"Manti Te'o causing NFL teams to mine social media more"

From USA Today

Review by Connor Massei in SRM 334 (section 3)

The article from USA Today.com explains that NFL General Managers and Coaches are focusing more on draft prospect involvement on social media than ever before. This focus is greatly due to the highly publicized Manti Te’o hoax, in which one of the NFL’s highest rated prospects was involved in a false relationship with an imaginary girlfriend. Te’o communicated with whom he believed to be his girlfriend strictly through phone calls and the social networks, namely twitter. NFL organizations, more often than ever before, have personnel that monitor prospects tendencies on twitter and Facebook. These tendencies and posts are closely analyzed and sometimes play an effect on players draft stocks. Personally, Te’o now has more pressure to perform on pre-draft interviews due to his involvement in the hoax and poor judgment that could be seen on social media. 

This article helps its audience to understand that NFL GMs and Coaches care more about prospects than their physical talents shown on the field. It is important to them that their players show character, and an efficient way to get to know a prospect indirectly is through monitoring of their twitter and Facebook pages. I think it is interesting how much of an impact the tendencies of prospects on social networks can affect their draft stock, or even prevent them from being drafted at all. This new practice by NFL organizations is just one more dimension for NFL hopefuls to be aware of throughout college and during the pre-draft process. The article is relevant to this course because as we have discussed in class, the social media plays an important role in sports these days. The fact that NFL teams monitor player’s twitters and Facebook pages demonstrates the ability for social media to potentially spark, dampen, or even ruin the career of potential professional athletes. Sports media greatly utilizes social networks, and this article is a prime example of why they are so often used.
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Review by Michael Civiello in SRM 334 (section 3)

In summary, this article goes over how the so called “hoax” of Manti Te’o is now making NFL teams and their executives re-evaluate their own ways on how they will evaluate college prospects prior to the NFL draft. It has quotes from two NFL general managers: Rick Spielman of the Minnesota Vikings and John Schneider of the Seattle Seahawks. Spielman is quoted as calling the evaluated players “social media players” nowadays. He talks about how teams are now digging more in depth into players’ social media pages. John Schneider of the Seahawks said the team has a security staff assigned to monitor social media pages of potential prospects the team is scouting.

Spielman and head coach Greg Schiano of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers both emphasized the importance of the interview process that teams get with players at the combine. They both said that the fifteen minutes they get with prospects, especially a player such as Te’o, will be very crucial in determining the player’s football smarts but also their character.

Social media is so relevant in today’s world, especially with the national media outlets. Many players do not have private pages and that makes them susceptible to getting looked at by teams that will monitor their pages. These players definitely have to be more careful because posting inappropriate tweets or pictures can cost players lots of money because they fall far down draft boards and potentially undrafted. It is dream to many of the prospects to play in the NFL and its sometimes unthinkable that something as small as a post on twitter can potentially ruin that dream.

"A country remains in shock as hero Pistorius charged with murder"

From Sports Illustrated

Review by Anne Comber in SRM 334 (section 1)

On February 14, 2013, South Africa’s media exploded when news of their double-amputee, heroic sprinter was charged with premeditated murder of his model girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. This terrible tragedy was exposed to the public immediately after news reporters found out the story. South Africa’s citizens went into shock as their global inspiration stood in the courtroom awaiting bail. 

With little defense the news was even more shocking when the media released details of the incident that took place in Pistorius’s heavily guarded mansion. His house was thoroughly inspected and there was no evidence of a burglar breaking an entry. Pistorius told police he mistook his 29-year-old girlfriend for an intruder and shot his 9-mm firearm to protect himself. South Africa is known for violent crimes, especially house robberies and this sparks a rising issue of gun ownership. Pistorius shot through the bathroom door four times, striking Steenkamp in the head with one of the shots. Steenkamp had allegedly locked herself in the bathroom and blood spatter patterns showed she was carried or ran down stairs still alive. There are my unanswered questions regarding the incident and sooner or later the truth with come out.

The Media portrays Pistorius as a hero one minute and villain the next. This is relevant to this course because it shows how the media turns a well-known, inspirational athlete into a murder without all the facts. Many athletes have done things they are not so proud of but because of the media they are remembered for their faults instead of their achievements.
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Review by Wade Martin in SRM 334 (section 1)

Oscar Pistorius, an Olympic runner, is accused of killing his girlfriend and model Reeva Steenkamp. He believed there was a break in at his home and shot through a bathroom door mistaking Steenkamp for a robber. There are many questions about what really happened but all the facts are still not known. Pistorius was recently granted bail and will be free until trial. Pistorius is known as one the greatest runners and inspirational stories in the world. He just recently became the first double amputee to compete in the Olympics and became the media’s hero to all of South Africa. Pistorius's life was all changed in one night. He went from one of Time’s magazines most influential people to murderer in a matter of hours. Pistorius is a great example of how the media can build a person up to get a great story and bring the person back down just as fast. 

Pistorius may be guilty but in a country where violence is a major issue, there is a chance it really was an accident. In the past, Pistorius may not have been automatically seen him as a murderer but instead as heartbroken man who made a mistake. The evolution of media has created writers looking for readers anyway they can get it, even if the story is not fully developed. One columnist used Pistorius’s misfortune to go from relatively unknown local reporter to a reporter with a couple hundred thousand twitter followers. He gained this following just by live tweeting from the bail hearing. It has come to a point where a reader can get up to the second updates on the case just by following a South African reporter.

This story is relevant because of social media. Pistorius is not only on trial with the South African government but every human being around the world with a smart phone. It is also relevant because media has changed over the years from covering only what they felt they had too, to know doing whatever is necessary to get readers and attention.

"'More than able to hold her own,' girl gets boot from Catholic football league"

From CNN

Review by Danielle Colassard in SRM 334 (section 2)

Caroline Pla is an 11-year-old girl who has been playing football for the Catholic Youth Organization since she was in Kindergarten. For the past two years, she has been dominating the league and knocking down her opponents. Out of 2,500 participants within in 46 football programs, she is the only girl playing for CYO. Unfortunately she stopped playing last season because the Archdiocese started enforcing the “no girls policy.” Her coach Chip Ross said she is more than capable of holding her own on the football field, as she had been doing it since she was five years old. He thinks she should be able to play because it “calls out players that can hang or not hang” and she can. Caroline’s story was kept under wraps until the season ended. Once the season ended and she was kicked out of the league, the story hit major news sources. 

