did what they should have by stripping him of his titles. This story is extremely relevant to our class because it shows how that media connects with the athletes and how they can shape the way some may view them. It also connects to our class because how they get the word out about the event (i.e TV, internet, social media).

"Lance Armstrong through the years: Deny, deny, deny"

From the Los Angeles Times and Tampa Bay Times

Review by Eric Stodd in SRM 334 (section 2)

Lance Armstrong very well could have been one of the greatest athletes to ever live, and over the past few years his career has turned into a stream of lies and deceit. He won, a record, seven straight Tour de France titles while racing for the United States Postal Service Team, which was unheard of. In the sports world today, the mass audience will undoubtedly question anyone who completes a feat of this magnitude. The L.A. Times article we are focusing on quotes Armstrong’s perception of winning just his first title, “This is a new guy in the tour. It can’t be. He must be doped.” When it comes to a sport like cycling, we have now found out that almost half the competitors were doping up in some way, shape, or form.

This article pertains directly to this class in many ways, because the heart of this story is based around media relations. The media, teammates, and the USADA had all come after Armstrong and were searching for the truth. From the beginning, Lance kept with his “deny, deny, deny” way of handling things. This would lead him into the deepest hole I have ever seen an athlete delve into, and he probably will not climb out of it. Armstrong destroyed journalists’ and teammates’ careers by suing them for claiming he used PED’s. In the end, after the lawsuits and his realization of everyone knowing the truth he decided to finally stop lying. It is rather jaw dropping now that he would finally come out with the truth after he fought to destroy his accusers’ lives. Lance Armstrong’s career will surely become one of the most stained and diminished in sports history.

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Review by Cara Yaworske in SRM 334 (section 2)

For this current event assignment, we decided to discuss the Lance Armstrong scandal. 

As everyone knows, Armstrong won the Tour de France seven consecutive times after being diagnosed with cancer. With many athletes who have such success, there are doping allegations, which was definitely the case for Armstrong. Even though this story can be talked about for days, we are focusing on one aspect: his denial through the years.

One of the articles we used discusses all of Lance Armstrong’s public denials. There were many press conferences, interviews, and even books asking if he has doped. These accusations began in the 1990’s and he denied every single one, including in his “nonfiction” memoir. The second article is about every person Armstrong sued. He sued people such as book reviewers, his masseuse, and previous employees. He went to the extremes to ruin people’s jobs and lives to deny what is now known to be true.

The reason this is such a big deal is because Armstrong went more than ten years denying doping and then all of a sudden he decides to come out with a public apology on Oprah. Nobody really knows the reasoning behind his sudden admittance, but it has caused hatred towards him and the causes he supports. Do these people accept his apology? I know I am very curious to find out.

Doping is a very important topic in sports because it’s illegal and unfair, and yet so many athletes do it, and eventually, get caught. So what can be done to avoid this from happening? Drug testing clearly is not cutting it, because Armstrong still managed to pass every test. This story is related to our class in particular because it’s been in the media for years. First, the media accused him of possible doping, and now it is talking about his public admittance. Doping and how the media reacts to it is an issue that definitely needs to be fixed.

"Tattoos but a fraction of Colin Kaepernick's story"

From Detroit Free Press

Review by Ryan Hourigan in SRM 334 (section 2)

USA Today’s article titled, “Tattoos but a fraction of Colin Kaepernick’s story” explains his life from adoption all the way up until his time as an NFL starter on the way to the Super Bowl. The San Francisco 49ers quarterback is a player to admire. I absolutely believe that there are media sources in sports that are trying to tarnish Kaepernick’s image. This particular article written by USA Today portrays Kaepernick in a good light.

Kaepernick was adopted at five weeks old and grew up in Milwaukee, WI. He attended and played football for the Nevada Wolf Pack and became the only FBS player to throw for 10,000 yards and rush for 4,000 yards in a career. This ultimately led to the 49ers selecting Kaepernick 36th overall in the 2011 NFL draft. Kaepernick was also selected in the 43rd round of the 2009 MLB Draft by the Chicago Cubs as a right-handed pitcher.

