Friday, May 16, 2008 at 08:15PM How often does your organization capture footage of its athletes performing incredible feats?
The video enclosed below serves as a perfect example of the footage that team representatives need to capture: Mike Miller of the Memphis Grizzlies displaying his three-point shooting skills (making 27 of 30 shots from behind the arc!) Fans want more... It's time to capture these moments!
Friday, May 16, 2008 at 07:37PM 
Gatorade is leveraging its recent commercial featuring Tiger Woods hitting golf balls in a space suit on the moon with a unique contest for consumers. Gatorade is challenging fans in five (5) cities across the country to hit a golf ball in a golf simulator designed to look like a moon for a chance to win "an out of this world vacation", valued at $125,000.
Male and female finalists with the longest drives at each event will fly to New York City to compete in the Grand Prize Event on June 11th in Times Square. One (1) male and one (1) female will win the opportunity to create their own "out of this world" vacation experience valued up to $125K.
The cities where the competition will be held include:
Gatorade is promoting these events by featuring celebrities on-site (San Diego - LaDainian Tomlinson, Dallas - Jason Terry, Chicago - Tommie Harris, Miami - Bill Parcells, and New York - Jimmie Johnson and Celebrity Guest).
In addition, Gatorade is going to donate $100,000 to the Tiger Woods Foundation.
Friday, May 16, 2008 at 07:32PM The MetroRedLine, which links Hollywood/Highland and Universal in Los Angeles, recently launched a high-tech subway advertising tool. The subway line's digital advertising is the first of its kind in the United States and is expected to raise at least $240K per year for the Metro in an effort to keep costs down for consumers.
The new technology is an LED system composed of 360 digital strips that light up at timed intervals as the train passes the subway at 70mph. The result? A smooth-flowing video advertisement for films like Speed Racer and other corporate advertisements. Check out the clip below - this is amazing... and a great way for sports teams to target fans traveling to their games by rail/subway in the future!
Friday, May 16, 2008 at 07:16PM 
Are you looking for an "authentic" brand ambassador - a celebrity that truly does use your product? With media and technology in today's day and age, it is easy for consumers to see through the "fake" celebrity brand ambassadors, but consumers cannot discount a person who truly does use a sponsor's product or service.
For insights on "authentic" brand ambassadors, check out CoolSpotters.com.
CoolSpotters.com is a social networking platform that allows consumers to discover and share which products are used by celebrities in movies, on television, and in their personal lives. The site is still in its Beta stage, but should evolve into a very popular online space for consumers obsessed with their favorite personalities.
If you have a moment, check it out!
Friday, May 16, 2008 at 06:59PM 
How much resources does your organization put towards online advertising? While many teams/university's outsource these rights to companies like CSTV, it is important to be cognizant of where the industry is headed...
How big is online advertising?
Internet-ad revenue notched $21.2BN in 2007, an annual growth rate of 26%...figures higher than both radio and cable ($20.9BN)... Those numbers are astounding. Online advertising is growing rapidly - Q1 2007 saw $4.9BN in online spending... by Q4 2007, those figures amassed to $5.9BN in spending.
Which categories are the biggest spenders?
Which area of online advertising will be a hot spot in 2008?
Video. Video only accounted for 2% of online ad spending in 2007, but look for this category to rapidly increase in 2008.
In other words, stay up-to-date with the digital world... It is the future. If you are selling retail and automotive partners on partnership deals, make sure that you understand how heavily they weigh this component (although this money often comes out of a different bucket). Nonetheless, be cognizant of trends within the industry! For some insights on banner ad "best practices", check out the Activation Gallery!
Source: Advertising Age (5.15.2008)
Friday, May 16, 2008 at 06:28PM 
I wanted to send out a quick plug for the book Dugout Wisdom: Life Lessons From Baseball, a new release authored by Dan Migala. The book, available for sale on Lulu.com, is a compliation of retired baseball players' first person accounts of a moment in their lives when they doubted their dreams, overcame adversity or someone guided them with destiny altering advice. I know Dan has had this book in the works for over a year and it really makes for a perfect Father's Day Gift.