The media grasped onto this story, and she had many articles written about her, as well as interview requests. Huffington Post, Forbes, MSNBC, ABC, CNN, Yahoo Sports, and other Philadelphia area blogs wrote about this story. According to http://www.philly.com, she has become a “media darling” and has done interviews with Ellen Degeneres and Headline News. People find this situation to be infuriating because she should be able to play this sport. She knows she is not going professional, but she should be allowed to play in the CYO especially because she can hold her own. The media is showing the CYO that she is a strong girl and can hold her own by knocking down boys. This story shows that girls can do almost everything boys can do. Just because she’s a girl playing a “boy’s sport,” doesn’t mean she should not be in the league.
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Review by Chelsea Weber in SRM 334 (section 2)

Our current event is on a young 11 year old girl, Catherine Pla, who has been playing football for 6 years and recently found out she would be banned from the team. Catherine Pla was inspired to play football after watching her older brother play, and eventually began her football career when she was five in the Pop Warner league. She then signed up to play tackle football with the Catholic Youth Organization in fifth grade. During her second season of playing with the CYO, Pla was told that she would no longer be able to play, because according to the CYO handbook, football is a full-contact sport, which meant no girls allowed. Caroline’s family and friends, disturbed by the rule, decided to start a online petition to encourage the CYO to change its boys-only rule. This story has caught the attention of many, including TV talk show host Ellen Degeneres. Right now, Catherine is waiting for a final decision on the rule that will be made in March.

After reading this article, I believe that in this world we should be past determining who gets to play what sport according to gender. Catherine Pla has every right to fight for her right to play tackle football with the CYO. People need to stand up against this type of discrimination, and I think the media is a perfect way to get voices heard and stories out to the public. This story relates to our sports media class because the media is getting Catherine’s voice heard and that of thousands of others supporting her. People like Ellen Degeneres are encouraging her millions of followers to sign Pla’s petition and hopefully get the CYO to change its rule, but also get many other sport organizations that are still implementing boys-only rules to change their ways and let there be gender equality in sports.

"Dwight Howard shrugs off remarks"

From ESPN.com

Review by Jazmon Gwathmey in SRM 334 (section 1)

Throughout his career Kobe has been a power house player that has dominated the league in different ways. Though his career has been very successful, this season has been one of the toughest seasons that he has had to deal with thus far. From getting new players traded to his team like Dwight Howard who dominated the paint for the Orlando Magic to Steve Nash from the Phoenix Suns. The whole controversy with Kobe making remarks about his team and if there fair of foul remarks. The way that he goes about confronting his teammates and then the way that the media takes those comments have given a lot of people different feelings about Kobe. He bad mouths his teammates and coaches out of anger and it is not only effecting Kobe but his teammates too. The media has played a crucial role by making the situations more than what they really should be. For example when Kobe was talking about Howard's shoulder issue most of what he said was out of anger saying that Howard either needs to suck it up and play or stay off the court and stop trying to play and not contribute anything for the team. In the second video about Pau Gasol, Kobe thinks that Gasol should be the one stepping up and being more aggressive when he can’t get and open shot. The Lakers should be dominating the west coast they have one of the greatest all-around players on their team with one of the best point guards and power house players in the paint.

Kobe had made remarks to the media about his team not to down them or make them feel like nothing but he makes the remarks because he knows what is takes to win a championship and how hard everyone has to work to get there, and that’s why the media is trying to show if its fair for Kobe to say the things he says or is it foul should he have kept the comments to himself instead of saying them out of anger. 

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Review by Crystal Ross in SRM 334 (section 1)

This article is about Dwight Howard’s response to Kobe’s comment about his injury. Dwight does not believe that Kobe should have anything to say about his injury. He thinks the only person that should have anything to say is the doctor, who has decided that his shoulder was messed up. 

I do not think that Kobe should have said what he said about Dwight Howard to the media. I think that if Kobe wanted Howard or thought that Howard was capable of playing that he should of went to him as a man and a teammate and said what he had to say to Howard. Kobe should of went to Howard in private and spoke his mind. Even though I do not agree with what Kobe said to the media, I understand why he said it. Howard is one of the key players the Lakers need to have a winning season and to make it to the playoffs. During this season, Howard really hasn’t been dominating like he should be. He’s been hurt a lot. I think a lot of what Kobe did was out of frustration. I also do not think that Kobe disrespected Howard, he was just explaining that Howard has not been on a championship team therefore he do not know what it is like to work for a championship.

This article is related to our class because it deals with what a NBA player told media reporters. He spoke out to the media, which shows the fans that there are some disputes within the team. It also gives the media a chance to make things seem worst then what they actually are. If there was controversy within the team, it is most likely worst after this.

"Meet Titus, the ultimate basketball trick-shot artist…oh yeah, he's 2 years old"

From RYOT

Review by Calvin Parson, Jr. in SRM 334 (section 2)

Countless videos of individuals performing trick shots have been posted on the web over the years. Whether it’s professional athletes taking full court shots after practice, a group of Notre Dame football players and their rendition of water pong, or a Heisman Trophy winner throwing a football from ridiculous heights into a basketball hoop, these videos are always amusing to the public. Media outlets always seem to be on top of these types of videos. Footage like this has a tendency to spread through social media sites, and ultimately land on major news television networks.

In the case of two-year-old Titus Ashby, his quick trip to fame was no different. What started as a trick shot he made to impress his grandmother, turned into over 7 million YouTube hits and counting, and numerous interviews on national television. People across the globe are wondering what the next step is for young Titus in regards to diaper endorsements, his future with basketball, and when he will start being recruited by college coaches. However, most people are overlooking one very important fact: he is only two years old. Titus is still three years away from entering the public school system. At two years old, some children have not yet been successfully potty trained and Titus is still six months removed from baby food.

This is yet another example of how the media can exploit individuals in lieu of a great story. Hopefully, this early stardom will have no negative effect on the life of young Titus and his early love for the game of basketball.
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Review by Danielle Poplawski in SRM 334 (section 2)
Titus Ashby is a two-year-old boy who has become a YouTube sensation after his dad posted a three minute long video showcasing his basketball trick shots. The video was posted on February 3rd and currently has over 7 million views. It was so popular that he was interviewed on the TODAY show this past Thursday and also received a shout out on Good Morning America. 

In the video titled Unbelievable Little Kid Does A Trick Shot, Titus is shown making baskets effortlessly from a variety of distances and places such as from the bottom of a staircase and at Chuck E. Cheese. The clips used were shot during a six month period beginning when Titus was only 18 months old. His dad, Joseph Ashby, posted the video in the hope of it going viral. Most recently he has been contacted by the Dallas Mavericks along with other various members of the media.

This video is relevant to the course because, without social media and communications, the video would not have been such a success. Videos such as this one are often used as feature stories for media outlets. Given that Titus is only two years old, it could be debated that the media is exploiting him. Because he is so young, he does not really understand what is going on or why he is receiving such attention.

A major concern about the media attention Titus is receiving is that playing basketball and shooting hoops could quickly change from being a fun activity to become more of a job or task that he feels he is required to do. As of this moment, it is evident that he enjoys making baskets. However, if people continue to ask him to do it, he may grow tired of the game and move on to something else.

