From Adweek
Review by Ryan Dixon in SRM 435 (section 1)
“Competing with the couch”, as this article talks mostly about connecting with the fans through social media and ways to get fans attention while at the game there are still some people out there that would rather enjoy watching a game “on the couch.” Stadiums and ballparks are thinking of more creative ways to get the fans engaged not just into the game but into what’s going on around the game. Places like the seats, at the concession lines, or even on the big screen scoreboard. While some stadiums are more technologically advanced than others, they are still trying to rebuild and revamp to get the game day experience more live and exciting.
The way this article ties into this course is that without all the new technology that is being added to the stadiums people wont want to come and watch games in person anymore. They will rather sit at home and be able to get the same experience that they would at the games. That’s why companies are coming together and thinking of ways to get fans to come to the games. With adding new technology to stadiums fans will see that and know they are getting a better experience than they would on their couch. Without fans coming to view the games in person you wont have sales and marketing promotions for other companies and even for your stadium itself. Fans want that wired environment; have free WiFi so their videos or pictures upload quicker onto their social medias. During games you have trivia presented by a certain company that does promotions for the team. While a game is on time out you may have a chance to get and upgrade seat exchange by answering the trivia question right. Its things like this that make fan want to come to the games in person. I feel bad for someone who has never been to an actual stadium to watch a game in person. I know many people say they would rather watch games on a HD TV but I don’t know what is more HD than our own eyes and experiencing everything first hand.
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Review by Cody Fazenbaker in SRM 435 (section 1)
With the emergence of advanced technology, the viewing experience of sporting events is changing drastically. Ten years ago, the action of the game was what drove fans to come watch. Now, with the creation of smartphones and Wi-Fi, it is all about the fan experience. Fans are not as motivated to attend sporting events live as they were years ago because of the convenience of watching multiple games from several angles from the comfort of their own home. Sports organizations are “competing with the couch” and fighting to give fans an irreplaceable fan experience in order to keep fans coming back.
Studies have shown that more than half of sports fans would rather watch a game from their own home than attend the game live. The Barclays Center, home of the Brooklyn Nets, is one example of a venue that is providing that at-home experience. The addition of Wi-Fi, 4G LTE coverage, and the ability to order food from your own seats are just some of the many amenities that give fans a high-tech experience. Because the value of being at the game does not mean as much as it did years ago, sports organizations and marketers must find ways to appeal to our digital generation. Dallas Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, installed an HD center-hung scoreboard that measures 72 feet by 160 feet. The Miami Marlins encourage fans to tweet difference team references before and during the game in order to get their tweets up on the scoreboard. Kansas City’s MLS soccer team asks fans to participate in games on their smartphones with incentives being things such as seat upgrades. The ultimate goal of these organizations now is to have fans arrive to the game earlier, stay longer, and spend more. Knowing what your fans want is more important than ever.
This article is relevant to our marketing and advertising class because those two things are more important than ever in the sports business world. In order to keep fans coming back to attend games live rather than have them watch from home, sport marketers and advertisers must be more creative than ever. It is all about connecting with the fan and personalizing their experience.
From Philly.com
Review by Nick Kusko in KIN 501
The article explored the significant influence celebrity athletes have on their audience, with a specific focus on the promotion of “junk food.” It was discussed that the most susceptible population were adolescents, which could be a contributing factor to childhood obesity and Type-II Diabetes. As a conclusion, it was noted that a shift should be made in having these same influential athletes promoting healthier and more nutritious options to today’s youth.
There were two main conclusions that resulted from the article. The first of which was that professional athletes would always have a strong influence over audiences. The majority of athletes are positive role models, and in return, followers (especially youth) will be drawn to products and services they represent. The article provided a historic example of Babe Ruth and Ted Williams promoting cigarettes in the 20th century (Dahlsgaard, 2013). Today’s athletes could obviously not promote tobacco products in today’s society, but it is a similar concept of making universally less desirable products seem acceptable or “cool.” Athletes have historically been spokesmen (or spokeswomen) for products, and this will most likely never change.
The second main conclusion, which was related to the first one, was that professional athletes’ have a “brainwashing” effect. They have the ability to make any object or food seem needed, because they endorse it in an advertisement. As the article suggested, would a child be tempted to eat an Oreo just because Peyton Manning tells them to? Unfortunately, the answer for most would be yes. As the article implied, this undeniable power should be harnessed and used to portray a positive message of healthier eating and exercise in attempt to combat childhood (and adulthood) obesity.
This article is relevant to the course as celebrity endorsements are a large component of sports marketing. These advertisements are heavily used in the media and strategically placed for specific audiences. The marketing industry would be a completely different world if professional athletes had no role in the promotion of the most popular brands, products and foods. Some would even suggest that such a concept is unfathomable in today’s multimedia domain.
From Ad Age
Review by Graham Sharples in SRM 435 (section 1)
As the Super bowl is fast approaching, many fans look forward to the commercials just as much as the big game. On January 22, 2014, Ad Age, wrote a special report on the super bowl and how revealing ads throughout the duration of the super bowl can either make or break marketers careers. The article noted that in order to be successful on the “big day,” marketers should be prepared to spend on average $6 million to $10 million but also to start focusing on their advertisement at least eight months in advance. The article focuses a lot on the planning for the one-day debut rather than just the advertisement itself. It was also stated in the article that “marketers now plan when and how they announce they bought a super bowl spot” and how that has become a part of a mini-marketing plan because of all the media interest surrounding it (McCarthy, 2014).
Super bowl Sunday has grown to be one of the most watched broadcasts and sporting events in the United States. Companies are quick to take advantage of the built-in audience to showcase their products and innovative ad campaigns. It is an unprecedented opportunity and a huge moment in sports and advertising.
This article relates to this course because the course relies heavily on the principles of promotions and marketing in the sports industry. The article analyzes the key to being a successful advertiser during a big event such as the super bowl. The class deals a lot with promotions and advertising and this is exactly what the article described. This article also recognizes the importance of preparation and marketing strategies in order to be profitable.
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Review by Matt Williams in SRM 435 (section 1)
My article review will be on advertisements and marketing on the Superbowl ads. This opportunity for companies around the world is something they spend months and millions of dollars on. And this marketing prime time only comes around once a year therefore creates high stakes, money and time invested in these precious ad times. If your company is not willing to spend 6-10 million dollars Adam Komack chief client officer at Mediacom does not recommend you make this steep commitment just for a 30 second airtime. The Superbowl has become much more than a football game in our country it is practically a national holiday millions of people around the world watch the game football fan or not. The Super Bowl is the only time a year when marketers are guaranteed millions of people will be watching. Social media has impacted the marketing as well people sent out 26.1 million tweets during the game. This is exactly the attention that these companies want to generate consumers talking about their commercials and products. The after shock that these 30-60 seconds create is the key not just owning that add spot but having people talk about your add next week at work. Then the companies should offer some sort of retail event following the ad “to capitalize on all the noise the brand has made” Komack says. This opportunity to capture millions of peoples only comes once a year. This is why companies spend millions of dollars and fight for the most talked about ad for a reason. It works the most prosperous companies in the world shuffle ads out on this day. Marketers around the world take note on the messages and tactics made to try and make the best ad of year. This isn't only the National Football Leagues championship I believe this is also the title match for the marketing world. On one of the biggest stages of world a mega event when is their better time to take advantage of this marketing time.
