"NFL Teams Turn To Social Media To Connect With Fans"

From Forbes

Review by Amber Bolen in KIN 332 (section 1)

In today’s world, technology surrounds our daily lives. Most of everything we do involves the use of technology in some sort of way. In the article, “NFL Teams Turn to Social Media to Connect with Fans,” it explains the NFL’s efforts to make sure that all fans can access team information and news. These features will benefit many different people depending on their lifestyle.

The NFL teamed up with Buddy Media which gave the insight to the NFL of what fans wanted in terms of social media and mobile technology. Every single NFL team now has a mobile site that everyone can access on their phone to make browsing faster and easy. And most, not all, teams have their own mobile app that someone with a smart phone can download and track their favorite team. 

Specifically, the New England Patriots have created an app that allows you check news, keep live updates of the game, and even watch highlights from a previous game. Not only do the Patriots have this app but they have an app that is free for users with premium seats to download and see on demand instant replays from many different camera angles and a feed of NFL’s Redzone channel so that they can see what is happening across the league.

I loved this article simply because it showed me where media was going in the future. I like the NFL but I’m more into college athletics and if this continues to grow into college sports it would definitely make me more interested. Even though most games are played on Sundays, some people still work and giving those type of people who cannot catch games go to an app and access updates and even go back and watch highlights of the game from their phone. The only thing that I do not like is how people with premium seats are the only ones who can get that app for free. Some people have just enough money to buy the cheapest tickets/season tickets. It is not fair to limit one group of people to this app.

"Tanzania’s ‘tentacles’ reach Seattle"

From SportsBusiness Journal

Review by Peter Brosnan in KIN 332 (section 2)

Tanzania, a relatively small East African country that holds a relatively big population of about 43,000, has recently brought attention to itself through advertising in Major League Soccer and the English Premier League. In July, the Seattle Sounders FC signed a one-year partnership with the Tanzanian Tourism Board, making it the third consecutive year that they’ve done so. The relationship between those two areas of the world started about two years ago, when Sounders assistant coach and head scout Kurt Schmid visited Tanzania to scout players and search for talent. Since then, Tanzanian tourism has been advertised through scoreboard messages, LED panels on the sideline, and two large murals on either end of CenturyLink Field, where the Sounders, Seahawks, and University of Washington football team play. The Tanzanian Tourism Board also has a deal with the English Premier League, advertising in the stadiums of six small clubs. They chose a six-team deal as opposed to a single deal with a powerhouse like Manchester United, expecting the former deal to produce a bigger market. It is way too early to come up with any substantial results from this partnership, but according to the Tourism Board, they’ve been hearing from many tour operators in the Pacific Northwest already.

As hard as it may be for me to grasp this concept, the country of Tanzania is itself a product. There are natural wonders there that most people have never gotten the chance to see, and giving people that chance is a way to seriously boost its’ economy. That being said, I believe there are few better ways to advertise a product than through sports, so I believe that this is a smart partnership for both sides. The Sounders have opened up a pipeline with Africa, increasing the possibility of bringing international players over to play in Seattle. Not only that, but Tanzania is now advertising in a market that they haven’t reached before, which should have positive long-term effects on their tourism and overall economy. Soccer is an international sport. In fact, it is without a doubt the most popular sport throughout the world. With the growth of globalization and social media it has become even more popular in recent years, and the Tanzanian Tourism Board has utilized that in order to try and sell its product.

"Does Nike’s ‘Greatness’ Ad Exploit Fat People?"

From Time

Review by Dominique Fitzgerald in KIN 501

The article takes a look at various people’s reaction of seeing the new ‘Greatness’ ad from Nike featuring Nathan Sorrell an overweight 12 year old boy. Many people found that the ad was refreshing, inspiring, and amazing something Nike would normally not do; whereas others may have found the ad to be unclear or another way to combat myths. In my opinion I believe the Nike’s ‘Greatness’ ad focuses on the everyday person trying to achieve greatness whether its through running to loose weight, wheelchair racing, or playing soccer.

According to the article Dr. David Katz Editor-in-chief of the journal Childhood Obesity found the ad ambivalent because he was uneasy with the message that Nathan is chasing greatness by running. I do not think Dr. David Katz took in the idea that making the choice to become healthier by running that Nathan was making the choice to be greater. I also found that the ad helps people focus on their obstacles and how finding one’s greatness through their obstacles can bring pleasure into one’s life. Also Dr. Katz did not realize that greatness does not come over night but it is something that one has to work at everyday. So for millions of Americans to see Nathan in the early stages of his greatness is inspiring.

Based on the article other people believed that the ad is attacking the myths or notions that obese and overweight people are lazy, live for junk food, and are lacking in willpower or self-discipline. I found myself agreeing that the commercial does fight the pre-conceived notion that obese/overweight children are not trying to fight against obesity or being overweight because it seems people are very quick to generalize one form of demographic based on a few. Rochman further expresses my opinion by stating that, “ by featuring and overweight boy in their ad ( in a respectful manner), Nike challenges the stereotype that overweight youth are inactive, and shows that body size has nothing to do with a person’s ambition or ability to push themselves to achieve their goals. America has put greatness on a petiole that it is something that is allotted to a few people and everyone else has to stand by and watch others achieve it. I believe Nike is stating is that greatness is not given to certain individuals but greatness is simply having the guts to make a choice to become greater than who or what we are in essence it is centered around respect.