"Nike's new marketing mojo"

From CNN Money

Review by Chris Wyvill in KIN 332

Nike has spent the time and resources to make sure that they adapt and take advantage of the opportunities that the future holds. They have anticipated a shift in marketing and have created products that their customers desire. Through the sale of these products they allow their consumers to help market their product as they connect with other customers and provide Nike with data they can use to further meet the needs and wants of their customer.

I think that this has been a very good investment for Nike as they continue to lead their industry into the future. Through various innovative and interactive technologies, Nike makes their own lives as marketers and the lives of their customers more enjoyable. Their products give them feedback about their customers while social media provides a greater connection as well; whether it is through Facebook, Twitter, or the sites their athletes track performances.

"Head Injuries in Football"

From the New York Times (1, 2) and NBC Sports

Review by Matthew Kaiser in SRM 334 (section 2)

For our current event, Ryan and I chose to write about how concussions have impacted sport and the media’s role in that impact. Of the articles we used as evidence for our topic, the two that apply best were the articles on Bernard Pollard’s comments on how the NFL is changing the rules to try and remove such injuries and how he subsequently feels the sport will not last much longer as a result. This article basically talks about what Bernard Pollard said during the Super Bowl Media Day and how he feels that players getting faster and stronger completely contradict the direction the league is going in regards to player safety. The other article being President Obama’s comments about not letting his son play football because these injuries are so prevalent. In the topic of the Super Bowl, President Obama chose to speak on his worries about the game, specifically college. He feels the game should gradually change to ensure the health of its players.

I feel as though concussions will always be a part of sports, particularly football. There are subtle changes that can occur in other sports, but football there cannot be much without ruining the game. The emphasis on power and speed is greater than ever, so as players only continue to get bigger so will the collisions. Taking too much of the collision factor out of the game is basically turning it into flag football. This topic is relevant because it shows how big a role the media has played in changing the different sports. New rules are being pursued constantly in just about every sport, when a few years ago the topic was practically nonexistent. As the media stepped up its coverage of concussions and the long term effects that former athletes struggle with, we suddenly saw these games being altered to try and remove such injuries. Without the media, I’m not sure this topic is ever directly confronted like is today. 

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Review by Ryan Fitzgerald in SRM 334 (section 2)

Our current event was on the impact of the media on the portrayal of concussions in sport. Recently many players have filed lawsuits against the NFL for negligent actions concerning concussions and the long-term effects. Starting in the early part of the 2000’s the media began to cover the issue and started causing rule changes in professional sports, due to the concerns expressed from players and fans. The media played a large part in speeding up the process of rule changes and how people viewed continuous blows to the head. As a result of multiple players committing suicide and realizing the long-term effects of blows to the head, the NFL has started a brain bank for players to donate their brains to be examined after they pass. This has allowed the media to pick about the findings in these situations and express their concern to the public. Without the media, the topic of concussions would not be seen as a serious threat to athletes. 

As an athlete with multiple concussions, I feel the increased media coverage on the topic and the changes being made are important. Throughout the past decade or so, the media has picked up their coverage on concussions and the health concerns associated with them. Moving forward I feel many aspects of contact sports will change in order to eliminate constant blows to the head. My hope is that parents of young athletes realize and take into account the true damage concussions place on a developing child’s brain. I hope to see changes in adolescent contact sports and more research done on ways to help monitor when an athlete suffers a concussion.

"Michael Jordan vs LeBron James: All-Time Greats Go 1-On-1 ... Verbally"

From the Huffington Post

Review by Michael Herndon in SRM 334 (section 1)

Tiger Woods is said to be the best golfer ever, Wayne Gretzky as the best hockey player ever, and Michael Jordan is considered to be the best basketball player ever. As for basketball, LeBron James has, at least, started to come into the picture when talking about best basketball players. In the article that we chose to base our presentation off of, there is some indirect conversation between LeBron James and Michael Jordan. In this paper I want to summarize the article, show how the media has talked about this topic, and describe how I feel about the scenario at hand.

There are multiple articles that try to compare Michael Jordan and LeBron James, but this article shows how they have indirectly been conversing. The main point of the article is that Michael Jordan states that he would rather take Kobe Bryant on his team over LeBron James because of the amount of championships each player has won. A couple days later Lebron James comes back in an interview stating that he doesn’t think the best basketball player should be determined by how many championships a player has won. The second half of the article then goes on to describe how LeBron James has gone on to set a record for most thirty point games, while shooting over sixty percent from the field.

This time of the year is one of the biggest times for basketball fans; Michael Jordan’s birthday week and the NBA all-star weekend. This year there has been another element added to the mix, which is the record LeBron James has now set. The media has loved the timing of this because they are talking about Michael Jordan and LeBron James at the same time for multiple different reasons. It makes it very easy to start to compare the two basketball players, and adding that the two players have made different comments about the topic makes it even better for media. It has been talked about every single day for the past two weeks on ESPN.

This is a tough subject to try and analyze when I’m on the extreme side of Michael Jordan being the best basketball player ever. The one thing that I don’t like about this article, and how the media has been comparing the two players, is that LeBron James is half way through his career, while Michael Jordan’s career is finished. In the article, the number of rings is brought up by both Michael Jordan and LeBron James in some way. I don’t think you should compare the two players until both careers are at an end. Although you could compare the two at a certain point of Michael Jordan’s career, it still doesn’t work because Michael Jordan did so well in the second half of his career, which LeBron has yet to experience for himself.

This is relevant to this course because it is a big social media topic. It has been talked about on ESPN for weeks straight and there has been a blowup on twitter about this topic with different hash-tags, such as: #MichaelJordanvsLebronJames or #MJvsLJ. There are more and more people every day comparing these two basketball players and it’s through multiple different channels of social media. 

This is a social media topic that I think will be talked about forever. LeBron James is only half way through his career and there will be people comparing him and Michael Jordan until someone else comes along that has a chance of being better. I’m very excited to see what happens in the future, whether Lebron James wins more championships or not.
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Review by Cecily Leahy in SRM 334 (section 1)

In this article it discusses the argument between whether or not LeBron James is better than Michael Jordan This debate comes up during the week of Michael Jordan's birthday and was quoted in the Huffington Times saying that LeBron could never complete to Kobe Bryant. The main argument for LeBron being less great was the fact that he has only one championship compared to the five of Bryant. This comparison brings up the question as to how do people compare the achievements and skills of players. The problem that arises with this is that all players have their strength and weaknesses. It is unfair to simply judge a player on championships wins and not how the player is a whole. It’s similar to the cliche of you can not judge a book by its cover.