The media has brought up personal information about Kaepernick including his family and tattoos. I personally believe this is not the place for sports media to get involved and believe that those things are to be left alone. This particular article allows fans to see how great of an athlete and person Colin Kaepernick is. The tattoos on his body and his family background should not hinder the perception of a fan because social media says it should. Sports media rules our society and it is refreshing to see an article promote a successful athlete and show his path to the Super Bowl.
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Review by Brad Burgess in SRM 334 (section 2)

Colin Kaepernick is the current starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. A player picked in the 2011 NFL Draft 36th overall. After veteran quarterback Alex Smith suffered a concussion in week 10 Colin had an opening. The buzz around the 49ers was whether or not Smith would play in their next week’s game. When Monday came it was Kaepernick who got the start. He shocked the world and displayed his ability with a big win over the Bears 32-7. Kaepernick would be the new starter. 

However, with Kaepernick’s rapid rise to fame came the media frenzy finding out who this guy was under the helmet. Reports started pumping out articles on this kid. He is a half white, half African American, who was adopted by the Kaepernick’s, a white family from Wisconsin. The only college to offer him a football scholarship was the University of Nevada. He went on to be the only FBS quarterback to throw for more than 10,000 yards and rush for more than 4,000. One of the biggest controversy’s that has been discussed in articles has been his tattoos. He is tatted up all over his upper body. In one article it was said that Kaepernick looks like a thug out of prison. Colin doesn’t listen to the media and says that he loves his tattoos, and he gets them because he wants to and no other reason.

The way this relates to this class is the question of how the media can shape a fans opinion on an athlete. Before Colin was the starter there was little talk about him. Now he is a household name and is taking his team to the Super Bowl. There are reports arguing his tattoos, talking about him being adopted, and asking him about how he got to this point. If you read some articles you end up loving Colin’s story and become a big fan. Other articles you perceive him as a thug with a lot of swagger. Without the media we would not know about this stud from the University of Nevada. The media controls athlete’s fame. They control the emotions of a fan. The media today has changed the way we look at players and their backgrounds.

"Schools Attempting to Control Athletes’ Use of Social Media"

From Athletic Business

Review by Christine Steiner in KIN 332
The Athletic Business article titled “Schools Attempting to Control Athletes’ Use of Social Media” By Paul Steinbach published in November 2012 investigates the social media use of collegiate student athletes and whether or not their use of these websites should be monitored or regulated to protect the reputations of the individual players as well as their teams and schools. For example, Ohio State University third-string quarterback Cardale Jones recently tweeted “why should we have to go to class if we came here to play football, we ain't come to play school, classes are pointless." This statement caused an issue for the entire team when Jones’ name was Googled mere hours later and his statement turned up right on the first page of search results. His words not only display his individual ignorance, but also reflect on the intelligence of his fellow teammates and school as a whole. Because of this issue, more and more coaches are beginning to ban their players from using twitter, including Boise State's Chris Petersen, South Carolina's Steve Spurrier and Florida State's Jimbo Fisher. Some athletic departments are even employing the services of software by companies like Udiligence and Varsity Monitor. These programs allow coaches to flag specific words or phrases that could be embarrassing or detrimental to the reputation of their teams and send both the coach and the player and alert that their tweets are inappropriate and must be removed. The problems that arise with these social media restrictions include the possible violation of free speech of the players, as well as the issue of whether the standards of conduct for participation on a team should be able to include off-season actions of the players. In terms of the sports marketing implications of this issue, if no bans are implemented in this area, then a mere Google search of a school’s athletic teams may return results of student athletes’ inappropriate or disrespectful tweets, giving the searcher an immediate negative opinion of the school as a whole and potentially causing the school to have to drastically improve their marketing techniques to make up for these statements that are destructive to their reputation. It appears that more collegiate athletic departments are choosing to implement these restrictions for the purpose of protecting their reputations and preserving their current marketing campaigns. 

