Sports Fans: Content Kings

Connecting with people is at the very heart of a successful Sponsorship.

A successful Sponsorship needs to move from merely plastering a company logo on a team shirt or stadium advertising board.  Sponsorship allows brands to reach and influence a significant audience who are followers, supporters and fanatics of a team or sport.  A survey of fans’ attitudes to sponsors showed that a third of NFL fans are ‘more likely to recommend a product/service to a friend of family member’ if they are an official sponsor of the NFL.

With a changing digital landscape, this connection with fans has become more essential than ever. The chance to communicate with fans more frequently and across a greater number of platforms is one that many brands should look to utilise.  Fans have moved from being solely consumers of information, and they are now valuable content creators as we will see later. Social media has also allowed athletes to become content creators, and for fans to have direct relationships with athletes via Facebook, Twitter & Google+ profiles.

Major League Baseball were one of the first to utilise the concept of sports fans as content creators.  Their ‘Fan Cave’ residents will watch every single game (2,430) on a Sony TV, wearing their Majestic Baseball shirt, drinking a Pepsi and sitting in a LaZBoy armchair.  They will tweet to 67,000 followers on a regular basis and it is a great source of entertaining content for both casual and die-hard baseball fans. This is a growing trend in the USA with ‘professional’ fans tweeting to fellow fans, on behalf of a team, or even a TV Network.  Teams and brands will continue to look to offer unique opportunities to fans, and this opportunity is an innovative one to look out for.

A more traditional use of fans as content creators can be seen through incorporating Twitter into live TV broadcasts or even live video screens at sports events.  Carling gave fans the chance to encourage their team by voting for a message to their team on the LED boards at the 2012 Carling Cup Final and at the recent Cycling World Cup in the 2012 Velodrome, fans could see their own tweets on the stadium big screen with the stadium announcer reading them to the crowd.  The concept of ‘two / three-screen’ living is particularly relevant in sport, however the first screen is transferable between TV and the live event itself.  Use of smart phones at sport has grown to the extent that many stadia are having to improve wireless infrastructure to foster this growth in demand. FanVision are one such company who look to capitalise on the desire for two screens, allowing attendees to watch highlights, replays or other footage whilst at the event.  This was particularly evident at the 2010 Ryder Cup where fans could watch all the action on other holes.  The subsidised price of the handset was courtesy of Citibank and this is something I would expect to see at future sports events.

Social media has also allowed a direct relationship with athletes and coaches where in recent times they have been quite distant from the fans who adore them so much.  Relationships through Twitter have grown in the last few years, however two recent incidents stand out as being particularly unusual. On the 28th February, a high profile crash involving Juan Pablo Montoya drew lots of attention for obvious reasons, however Brad Keselowski added over 100,000 followers by posting the picture of the incident below.  Tweeting while driving is dangerous enough, but at over 100mph, it is crazy, yet  Nascar applauded his initiative.  The second incident was during an American college basketball game where the Colorado State head coach Tim Miles tweeted his teamtalk.  It must have been more inspirational in the flesh, as his team turned around a 16 point lead to win 66-59.

Sports Over Seas

So thanks to Darren Rovell and Twitter, I have discovered today one of the stranger pieces of Sports news.

Plans are underway in the USA for a basketball exhibiton match to take place between the colleges of North Carolina and Michigan State on veterans day.  North Carolina have a prestigious history within NCAA basketball, producing many NBA players including the great Michael Jordan.

ESPN have begun preparations for a match between the two colleges on Veteran’s Day 2011 (Rememberance Day for UK citizens who read this) on a military aircraft carrier in the Pacific Coast.  Incidentally, this will be the very same ship that was used to dispose of Osama Bin Laden’s remains after he was killed.

Having studied the links between politics and nationalism through sporting channels, this has got to be one of the most obtuse in recent years. Sure, there are often military fly-bys / free tickets for troops and national anthems at many sporting matches, however for a significant fixture to take place on military deck is another level.