The article is relevant to this course because it demonstrates how what you cover in the media and the way you present it impacts the viewers reactions. Athletes are never are safe with what they say, whether to press or through social media. The media will take what they say and run with it. It also gives the media the opportunity to shine what was said in the manner they want to it be portrayed. The article proves to a lesson for athletes to makes sure they are careful to what they say and how they respond to what is said about them. Media coverage is not like use how it was back in the day where reporters would not say “we would have to report that if we saw that” mentioned in class referring to Babe Ruth running naked through a train one day. Media wants coverage and are always looking for a story. In the article, Washington Post columnist John Feinstein, mentioned that LeBron should have taken the humble route and not tired to spike another heated argument.

"97% Of NFL Players With History Of Head Trauma Show Signs Of Brain Disease"

From Business Insider and the Daily Mail

Review by Josh Revitch in SRM 334 (section 3)

Head injuries have always been a concerning topic in the NFL. After Junior Seau’s death last May by committing suicide, talk about the correlation of traumatic brain injuries and death skyrocketed. After this event, many former players sued the NFL due to the lack of information given to players about the long-term effects of head injuries and concussions. In early January this year, the autopsy of Junior Seau showed that he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a disease caused by multiple and continuous blows to the head. From this discovery, researchers examined the brains of deceased, former NFL players. Scientists discovered that 31 out of the 34 brains they looked at had stage three or four CTE including players such as Dave Duerson, Cookie Gilchrist and John Mackey.

Social media allows for people to ask questions, give advice, and speak their mind about this topic. There are signs of concern about this topic as many parents have children playing football. The NFL is going to contribute money to researchers to discover how to prevent these types of head injuries. Teams are also going to have neurological specialists on their sidelines to give evaluations of players that get concussions during games. Hopefully the rule for allowing athletes to play post-concussion gets stricter as research shows detrimental, long-term side effects of head injuries and concussions.

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Review by Matt Dumblauskas in SRM 334 (section 3)


Concussions have emerged as a major safety issue in football during the past couple of years. This article addresses some of the steps that the NFL is taking and has taken in the past to help prevent or reduce the number of concussions. Recently the NFL has partnered with Boston University and is willing to give $1 million or more to fund independent research projects to help find a solution to this concussion problem. The article also mentions that NFL alumni association is encouraging players to donate their brains to help with the research process. The NFL is also is investing in independent research that can give insight into how helmets can be more protective. This includes how the helmet is worn and used, along with the make of the helmet.

In the past the league has been cautious about concussions, but has not looked into fixing the problem to this extent. When a player used to get a concussion, the team waited for symptoms to decrease and then that player was eligible to play. Now that all of this research shows a lasting effect of head trauma, I think that the game will change. I do not think that players will necessarily play the game differently because playing the game to their top potential is number one on the list of priorities for most players. That being said I do believe that the style of play will be taught differently at a young age. I also feel that these new steps are going to cause more parents to not let their kids play the game. The media aspect of this topic allows the spread of concussion awareness and is helping to spark a change. With the recent death of Junior Seau and the fact that his brain had CTE, the public is starting to look for answers. We as viewers do love to see big hits, but we do not want to see our favorite players being severely injured or even dying due to head trauma complications. Fans are now using social media to ask questions and show concern.

"Trial by media of Oscar Pistorius: facts, guesses and spin surround Reeva death"

From The Independent 

Review by Matt Nasca in SRM 334 (section 2)

This past week, on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2013 Olympic and Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius was involved in the murder of his current girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. She shot multiple times through a locked door while she was in a locked bathroom. The gun that was used to shoot her belonged to Pistorius and they were the only two that were known to be in the house at the time. The exact details and the trail have yet to start but currently Pistorius is sitting in a South African jail awaiting his bond hearing, which will most likely be set at a very high amount because the prosecution is trying to charge him with premeditated murder. So while we wait for he trail to begin and for the actual facts to come out, the media is having a field day coming up with all sorts of theories and reasons why Pistorius did what he did.

This should make you wonder where exactly they are getting their facts. Pistorius is currently locked in a South African jail and the only legal document to be released about the incident is an affidavit by Pistorius basically saying that he thought Steenkamp was an intruder in his house and that is why he shot her. The media did not seem to mind coming up with their own ideas. There were unconfirmed rumors about a possible ‘roid rage attack on his girlfriend which is what killed him, ignoring the facts that he got tested repeatedly for the Olympics and Paralympics. They said he used a cricket bat to beat her when he said he used the bat to pry open the door after he shot through it. The media also claimed she was having an affair which led to the murder.

All these stories are currently just rumors the media has started. So you must ask yourself, how good is the media? They are tarnishing Oscar Pistorius’ image based on an incident that no one knows the truth to just yet. Can Pistorius still be considered “innocent until proven guilty?” What happens to his reputation after the trial if he is found innocent? The media is getting viewer’s attention at the unfortunate expense on Oscar Pistorius. I am not saying that he is innocent or guilty, but I think the media should wait for the facts before they report on the case. Again if he ends up being guilty, because of the media he will always carry that negative image with him.

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Review by Charles Higby in SRM 334 (section 2)

This article goes over the facts and spins the media has provided of Olympic “bladerunner” Oscar Pistorius and death of his former girlfriend Reeva Steencamp. Since her death, Pistorius has been the center of negative media attention that created a horrible image in the public eye. Due to South Africa’s slow paced justice system, reporters have released multiple reports filled with accusations about Pistorius even though police have not issued any statements or spoken with media sources. These accusations have been repeated so many times that many who look to media sources for information have come to believe these rumors as facts. The allegations include a bloodied cricket bat, a secret love triangle, and even the role of steroids in a “roidrage” attack when in fact the only statements released by South African police were that there was a shooting accident involving Pistorius and his lover, she was dead, and the athlete had been charged with murder. The article also states in order to hold back the wide range of negative coverage, Pistorius hired PR expert Stuart Higgins who represented him during the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. Their main concern is that in this charged environment with most of the world’s news media reporting the story, the athlete will not receive a fair trial. The involvement of Mr. Higgins in this case can be seen as an example of the British news media’s power in influencing a global story. In my opinion, the media’s role in this case has already done its part in ruining Pistorius’ image, but due to a single judge making a decision on solely the facts of the case, I believe the trial will be fair and just. This article is relevant because it provides an example of how the media can take a major sport story with minimal facts, and use the power of media to influence and persuade its audience one way or another.

"Should College Athletes Be Paid?"

From The College Fix and Huffington Post

Review by Eric Southard in KIN 332

In the article, “Paying College Athletes: Not If, But How”, Rachel Cohen and Ralph D. Russo discuss the controversial topic of should college athletes be paid and if so, how should they be paid. Being a big supporter of paying college athletes, I was happy to read that Mark Emmert, President of the NCAA, is finally starting to realize that college athletes should receive some compensation while attending school. Emmert supports a stipend for these athletes, a stipend that would cover costs beyond tuition, books, and fees, which the athletes’ scholarships currently cover. Both coaches and players agree that college athletes should be paid, mainly stating that these athletes have no time to find a job and are always busy with school and their individual sports. They compare being a student-athlete to working a full time job. 

The biggest impact sports marketing has on paying college athletes is through the television deals and all the money these deals generate for the universities. In the article, Cohen and Russo talk about the lucrative TV deals the NCAA recently agreed to for football and men’s basketball. To broadcast the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, more notably known as “March Madness”, CBS and Tuner Sports agreed to a deal with the NCAA that is worth on average 770 million dollars a year. As for the new college football playoffs, which starts in 2014, the NCAA agreed to a television deal worth around 470 million dollars annually to the conferences. Instead of using all this money towards increasing the salary of college coaches, upgrading facilities, etc, the money should be put towards stipends to pay the “workers”, the ones who actually generate the money, the athletes.

"David Beckham joins Paris St-Germain and will play for free"

From BBC.com

Review by Gene Daniels in KIN 332

David Beckham is arguably the world’s most popular soccer player, and when he does something it seems like it is covered on an even bigger stage; his actions are cosmic. At the age of 37, Beckham knows his days of playing the beautiful game are waning but there is still some good football (soccer) left in his legs. On the 31st of January, Beckham was introduced as the newest signing for Paris Saint-Germain. PSG had fallen on hard economic times in the late 90s and early 2000s but due to a restructuring of ownership and finances, the club has become one of the most lucrative and endowed clubs in the world over the last 4-5 years. Beckham answered several customary questions in his introductory press conference and seemed very at ease and excited for the newest chapter or his illustrious playing career. He then dropped the bomb on the whole room and informed the media that he would not be receiving a salary for his services during his 5 month contract but rather would be donating the money to a French children’s charity organization. 

This decision is one that looks extremely good for both PSG and for Beckham. Many know him as a humanitarian and an overall good person, so this move is something that really fits the mold because we all know Beckham has enough money to live extremely comfortably for the rest of his life. PSG on the other hand has come to have a sinister reputation in the soccer world. Many believe that their wealth as a club and subsequent buying habits for players taint the game as we know it and undermine what many other clubs around the world are trying to do by developing young players and building club loyalty. This move comes at a very convenient time for the club, which leads many people to believe that it is nothing more than a publicity stunt.

In his press conference and ultimately in the article, Beckham discusses that he made the move for “footballing reasons” and that his wife and children would be staying back in London. He also discusses the potential he sees in PSG and their players and his excitement to work with Carlo Ancelotti (a former manager of his with AC Milan) again. After listening to Beckham, one would think the move was made for soccer reasons and that the decision to play for free is just Beckham and the club being hospitable and fulfilling a social obligation to the community but we will never really know.

Wherever David Beckham goes the money will follow. His sponsorship deals will now increase awareness for and have a connection with his new team and I am sure they will see a ridiculous spike in merchandise revenue, as his jersey has been one of the most popular selling pieces of soccer merchandise since he bursted on the scene at Manchester United. The club will tap into his as a resource for their marketing campaigns and I’m sure the Paris business community will reach out to Beckham as well. More specifically to the contract, the public image and popularity of both Beckham and PSG will soar and they will definitely see benefits from the decision to play for free. Whether they have made this move for David Beckham the player, or David Beckham the personality PSG has done extremely well here. They have brought in the most marketed player in all of soccer, and while doing so have looked like the knight in shining armor by coordinating with Beckham to donate to charity.

"Crazy Like a You Know What Fox Sports 1 is poised to become a cable heavyweight; CBS, NBC properties expected to take a hit"

From AdWeek

Review by Steven Golob in KIN 332

The article I chose to review and critique is titled “Crazy Like a You Know What” and can be viewed on Adweek.com. I chose this particular article because it begs the question that I have been wondering, personally, for years now; why is there no sports network on television that even comes close to rivaling the coverage that ESPN gets? This article introduces not an answer to this question, but a definitive step in the right direction. The new network titled Fox Sports 1 is introduced and explained further.

Fox Sports 1 is Fox’s newest network that they plan to unveil at the end of the summer in the month of August. It is set to become the “rival” network of the ever-famous ESPN networks. It is set to take over the spot that is filled by the “Speed” network, which is broadcasted nationwide in roughly 81 million homes. With the contracts that they have obtained with different sports and leagues in America and worldwide, Fox is increasing these viewing numbers to 90 million households in the country. They have obtained contracts with the MLB, NCAA basketball conferences of the PAC-12 and the Big 12, Nascar, UFC, and FIFA. The largest of these will be the deal with the MLB, and over the span of the entire deal, it will earn them $4.2 billion.

The Fox Sports 1 network hopes to put “pretender” networks in their place, and hopefully, make a statement to the public that ESPN is not the only sports provider on television. Although they will not make much of a dent in ESPN’s physical earnings, they are still looking at things in terms of being a successful network. Success (not necessarily being the absolute best) is what is important to the owners.

The Timeout with Mike Barber, Richmond Times-Dispatch

Cara Yaworske, an SRM 334: Introduction to Sport to Sport Media student, sat down with Mike Barber from the Richmond Times-Dispatch.  Mr. Barber is the beat writer for Virginia Tech athletics.

"ESPN to televise college playoff"

From ESPN.com and Sports Media Watch

Review by Will Taylor in SRM 334 (section 3)

The BCS has always been criticized for how it picks the teams for the National Championship Game and people used to think that the teams that weren’t in the game didn’t receive a fair chance to prove themselves. Finally, they implemented a culture change in college football; the BCS playoff system. Now there is a much fairer shot for all the teams represented by the BCS to reach the championship. ESPN of course was the one to sign the media deal with the BCS to cover all the playoff games, the national championship, as well as other bowl games. It was a twelve year deal, from the 2014 season on to the 2025 season.The deal was worth over $7 billion dollars, and it covered all facets of media; TV, radio, mobile TV, ESPN Deportes, as well as all international media outlets of the game. The deal is huge, and could bring over $1 billion dollars in revenue. Another way that the BCS playoff system affects mass media is in the advertising before, during, and at each event. The amount of ways to advertise around this event is sure to bring ESPN as well as the BCS a huge amount of revenue. This topic is relevant to this class because it deals with stakeholders; like the universities, the BCS, and the fans. It also deals with mass media outlets, like television, the internet, and radio. It also deals with this class because we’re all avid sports fans, and this deal could revolutionize how we view college football, and sports in general.

