Archive for the ‘Sports Fans’ Category

« Older Entries

2010 World Congress of Sports, Part 3: It’s About The Love

Sunday, August 15th, 2010

At the 2010 World Congress of Sports, NFL Chief Marketing Officer Mark Waller made a simple, yet powerful statement:

There are very few things that we love in our lives.  We love our family, our country, and a sport.  Every thing else we simply like.

Too true.

Sports elicit so much passion from us that it rises to the same level as family and country.  When you consider the sports you played as a kid . . . or how you’ll spend a weekend afternoon – at “the game” or watching “the game” — you know that Waller is correct.

What relevance does Waller’s observation have for sports marketing?

Here’s a few thoughts.

First, we should remember that people get very possessive about things they love.  Ever get between a mother and her baby?  Not a good idea.

Fans in love with their sport get possessive as well.  That’s why it’s so difficult for sports to effect change.  Mess with a fan’s sport at your peril.  Expanding the number of teams in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament or eliminating the BCS in favor of playoffs?  Now, that’ll start a fight at the local sports bar.

However, the flip side of this aspect of fan possessiveness is that fans will defend their sports like the mother of a baby.  Like the story of a Detroit Lions fan walking 400 miles across the state of Michigan to show support for his beleaguered NFL team.  There’s a lot of potential economic power for those who can mobilize “fans in love” around a marketing idea.  This fan is the person who initiates the much-desired “water-cooler talk” in an office or spends $10,000 on season tickets or decorates their house in “Fenway Green.”

Second, providing fans with the opportunity to share their love within a “community” provides sports marketers with a tangible audience to deliver relevant marketing messages.  In the “old days,” marketing messages had to be delivered in diffuse ways like advertising or earned media.  Without question, the advent of modern social media provides a great opportunity to deliver direct-to-consumer messages to a community in a very cost-effective formation.  The interaction between fan and athlete afforded by platforms like Twitter and Facebook is thrilling.  Sharing this excitement in a community of like-minded fans becomes a daily, self-sustaining ritual in the lives of fans.  And, offers a very convenient place to deliver marketing messages.

So, as we think about crafting ad campaigns to sell tickets or programs for licensed merchandise, it’s important to keep Waller’s comments in mind.  A fan’s connection to his/her sport is not about finding an idle way to fill a Sunday afternoon.  On the contrary, “it’s about the love, baby”!

Posted by Ken Ungar

Leave your comment »

Posted in Branding, Sports Business, Sports Fans, Uncategorized, linkedin

Tags:

2010 World Congress of Sports: Part 2

Saturday, April 10th, 2010

I’d love to write a book called “The Two Rules of Sports Marketing.”

It would be a short book, though.  Short, because the two rules are simple:

Rule 1.   Sports marketing is all about the athlete.

Rule 2.  When it’s not about the athlete, see Rule 1.

Most participants at the 2010 World Congress of Sports understood the two rules.  Those who forgot offered a mea culpa in penance for their lapse in memory.  I heard too many marketers admit that the recession caused their organization to lose focus on the pivotal role of the athlete to their promotional efforts.

They created “value menus” at their stadiums to lure the cost-conscious.  They offered more bobbleheads to incentivize ticket purchases.  And, they spent more time discussing the politics of their sport than telling the stories of their athletes.

Of course, I wouldn’t argue with value menus and bobbleheads as effective marketing tools.  However, I do note that some sports marketers get so wrapped up in execution of tactics, they forget the core value of sports to consumers.  If your marketing department has eight hours a day to get its work done, and seven of those are spent on picking the right bobblehead, you’re missing the key to fan attraction.

The “stories” of athletes are the glue binding fans to sports.  Their preparation, victories, failures, fears, and stumbles.

They capture the imagination.

They embody courage and aspiration.

They provide us with role models to emulate.

It’s the very reason we (as fans) are willing to pay money to see an event.

Do you really think a fan spends $300 on ball game tickets for the opportunity to buy a $1.50 hot dog from the value menu?  The strength of fan affinity to sports drives him/her to buy those tickets.  Even in recessionary times when money is scarce.  And, that affinity is created through stories worthy of their devotion.  A story about an athlete, not a cheap hot dog.

Posted by Ken Ungar

Leave your comment »

Posted in Athletes, Branding, Sports Business, Sports Consultants, Sports Fans, Sports Marketing, Uncategorized

Tags:

A Lesson in Professional Responsibility

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

When you think professional responsibility in sports, what do you think of? I think of charity work, good sportsmanship, media appearances and signing autographs for fans.

And, in light of recent gun-toting events in the NBA, I hate to say it, but Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton either have an extremely tainted view of professional responsibility, or they just flat out have none whatsoever.

Arenas and Crittenton, teammates on the Washington Wizards, were suspended this Wednesday for bringing firearms to the locker room at the Verizon Center.  Apparently the two had gotten into a heated argument over a card game on a flight home from an away game, which continued over to the locker room where the two came packin’ heat.

David Stern, the NBA Commissioner, took firm action after completing a full investigation of the two players, and suspended them without pay for the rest of the season (Arenas will lose $9.9 million of his $16.2 million salary this year, and Crittenden will lose $686,000 of his $1.48 million salary) – the 3rd and 4th longest suspensions in NBA history.

There are explicit rules in the NBA and unwritten rules that are commonly understood in sports that players must follow, and Stern made an example of Arenas and Crittenton, proving that in order to participate, players must uphold a certain level of professionalism.