"A New Taste of Sports Branding…"

From Sports Marketing & PR Roundup

Review by Kevin McGough in KIN 332
In this article it spells out the new importance for venue operators to find ways to attract high-end clientele to their facilities. The reason for this clearly, is more money associated with more popular people buying tickets and representing their teams. It’s not just the hot dogs and beer anymore to attract fans and clients to the game. There needs to be a selling factor now and new ways to market it in order to get more fans, and have a venue be focused on being held as more than just a place for “special events”. 

I agree with all these statements in order to make facilities part of the community and not just a venue for one event at a time. From a marketing standpoint, restaurants figured out the right idea by importing their specialty brands into arenas and stadiums. By giving the fans a better taste of the city on game nights. Also, the “original” stadiums are not effective anymore.

I completely concur with the way London has a joint venture with the Barclays Premier League with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and US-based Legends Hospitality. Having a famous Chef provide a taste of their food in venues is a brilliant way to bring in more guests. It is providing the utmost hospitality in all the public concessions and catering of private suites. Legend’s is already found in the US at Cowboys and Yankees Stadiums and they are working on expanding to the public of other venues. Box and private suites now need to have big projection screens of the games, free food and drinks included in ticket price, and a lucrative fan experience.

The reasoning behind this being so important is the use of Oliver’s name brings credibility to the fan experience that they will be taken care of in more than just a way of hot dogs and beers. It is an elite experience and will bring in more than just fans of the game. It will bring in fans of the food as well, expanding a fan base further than just the game. The venues will have more to offer to accommodate all types of fans for any match or game.

JMU Students to Work Super Bowl Events in New Orleans

Eleven students and two faculty members from James Madison University’s School of Hospitality, Sport and Recreation Management (SHSRM) are set to depart for New Orleans Jan. 29-Feb. 4 to work events leading up to Super Bowl XLVII between the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens. The student Super Bowl team consists of 10 students enrolled in the Sport and Recreation Management program and one student in Hospitality Management at JMU.

Please click here to read the news release.

"NHL lockout damage runs deep"

From SI.com and Adweek

Review by Chris Wyvill in KIN 332

As an NHL fan and a Sport & Recreation Management major, I have many thoughts and feelings on the NHL lockout. This article addresses the future implications of the lockout with fans, sponsors, and the overall future of the NHL. The NHL and their lockouts have been depressing to fans and damaging to its own future as well.

The marketing of the NHL and its teams continues to be held back and a large amount of that can be attributed to the sporadic dealings within the league over the past 20 years. It is hard to gain and cultivate interest for the league when it has to cancel a season every several years. Not to mention the reality that the NFL and NBA create stiff competition to gain viewers and fans in the stands. The article quotes Ryan Miller who says the negotiations seem more like brand suicide. The NHL was doing well and made record revenues last season before the lockout. The future success or failure of the league is uncertain. Some have voiced their disgust and some threaten to boycott. Reporters say that the loyal fans will remain and that the others boycotting will return as their teams compete. Marketers for the NHL and its teams face a huge challenge at earning back their loyal fans and try to regain awareness with potential fans that existed last year.

The JMU Student Diversity Council Presents A Leadership Diversity Conference: "Leading in a Multicultural Society"

The COB Student Diversity Council will conduct its first leadership diversity conference on Saturday, February 9 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. in Zane Showker Hall.  Students are encouraged to register for this free conference.  Students will have the opportunity to participate in workshops conducted by several companies, such as Wal-Mart and Grant Thornton.  This is a great opportunity for students to gain insight into ways to lead in a multicultural society.

Breakfast and lunch are also provided free of charge.  In addition, President Alger has agreed to be the keynote speaker during lunch.  Throughout the day, there will be a number of giveaways and raffles with the big prize being an iPad mini.  Each student will also receive a certificate of participation.

Registration is open to all, but limited to the first 100 participants.  Click here for more information and to register.

