"NCAA's Leadership Failure in Governing the Commercialization of College Sports"

From the New York Times


Review by Mac Mountcastle in KIN 332 (Section 1)

The National Collegiate Athletic Association or NCAA was designed for one main purpose. The NCAA is there to regulate the fairness and safety of competition, also bring the college athletics into higher education for the student-athlete gets a high standard education. However, with college sports becoming more commercialized, especially in football and basketball, it has been difficult for the NCAA to regulate the college sports. Around the country football and basketball are the two main sports that fund the other sports offered by the university. One big debate in this article is where it talks about “making these commercial athletic enterprises non-profit organizations for tax purposes”, considering all the revenue they bring to the rest of the university. As far as Sports marketing goes the elite college conferences have just recently signed billion dollar deals to gain publicity on national television during their football games. This causes risks of violations, because of what the article says “imbalance of compensation” being that coaches and Athletic directors are compensated when the players are left out. This could lead to paying of the players when the teams are making all the money in revenue from ticket sales. Maybe even the booster supporters of the team pay the players, which is in turn still against the rules. This whole article boils down to the point that the amount of money a college generates in revenue needs to be well regulated. The NCAA should be able to tell all universities that only a certain amount can go back to Athletic Directors and coaches, so the coaches do not know what is available to them. That way coaches cannot offer recruits money when they do not know what the college is receiving in revenue. The NCAA needs to make it so they regulate how each university spends revenue towards sports especially football, and basketball. The article comes right out and says the entire problem, which is “more money equals more problems”. If the NCAA can govern the money flow the problem would be solved.

KIN 435 Students Participate in the 2011 JMU Football Home Opener

Select students from KIN 435 class had a successful JMU football game day experience last weekend.  The students assisted the Athletics Marketing department with setup of the JMU Fan Zone on Godwin Field, game program distribution, and oversight of giveaway items.  A few students were also placed in the Gate A ticket booth to assist the Athletic Ticket Office.  

"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.