If you have a moment, please check out Dan's website for the book. I have already placed my order and am excited to see sales go through the roof!
Dan is also offering The Migala Report Collegiate Sports Management Travel Program, a unique trip exclusively for Sports Management Students and Sports Marketing Professionals to attend the 2008 Olympic Games. The trip will feature a seminar that provides an in-depth look at the Olympic Games, detailing corporate sponsorship strategies, hospitality, ticketing sales, marketing strategies, and interactive sales strategies. For more information, click here.
Congrats Dan on all the recent achievements.
Friday, May 16, 2008 at 06:20PM 
Has anyone seen the recent ESPN banner ads featured on the Sports Business Journal website? ... ESPN CMS is currently running a banner ad campaign with the message: "Connecting brands with fans" - a direct spinoff of this site's slogan (The "Think Tank for Connecting Brands with Fans).
I would like to give ESPN the benefit of the doubt that this is a "mere coincidence"... However, the timing is very interesting, as they just began running these banner ads this past week... After some preliminary research, I found that the Hicks Sports Marketing Group also features a similar slogan ("Connecting brands to fans"), so ESPN may have had this in the works...
Nonetheless, does this messaging even fall in line with ESPN's offerings? When you think of ESPN, do you think of a company that connects brands with fans? I would think that the company would want to stick with its core competency, being the Worldwide Leader in Sports...
Friday, May 16, 2008 at 05:41PM 
Over the past few days, I have posted hundreds of pictures in the two (2) activation galleries, listed in the left sidebar. These galleries are filled with hundreds of innovative tactics, messaging mediums, and portray sports from a global perspective.
One of the primary goals of this website is to provide you, the reader, a better idea of partnership activation from a global perspective, and I think the activation galleries are where you will expand your breadth of knowledge the most.
Some insights you will find within the galleries include:
Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 06:37PM 
A few weeks ago I mentioned the fact that teams could create exclusive ticket offers that leverage stimulus packages that 130MM taxpaying Americans will be receiving from the U.S. government. Case in Point: The Memphis Grizzlies.
The Memphis Grizzlies have created a a unique season ticket offer for fans:
Here is a great quote from the Mike Redlick, Executive Vice President of Business Operations for the Grizzlies, that supports the promotion:
“The federal government’s economic stimulus plan could become your Grizzlies Season Stimulus Plan. If you’ve ever thought about buying season tickets, now is your chance. All you have to do is exchange the check the government is sending you and just like that you can own a pair of 2008-09 Grizzlies season tickets. Why use the money to buy a new television to watch the Grizzlies when you can see them in person all year long?”
Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 06:10PM 
Cub Cadet, a major sponsor of the Cleveland Cavaliers, has teamed up with LeBron James to launch a contest seeking America's best basketball trick shot. The promotion, entitled the Trick Shot Challenge, encourages consumers to upload their best basketball trick shot to LeBronsTrickShotChallenge.com for a chance to compete one-on-one with LeBron and win $5,000 of Cub Cadet lawn equipment.
Now the big question is... how does a "trick shot" promotion leverage Cub Cadet and their products outside of a $5,000 prize? That is a good question and one that I am still trying to figure out. However, the promotion does serve as a "best practice" in the way it leverages Cub Cadet's relationship with Lebron James:
The promotion also is effective in the fact that it currently has me discussing the Cub Cadet brand, which I probably would have NEVER done otherwise. Contestants' trick shot videos will be available on the web site gallery where fans can view and vote for their favorite clips...
Wednesday, May 14, 2008 at 05:42PM 
SAMPLING
Sampling is hot among marketers... there's no question about it. With the country facing troubling economic times, marketers are turning to sampling tactics to provide pinched consumers a freebie item that they can appreciate in a rather inexpensive manner (Ad Age 5.12.08). Funds for sampling programs, which have traditionally come from promotion budgets, are now being deposited from other accounts (i.e. traditional media, etc.).
With the advent of new technologies and messaging mediums, companies can now get the same impact from a sampling program as they would from a :30 national television spot... at a much lower cost. For example, Starbucks can generate hundreds of millions of free media impressions nearly every time it makes an offer or retrains its employees.
