Sports Business

• A job very well done by Red Bull [Red Bull's Project X = Sports Marketing Idea of the Year].
• Maybe not the world just yet, but starting off at the high school level is a good strategy [Can Under Armour, IMG Take the World By Storm?].
• St-Pierre t0 serve as the face of Under Armour’s Underwear [Under Armour signs UFC champ Georges St-Pierre to multi-year endorsement deal].
• I actually just yesterday had this discussion with somebody [End of the Day, Live Events Make Sports, Brands, King…].

Baseball

• A little baseball trademark law conversation [Wide world of ‘Series’].

Football

• No sense of urgency on the part of the owners [League rejects "lock-in" bargaining proposal].
• A two-paragraph statement that included no explanation – bothers me [Bryant loses final appeal].

Basketball

• BJ Armstrong answers a few questions while promoting the launch of Windows 7 [An Interview with BJ Armstrong].

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree and be currently enrolled in graduate school and looking for exposure to sports at a collegiate level.  Candidates should also possess excellent computer skills (including Word, Excel, Power Point, and Outlook) and have good organizational skills, work well under multiple deadlines, be able to communicate well over the phone, and demonstrate a professional attitude. Candidates would need to currently live in the Indianapolis area or be willing to relocate during the 6-12 month internship period and expect to work 20-25 hours a week. Monthly stipend for the position is $1500. Candidates must also be open to relocation when placed into a full time position with some regard given to region.

Specific duties include, but are not limited to: providing administrative, sales and marketing support to BCA office staff, assisting in the planning of the 2010 BCA National Convention, coordinating certain sponsor functions, assisting in collection, design and preparation of sales kits and research projects, constructing the weekly BCA newsletter, and updating the BCA web site.

Visit www.bcasports.org and www.learfieldsports.com for more info on these organizations.

If interested in this opportunity, please email your resume to Kearsten Huddleston at khuddleston@learfield.com or Jason Buckner at jbuckner@learfield.com and let them know that you learned about the internship from your friends at SportsAgentBlog.com.

The entire Q&A segment may be read by clicking here.  Below is one question and answer provided free of charge.

3. In what ways can other sports marketing companies turn their blogs into business opportunities?

Many aspects of the sports industry are closed off to a large segment of the worldwide population.  And unsurprisingly, there are a lot of people hungry for more knowledge about what goes on behind the scenes in the business of sports.  People do not only reserve an interest about sports agents, sports law, and sports business, which are the three areas we cover the most at SportsAgentBlog.com.  Unfortunately, no matter how many Sports Management classes you take in school, you will leave unsatisfied and with a desire to learn more.

Sports marketing companies can benefit from adopting a model based on openness and transparency.  It will allow them greater access to potential innovative interns, spur additional relationships with members of other companies who come across the blog, strengthen the company’s image as a knowledgeable source within its niche, and bounce ideas off of its readers, who end up being the consumers of the produced marketing material.

Over at the brand new, EntertainmentAgentBlog.com, we have discussed the effects of the recent merger between William Morris Agency and Endeavor.  The merger is not only affecting the entertainment industry, but has been felt in many other industries, as well…including sports.  Endeavor has never put together a sports division, but William Morris had some high profile sports clients before the two companies decided to join.  Since the new joint-company has been established, over 100 WMA employees have been fired or asked to gracefully resign.  And one of WMA’s biggest sports guys, Lon Rosen, may be on his way out as well.

Rosen was initially signed by WMA to build a sports marketing division.  He was slapped with a VP title and quickly accumulated clients with names like Magic Johnson and Alex Rodriguez.  Interestingly, before switching over to WMA, Rosen was with Endeavor.  So who is pushing Rosen out now, or if he is not being pushed out, why does he so suddenly want to leave?

When the WMA/Endeavor merger was still only a rumor, I speculated that the new entity may finally create a large sports representation division to rival CAA.  Rosen would have been one of the people on a short list to run that new division.  If he is on his way out, does that mean that this new sports representation division might have only been a pipe-dream of mine?

Michael Goldman: Can you briefly discuss your role as Manager of Sports Marketing and your background that led to you to joining Volkswagen?

Ben Freidson: My role is to identify potential sports sponsorships that align well with our marketing and communications strategy. Once we enter into an agreement, our emphasis is to try and leverage the sponsorship at all levels of the organization.

My background is in Business and Sports Management. At one time I worked for D.C. United in their corporate sponsorships division. More recently, I was working for a sponsorship activation agency, Cenergy Communications. At Cenergy, I worked with both corporations like Mentholatum’s OXY and Dial’s Right Guard Xtreme on their sponsorships of the Dew Action Sports Tour as well as with professional teams with the Cleveland Cavaliers/Lake Erie Monsters and the Buffalo Bills.