Job Opportunity: USA Volleyball

USA Volleyball is hiring for a Coordinator, Region Services position.  Please click here for more information.

USA Volleyball (USAV) is the National Governing Body (NGB) for the sports of volleyball and beach volleyball in the United States and is recognized by the Federation International de Volleyball (FIVB) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).

"Roger Goodell Think HDTV Is Killing NFL Ticket Sales"

From FanSided.com and SportsBusiness Journal

Review by Nate Wise in SRM 334 (section 3)

The article that we chose for our current event presentation discusses the possibility that the at-home experience of watching NFL games is causing a decline of ticket sales to see the games in person. The article references the common notion, shared even by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, that HDTV is the main reason why ticket sales have reached a 13-year low. According to the article, TV ratings have increased 12 percent over the last five years and ticket sales have decreased four percent in the same time period. Some in the organization feel the ticket sales numbers are still very strong and others have been brainstorming ideas on how to bring fans back to the stadium i.e. adding Wi-Fi to stadiums.

While HDTV is definitely one of the reasons ticket sales are declining, I believe there are plenty of other reasons as well. Traffic on game days, high ticket prices, a struggling economy, and the addition of channels such as NFL Network and NFL Redzone are easily just as responsible for low sales. Lowering ticket and food prices as well as investing more in the game day experience may help to get fans off the couch and into seats but it’s a difficult balance when the organizations need to make a profit.

This topic/issue is relevant to this course because television is a major component of how we consume sport media. Technology is constantly evolving and with additional ways that fans can view the sporting events they want to view, the sport industry as a whole must evolve as well. It’s important for us to look at in class so we are prepared when we become members of the sport industry ourselves.

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Review by Stephanie Nielsen in SRM 334 (section 3)

Sports Business Daily wrote an article on how NFL fans prefer the at-home experience to attending games. According to ESPN’s Bob Ley, many NFL ticket buyers feel that the stadium experience is not what it used to be. Eric Grubman, Executive VP/Business Ventures, stated that the at-home experience from the fans point of view has gotten much better and has gotten cheaper. Stadiums have become increasingly empty. Although television channels are watering down the “blackout rule,” which restricts games local broadcasts for games that aren’t sellouts is helping somewhat to have stadiums fill their seats.

There are three factors that are affecting the attendance at NFL stadiums: cost, convience, and comfort. Between the price of tickets, cost of eating out at games, the inconvenience of waiting in ridiculous lines, fans are choosing to not go to the games like they use to. There is no better atmosphere than the energy of a loud crowd but it is certainly more convenient to stay at home with the family and enjoy a football game. Personally, I enjoy the comfort of my home and being with my family when I’m watching my Giants play but if someone offered me tickets I wouldn’t pass them up.

The Sports Business Daily article is relevant to our class since many of us want to go work in professional sports. It is important to have fans continue to go to games and watch their favorite teams. As sports professionals we will need to market and attract fans to continue to go out and buy tickets. We also need to understand what attracts fans to go out to games and buy tickets along with making it convenient and easy for them to attend.

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Review by Natalie Bernstein in SRM 334 (section 3)
The article that was chosen from Sports Business Daily is about the main reason behind a decline in NFL ticket sales. That reason being the increasingly popular HDTV home viewing of NFL games. According to the article, NFL ticket sales have been declining by four percent annually while television ratings are up twelve percent. To help regain interest, the NFL is working on improving the product, which in this case is the stadium experience. In order for fans to have a more enjoyable time at the games, teams are rebuilding arenas to improve customer satisfaction. ESPN’s Darren Rovell discusses one major improvement in the works, Wi-Fi availability. This expensive addition to stadiums costs at least $8 million to set up the network from scratch. The NFL team owners and managers feel that this is a crucial step in improving the game day experience for fans. 