Why are sampling programs taking off?
1. The Economy (consumers are more cautious with their spending when there's less disposable income. Corporate marketers are hoping that a free sample will lead to an impulse to purchase)
2. They are an inexpensive means for having a one-to-one personal interaction with the consumer. Corporate marketers are now trying to enhance the quality of their impressions with consumers to drive a call to action.
3. Sampling research from Arcature has found that 80% of respondents would prefer a free sample to a coupon; 1/3 would be willing to come back and pay for something they taste and like
Who is sampling?
Who is sampling in the sports space?
Source: Advertising Age - The New Mass Medium - May 13, 2008.
Monday, May 12, 2008 at 11:21PM I came across a great Nike rugby clip that I wanted to share... Sometimes we can take best practices from non-traditional places and I think this demonstrates a great way to weave the sport of rugby into our everyday city culture.
Check out the clip when you have a moment. At the very least, it has a great opening gambit that will instantly grab your attention...
Monday, May 12, 2008 at 08:41PM 
The Cleveland Cavaliers recently launched CavFanatic.com, a social networking site designed specifically for Cleveland Cavalier fans. The site marks a new wave in teams exploring the social networking space - the team has created a unique online forum that enables die-hard Cavs fans a way to chat, post blogs, share photos/videos, and create profiles and groups. The site falls in line with two (2) innovative social networking sites created by the Portland Trail Blazers and the Indianapolis Colts.
If you have a moment, check out CavFanatic.com as well as some of the other leading 2.0 social networking sites... It is the next revolution for connecting with your young fanbase!
Monday, May 12, 2008 at 07:54PM 
Have you recently considered activation tactics that leverage hometown heroes? When was the last time you considered using a local celebrity to drive fan engagement at your venue?
The Utah Jazz recently leveraged David Archuleta, a rising celebrity on Fox's American Idol, to sing the National Anthem before the team's Game 3 playoff matchup against the LA Lakers. The team had to fight through some rights issues with the producers of American Idol and representatives from the NBA, but the hard work paid off. Archuleta sang a great rendition of the song, raising the EnergySolutionsArena crowd to its feet. To complement the pre-game performance, David Archuleta served as "The Fan of the Game"; to which the Jazz leveraged his appearance by selling $5 4x6 photos of fans with Archuleta on the team website.
The Tampa Bay Rays recently executed a similar tactic, asking American Idol singer Syesha Mercado to perform the National Anthem before one of the team's home games. Check out the clip below:
Monday, May 12, 2008 at 06:33PM 
I recently conducted an analysis to gain a better understanding for how each of the NBA teams were leveraging their dance teams and cheerleader units. The analysis was designed to provide a greater perspective for which categories/brands are aligning themselves with dance teams/cheerleader units and how teams are leveraging this asset.
The analysis revealed:
Enclosed is a team-by-team breakdown of brands affiliated with NBA dance teams*:
*Team-by-team audit conducted by analyzing team webpages
Monday, May 12, 2008 at 05:36PM Which categories should sports marketing reps be targeting in early 2008? Which categories should they be straying away from? We all hear about the major players, but here are some insights on two (2) categories that are less discussed...
Who's Hot - Wholesale Retailers
As food and gas prices rise, the real estate market slumps, and Americans begin to feel the heat from the credit crunch, many are turning their shopping attention to Wal-Mart, Costco, BJ's, Sam's Club, and a few other of the nation's leading wholesale retailers. Marketers are seeing some clear changes in consumer behavior - people are driving shorter distances, making fewer shopping trips, and buying more items at a time. In March, Costco and BJ's saw monthly sales at stores open more than a year rise 7% and 6% respectively, even as overall retail sales fell 0.7%. The only sign of caution is that most of this growth has come from bulk purchases of food items, which happen to be the lowest-margin products on the shelves (Source: Businessweek, April 28.2008).
Who's Not - Casino's
Businessweek's March 19th edition revealed that the casino industry is rolling nothing but snake eyes in 2008 as consumers cut back on their disposable income and entertainment spending. The industry, once thought to be recession-proof, has experienced numerous downfalls in the past few months - Tropicana Entertainment filed for bankruptcy on May 5th and MGM Mirage saw earning sink 30% in Q1. Caution when approaching casino players, especially based in Las Vegas...
