From Yahoo! Sports
Analysis by Maura Gunning in SRM 334 (section 1)
On the 12th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, twitter accounts all over the country were sending out “Never Forget” and “United We Stand” tweets to show patriotism and support to those who were affected by the tragedy. The professional basketball organizations, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns also sent out controversially commemorative tweets. The Lakers posted a large photo of Kobe Bryant with the words “#NEVERFORGET”, until you looked very closely there was no indication of the true meaning behind the tweet other than gaining publicity for one of the most famous players. The Phoenix Suns posted a picture of a man dressed in a gorilla suit, on a stage, waving an American flag with fireworks exploding around him in celebration. Ultimately, is it appropriate or necessary for professional sports organizations to make comments on subjects outside of sports? Social media has created the mindset that anyone is allowed to say anything they want about any subject they like. No matter how unknowledgeable, twitter, Facebook, blogs, and Instagram have made it possible for users to be the new reporters in their communities. The Lakers explained their actions by saying that the tweet was so remember the way that they commemorated the attacks during the 2001-02 season. It is more understandable that the organizations would comment on the events for any employees, family, or friends affected directly after the event but I argue that it is unnecessary for them to make a statement each year. The news sources should make statements about the anniversary of the attacks to tell us what is happening now to heighten security, about the status of the world currently, about the victim’s family and friends who are still grieving and still in recovery. There was a great story about a husband and wife who 12 years after their son’s death in the towers discovered that his last moments were spent selflessly helping others out of the building – that is a news story. Furthermore for the Suns to choose the image they did was not commemorate in the least. Their twitter image reflects the mood of a wild Fourth of July barbeque party before the firework show, not the somber, grieving day of remembrance following an American tragedy.
This article is relative to the course because of its unique nature in explaining why social media can harm an organization. Most of what we hear about social media, explains it as the next greatest thing when in reality not many people stop to think about the publicity as a danger. I think that this generation especially need to remind themselves of the phrase, “Some things are better left unsaid.” It is not necessary or credible for a basketball organization to be commenting on current world events, just as a college student like myself should not be making statements about the latest rocket science formulas used by NASA. I think that professional sports organizations would be better off to remember that they are experts in their industry, therefore if anything on another subject could be taken the wrong way in the slightest it would be best not to publically post it on any media source. The fans have so much power to interact with feedback and criticism now that professional organizations of any kind cannot risk the danger in unnecessary tweets and Facebook messages.
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Analysis by Kara Camuso in SRM 334 (section 1)
Different teams were showing their support for the 12-year anniversary for September 11th, but some of the teams did not show it in a respectful way. The article that we chose for the current event is depicting Lakers as using the special day just to promote their team. The Lakers Twitter account tweeted a picture of Kobe Bryant with “#NeverForget”. It was supposed to show the memorial ribbon on the jersey, but when followers opened the picture Kobe was the center of the picture with a little ribbon on the side. Seeing that people were offended, they took the tweet down and wrote an apology. The Phoenix Suns also tried to show respect that day, but they failed miserably by tweeting a guy in a gorilla suit waving a flag. This showed poor judgment on their part as it seemed that they were taking the day as a publicity stunt.
From a media standpoint, athletes/teams need to think about what they are posting on social media. As these examples show, things can be misinterpreted, and their organization can be seen as disrespectful. They think they can put anything on the Internet, but there are repercussions to offensive tweets. Also with media, things are never deleted so even though the Lakers and Suns took the tweets down people can still have access to them. Although teams and athletes are posting how they feel, the fans will give them their feedback. For example in our presentation, we show how the Broncos head coach is wearing a hat and a fan responded that the Broncos are trying to get publicity rather than remembering the day. Since these are big organizations, people look more closely at what they are posting to represent themselves. If they communicate in a poor manner, it will say a lot about their organization.
