"Phillies get $2.5 billion, equity stake in Comcast SportsNet"

From Philly.com

Review by Taylor Longacre in SRM 334

In today’s fast pace society sports dominate our conversations, our living rooms, and our restaurants, just to name a few. Our worlds revolve around the sport industry and we are significantly impacted everyday whether we know it or not. Recently the Philadelphia Phillies, a major league baseball team, signed a lucrative television deal. In the article Phillies get $2.5 billion, equity stake in Comcast SportsNet written by Matt Gelb and Bob Fernandez, many intriguing points are conveyed. According to Gelb and Fernandez from the Inquirer, the Phillies will have twenty-five percent ownership of the network, it is a twenty-five year contract, and advertising from broadcasts will be split in some manner. (Philly.Com) Also the Comcast Network will not be limited on how many Phillies games they will be allowed to televise; which is what makes this deal so interesting to me. Being from Philadelphia I grew up watching the Philadelphia Flyers and Sixers play on Comcast but not as much of the Phillies; Comcast is now televising three out of four sports teams in the area.

This article relates to media and communication because as stated by Gelb and Fernandez, “Media companies are furiously locking up the rights to live sporting events because the future of TV is unclear. There is still a premium for advertisers to target live televised sports, and the value is manifesting in these contracts.” (Philly.com) Comcast is one of the main media outlets for the sports in the area which gives them tremendous power over their competition. If Dish Network and DirecTV want to compete with Comcast they have to start carrying the Comcast Network for their customers to be able to view their favorite sports teams. This decision impacts rival media outlets on so many levels. Now if a Phillies fan wants to watch their team and they do not have Comcast it will be harder for them and cost more money. Fortunately in this mass media world we live in games can be streamed online but as a viewer you are losing clarity and convenience.

The Phillies television deal with Comcast emphasizes a couple points that were made in class. Hyper Localism in particular is critical in looking at this deal. Comcast airs all sports in the Philadelphia area and is really putting pressure on other media sources. Also after this deal went through, Comcast fired the two broadcasters for the team and are on the verge of replacing them. In conclusion, Sports + Media = Money. In this case the Phillies and Comcast are working together to better serve each sides interests.

Volunteer Opportunity: Adapted Sports Day at JMU

JMU Adapted Sports Day is looking for student volunteers who love sport and love to make a difference. This upcoming semester, on February 7 and 8, they are hosting an Adapted Sports Day for middle school and high school students with physical disabilities. Our goal is EMPOWERMENT through SPORT. The event will feature basketball and volleyball where students from Virginia can come for 2 days and experience sport as well as college life. Friday, Feb. 7 will include a meet and greet session and attendance at the JMU women’s basketball game. Saturday, Feb 8, students will spend the day going through the basketball and volleyball clinic, lunch on campus and will have a chance to compete in games in the afternoon. Check out the links below to see examples of what we will be doing.

Example of sitting volleyball:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V66iwMfOj5A

Example of wheelchair basketball:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30nV5jySi3o

We are looking for volunteers to help us make the event possible. Volunteers will have a variety of roles including:
- Lead groups of students in game play
- Interact with participants and their families by sitting with them, talking to them
- Set-up
- Clean-up

Volunteers need to be able to commit to either 4-9 p.m. on Friday and/or 9 a.m.-4 p.m.on Saturday for the whole day. No prior experience is needed.

If you are interested in volunteering please email Richelle Villa at villa2ra@dukes.jmu.edu.

If you have any other questions about the event please contact, Dr. Joshua Pate at patejr@jmu.edu or Dr. Thomas Moran at morante@jmu.edu.

The media's role in Alex Rodriguez's suspension

From X1.com and Biography.com

Review by Renee Layne in SRM 334

Alex Rodriguez’s negative reputation in the media started in 2001 when he signed a ten year, $252 million contract with the Texas Rangers causing his previously loyal Mariners fans to become outraged. Many of which vented their rage at Rodriguez on twitter. In 2007 he signed a ten year, $275 million contract with the Yankees. Negative media attention continued for Rodriguez through the tabloids printing his infidelity, failed marriage, slew of unprofessional tweets and his drug use. Since then Alex Rodriguez’s marketability as an athlete is in ruins and his public image is in tatters.

In early January 2014 Major League Baseball made the decision to suspend Alex Rodriguez, more commonly referred to as A-Rod, for two years based on his alleged drug use designed to further enhance his performance. Rodriguez’s attorney released a statement saying that Rodriguez planned on repealing any discipline given to him.

The reason this story is pertinent to our class is because of the role that social media coverage played in turning A-Rod’s public image from baseball’s super hero to Baseball’s poster boy for steroid use. Some reports even go so far as to say that Rodriguez’s suspension was granted based on the evidence found on facebook and twitter feeds. Such evidence points to A-Rod not only using performance enhancing drugs but also deliberately trying to hide such evidence from authorities in the investigation. According to blogger John Patzakis, investigators such as union general counsel David Prouty noted that social media evidence added a layer of proof that certainly would not have been available many years ago. (Patzakis) Users of networking and other media sites can learn a grave lesson from Rodriguez’s downturn. Users of social media site should be weary of statements they choose to release because those statements have a way of coming back to haunting a person later. Alex Rodriguez’s story shows us that not all media attention is good media attention especially if it costs you millions of dollars in contract deals. Only time will tell if Rodriguez will be remembered for his amazing baseball records or for his unfortunate image in the media.