The logistics of running a match which is dependant on the elements can not, in my opinion be overstated.  Basketball matches usually take place in a sterile arena with no wind, no moisture on the ground and very few outside influences.  The Washington Post reports that a second court is being constructed below deck in case of rain – something which is not expected but possible in November.  This is not like an Ice Hockey match, golf match or a football/soccer match where the elements are all considered factors in the sport.

I am very intrigued by this as I think it creates a huge buzz around a relatively small event. The PR and fanfare surrounding the match will be huge and it will be a great experience for all concerned.  It also raises the possibility of further ‘feature locations’ veing used for exhibiton matches or possibly even as a competitive fixture (suddenly the Hurricanes fixture) on a boat doesn’t seem so far-fetched).

Let’s just hope that the sun shines and the wind is calm. Oh, and the boat doesn’t sink.

Chewing gum for the eyes/ears

Yes- a Father Ted line. A classic.

Anyway… I have seen the future. 7:46pm at North Wembley on a London overground train.
ITV has been responsible for so much garbage over the past few years- they have even started branching out into football- (see The Premiership, Everton v Liverpool c.2009, England v USA).
The start of the 2010 World Cup (am I infringing rights by saying that but not being an ‘official blogger’?!) has not been a classic. It’s hard to argue against this. Despite the England match and possibly the Germany and Spain games, it is hard to recall too many high or lowlights.

However, yesterday will always be remembered fondly, as it was the moment I watched live football on my phone. On the train home. It was even good quality. Sure enough ITV can’t manage to broadcast football in HD but they can to an iPhone. Amazing.

Unfortunately though, they didn’t mute out the sound of the vuvuzelas. Sure, every World Cup has a theme or different culture to respect, this I appreciate…however, I am fully of the belief that South African culture isn’t reflected by mindless blowing of a one-pitch trumpet.

Where is the song? The dance? It’s a shame WC2010 will be remembered for the din of them rather than the true spirit of Africa.

Speaking of things that haven’t quite clicked so far; half empty stadiums, floating balls and boring games?
1- Half empty stadiums in my opinion reflect the poor pricing structure and coordination of ticketing. Here’s hoping 2012 is organised better. Albeit with an easier demographic to sell to.
2- The ball is possibly due to the altitude as much as the ball, in my opinion. Anyone who knows of the world record feats capable at altitude, will know that balls fly further, faster and in unpredictable manners. Players also will take time to adjust to this. Games will also be impacted by the altitude, with slower tempo matches.
3- It is only the first round of games. The World Cup in 2006 was slated in exactly the same way, with conservative play etc etc. The World Cup will truly kick off when there are matches to play for.

That starts tonight. For the good of the tournament let’s hope it does!
I’m off to watch it. On my phone. At Willesden Junction. The new home of football…?

3 Lions on a shirt…You’re a chav

On my commute back from Kensington to the leafy north-west suburbs of London, I had the pleasure of sharing a packed, sweaty train with hundreds of England fans and a few sombrero-wearing Mexican fans.  My first thought was that the England shirt was actually quite nice, but that I couldn’t bare to ever wear one.  It’s not that I dislike the team – I will be cheering us on during the World Cup (even though I do happen to think international football brings out the worst / jingoistic / xenophobic side to many of us).

It’s just the association of wearing an England shirt is automatically that you are a chav.  If you are ever seen wearing an England top other than to an England game or training, there must be either –

1) Something wrong with you

2) National pride bursting out of your eyes in the ‘put a flag up in my window/on my car/on my dog’ manner

So I asked myself…for shelling out £40, I would have the opportunity to wear it to the pub on the 7 days a year England play and associate myself with a collective bunch of tools on the other days I choose to.

My natural train of thought led me to think – which shirt would I wear? 

I have a collection of Watford shirts at home but these tend to only come out when I play football.  The other shirts which I would actually wear on the street are my NY Red Bulls top and a top I scavenged from my university days. 