This article is relevant to the course because twitter is a big source of media that people will communicate through. If we want to go into a job with media, this article shows we have to be careful what we put on the Internet. We have to make sure it has a positive look on our organization or it could create a bad reputation. Sports Information Specialists have to choose what goes on their sites and what does not using their best judgment. This also relates back to our class because we talked about how people use technology to establish relationships. The Lakers were trying to establish a relationship with their followers but failed to do so within the way they presented the memorial tweet. Last but not least, in class we learned that organizations should know how and when to communicate, and this is a good example of why this concept is so important. The Lakers and Suns needed to know how to effectively communicate “#NeverForget”.
Twitter is being looked over by people more and more every day. The Lakers and the Suns did not post an appropriate tweet to remember September 11th, and they more promoted themselves on the solemn day. Athletes and teams need to be careful how they post things on the Internet because their audience will react, especially by tweeting back at the organization. As students going into this profession, it is important that we know how to communicate appropriately for our organizations in the future.
Analysis by Annie Comber in SRM 435 (section 1)
After years of research and planning the historic racket company Babolat, has created the first “plug-in” racket of its kind. This new racket is called the Babolat Play, which allows players to collect data of their performance after playing. The high-tech racket enables players to connect through Bluetooth connection with a Smartphone or from a USB in the handle of the racket and connect to a computer or tablet. Sensors in the handle of the Babolat Play are responsible for collecting information about the player’s game. This racket can measure various performance data such as shot power, ball impact location, number of strokes, spin level, total and effective play time, endurance, techniques, consistency, energy, and rallies. Players can then compare and share either information online through Babolatplay.com and on a Babolat Play app. The racquet has been approved for play by the International Tennis Federation but not until January of 2014.
From a marketing prospective, the Babolat Play has been slow to launch in the United States however with the use of social media, a famous spokes person and onsite activation, Babolat hopes the top players will be using the racket in the near future. Babolat is a French company that has always launched their rackets in Europe but they have decided to take a new approach and introduce it in the Unites States first because of the strong presence of social media and other wired sports equipment products. Babolat is planning to promote the racquet by traditional advertising in tennis outlets as well as some social media outlets and events. In addition, Rafael Nadal arguably one of the greatest tennis players in the world and is the official spokes person for the Babolat Play racket. Nadal has practiced with this racket and has created a few promotional videos while giving Babolat key feedback. As part of a promotion Nadal used his Facebook page to engage with fans and get them excited for the Babolat Play racket and then chose three fans to speak with him on the phone. Currently ranked number two in the world with over five million twitter followers, Babolat could not have picked a better spokes person for the new racket. In addition, American Express has a two-story, fan suite at the US Open that is the most trafficked on-site activation area at the open. The large space has 6-by-30 foot digital board that lets fans create Art by swinging a racket. There are also full tennis courts for clinics for kids and adults to improve their tennis skills. The Babolat Play racket is not yet incorporated into the American Express Fan Experience but this may be the next step to market the racket. This article relates to our class because it explains how new technologies in sports equipment will be marketed in the future. Babolat show us the effectiveness of marketing in the media via Facebook, Twitter, and videos, while having a famous spokes person promoting the racket as well. Technology in tennis equipment is a new concept for many athletes and fans but with the proper marketing and promotion techniques gathering data about ones’ tennis game will soon become the norm.
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Analysis by Stephanie Nielsen in SRM 435 (section 1)
The world of sports is constantly changing and improving as the years go by. New additions to technology keep appearing and adding more to the athletes and games that we love to watch. The newest phenomenon that is offered for individual athletes is the ability to have devices that can record and track their play during competitions. The Babolat Play Racket is a new addition to the world of tennis and is scheduled to hit the market in January of 2014.
Babolat is a French tennis, badminton and squash equipment company that is best known for its strings and tennis rackets that are used by several top players, such as Rafael Nadal, Andy Roddick, Kim Clijsters and many others. The Play Racket offers many interesting features that will greatly benefit the development of professional and amateur tennis players. The product has sensors integrated into the handle allowing players to have access of information about their game. Shot power and ball impact location along with number of strokes (forehand, backhand, serve, smash), spin level, total and effective play time, endurance, technique, consistency, energy and rallies are all the types of data that are collected through the racket. After the player is finished the information is transmitted through a Bluetooth connection with a smart phone or a USB form. Through a marketing standpoint this individual racket is very pricey for the amateur tennis player. However, knowing the prices of private tennis pro lessons and clinics for this sport, this racket will be able to keep up and have the potential to become a driving force in the development of tennis players. Rafael Nadal is currently the company’s most prominent spokesperson. He is an extremely beneficial aspect to this campaign and product. The Babolat company will need to actively promote this product with social media campaigns to encourage fans to learn about the product. One campaign that Babolat has already done is a Facebook competition where three random fans were selected to have a conversation with Nadal. Another marketing opportunity for this product is for fans that are attending the U.S. Open to be able to test out this product. This will encourage fan involvement while the product is being implemented. The Babolat Play Racket may take a little more time to get off the ground and going but this is an innovative technology product that will open doorways for other individual and team sports to have products developed for their particular sports in the future.
Analysis by Michael Herndon in SRM 435 (section 2)
Starting from one hundred, the United States will be counting down the days until the start of the Sochi Olympics. This will be the third Olympics the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) has hosted this event held in Times Square. The purpose of the event is to celebrate an official countdown to the start of the Olympics, as well as celebrate and showcase the Olympians themselves. Year-by-year the event has started to gain more publicity, creating a higher demand for sponsors.
This article explains what goes on at this event, the differences in the sponsors marketing over the years, and what it means to be a sponsor. The article starts out stating that the USOC expects more than 170,000 people to stop by at the event this year. This number would more than double the amount of people from the inaugural year for the Vancouver Games. The Event in Times Square marks the first event on their Road to Sochi Tour around the United States. Liberty Mutual will be the main sponsor out of twelve, where each sponsor will get their own activation area in Times Square. They will market their product while having activities to engage fans and anyone who walks by. Over the years this event has gone from hoping sponsors will want to market at the event, to sponsors seeing more value and looking to get a return on investment.
I believe marketing at this event is a great way to promote your brand because it contains almost all of the aspects of the sport promotional mix. Being in Times Square, there is tons of publicity. This publicity is free to the people walking through and visiting time square, and the event definitely stimulates demand for multiple products. They do this by having multiple incentives while using the technique of personal contact. In Times Square, there will be multiple Olympians/professional athletes along with engaging activities and performances from the Olympians. As for personal contact, they incorporate all three components: selling, monitoring, and servicing. They may not be charging any person to buy their product but the sponsors are trying to sell to customers that they have the best products. The organizations are monitoring how people act when they come into their activation area, as well as evaluating and re-evaluating their service to make sure it is a success, and will be in the future. When it comes to atmospherics, what more can you ask for. You are in the middle of Times Square with numerous Olympians, professional athletes, and other citizens who are all supporting the country they love, the United States.
Sponsorships are a big part of this article and I believe the sponsors did it right at this event. What I mean by this is that each sponsor had their own area to advertise their products. They were also able to bring a team out to the event to work with Olympians to get the right publicity. The hospitality of the event was great because they were using personal contact and helped create an atmosphere where fans are engaging in activities while enjoying their time in Times Square. As I’ve already talked about the incentives the event has, I think just being able to be in Times Square is enough of an incentive alone; same goes with atmospherics. Finally the community relations aspect of the event; clearly the event is being held in a great community, but this is only the opening stage for their four month tour. The USOC will be visiting twelve different cities around the United States to interact and connect with local communities all over the nation. There will be chances for donations and multiple giveaways, the Olympians/professional athletes will be performing and making appearances at activation areas, and there will be multiple on-site activities to get fans engaged, as I’ve stated before.
Overall, I believe this article connects to our class in multiple ways. I’ve already explained how this event pretty much incorporates all of the sports promotional mix that we have talked about in class. We have also talked about all the factors that have influenced growth in the sports industry. From the first year this event was held to now, there has been an increase in over 100,000 participants. I believe this is from the constant human interest in sports, along with sport business increasing in new diverse market segments. There has also been in increase in growth due to the new promotion and marketing techniques that they use to get people to come out to the event each year. As we’ve talked about in class, incentives are a great way to do this. Continuing forward, I believe this event will continue to grow and have an increase in the population of people that get involved. They incorporate sponsors who are using the sport promotional mix effectively, which creates an environment that people want to come back to. Not only has the event been run well, but this event is for a bigger event; the Olympics. I believe we take a lot of pride in our country when it comes to sports and this is another reason why the event in Times Square is a big success. Everyone is now waiting until the clock hits 100 days, for the countdown, to the Sochi Olympics.
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Analysis by Michael Civiello in SRM 435 (section 2)
In this article the main focus was the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and its expansion of its sponsors for the upcoming pre-Olympic celebration held in Times Square. It is the third time this event has been held and the celebration itself is the start of the the “Road to Sochi Tour.” This tour is going across the country between November 2013 and February 2014. The event in Times Square is set to have 12 sponsors, all of which have their own “activation space.” Each sponsor is also assigned one of 12 sports interactive elements that fans can engage in. The sponsors include: Coca-Cola, AT&T, Budweiser, Chobani, Folgers, The Hartford, Hilton, Jif, Kellogg’s, United, and Smucker’s jams.
The event itself has grown not only in sponsors, but in attendance as well. The first year before the Vancouver games, 75,000 people came out to the inaugural event. Prior to the London games, 175,000 people showed up. This year’s event is expected to have 170,000 people. There has been more incentive to sign up for this event according to USOC’s chief marketer Lisa Baird. She thinks the incentive is the exposure for the different companies. That is a main reason Liberty Mutual signed up to be a lead sponsor. Their senior vice president of communications is quoted as saying: “…our presenting sponsorship of the Road to Sochi Tour provides Liberty Mutual Insurance the opportunity to expose the brand to millions of Olympic fans across the country…” The USOC itself has secured 12 billboards for branding its own logos and Pilobolus performance company who is doing a show as part of the event.
From marketing standpoint this event is a great way to promote a brand. Over 150,000 people are expected to be walking through Times Square, and will be able to have access to a company’s brand in some sort of way. Its up the company though, how they go about their “activation.” Lisa Baird, the USOC chief marketer, had a good point about the exposure, and each company will have a plan on how they want to engage each consumer. The USOC is helping with giving each brand an assigned event that fans can engage in. Its again up the sponsor on how effective they can sell it. A lot of activation could be giveaways, contests, enter to wins, etc.
The exposure a brand could get is unquestioned with how many people are expected to see it, but what could be questioned is why not more sports related companies and organizations trying to sponsor this event. It was shocking to see that not one was a known sport organization or company. The Olympics is the biggest sporting event in the world and it was very odd to see no related sponsors. The event is definitely growing, as attendance and sponsors have doubled since the last event before the London games in 2012. It was also mentioned that there were over 150 million media impressions. That is a whole lot of ways of getting a brand out. That statistic is a very high number and could definitely be an eye catcher for potential sponsors. With increasing attendance, it is not a stretch to say that there definitely will be an increase in sponsors to sign up. This article is relatable to the Sports Marketing course mainly for the fact that the focus of all this is geared toward the Olympics, aforementioned as the biggest sporting event in the world. It is something that potential sponsors would love to get a piece of, any type of way. One of those ways could be this 100 day-out celebration. It is definitely growing and could potentially expand even more. Any exposure for a brand is good and this is definitely a way to get a brand out to the public, and to a bigger audience not just in Times Square, but also across the country.