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Review by Ben Edsall in SRM 334 (section 3)

The current event Will and I chose to present to the class was the new college football playoff system. It has been talked about for years and will finally be implemented for the 2014 season. The playoffs will consist of four teams that are chosen from a 15 member committee. This eliminates the old system of the computers calculating what two teams would be in the championship. Hopefully the new system will diminish a majority of complaints from the old system, which made some controversial decisions of which teams played in the championship. There will now be six major bowl games which consist of two groups, the contract bowls and the host bowls.

One major influence for the new system was the potential revenue from media rights. ESPN signed a 12 year deal worth $470 million which gives them rights for TV, radio, mobile TV, games in 3D, ESPN Deportes, and internationally. This contract is projected to generate annual revenues ranging from $600 million - $1.5 billion. That amount of revenue will attract other networks to join the contract which will raise the bidding price. The increase in revenue is a positive impact, but there are also other pros and cons.

Additional pros to the new playoff system are that it provides more advertising opportunities, teams that are not powerhouses now have a shot at reaching the championship, and it removes an easy schedule that forces teams to make the championship based on performance. A few cons are that there could be some preferential treatment towards the bigger conferences, other bowl games will be viewed as less important, and it takes away revenue for teams that do not reach the playoffs. Even though this system is not perfect it is a step in the right direction and hopefully will continue to improve in the future.

This topic is relevant to the class because it plays a major role within the broadcast media. We discussed in class how television is the most dominant way of providing content to the public, and this is clearly demonstrated by ESPN signing a huge contract to control the market. Another investment was in social media to help them expand and generate revenues from other areas. Social media is taking over society and with major investments into the market it will benefit the networks and companies tremendously.

"Athletic Departments Apply Disney Principles to Game Day"

From Athletic Business

Review by Christine Steiner in KIN 332

The Walt Disney Company is known to be the best in the world when it comes to customer service. They are the leader in the hospitality industry and are viewed as the frontrunner in the amusement and resort trades. In recent years Disney has broken into the sports industry as well. They acquired ESPN, open the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando, and sponsor countless athletic events throughout the year such as marathons, fitness trade shows, and competitions. Members of the collegiate athletics community have definitely taken notice of Disney’s success. The Athletic Business article “Athletic Departments Apply Disney Principles to Game Day” discusses the transition many collegiate athletic departments are trying to make from a typical game experience to a service-first, customer-centered experience. Arizona State University is one of the schools that has looked to Disney for guidance in this area. Last year, a group of ASU officials flew down to Florida to attend a three day event at Disney Institute, the professional development learning center for the company, to discuss how they could transfer the Disney experience to a game-day situation. This led to a three-month partnership between the two programs with the purpose of reevaluating ASU’s entire program, from its highest senior staff to the frontline hourly personnel. The results were unbelievable. ASU’s athletic director stated that the biggest difference now is “the customer comes first. Make the decision and then talk to us later, and we'll deal with whatever you do to fix their problem, because we want to be a solutions organization from here on out.” The marketing question is, “does an athletic department with eight home football games a year have to obsess over details to the same degree as a year-round theme park holding daily customer service meetings?” Would marketing an improved customer service fan experience really affect or benefit a team?

"Fans Reactions To Caleb Moore's Death"

From Sports World Report

Review by Heather Holston in SRM 334 (section 3)

The article for my current events is “Fans React to Caleb Moore’s Death”. The article describes how fans are reaching out after the X Games participant’s death. Caleb Moore passed away a week after being involved in a crash during the X Games. He was involved in the snowmobile freestyle portion. After his death, ESPN said they are looking into safety of the X Games and its athletes. His fans have taken to social media to give their condolences and prayers to his family. A Facebook page named “Praying for Caleb” has been created for words of comfort. Many fans also turned to Twitter to express their feelings on the situation. This is relevant to our class because we focus a lot on how social media usage is increasing. We all know that social media is used for marketing and communication in sports. I think even more people, especially fans, are using this to connect to other people when an incident occurs. Pages and Tweets are now created daily for professional athletes and people in the sports industry. I believe that Caleb Moore’s death shows us how that usage is expanding. People now turn to Twitter and Facebook to be heard and connect to athlete’s families. Another group on Facebook was created to sell t-shirts and wristbands to support the Moore family. Without the usage of technology, the fans would have a harder time to give back and connect. I believe that with the increase of technology, this will continue to grown. There are a lot more apps and devices that will allow fans to do so. I feel that also when there is more controversy around an athletes death or life, fans are going to want more of an inlet. I feel that Facebook and especially Twitter are the way for fans to get to that inlet. It helps fans share their own ideas where in the past this was harder. 

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Review by Steven Mashinski in SRM 334 (section 3)

As a fan of snowboarding I have been a viewer of the x games for years. Although I did not know Caleb before this accident, I do know that these athletes put themselves in extreme danger. Caleb Moore was a 25 year old that was competing in the snow mobile freestyle. He was performing a black flip when his accident occurred on January 24th. Moore went off a jump and on his landing the front of his snowmobile skies caught the ground before he was able to rotate fully. This caused him to be ejected face first in to the snow followed by the 450 pound snowmobile rolling over his body. Emergency precautions took place immediately and eventually they allowed him to walk off in his own power. Until they arrived to hospital they had no idea how serious the injuries really were. Moore had blood surrounding his heart and announced by his family he came up with secondary complications to his brain. He passed away on January 29th at a hospital in Colorado. His accident raised questions about how safe this sport really is and how they can fix it, but shockingly enouh he is the first athlete to die in the 18 years of the X-games. This story in relevant to this class due to the attention it received on social media. Seconds after the extreme crash viewers were talking about it on twitter. They did not know the severity of his injuries but they could tell it was not good and proceeded to wish him well and hope he is ok. Moore’s family released a statement saying he is in critical condition and the impact of social media got even stronger with Facebook groups and hash tags on twitter that people could use to raise he attention. Before we had social media this story would have had tons of questions due to how much slower information was distributed and released by the reporters on hand. I think this is extremely interesting because now that I am accustom to how fast news can spread it makes me wonder how I was able to wait and watch Sportscenter to hear if that athlete was okay.

"Bernard Pollard: NFL's future bleak"

From ESPN.com

Review by Amy Spring in SRM 334 (section 1)

The Future of the NFL has been a topic surfacing, especially now that it is the end of the football season. The issue was recently brought up by Baltimore Ravens’ safety, Bernard Pollard, who made many comments about the safety of the NFL. During a Ravens vs. Patriots game, quarterback Tom Brady slid with his leg up, barely missing Ravens defensive player, Ed Reed. Very often, players are being taken off the field for concussions, blown-out knees, and other very serious injuries. Pollard, a hard-hitting player, who he himself has been fined for unnecessary roughness, was quoted saying, “Thirty years from now, I don't think it will be in existence. I could be wrong. It's just my opinion, but I think with the direction things are going -- where [NFL rules makers] want to lighten up, and they're throwing flags and everything else -- there's going to come a point where fans are going to get fed up with it.” Like Pollard, President Barack Obama also has strong opinions about the safety of football; President Obama has discussed with a magazine that if he had a son he would think long and hard before letting him play football. Ex-professional player Junior Seau committed suicide after suffering many concussions, leading to depression and then death. Junior’s family is suing the NFL so they could possibly be more aware of the risks of the game. Lastly, we touched on the financial aspect, that even though it is mostly about safety of the players, without the NFL, we would be out millions of jobs and billions of dollars.