Sunday, May 11, 2008 at 12:14PM 
Onitsuka Tiger, a Japanese sports brand, recently launched a sneaker vending machine in London, England. Could this signal a new wave in retail sales for the shoe market? Most likely not, but it could be a great way to offer select merchandise to your fanbase.
Teams and organizations can leverage similar retail tactics to sell merchandise and offer customized products. While this shoe retail technology is still in the early stages of existence, teams should begin brainstorming new concourse tactics that drive sales without incurring labor expenses. Retail vending machines may signal a great way for teams to offer fans team autographed merchandise (shoes, bats, balls, jerseys, hats, etc.) and excess premium giveaways.
The vending machines that Onitsuka currently uses can sell twenty-four (24) pairs of shoes at a time in six (6) different sizes and mirror a tactic implemented by Reebok in 2004.
Search for innovative ways to drive sales without affecting your bottom line!
Sunday, May 11, 2008 at 11:47AM Are you looking to drive viral buzz about your product/service online? Many teams and corporate partners are now leveraging their athlete personalities through unique calling campaigns.
P&G's Degree for Men created an innovative viral campaign leveraging Chad Johnson in 2007. The program, leveraged through TrashTalk85.com, enabled users to select different messages that they wanted Chad Johnson to say to their friends. By clicking through a few online options, users could call their friends directly with a "Trash Talk" message from Chad Johnson...the program was a great way to leverage Johnson, deemed "The Ultimate Man of Risk" in an innovative messaging campaign.
The Florida Panthers recently leveraged the likes of goalie Tomas Vokoun and defenseman Mike Van Ryan to call ticket holders who had yet to renew for the upcoming 2008 season. The team is hoping that providing ticket holders the chance to have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to chat with their favorite players on the team will push some ticket holders over the edge to renew their season tickets. The tactic mirrored a similar move made by the Miami Heat, who utilized the services of injured players to make calls to ticket holders during halftime of a game in April (Source: The Business of Sports).
Thursday, May 8, 2008 at 10:12PM The following clip captures the Budweiser Clydesdales circling the Busch Stadium warning track during the 2006 World Series. The Clydesdales have made the historic lap on just a few major occasions at the ballpark in the past forty (40) years.
This footage serves as a reminder that we need to capture historic moments (playoffs, home openers, milestone games) in all types of media possible... With the recent advances in technology, you may be able to capture many different views of such events by simply calling out to your fanbase to share their personal footage.
Thursday, May 8, 2008 at 07:16PM 
The Wall Street Journal recently featured a great article entitled, "New Breed of Business Gurus Rises". The article went on to profile Gary Hamel (Strategy Guru), Thomas Friedman (Columnist, NY Times), Bill Gates (Chairman, Microsoft), Malcolm Gladwell (Author), and Howard Gardner (Professor, Harvard) as the most influential business thinkers in the nation.
However, the article led me to wonder, who are the leading businessmen in sports? Who are the industry's most innovative thinkers? I landed on five (5) names that warrant recognition for their contributions to the industry:
In this article, I wanted to zero in on Michael Yormark of the Florida Panthers and an innovative B2B concept that his organization recently developed: www.bizteamup.com. Yormark and his corporate sponsorship team created BizTeamUp as a B2B solution to empower team partners, serve as a database for ideas and contact information, and act as a catalyst to solve B2B questions faster, easier, and more directly. Yormark and his team modeled the site after www.nascarpartners.com, but added more 2.0 capabilities to enhance sponsor communication and ideation. The site allows users to create profiles (similar to Facebook) and facilitate communication through an email-based system.
The Panthers organization designed the site strictly as a tool to benefit their corporate partners (not to generate revenue). However, the team foresees having the ability to sell the technology to other teams and/or create a subscription based model for non-sponsors to gain access to the network. Time will tell how much benefit is derived from this technological concept, but nonetheless, Yormark and the Panthers are making great strides to enhance their B2B capabilities!