Michael Goldman: Volkswagen of America Inc. recently announced the renewal of their partnership with Major League Soccer and Soccer United Marketing after a successful first year.  What aspects of the partnership’s initial year pushed Volkswagen to seek a multi-year renewal?

Ben Freidson: Throughout the brand, we are focusing on creating conversations with new, broader and more diverse audiences.  Major League Soccer has strong relationships with loyal soccer fans that are aware of the Volkswagen brand and also are familiar with our global commitment to the sport.  This partnership provides our team with a multi-platform vehicle to engage these important US consumers in a whole new way. Our experiential programs and webisode series for last year’s Road to MLS Cup was positively received by fans and generated good online awareness.  We want to do more to engage the fans.

Michael Goldman: Describe the national grassroots programming that Volkswagen plans to develop with MLS and SUM.

Ben Freidson: I can’t get into the specifics of our new grassroots initiatives for the upcoming season quite yet, but I can tell you that we will look to leverage Volkswagen and Major League Soccer assets to showcase the value of our brand in a meaningful way to consumers. Our biggest need is to get consumers more familiar with our product offerings. We have several vehicles that are a perfect fit for the active soccer family and we launched 5 new vehicles last year including the Routan, Tiguan and CC. Event marketing is a great way for us to educate consumers and have a deeper conversation about Volkswagen and our cars.

We will use media, events and the Web to make sure we’re making the right connections, early and often.

In addition to new grassroots initiatives, we will be a sponsor of existing MLS grassroots initiatives including MLS Futbolito and Sueno MLS, which are both fantastic ways to connect with our Spanish speaking fans.

Michael Goldman: MLS is in an expansion mode still, as well as diligently trying to expand its fan base in the U.S.  As MLS grows, hopefully Volkswagen’s presence in the U.S. will grow too as a result of this partnership.  What are the specific areas of growth or demographic additions that Volkswagen is hoping to attain as a result of the partnership with MLS?

Ben Freidson: As the MLS grows its fan base, the partnership generates tremendous visibility with key US consumers including the Hispanic community, families and the endemic soccer fan, all of whom are very important audiences and customers bases for Volkswagen.  Through our activations, consumers have the opportunity to try out new vehicles and see products in person and hands-on in a way that they might not otherwise have experienced.

Michael Goldman: Volkswagen has been a long-time supporter of soccer on a global level.  This partnership shows Volkswagen’s substantial investment and support for soccer in the U.S.  What fraction of Volkswagen of America Inc.’s resources for sports marketing is dedicated to MLS?  What other American sports is Volkswagen involved with?

Ben Freidson: We’re committed to strategic investments in sports marketing because of its ability to deliver strong value messages and build long-term relationships with key audiences. The primary focus of our strategy lies in the sport of soccer however we do have additional sports sponsorships in our portfolio. We are involved in the Chicago and Pittsburgh Marathons in the Midwest region. In addition we are the official automobile of the Washington Wizards and Verizon Center.

Michael Goldman: While Volkswagen is the official automotive partner of MLS, it is also a partner of the D.C. United club.  In addition, the German football club VFL Wolfsburg plays in the Volkswagen Arena.  Do you envision Volkswagen buying the naming rights of a specific MLS club’s stadium at any point in the future?

Ben Freidson: We will continue to explore strategic fits for the brand on a case by case basis. It is great to see soccer specific stadiums launching across the country as it only strengthens the league for the long term.

Michael Goldman: What advice would you give to college students for trying to break into the sports marketing world or other areas related to sports-business?

Ben Freidson: Keep an open-mind to different opportunities such as internships that help you get a foot in the door. Think broadly – brands, agencies, media corporations and teams all need young, well-rounded and diverse team members. Also, while the sports field is exciting to focus on each day, you cannot forget that it’s called “sports business” for a reason.  Especially in these times, working hard to make the connection from program and sports engagements back to communications goals, sales, results and bottom line is critical.  It’s the reason why brands leverage the power of sports.  Demonstrating that you understand the business side well could make you stand out as a candidate.

There are different routes into the sports business field, remember to stay optimistic and display your commitment and passion for making a difference.

I had always dreamed of being involved, somehow, in the Olympic Games and on hearing the news in 2005 that my home country had secured the 2012 Games, I found myself forging ahead with making that dream a reality. First, I had to gain some Olympic experience, and being the less than proud owner of a 15.2 second 100m PB time and realizing doggy-paddle was the only stroke I can reasonably swim, I decided it must be work experience and not athletic prowess that gets me there. First stop: Beijing.

I found myself at Beijing Capital Airport, having quit my job in Tokyo, Japan and found some part-time work in Beijing teaching English. I set about searching for any opening possible in the organization for the Games and any links to the Chinese sports industry. I should also note at this stage I had never been to China before and knew approximately 4 words of Chinese (of course the bad ones. Always the bad ones first, right?) The opening came online in the form of a Volunteer Trainer position opening for the Olympic Committee. This was a low-paid, 7-day a week position, training the Chinese students in languages, security, first-aid, and basically how to deal with stressed foreigners and lost 4 year-olds. It did turn out to be a great experience with highly motivated volunteers and staff, but most importantly it got my foot in the door.