Summer time means holidays.  Holidays mean the highest concentration of football shirts outside of Sports direct.  You know the scene – walking along the beach in a quiet Spanish/Greek/Portuguese resort and you encounter a *generic football team* football shirt.  You judge them for their choice of team and move on with your day.  Unless it is your team and you might even say something to them. 

If this has made no sense, my point is that a replica kit is the ultimate in visual identity.  By buying a new team kit, you are saying…I’m part of a select group of individuals who support this team. 

• With England, you are looking for strength in numbers – the common denominator – very tribal perhaps. 
• With your team, you are narrowing it down slightly…more so if you choose to support Scunthorpe.
• Foreign shirts / shirts of teams in sports nobody knows – you want to be part of a select group of individuals who can either – show a wider knowledge of the sport or display value by claiming to have visited that team.

What I believe is that there seems to be a form of cultural capital/distinction at work when it comes to replica shirts.  For some, being part of the tribe is what it is about.  For others, distinction and uniqueness are the factors when paying money for the shirt.  Which category do you fall under?

Royals’ franchise goes global

In a previous entry, I spoke about the IPL being at the forefront of global sport, with a progressive and expansive ideology. 

Monday saw the Rajasthan Royals – those of Shilpa Shetty and Shane Warne fame – announce a global partnership with Hampshire Hawks and negotiations with Trindad and Tobago, Cape Cobras and Victoria Bushrangers.  The Royals’ ambitious English CEO, Sean Morris announced, seemingly without consulting the ECB or BBCI that both sides would share branding, kits and possibly even players.  The point that the ECB and possibly BBCI weren’t consulted is potentially dangerous but I believe both will recognise that standing in the way of a commercially prosperous link would damage relationships and the sport. 

This announcement is merely the start within Twenty20 cricket, with Surrey and Leicestershire in particular looking to seal tie-ups with IPL counterparts before the other 15 first class counties get the chance.  The benefits are not to be under-estimated, with huge markets across the globe accessing cricket in T20 form for the first time.  USA and Europe are traditionally markets where cricket hasn’t featured but T20 will cross all borders. 

The scope of the deal means that it is very realistic the next Champions League will be contested by 5 Royals teams from the same franchise, sharing players, revenues and maximising their branding.  This is not to be under-estimated as the growth of Twenty20 cricket continues to escalate at an exponential rate. 

“It is feasible to imagine the IPL engulfing world Twenty20 and developing a global league.  The originally named Rajasthan Royals could quite easily become the Rio Royals playing their matches in the backdrop of Copacabana beach.”

This is from my entry two weeks ago and I still feel it is true, with a global T20 league perhaps inevitable.  My vision [which will most likely differ radically to anyone in power] is not of a global league whereby England host one franchise, India another etc.  What I see is more of a F1 / Rugby 7s-style global circuit/series where franchises will play in a tournament across 8 weekends in 8 different locations.

For example:

T20 West Indies/USA – June

T20 Kenya – July

T20 England – August

T20 South Africa – September

T20 Dubai – October

T20 Australia – November  

In this way, there would be little confusion over players representing multiple franchises, and it would also bring the world’s best players to each region of the world, in an [assumed] ICC-approved global calendar.

Financial decay in football hidden out of view

As I write this, Portsmouth FC are conducting their own version of what I call a ‘Monopoly sale’, referring to the desperate state of affairs at the conclusion of the board game Monopoly where you sell anything of any remote value for about 20% of the price.  It is fair to say they are between a rock and a hard place right now.

Players are being sold off without the manager’s knowledge or the chief executive’s blessing.  Who is approving the transactions?  They are due in court on Feb 10 to face HMRC on a winding up order.  Bad news all round – HMRC don’t mess around with football clubs – no sympathy on their behalf when it comes to Football clubs in the red.

What is most eyebrow-raising about the two respective clubs’ situations is that they are still raising eyebrows.  

What is worrying is that as people are fed more and more of the ‘Big Four’ or Big Six/Seven Football that Sky deliver every minute of the day, Joe Average begins to neglect the rest of the footballing spectrum.  There are numerous examples of clubs with severe financial difficulties: Notts County, Cardiff & Watford all spring to mind. 

