Entries Tagged 'Sports' ↓

The game hasn’t started, but the bar is already set high for commercials!

NBC aired this during the pre-game show:

Wow. Just…wow.

With the new MLB Collective Bargaining Agreement in place, odds-making site Bodog.net has placed odds on who will fail the new HGH blood testing. Here’s the screen grab…

In a New York Times article this past weekend, Phoenix Suns President Rick Welts came out and will live as an openly gay man.

It’s no secret that mens’ sports is not the most accepting environment in the world.

Despite the fact that a good team is filled with different skill sets and personality profiles, sexual orientation has long been taboo.

But professional sports is about two things: 1) winning and 2) business.

And Welts has a long career of being successful in both aspects.

As the President and CEO of the Suns, he has overseen one of the most exciting brands of basketball in decades.  He has been part of the league for over 30 years in various capacities.

Ever heard of the Slam Dunk Contest?  It was Welts’ idea.

So what will the fallout be in the coming days?

If there is any justice in the world, the league will collectively shrug their shoulders and get back to basketball.

I applaud Welts for deciding to live his life in the open, and I know I’m writing about it, but this should be a NON-STORY in the NBA.

The sex life of a team executive, unless it’s something illegal, is of no matter to the league, advertisers, players or fans.  If he breaks a law, we should care.  But if he is gay, it should not be a big deal.  Let the man live his life in peace.

I sincerely hope that this is a good thing for Welts, the Suns and the NBA.  His admission took the type of guts, and hopefully he can soon feel complete.

I also hope for the day where nobody would need to “come out” because it won’t really matter.  Even in sports.

I am not a fan of the Star-Spangled Banner being played before sporting events.

Did you know that the tradition started during World War II to drum up support for the “war effort?”

It, in effect, politicized sports.  And the only place that belongs is in the Olympics, in my opinion.

With that being said, the new Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer [former client], did something REALLY cool in their home opener Thursday night: instead of bringing in a professional singer or local talent to perform the anthem, they had the FANS do it!

Brilliant!

What better way to create an instant soccer community than to have your fans sing the anthem.

Honestly, I hope this is not a one-off thing for the Timbers.  Portland has very little identity as a sports town, and this “fans sing the anthem” thing could help spark one.

Video, in case you missed it:

I love the start of a new baseball season.  All of the predictions become virtually meaningless.

My beloved Baltimore Orioles are off to a 2-0 3-0 start.  It’s early, and they could always finish 2-160 3-159.  There’s plenty of time for bad things to happen to them.  But…maybe those won’t happen.

Maybe this will be a magical season…

There comes a time in every organization where they MUST evolve to survive.

Behold...Kegasus!

Horse racing is at that junction right now.

Truth be told, it’s needed to evolve for several generations now.

As someone who enjoys watching the Triple Crown races, I can say that the industry has felt…old and stodgy for quite some time.  Maybe it always has.

But the Preakness Stakes in my hometown of Baltimore has found a way to evolve their brand and attract a larger audience.

I’ve never attended the Preakness infield party, but I know many, many, many people who have lived the party for a long time there.  It’s a beer-soaked fiesta, where the scene is AS IMPORTANT as the scene in the sky boxes.  Just on a much different level.

The Maryland Jockey Club appears to have embraced the duality of the event, being so prim and proper, while also allowing a forum for hedonism and liver-killing.

On Tuesday, they announced their advertising campaign for the InfieldFest, entitled “Be Legendary” and featuring Kegasus, a half-man, half-racehorse who loves to party.

Oh, and he Tweets.

To me, the Preaskness campaign combines elements of Barney Stinson (my PR role model), the Old Spice commercials and most comedy beer ads.

I mean that with love – those are three fantastic sources of inspiration to attract an audience of folks that will enjoy letting loose while horses are running around them in circles.

The social media aspect is a gamble.  They are building a character who exists to promote one day a year.  Will people invest in this character’s sure-to-be low-brow humor?  And if they do, will they get tired of it quickly?

The key here is making sure that this character is multi-dimensional.  Kegasus must be MORE than just the embodiment of one party for it to succeed in the social media space.  He must exist in the real world to give them the benefit I think they are looking for – create buzz around a younger, more plugged-in audience ready to have a good time that may come to the track outside of just the Preakness.  Those spectator dollars are sorely lacking in horse racing – the sport NEEDS a thunderburst of excitement.  Can a sorta mythical character provide it?

You’ve got my attention, Kegasus…show me what you’ve got.  Your sport is depending on you.