"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.

"Healthier Concessions Menus Present New Booster Club Challenges"

From Athletic Business

Review by Korey Page in KIN 501

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

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

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

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

"14 Bills are given amazing ovations"

From Buffalobills.com





Review by Joanna Kirby in KIN 332 (Section 1)

I took a different spin off of my article. The article written by the director of Marketing of the Buffalo Bills goes into detail about 14 players supporting the Play 60 Challenge supported by the NFL. To my dismay, I noticed that the article concentrated much more on the players themselves then on promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Although “the Play 60 campaign was created in response to the national decline of physical education programs and lack of physical activity for today’s youth”, it seems to me that this campaign was just a way to target a younger crowd during their games. There is a tendency that many young boys usually watch football with their father, and during commercials they see beer, cheerleaders and food, nothing they can relate to. The commercials do not have much substance other than children their age interacting with professional football players. Their naïve imagination makes them believe that they are also capable of achieving this. Specifically in this article I found a few quotes which acknowledged chants for a certain Buffalo player, their undefeated record, and their standing ovations and a small portion was about health. By promoting this campaign teams hope to send off that their players are charismatic and that they care about the health of children. In the video of a pep rally the message may have gotten across better if their mascot was not in attendance, they were not in uniforms and they did not bring up the actual game followed by chants.

A positive reinforcer of this campaign does promote healthy eating and exercise. When they see that their role model supports and is involved with the program it makes them want to be a part of it too; hopefully gaining the published goal of the campaign: obesity. But what I got from the article is just another way to get out to the audience to promote a hidden charming personality and a game day audience.

"Marketing, Technology Drive Oklahoma's New Youth Outreach Initiative"

From Athletic Business: http://athleticbusiness.com/articles/article.aspx?articleid=3789&zoneid=8

Review by Brittany Clem in KIN 332 (Section 1)

Dominic Carola, President of Orlando, Florida- based Premise Entertainment, drew a cartoon character that looked like Oklahoma Universities mascot in attempt to reach out to young people interested in Oklahoma University Sooner athletics. Oklahoma’s Athletic Director Joe Castiglione describes that Sooner Jr. is “one of the most unique youth outreaches by any college athletics program in the nation.” Sooner Jr. is founded on four educational pillars, the F.A.N.S. system which involves fitness training, academics, nutrition, and sportsmanship. Not only is the Oklahoma University Athletic Department working on helping today’s youth get involved in a healthy lifestyle, they have reached as far as making an IPhone application for the program so that people nationally may become part of the Sooner Jr. program.

From a Marketing standpoint, OU’s AD for marketing, Charlie Taylor, says a six figure sum has been invested into the launch but this figure will change as people become more interested in the program. Tee-shirts, sweatshirts, and other apparel have been created with the Sooner Jr. logo in youth sizes and there is plan for future merchandise such as backpacks and water bottles supporting the healthy lifestyle theme of the Sooner Jr. program. Taylor also describes that there was a very large persuasive research project stating that more than 80 percent of the three and a half million people Oklahoma identified themselves as Sooner fans and of that 80 percent, 67 percent use a Smart Phone and one third an IPhone. This makes it possible for not only people in the state of Oklahoma to enjoy the program but people nationally through this technology. If interest in the Sooner Jr. program grows, technology will make sure that it will spread to rival school athletic programs.

The Sooner Jr. program and this article opened my eyes to not only a new program that benefits today’s youth, but the benefits brought to Oklahoma University’s Athletic Department by creating such a program. I believe that kids should choose their own path as to which college they wish to attend or what athletic department to be involved in but I also am very supportive of children becoming involved in an active healthy lifestyle. I think that it is a genius idea to take a character that is already known and turn that character into a positive influence and good role model as opposed to some of the examples set by today’s mascots or top ranked athletes.