The foot in the door cliché is overused, I know, however looking back, I cannot stress how important that was for me, coming into the industry with only a Sports Degree from the University of Southampton in the UK and a few years teaching in Japan, the old CV was not looking so impressive. Doing the volunteer training camps enabled me to meet the right people at the right time and connect with decision makers and gate keepers. I made business cards, networked with the other trainers, the trainer’s bosses in the Olympic Committee and of course the volunteers. It was one of the volunteers who worked in a sports marketing agency that brought me the break I had been looking for.

Again, part-time was the way in. Working part-time or doing an internship is a great way to get your foot in the door (there I go with the cliché again I hear you cry).  I wouldn’t be saying it if it didn’t work time and time again. I then began working part-time at Prescient Group, a small (20 employees) sports agency in Beijing. The work environment was tough, being the only foreigner in the company and with only basic Chinese, I was immediately dropped in at the deep-end as I moved to full-time and given the job title of Sales and Business Development Specialist. My job suddenly involved stadium naming rights negotiations, team and athlete representation, sponsorship sales, event planning and marketing…also liaising with our partner agency in New York. I had to learn fast and although on-the-job training is the best way for this, I was a little shocked at how much responsibility they put on my shoulders in the first few months: “First we see if u can swim in the river” my boss told me looking me right in the eye, “if we see you do not drown and you keep your head up we will help you, but if we see you cannot swim, we will let you go”.

I quickly became aware that in China, on many levels of society, but in business especially, they never look back. They never complain or moan and if a problem or obstacle arises they rarely debate or argue over what to do, they just do something, and if it doesn’t work out they simply change it and move on. There is rarely any fuss, rarely any procrastination and always action. If you can’t keep up you are left behind…to drown I guess. Lucky I’m so adept at doggy paddle I thought to myself. It is brutal, but given China’s current economic clout and speed of development, this philosophy seems to be working. This is a country of 1.3billion people that didn’t know what sponsorship was 20 years ago. So I began adapting and learning how to swim with the rest of them.

On the 8^th day of the 8^th month at 8 minutes past 8 everything came alive. The Olympics brought China a new dawn. People around the world sat up during that Opening Ceremony and watched in awe as the Chinese put on a show that none of us can forget. The Games lived up to the hype too, with broken world records galore, stories of heroism, redemption, tears, passion, politics and joy. Just what the Olympics have always and will always be about. The China medal machine worked perfectly, churning out more golds than they ever could have imagined and the Chinese people who I talked to during the Games and around Beijing this year were truly proud to be a part of everything Olympic.

For the Chinese sports industry it was a turning point too.  In terms of knowledge, the Chinese people now had first hand experience of how worldwide sponsors activate, how global superstars were marketed, how huge events came to fruition and what the Olympic spirit was all about. In terms of lessons learned, it was one of the best. Now Chinese consumers demand more and expect more, they are more intelligent when it comes to brands and now sports sponsorships in China, following the models from the US and Europe.  Chinese businesses are no longer about slapping a logo on an event or sports star and hoping for the best.

The number of sports agents in China is increasing at a rapid rate, the number of sports marketing agencies is rapidly flooding the market and the amount of control and say the federations get is beginning to decline as the industry becomes more and more commercialized. China’s time is coming and the big leagues and associations such as the NBA, the NFL, the MLB, the English Premier League are already jumping on the bandwagon. The opportunities continue to rise, so grab you phrasebooks everyone, 2008 was a good year for the China sports industry, 2009, 2010, 11, 12 promise to be even more fruitful. My psychic friend said so.

What: The 2008 IMG Intercollegiate Athletics Forum

Where: Intercontinental, The Barclay in New York City, NY (map)

When: December 10th and 11th

Topics:

• Maximizing sports marketing revenue by tapping into fan affinity to create a competitive market place
• Future of college sports media and the role of new media
• Academic reform guidelines and enforcement
• Challenges and solutions for fiscal responsibility
• Generating new revenue streams from ticketing and licensing
• Harnessing Olympic sports revenue
• Advancing minority hiring and containing escalating salaries for coaching
• Facility development and financial constraints

Speakers:

• Michael Adams, President, University of Georgia
• Mike Aresco, Executive VP, Programming, CBS Sports
• Sandy Barbour, Athletic Director, University of California
• Mitch Barnhart, Athletic Director, University of Kentucky
• Pat Battle, Senior Corporate VP, IMG College
• Ross Bjork, Senior Associate Athletic Director, UCLA
• Myles Brand, President, NCAA
• David Brown, Associate Athletic Director, External Relations, The Ohio State University
• Joe Castiglione, Athletic Director, University of Oklahoma
• Glenn Colton, Partner, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
• Barry Frank, Executive VP, Media Sports Programming, IMG
• Mike Hand, Director, Consumer Promotions, Hispanic & Sports Marketing, The Hershey Company
• Mike Hill, Associate Athletic Director, University of Florida
• Warren Hood, Associate Athletic Director, University of Illinois
• Rick Karcher, Associate Professor of Law & Director of the Center for Law and Sports, Florida Coastal School of Law
• Valerie Kravitz, Director, Sports & Entertainment Marketing, Coca-Cola North America
• Jon Litner, President, Comcast SportsNet
• Lisa Love, Athletic Director, Arizona State University
• Burke Magnus, Senior VP, College Sports Programming, ESPN/ABC
• Mary McElroy, Athletic Director, Georgia State University
• Tim McGhee, Director, National Sponsorships, AT&T
• Steve Moore, President, North & South America, International Stadia Group (ISG)
• Jon Oliver, Executive Associate Athletic Director, University of Virginia
• Amy Perko, Executive Director, Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics
• Chris Plonsky, Women’s Athletic Director, University of Texas
• Wally Renfro, Special Adviser to the President, NCAA
• Mark Silverman, President, Big Ten Network
• Graham Spanier, President, Penn State University
• Tom Stultz, Senior VP & Managing Director, IMG College
• Jack Swarbrick, Athletic Director, University of Notre Dame
• Vince Sweeney, Senior Associate Athletic Director, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Ron Wellman, Athletic Director, Wake Forest University
• Rick Wolf, Chairman, Fantasy Sports Association
• Nancy Zimpher, President, University of Cincinnati

On top of the lengthy list of prominent speakers are six featured members:

• Bill Battle, Founder, The Collegiate Licensing Company
• Gordon Gee, President, The Ohio State University
• Trevor Moawad, Director, IMG Performance Institute
• Mike Slive, Commissioner, Southeastern Conference
• Greg Shaheen, Senior Vice President, Basketball and Business Strategies, NCAA
• Adam Silver, Deputy Commissioner and COO, NBA

Cost: Expensive! $1095 for Academics/Nonprofits $1595 for Corporate entities.  Click here to register.

For more information about the event: click here.

April 24, 2007 – The TRO was not enough.  Henkel was accused of getting illegal kickbacks for signing LaDanian Tomlinson to particular deals.  Commercial bribery and theft were the felony charges based on the accusation.

This Monday, Henkel pled guilty to two misdemeanor counts of criminal deprivation of property, which will enable him to avoid going to jail.  Back in 2007, I wondered if Adrian Peterson and Lorenzo Booker would stick with the guy who had a bad rap sheet.  It seems like keeping clients has not been an issue for Henkel.  He also apparently represents Steve Smith, Chad Pennington, and Wes Welker.

The globalization of a sport is nothing new. The NBA has had teams playing exhibition games in Europe for a few years now. Reigning Euroleague champion CSKA Moscow, Spanish powerhouse FC Barcelona and Lithuania’s Lietuvos Rytas will face the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic, Toronto Raptors and, possibly, the Los Angeles Clippers at undetermined NBA venues in the near future. Playing games abroad is great for the sport, increases league exposure around the globe, and is helping to increase revenues.

But what about the loyal fans back in the States? How about the season ticket holders, facing increasing ticket prices, and receiving a fewer amount of games for the price they are paying? Many fans in Buffalo fear that the playing of these games abroad might be the beginning of the end of Bills in west New York. Yet, Toronto says that the series of games is just an opportunity to showcase Toronto as a city that can host a permanent NFL franchise, and nothing more.

How about the players? Home field advantage is something that every NFL team cherishes. If you have been to an NFL game before, you have probably witnessed the effect of an entire stadium of cheering fans backing their team as they drive down the field late in the fourth quarter trying to win a game. In 2002, when Soldier Field was under renovation, the Chicago Bears played all their “home” games at Memorial Stadium two and a half hours south of Chicago at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois, home of the Illinois Fighting Illini. Most of the players felt like they played 16 away games that year.

I am in no way against the NFL trying to market and globalize the sport of football at all. I think it would be a great thing to expand the league and nurture an interest in football in countries outside of the United States. I just feel like if it is going to be done, the NFL needs to come up with a more effective way where the teams don’t have to play “home” games that could potentially decide the outcomes of their season (which Buffalo may have to deal with this year) outside of their actual stadiums. Under the current system, loyal fans of the franchises that must play a home game at an off-site venue suffer by losing one of only eight home games they can possibly see in person. The NFL must be able to effectively spread and expose the international community to their brand of football in a way that will not hurt an NFL team’s win/loss record and disappoint their fans.

Any Suggestions?