Personally I feel that Pollard and Obama are correct, the game is becoming a danger to many and there needs to be something done about it. However, I don’t think the NFL will go under; I think there will need to be changes and stronger enforced rules if injuries keep getting worse and more frequent. The NFL brings in a wide range of interest and have many people deeply invested; it is an American past-time and a top favorite event to attend or to watch and to take that away would be a severe loss financially, as well as the millions of fans out there.

This topic is something that can be portrayed in a positive or negative light by the media. If the media supports those who think it is dangerous, and can interview people on their injuries post playing professional football, then they can show the public who are unaware of injuries. Instead of ESPN and other sports broadcasters and radio shows talking about and showing the hard hits and violent plays, they could focus on the positive offensive plays and good things that are going on. Even though the public often looks for the negative, it is up to the media to put a positive spin on it. Social media could be an even bigger factor if people suggested how to make football safe but still interesting and fun; as well as showing support of those injured. Something needs to be done in the NFL before there are more serious injuries.

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Review by Katherine Lampa in SRM 334 (section 1)

The future of the National Football League is bleak according to some current football players, such as Bernard Pollard and some ESPN commentators. After the second week of NFL playoffs Pollard announced his thoughts on the future of the League and stated he did not think it would exist in thirty short years. Many have been questioning this because of the safety of the game as more and more serious injuries and consequences are occurring. Rules are constantly changing to try to keep the game safe, but the players continue to get more aggressive and powerful leading to injuries that previously had not been considered. Players are getting fined for moves that may have not injured someone at the time, but could in the future if they continue to play that way. All of these steps are moves to make the game safer, but some people believe it is becoming too safe and less interesting to watch or participate in.

This topic is relevant to this course because it has been all over the internet since it was brought up back in week two of the playoffs. There have been many interviews with players such as Pollard and other players that have actually been fined. Twitter has been blowing up with peoples reactions to his statement about the future and many people have been commenting on articles on ESPN and other news articles. People are easily able to make their opinions known about the topic because of the increase in media coverage and the opportunities to locate it online and converse with others who also have strong opinions. It is not often that players or people within the League get involved in these conversations, but it does give people an outlet for frustrations and changes that they think would make the NFL a continuing success.

"Biggio tops vote but no one elected to Hall"

From MLB.com

Review by A.J. Scott in SRM 334 (section 1)
My current event is discussing the reason why none of the Major League Baseball players were voted in the Hall of Fame this year. Some of these players who we discussed have been on steroids and have cheated the system for the majority of their careers. One of the most highly debated elections for the Baseball hall of fame ended in January without a single player being inducted. Barry Bonds, Rodger Clemens, and Sammy Sosa are players that are guilty of these actions. 

I personally think it was wrong for them to have used illegal drugs for so long. All these players are icons in baseball, for older fans and the younger ones whom may look up to these players. It looks bad on their part because it seems like their whole career, they have just been cheaters and have been lying to their fan base and to their teammates. Do I think it’s fair that not even a single one of these great players got voted in? No I do not; regardless of them using steroids this so call performance enhancer, I look at the big picture. These players have changed baseball in a tremendous way. Personally, I am not a baseball fan in no way shape or form, but when I do hear about the major leagues, the names that I am familiar with are the players that were supposed to but didn’t get voted in the Hall of Fame. Sammy Sosa is a great baseball player with or without the drug enhancer. Even if he was to not have taken them I still think he would’ve became all the above.

This was an interesting topic for me to talk about because Baseball is not really something I follow but it is always good to learn about different sports and the problems that all athletes face which is the use of steroids. This event affected not only the Hall of Fame, but also marketing, fans, and the entire sport. It shows the impact that one event can have on everything. Athletes need to stop lying about taking drug enhancers; this has become a major issue in society today and has had a major impact on the world of sports.
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Review by Anthony Rose in SRM 334 (section 1)

My current event is discussing the problem with the MLB Hall of Fame ballot. The problem is the fact that no one was voted into the hall of fame this year, and one of the main reasons is because of performance enhancing drugs. A lot of the candidates were accused of using performance enhancing drugs such as Barry Bonds who is the all time leader in home runs, Roger Clemens a pitcher who has 354 wins, Sammy Sosa who is the only baseball player to hit over 60 homers with three different teams. I think that the voters are trying to make a statement for the future saying basically if you are going to cheat your way into the record books then you are going to have to wait longer to get inducted into the hall of fame. Which in them doing that is fair but what isn’t fair is the fact that there are some other great players that didn’t get in this year that played the game the right way and are very deserving of the Hall of Fame. Me personally I have to agree with the steps that they are taking to put a stop to performing enhancing drugs because its just destroying the game of baseball. The fact that there will be no National Baseball hall of fame there will not be the same attendance for the Cooperstown season because that the biggest event during that weekend. In that case there will not be the same amount of funding that they are usually seeing because the big time baseball fans will not be attending.

"Ray Lewis denies using antler spray"

From ESPN.com

Review by Eric Brent in SRM 334 (section 3)

In ESPN’s article “Ray Lewis denies using antler spray,” the author discusses accusations made against Ray Lewis regarding his use of deer antler spray to help repair his tricep injury. The deer antler spray contains the substance IGF-1 which is banned by the NFL. Mitch Ross, the co-owner of Sports With Alternatives to Steroids (SWATS), has openly said that Lewis has used every product the company produces. Lewis denied the reports immediately when they were brought to surface, but the Ravens organization wanted Lewis to issue a stronger denial on Super Bowl media day. Dr. Salvatori, from John Hopkins University, told Baltimore Sun SWAT’s claims can simply not be true. He goes on to explain there is simply no scientific way that the substance IGF-1 can be taken orally, so it is not possible to come from a spray.

In the mist of Super Bowl week, I feel that Mitch Ross made these statements only to gain attention to not only him but the SWAT company as a whole. Ross knew this would be the most opportune time because not only was it Super Bowl week, but the spotlight was also on Ray Lewis due to his retirement announcement earlier in the season. Ray Lewis reacted to the allegations like a true professional, which allowed for him to focus on the real reason he was in New Orleans. The story could have easily become a distraction to the organization, but because Lewis was not selfish and instead thought about the betterment of the team.

