"NFL Not Firing Replacement Ref Pulled From Game; Will Not Give Him Saints Assignments"

From SportsBusiness Journal

Review by Beau Banglesdorf in KIN 332 (section 2)

Brian Stropolo was pulled from this past Sunday’s Saints vs. Panthers game after pictures were found on his Facebook page of him wearing Saints clothes and being a Saints Fan. Brian Stropolo was not fired and the NFL said he would continue to work games starting week three of the current season (the next week). This incident triggered a lot of media buzz. Sport writers were coming out and saying things like the NFL should be embarrassed, Brian Stropolo should not be allowed to work for the NFL anymore, the integrity of the game of football is slipping, and that the NFL is not doing its job when it comes to screening officials before hiring them. Due to the replacement officials struggles on the field, players are starting to voice their disappointment with the officials and analysts are agreeing with the players and are saying that the replacement officials are negatively impacting the NFL. Players are getting away with more things on the field and games are taking longer to be played out due to the officials’ lack of understanding and implementing of the rules.

I believe the replacement officials are seriously hurting the NFL brand right now. Fans are complaining on how long the games are taking. If games continue to last this long, fans are going to start to become unwilling to devote four hours to watch a football game instead of the three hours they have become accustomed to. Also, with players and analysts coming out and criticizing the officials and down playing their knowledge of the game and ability to keep a game under control, NFL fans are going to start believing that and stop caring as much about the outcomes to games because they do not know if the better team really won. This will result in lost fans, lower revenues, and lower TV ratings. I could see other leagues such as college football or the UFL (United Football League) taking advantage of the current situation the NFL has with their officials and making gains in fans and TV ratings which would result in higher revenue and more brand recognition.

"The Extra Point" with Khalil Garriott from the NFL Players Association

"Pros and Cons: Corporate Ads on NBA Jerseys May Debut in 2013"

From Forbes

Review by Zack Krukowski

The NBA has announced that, beginning in the 2013 season, the league will sell a two inch by two inch patch on the shoulder of jerseys to corporate sponsors. This is a marketing approach that has seen much success in other sports such as NASCAR and the English Premier League, and the NBA decided they couldn’t miss out on the potential additional revenue any longer. Advertising on EPL uniforms brought in $178 in revenue in 2010, and NBA deputy commissioner Adam Silver has estimated it could lead to $100 million in added revenue for the NBA. This is the equivalent of $677.50 per square inch of advertising, per game.

The reaction from fans has been mostly negative since the changes were announced. Many fans think that ads on jerseys are tacky and distasteful, and that they take away from the tradition of the game. People also rightfully believe that putting ads on jerseys is a slippery slope. Many don’t necessarily mind a two by two patch, but fear it will lead to a jersey full of ads, like in the Premier League. Fans also see this as a greedy move for a league that already brings in enormous profit. With this move its clear the NBA is jeopardizing its relationship with its fans, and in turn is risking a decrease in ticket and merchandise sales.

This article relates to our class because of the amount of negative media backlash this story received. The announcement to add advertisements to jerseys was front-page news when it was made, and many media outlets had only bad things to say about the change. When fans go onto a site like ESPN.com and read articles where sportswriters slam the league and call the decision greedy, their loyalty to the NBA is only hurt. This will lead that fan to be less likely to spend money on tickets and merchandise. This story is a great example of a situation where media coverage is bad for a sports league.

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Review by Tyler Green

Advertisements and sponsorships have always played a large role in the sports we know and love today whether they’re seen throughout the stadium or shown during the commercial break, but when does one draw the line for too many ads? A recent topic of discussion in sports media has been the coverage of corporate advertisement becoming more prominent in the NBA by displaying them from the jerseys of every player. The move would ultimately bring in a lot of revenue for the sport, but those who value the tradition of the league see it as more of a negative change. The ad would not exactly be an eye sore, but the 2x2 square plot jersey space it certainly is producing a lot of mixed opinions amongst the league and fan base.

With advertisements being seen all over NASCAR vehicles/uniforms, UFC shorts, or on English Premier soccer jerseys, just to name a few, we know this isn’t the first time the addition of ads have been focused towards the athletes. But many NBA fans can’t come to terms with being the first of the major American sports to give in to selling out their traditional jerseys. What’s to stop the other sports from following suit or adding so many ads that it becomes a much larger distraction than anyone intended? It only seems to be creating concern for the issue going from bad to worse and fans can’t seem to find the good in it. The biggest benefit seen by the NBA would be the $100 million in additional revenue, but many would question how necessary making that extra profit really is.

Overall the media has been projecting the decision as a negative one leaving the league to look like money grubbing gluttons. It is said to only get worse with the size and quantity of these ads to the point where you’re only recognizing a player by their sponsor. This truly hurts the image of the NBA and the fans loyal to the sport simply will not want to contribute to a league they feel has turned their back on the game. In a world where media plays a powerful part in getting the final say and influencing the people, this is an example where the media has impacted the sport world negatively.