I feel that the NFL is making the right choice by trying to improve the quality of the fan experience. Watching televised games has become increasingly more appealing in the last decade. It’s convenient, cheap, and delivers an unbeatable close-up of every play. Each fan can feel as if they’re on the field with the players while watching the game from the comfort of their own couch. The alternative is an expensive ticket that offers the fan a crammed and overcrowded arena with unpredictable weather, and often a terrible view of the game. I was surprised to see that in this article they didn’t mention lowering ticket prices as a way to entice viewers. However, the main issue is the experience the fans get at the game, so improving quality of their stay is the best way to gain happy fans and filled stadiums. This issue is relevant to the course because the article represents the sometimes negative effects of sports media. In this case, as stadiums become harder to fill, the NFL teams and owners suffer.

"Norwegian kicker dreams of NFL after viral video"

From ESPN.com

Review by Ryan Vince in SRM 334 (section 2)

The current event article that we chose was about a 28 year old Norwegian soccer player who became famous due to his posted Youtube video. Havard Rugland never had any aspirations of becoming an NFL kicker or becoming an internet sensation, he just wanted to entertain his friends and family with a neat 4 minute video. There’s no doubt that Havard has the talent needed for the NFL, but this opportunity never would have arisen if it wasn’t for the social media in the world today. 

With an increasing popularity of Havard’s video, Scott Cohen, assistant general manager for the New York Jets, sent him an e-mail showing interest in Havard’s leg. The Jet’s assistant GM was willing to give Havard a workout, to see firsthand the talents of the Norwegian youth counselor. This past Thanksgiving, Havard met with former NFL kicker, Michael Husted, to hone his kicking skills before an actual NFL tryout. “He’s definitely the most impressive nonfootball kicker that I’ve worked with,” said Husted, who believes that Havard has many similarities to that of Oakland’s kicker Sebastian Janikowski.

Although, there has been some skepticism of this Norwegian sensation from Arizona Cardinal’s kicker, Jay Feely, and New York Giants punter, Steve Weatherford. “I think he’s talented, but there’s a different dynamic when you have a video camera and 1,000 chances versus when there’s 80,000 people screaming at you,” Said Weatherford, “You only have one shot.” Although, Rugland believes he can handle the pressure.

Right now, Havard is far from playing for an NFL team any time soon, but the social media has given him the opportunity of a lifetime. Rugland didn’t pursue an NFL job; he merely works as a youth counselor for the local child protective services and one day decided to make a video kicking around a football. Twenty years ago this story wouldn’t be possible, which proves that the emergence of online sport communication and the new sport media has grown at an accelerated rate.---

Review by Tucker Koch in SRM 334 (section 2)

For our current events presentation we chose to base it on an ESPN article about a Norwegian kicker who made a video on YouTube and suddenly rose to stardom. Havard Rugland is a 28 year old from Norway who has never played a single down of American football but has already had tryouts with NFL teams. It is due in large part to a video he posted to social media sites that shows him making all sorts of “trick shots” with his powerful and accurate left foot. After his video accumulated 2.3 million views (and counting) the New York Jets contacted Rugland about a possible tryout. He thought they were kidding, but given the fact that they gave a backup quarterback his own press conference after signing a multi-million dollar contract, you never know with the Jets. It turns out they were being serious, and they flew Rugland out to San Diego, California to work with a kicking specialist to see just how much talent he has. The result was just as astonishing as some of the kicks in his video. The expert, Michael Husted, said that Rugland had more talent than any non-football kicker he’s ever seen. He added that he has just as much leg power and height on his kicks as most NFL kickers, if not more power. The Jets must have been equally as impressed because they asked Rugland to come back for a second tryout in March of this upcoming year. After being also contacted by other teams including the Philadelphia Eagles, it seems very likely a pro career will come out of a YouTube video. 