Let this be a lesson to you athletes out there – think of the locker room, the court or field, or really anywhere you go as your office.  It is just like any other job – you need to carry yourself as a professional because you are one; but unlike other jobs, you are on the clock 24-7, 365.  If you choose to act otherwise, there are consequences – you could be fined, suspended, arrested or worse.

We teach our clients that brands are about behavior.  In order to have a marketable brand, athletes must act in a professional manner that represents both their personal brand and the image of their organization in a positive light.  Every touch point is an opportunity to either reinforce or detract from your established brand.

Choose wisely.

Leave your comment »

Posted in All-Star, Athletes, Behavior, Branding, Elite Athletes, Sports Business, Sports Consultants, Sports Fans, Sports Marketing

Tags:

Too Much Change Can Be Bad for a Brand

Monday, December 14th, 2009

They say the only thing constant, is change.  “They” must have worked in professional sports.  Trades happen casually every day, players are cut, and even coaches are moved around.  These types of changes are inevitable.  So, with all this change whirling around athletes these days, you’d think they would want to keep control over any touch points they could, particularly their personal brand.

Take LeBron James, for instance, arguably the most talented and athletic player in the NBA right now.  LeBron is considering changing his number from 23 to 6 (his number in the Olympics) as a get-off-his-turf tribute to Michael Jordan, stating that no one in the league should be allowed to wear that number.michael-jordan-baseball.jpeg

Why he would decide to change it now is beyond me.  The number 23 has become part of his brand, and changing it now might not be doing himself any favors.  I mean, a good king bows to no one, right?

There are also numerous rumors floating around that LeBron is considering entering the NFL world, among other professional sports. Sure he is a freakish athlete and a fierce competitor, but would this type of change in his career be consistent with his brand?  I have always viewed LeBron’s brand to be a top-level basketball player and intelligent businessman, so in my opinion, no, it would not.lebronfootball

If he were to actually dabble in another professional sport, in some ways he’d be betraying his current fans and teammates.  Yes, he was all-star receiver in high school, but adding more physical stress onto a body that is not getting any younger means a higher risk for injury and possible shortening of his NBA career.

Sure, Bo Jackson and Dion Sanders did it, but how many other professional athletes can you name who have successfully accomplished a two-sport career?  Not even Jordan himself could really pull it off.bo-jackson-bw

Of course, all these changes could be a lavish attempt to raise his merchandise sales.  New number, new sport, new jersey all mean new stuff for hardcore fans to buy, too.

LeBron, if you do decide to try an additional sport, here are some recommendations I have for you.

First off, assess the risks.  Football is one of the more dangerous sports, so be sure you’re in the right condition to take hard hits.  Also make sure that it doesn’t interfere with your basketball schedule. Talk with your current coaches, manager and teammates to work out the kinks.

Secondly, try and keep your same number (whatever that may be) in both sports; it should make for an easier transition.

Lastly, don’t spread yourself too thin.  If it’s not working in the NFL, give it up and go back to what you’re good at.  There’s no sense in humiliating yourself or suffering a career-ending injury.

Too much change can take a serious toll on an athlete’s brand, but with proper positioning, transitions can enforce all the right points.  It’s all about touch points, where you put them, and how your fans feel about it.

Leave your comment »

Posted in All-Star, Athletes, Behavior, Branding, Elite Athletes, Intellectual Property, Licensing, and Merchandising, MVP, Professional Advisors, Sports Business, Sports Consultants, Sports Fans, Sports Marketing

Tags:

You’re How Old?!

Thursday, June 18th, 2009

That was my first reaction when I read the article on SI.com, highlighting the decision of 16 year-old Bryce Harper, a baseball prodigy from Las Vegas to forgo his last two years of high school. His plan: enroll in a community college in hopes of entering the 2010 MLB draft.nv-harper-bat20091

Sports Illustrated bestowed the honor of “Baseball’s Chosen One” on Harper in a recent magazine cover story. The article listed Harper’s stats, and included numerous scouts’ comments on how “mature and ready” he was for the Majors.

Some may argue that he should be spending his teenage years hanging out with his friends and having fun, rather than worrying about a hurry-up pro career. You know, living the well-balanced life.  Well, he does. Harper is an avid snowboarder and played football up until his freshman year. There are just some athletes that love their sport so much they cannot live without it. Remember the shirts that said, “(insert sport) is life!”?  For Harper, “Baseball is Life.”

Making fans an integral part of the equation is essential in having a successful career in professional sports. What team would want to sign a player without any fans? At U/S Sports Advisors, we advise our clients that fostering a strong relationship with fans is of the upmost importance — Harper gets that.

In another SI.com article, a coach mentioned how Bryce would sign autographs before, after and even during games, as to never disappoint a young fan. He would literally sign until every child or fan had an autograph, no matter how long it took after a game. 

Finding a current MLB player that exhibits the same dedication to his fans is a steep task. I hope Harper’s attention to fans creates a ripple effect in the majors and sets a new example for talented rookies and seasoned veterans.

Posted by Robb Barbauld

Leave your comment »

Posted in All-Star, Athletes, Behavior, Elite Athletes, Professional Advisors, Sponsorships and Endorsements, Sports Business, Sports Consultants, Sports Fans, Sports Marketing, Uncategorized

Tags: