"Tourism Expected to Pay Off $51B Sochi Investment"

From Athletic Business

Analysis by Rosella Sheehan in KIN 501

In the article, “Tourism Expected to Pay Off $51B Sochi Investment”, author Nancy Armour stated that several previous Winter Olympic cities including Salt Lake City and Vancouver have seen an increase in the amount of tourism revenue since the Olympics left. Russian officials are optimistic that Sochi will also see an increase in tourism in the years to come, especially from Russians and Europeans looking to vacation in the seaside town. Although travelling to Sochi is difficult, it does provide the best of both worlds in terms of snow and sand.

Despite the fact previous host cities have seen an increase in international tourism following the Olympics; I do not believe the same will occur in Sochi. Sochi officials did a great job of keeping the Games safe but the bad publicity the Games received has decreased the appeal of the city to most of the world. Many Westerners are not used to seeing stray dogs running the streets, unfinished hotel rooms or dirty drinking water which will make getting people to go visit this area of the world difficult. One of the biggest challenges Sochi will face trying to draw tourists is the reputation Russia has around the world, which is only becoming worse from its recent aggression towards Ukraine.

On the other hand, I do think that Sochi will draw Russians because Sochi became a source of pride for them during the Winter Games. A major draw this town has is its closeness to not only the sea but also the mountains. Other transformations to the seaside town that will draw Russian tourists is the new theme park “Putin World” and the transformation of Olympic Park into a race track for the Russian Grand Prix later on this year. Finally, the fact that Russia has several new sporting arenas will increase their appeal to host other sporting events in the future.

This article is relevant to this course because it is important to realize that several factors are taken into consideration when tourists decide to travel for a sporting event. Some of these considerations include: travel, accommodations and safety. Whenever an event is put on, organizers must consider these factors since they will affect the appeal of an event and the experience each guest will have. Especially in unappealing locations or with a losing team, organizers must think of creative ways to get people to come to games and events.

Internship Opportunity: Madison County Parks and Recreation Summer Internship

Qualifications:

·         Hold a junior or senior standing in a four year degree program, be enrolled in the last semester of a two year degree program, or be enrolled in the second half of a graduate program.

·         Have a major grade point average of at least 2.0 (3.0 graduate GPA).

·         Demonstrate strong verbal and written communication skills.

·         Have strong initiative and the ability to work independently.

·         Follow Madison County application process.

·         Follow all Madison County applicable policies and procedures.

Job Description:

The intern will be assigned field-based tasks as well as administrative tasks. Field-based tasks include serving as a tournament and camp co-coordinator and assisting with program implementation. This will give the intern experience with leadership and developing their planning skills. Other tasks will include field maintenance and preparation. Administrative tasks will give the intern experience with communication, meeting timelines, and organization. Daily and weekly schedule may change as needs arise and change. There will be hands-on learning as well as opportunities to work independently. The intern will be mentored throughout their time with more one-on-one time at the beginning and a gradual phase-out to more independent work near the end. There will be fast-paced days with long hours, evening and weekend work, and the chance for a last minute change of plans at any time. 

Application Procedures:

Please go to http://www.madisonco.virginia.gov/humanresources.php and download a job application and email it along with a resume to mcparksrec@gmail.com or mail to:

 Madison County Parks and Recreation

 PO Box 435

Madison, VA 22727

Please contact Jerry at 540-308-1247 or email mcparksrec@gmail.com for more information or any questions. 

"The marketing of Michael Sam"

From ESPN.com

Analysis by Jacob Orpin in SRM 435 (section 2)

The article talks about how Michael Sam coming out gay will affect his marketability. Now a days things like this can benefit your marketability unlike 15 years ago. It use to be to high of a risk for players to come out gay, now the risk reward it so high you can really benefit from it. There is already a ton of people and companies trying to get a deal out of Michael. Michael doesn’t want to sign a ton of deals just wants the usually shoe and apparel deal. The thing that struck me the most after reading the article is the increase in gay sports bars in New York. The article says 15 years ago gay sports bars were failures now they are getting franchised. Michael Sam helps open an entire new market for the NFL that will only help increase the fan base and help the LBGT community.

From a marketing standpoint Michael Sam is a dream come true to many people. Everyone is going to want a piece of the first openly gay NFL player. Being a first can go a long way in the marketing world. Nike has already signed two openly gay athletes in Jason Collins and Brittney Griner. Neither one has done much when it comes to making money. Just coming out gay isn’t enough you still have to perform on the field. The Brooklyn Nets just signed Jason Collins to a 10-day contract. Before that he didn’t have a contact with any team and in turn wasn’t during must in a sales point. Coming out gay will help Michael get opportunities for endorsements but there is still work to do on the field. If Michael Sam performs on the field the endorsements will start rolling out faster than he ever imagined. Whatever team ends up drafting Michael I feel like there sales will go up with they just tapped another fan base. There might be more media coverage around your team but from a sales point I don’t see any ways it could hurt.

Michael coming out gay is very courageous especially doing it before the combine. It took a lot of guts to be able to do that and be able to talk about it in front of the media. Time will tell if this move was smart in terms of being drafted and being marketable. I truly believe Michael will contribute to an NFL team in the next few years. You don’t go from being SEC player of the year to a benchwarmer. The SEC is to good and the last six SEC defensive player of the years were first round picks, he will be the first to not be.

---

Analysis by Will Taylor in SRM 435 (section 2)

Michael Sam could possibly be the most revolutionary athlete in the sports world since Jackie Robinson. As the first NFL draft prospect that has come out as gay, the day he is drafted and steps foot on the field for the first time will be monumental and will be forever remembered in sports history. With this culture change happening in the sports world, Michael Sam’s marketability rises with every interview he gives. This article describes how many companies are all trying to gain entry into the LGBT brand, but are biding their time waiting to see how he performs on the field. The article also discusses how difficult it will be trying to have Michael Sam represent them, as he only wants to sign a couple deals. It also discusses the market as a whole, and how the LGBT community would fit into sports, and how they would be accepted within the sports industry.

Michael Sam has marketing potential without a doubt being the first openly gay NFL draft prospect. However, his true marketing value will be determined with his play on the field. As seen with Jason Collins, the first openly gay NBA player, performance is what drives the market. Because Jason Collins has never had too much on-court success, he hasn’t seen the big marketing deals you would expect. This will also be true for Michael Sam, whose career is in the balance after his poor performance at the combine. The impact on the NFL culture and sports industry in general will be massive; however it would be very difficult to market a player who sits the bench. Another aspect mentioned in the article is the fact that no just any company can use Michael Sam effectively to market their business. Only companies with a strong base in the LGBT community already can effectively reach out to the market that follows Michael Sam.

This article is very relevant to this course because it discusses the marketability of a high profile athlete in a new market to the sports industry. The article discusses how Michael Sam will go about signing deals, and how companies will try and use him to market their business. It discusses how difficult it will be to market to the LGBT community because of how new the market is to the sports world. This is very relevant because this will change the sports world and how sports and athletes are marketed to a new group of sports fans.