My initial reaction to this video was that it was unlike anything I’ve ever seen. It was just impressive trick shots like a lot of YouTube videos seem to be, but it was actual talent. Making 50 yarder after 50 yarder in the dead center of the uprights is unbelievable natural talent. But as current NFL players are saying, it will be a lot harder with 80,000 screaming fans. ---

Review by Rich Leeper in SRM 334 (section 2)

The title of our current event article was “Norwegian kicker dreams of NFL after viral video.” The article is about a YouTube video called “Kickalicious.” The YouTube video was made by a soccer player from Norway, Havard Rugland, and his friends. It consists of four minutes of amazing tricks and kicks all done with a football. The video was originally posted to YouTube and Facebook so he could share it with his friends and family. After a few short weeks the video was spread over the internet and even caught the attention of some NFL scouts. 

Rugland has never played football and hardly knows the rules to the game, but with the exposure he has received from Kickalicious he may end up having a shot at playing in the NFL. In November the New York Jets gave him a tryout. He met with the Jets kicking coach, Michael Husted, and spent a week working on his technique and displaying his skills. Husted has claimed Rugland is “Definitely the most impressive nonfootball kicker I’ve ever worked with” and “he hits it just as high, just as far as a lot of the NFL kickers, if not further.” There is no doubt that the Jets are extremely interested in this new prospect, but there is some skepticism. He has never played the game, not entirely sure on the rules to the game, and never experienced the tremendous pressure NFL kickers are under. Multiple NFL kickers asked what they thought about the video and they expressed similar concerns.

Rugland on the other hand, remains enthusiastic about the opportunity. After his NFL tryout with the Jets he was quoted saying, “I was under a lot of pressure during the tryout, and a lot of people would freeze up at something like that because there’s a lot of people watching you. But that went well, so I think I have good chances of handling it.”

It is amazing how fast and far this simple YouTube video has spread. The amount of technology and emphasis our society places on social media allowed a 28-year-old ex-soccer player to be given a chance to play in the NFL. It will be really interesting to see if this YouTube sensation can back up his video when it comes to the real games.

"Arian Foster changes Twitter pic to Boston column ripping Texans"

From CBSSports.com

Review by Matt Butta in SRM 334 (section 1)
The current event that my group presented on was written by Will Brinson who wrote a response to a negatively written article about the Houston Texans. Dan Shaughnessy, a columnist for the Boston Globe wrote that the Texans were a terrible team and had no chance to beat the New England Patriots during Sunday’s divisional playoff game. Shaughnessy said that this was the first time the Patriots had two straight bye weeks because of how easy of a win the Texans game would be. Shaughnessy also had several insults about the Texans including calling them “fraudulent” as well as other things (Brinson, 2013). The article that we used talks about how Arian Foster, starting running back for the Texans, changed his avatar on Twitter to a picture of the article written by Shaughnessy and about how the article is not accurate. I agree with Brinson’s article completely. He talks about how the Texans are a good team with excellent players and how they have a chance to win the game on Sunday. He also talks about how they are not favored to win but should be taken seriously as a contender in this weekend’s game. This article is relevant to the course because it shows how professional athletes use social media to gain motivation for their games. It also shows how athletes use social media to display their response to criticism whether the criticism is positive or negative. Four years ago if something like this occurred chances are Arian Foster would have used a different approach to handle the situation because social media was not used as often as it is now. Now players use social media not only as a way to connect with fans but to also to motivate their teammates and themselves. With all the changes in social media it will be interesting to see how athletes will use social media in the future.

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Review by Forrest Lodge in SRM 334 (section 1)

This article brings up the controversy of Dan Shaughnessy’s column in the Boston Globe about how much of a blessing it was for the Patriots to draw the Texans in the second round of the NFL Playoffs. The main thing in this article however is how Texans running-back Arian Foster acknowledged Shaughnessy’s column and even took a screenshot of it and made his Twitter avatar. The Twitter world nowadays is huge and it spits out news and information like wildfire, so once Foster changed his Twitter avatar to the picture of the article, everyone and their mother’s found out about this article. It is not uncommon for players to find out about harsh comments and opinions of sports analysts and other critics, however Foster took it to the next level by putting the word out through social media. What we did notice through the YouTube video that we found was that Foster never actually commented on the article at all, and that the only thing he did was put the picture of the article as his Twitter picture. I feel like this was a proper way to handle the situation because it is a form of motivation for not only himself but for players, coaches, and fans of the Texans. Ultimately I think it is a prime example of how social media plays a major factor within sports today because of the endless access and availability that it provides to everyone in this world with a computer or smart phone. Twitter allows anyone with an account to connect directly with athletes and celebrities who also have accounts and that is something that we haven’t been able to do for all that long and I feel that it has changed the way athletes handle the public because they can also connect back with anyone they want through social media.