The article relates to this course due to the fact of how the media took these accusations knowing it would gain a lot of attention. The timing of the accusations caused the media to go into a frenzy because the story would get extra media attention because of the Super Bowl. The announcement of Lewis’s retirement also played a role on how quickly reporters wanted to get the story out given the circumstances.
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Review by Jack Dennehy in SRM (section 3)

The article that we chose to use was “Ray Lewis Denies Using Antler Spray.” We chose this because it is very relevant for our class. Not only is it a current event, it is a very important current event due to the timing of the release and also Ray is one of the best football players in history. The article discusses how a magazine article accused him of using a banned substance for him to have a faster recovery from his torn triceps injury that happened in week seven of the season. Ray ended up missing the last ten games of the regular season. The spray was to enter the body via the mouth. The organization that is credited for making the spray product is SWATS(Sports with Alternatives to Steroids) His response to the articles release was not as serious as people would have thought. He said he was not angry but he was “agitated.” So when he addressed the press he was almost laughing over the matter saying it was ridiculous and uncalled for. He even went to say that “this guy has no credibility.” Coach Harbaugh was very confident in Ray and him telling the truth. Coach Harbaugh is one of the most highly respected coaches in the league. The article did mention that the Owner of the Ravens was not thrilled with the way Ray addressed the issue. He wanted him to be more assertive and aggressive towards the subject. The article talks about something very interesting, A professor at Johns Hopkins University claims that it is impossible for the spray to be affective orally. So once this is thrown out in the public it makes the claims irrelevant. This article is relevant to the course because it is a controversial subject that was entered into the press without much thought. We talk about subjects exactly like this one in class. The time at which it was released, a week before the biggest game of the year, the super bowl, and also it being the last game of Ray Lewis’s career draws a lot of attention. When you accuse someone of cheating or using performance enhancing substances, it can potentially ruin their entire career. It is a very sensitive subject to throw out there when you are not one hundred percent whether it is certain.

"Ray Lewis more focused on 49ers than retirement"

From Fox Sports

Review by Luke Drayer in SRM 334 (section 2)

Now in his 17th season with the Baltimore Ravens, Ray Lewis has finally decided to call it quits. After announcing his retirement on January 2, Lewis told his teammates that this would be his “last ride” as the team’s captain and leader. Regardless of when the season ended, Lewis said he would be hanging up the cleats. However, after beating the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots in post-season play, the Ravens have now found themselves competing in New Orleans for the Super Bowl. Even with one game left in his playing career, Lewis is adamant that he isn’t thinking about his retirement, but instead about taking on the San Francisco 49ers and winning the Super Bowl. Lewis has had a Hall of Fame career, but his impact on the Raven’s over the years has gone beyond his play. Ray is known amongst players and fans of the NFL as being one of the best motivational and inspirational leaders in all of sports. He has a certain presence about him that makes his teammates rally around him and want to play with the same passion that he has. Regardless of whether or not the Ravens take home the Super Bowl trophy, Lewis will be regarded as one of the best, if not the best, defensive players to ever play the game of football. I feel that this article relates to this class because ever since announcing his retirement, there has been nonstop talk on twitter and news networks like SportsCenter about what his legacy will be and whether he will be able to walk away from the game with a Super Bowl trophy or not. It has been a huge story for the past month and I feel it has actually played a part in the Ravens post–season run. I think the Ravens feel they have something to play for, almost like they owe it to Ray to have him leave the game with a Super Bowl win. While I like both teams, I am personally rooting for the Ravens as I think it would be awesome to see Ray Lewis go out with a bang.

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Review by Kolbie Owens in SRM 334 (section 2)

Ray Lewis is a linebacker on the Baltimore Ravens. Lewis has been referring to this postseason run as the “Last Ride” because he is going to retire after this Super Bowl game. Ray Lewis is very wise in his game playing because of his long 17-year career in the NFL. In this article he states how his focus is not on his retirement, it is on this game. He is doing this for him and his team NOT just himself and wants to stay as focused as possible.

Ray Lewis is in the media for many things. One is his age, he is 37 years old and arguable the best defensive player in the NFL. Two, he is a motivational speaker as well as a successful leader. Lewis gives pep talks to his team as well as colleges. He is an inspirational speaker and is known for that because of how motivational he is. This leads to the next thing the media loves about Ray Lewis, he pregame dance. This is very familiar to Ravens fans as well as other football fans.

The dance, his age, and his motivational speeches are all good media on Ray Lewis, now here is the bad. In 2000 he was accused of a murder of his two friends. This caused a lot of drama and press on Lewis. In the end he was not found guilty for the murder, however he was guilty for obstruction of justice. Currently he has a performance enhancing drug allegation with Deer-antler velvet spray, which causes a more recent bad image for him.

This is relevant to this class because it shows how much the media represents the image of an athlete, and Ray Lewis has had many incidents that reflect good and bad behavior. He is under the spotlight for everything he does good and bad and for Lewis that seems to not have any bad effect on him because he is still an extremely talented athlete.

"How branded merch, affinity clubs help teams court female fans"

From SportsBusiness Journal

Review by Sean McGough in KIN 332

As women now account for 45 percent of the NFL’s fan base, according to league officials, marketers are aiming to develop a long lasting and lucrative connection by targeting them. The NFL had never licensed women’s apparel until only two years ago. The attraction of the female fan skyrocketed immediately after. Campaigns such as the “It’s My Team” campaign featured women from former Secretary of State, Condaleezza Rice, Serena Williams, and sportscaster Melissa Stark. Clothing brands jumped on this ship almost instantaneously with brands such as, Nike, 5th and Ocean, and Little Earth. Now all of a sudden NFL women’s apparel is fashionable on any day of the week.

From a marketing perspective, this is an extremely powerful move that could have its failures or its very high success. Affinity clubs for women have sprung up across the league to engage the female in an even more interactive way. First it was just using merchandise such as nail polish the color of “her” favorite team to jewelry and sunglasses. Now in these Women affinity clubs, incentives are given; VIP events are set up along with viewing parties and free merchandise.

While there are many positives to this marketing scheme, it also has its negatives. It can be considered a risk to allot such a large amount of money towards a marketing program that may fail. However, after reading this article I believe that the marketing research was done very effectively and with their focus groups, they found the right target markets to start these Women Affinity Clubs. Right now there are only seven cities that offer this and they are: Baltimore, Denver, Houston, Indianapolis, San Diego, San Francisco, and Washington. Each team has their own name for their female fans to give them a sense of identity within that fan base.

I do agree with this article when it says, “the potential for this growth is unmistakable”. The facts are that some memberships, such as Washington and Baltimore have more than 25,000 members while others have sponsors. The Houston Texans affinity club secured State Farm as a presenting sponsor. Starting in only a few cities seems like a “test” in a sense, but I do believe these affinity clubs will grow as the marketing research continues and more awareness of this opportunity.