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Review by Sean Petrizzi in SRM 334 (section 1)

After the Houston Texans advanced passed the Wild Card Round to face the New England Patriots Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy wrote an article claiming the Patriots were the “first team in NFL history to get back-to-back byes before advancing to the conference championship game.” This was in reference to the Week 14 matchup where the Patriots outplayed the Texans to the tune of 42 to 14. Texans running back Arian Foster posted three paragraphs of the article as his Twitter avatar without comment. It was seen by many as a move to post bulletin board material for all to see.

I feel that Arian Foster handled this situation perfectly. By leaving out any commentary on the article Foster showed he took offense from the article but did not complain which would have opened him up to criticism of being overly sensitive to the media. He brought the article to the attention to people outside of New England and possibly was trying to bring it to the attention of his teammates to help motivate them. My criticism would be of Shaughnessy. Football fans will know that the New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick is very reserved with his comments and is very calculated in what he says as to not provide the typical “bulletin board material” that may help other teams be motivated to win more than they already are in the ultra-competitive NFL. By writing this article, Shaughnessy flies right in the face of that train of thought. As someone who has covered Belichick and will continue to do so, I wonder whether Shaughnessy’s relationship with Belichick will be slightly strained now.

This article shows that changing forms of media are affecting the interaction between sports reporters and athletes. It is now much easier for athletes to respond to criticism from sports reporters and these responses can be seen by almost anyone at any time.

"South Florida can get up to $10 million in BCS National Championship Game retail sales"

From the SunSentinel

Review by Alex Boecker in KIN 332

The 2013 BCS National Championship Game was held in South Florida this past Monday, and as always it came with a lot of hype. Coaches and players are interviewed, analysts pick apart the teams and choose their winner, bets are placed and people around the country tune in to see the spectacle. However, one major part of any event like this that skates somewhat under the radar is the economic impact it has on both the schools and the local area where it is held. SunSentinel.com reports that total retail sales for the game between Alabama and Notre Dame could reach as high as $40 million. South Florida could also be seeing as much as $10 million of that, which is the average 25% of total retail sales that the region gets for a BCS National Championship Game. Without the impact of sports marketing, the teams and the local features and attractions would not be known to the fans and a large chunk of these earnings would go down the drain.

The local community and the schools playing in the National Championship might see some big numbers, but they aren’t the only ones. The Highland Mint, a collectibles manufacturer and distributor, makes anywhere from 30-40% of their annual earnings off big games like this including the Super Bowl and the NBA Championship Game. Without big venues like this stores like The Highland Mint would quickly be out of business. They too not only rely on the teams marketing themselves and making their brand desirable, but stores like these must also market themselves and show the consumer that they make a quality product that is superior to knockoffs and especially competitors.

Unfortunately, when there is such a large market for sports memorabilia like this people will find any way they can to make a quick buck from it and when they do no money goes back to the local economy or to the schools. After the games is when many of the counterfeiters come out to sell and the Collegiate Licensing Committee estimates that after BCS games around 5,000 items are confiscated outside the host stadium. Even though the internet has become the main culprit in counterfeit sales and forged items, people can still be tricked on the street and it is absolutely crucial to check out items before buying them and make sure that they are CLC certified and are completely legitimate. Whether fake or real, people will try to sell their memorabilia and it can be tempting to go with a counterfeit that is much cheaper. Even though it may cost a little extra, making sure that the items that are being advertised are real not only gets the customer a higher quality product, but also ensures that money goes to the right places so the teams and locations can market themselves again in the future.