Even the biggest clubs suffer from tremendous financial difficulties – see Man Utd & Liverpool.  There is nothing sustainable about top-flight football and it is only a matter of time before something happens – be it radical or transitional. 

I think alot of the disdain for current professional football can stem from the impact of money and the dichotomy between footballers/football teams and the rest of the world.  A little more transparency and rational thinking is required from clubs in order to regain Joe Average’s trust and reaffirm a love for the sport which seems to have distanced itself from it’s audience.

(Hard) Luck of the Irish

A picture says a thousand words…

So by now everybody has had their say and two cents worth.  This article will attempt to steer clear from the usual debates about who was in the wrong/referee being biased etc.

There are clearly lessons to be learnt from this debacle though:

1 – That there is precedent for replaying matches; technical error by the referee rather than human error.

2 – The seeding system is not a crime; announcing it halfway through the qualification process is.

3 – Video evidence for objective / in-play events should not be considered. However goal-line technology could.

 

1) The Uzbekistan – Bahrain match was abandoned after a penalty was disallowed for encroachment and a free kick was given rather than a re-take.  This incidentally occurred in a World Cup play-off match – the first leg so potentially easier to overrule.  It also occurred in 2005 and with little ramifications for the overall make up of the tournament – thanks to Trinidad & Tobago beating Bahrain.

2) FIFA in all their wisdom and insight decided to seed the playoff system.  A decision that would have disappeared into news nothingness.  Had it NOT been two weeks before the final qualifying positions.  With France, Germany & Portugal all potentially struggling to qualify.  As it was – all three made it through.  It is hard to say whether they would have been impacted more without the seedings as two of the four teams were unseeded.

3) I said it at the time and I still believe it to be true that video evidence for objective and in-play events cannot occur realistically.  I believe goal-line technology will come in, but the problem with decisions such as the handball or Reading ‘phantom goal’ is that these are the clearest possible scenario.  Both given as a goal when shouldn’t have – both in theory could be looked at quickly and referee’s decision overruled.

What happens for the example of Anelka’s dive/penalty claim – a rough estimate puts it as 15% thought it WAS a penalty, 50% thought he dived, 35% saying “I’ve seen them given”.  This 35% / significant population – how would they go about judging this decision in say 30 seconds.  Even this example is relatively clear cut as there was a stop in play straight afterwards.

What happens when a player leads with an elbow but the referee misses it and the play carries on and the opposition score/get a corner/anything.  Does the referee ask to see a replay then discount anything that happened after the incident?  The possibilities are infinite and get more and more confusing/difficult to justify.  We would soon see managers demanding replays after every injury.  The beauty in my eyes of football is that much of it is open to interpretation – this would not disappear with video replays.  However, what happens when Howard Webb refuses a penalty at Old Trafford that the rest of the world believes IS a penalty?

 

FIFA and UEFA are often the butt of many jokes or conspiracy theorists for various reasons and it is a very British mentality to stick up for the underdog.  However, with regard the seeding controversy, it seems FIFA have almost become a parody of themselves.  Whatever the truth, they have made themselves out to look like money-grabbing, heartless and totally corporate.  I say they have made themselves ‘look’ as I do not believe they totally are.  However, the perception is far more important.

In my humble opinion, they should have commented immediately rather than let the fiasco drag out.  I do not blame them for not re-staging the match as this could lead to all manner of scenarios calling for a reply.  One final thing I learnt from Wednesday night’s match was the horrible sight of players taking a minute to take a throw on or goal kick.  Feigning injury, rolling around; anything to run the clock down.  I KNOW this happens and know i wouldn’t complain if my team did such a thing.  However – is now the time to act? Timekeepers etc…

 

A depressing article this I know and one which has made me question my love for the sport. As a former academic once wisely spouted to me –

“Sport is not about the game itself – that is what you call a pastime or leisure activity.  Sport involves politics, economics and culture.”

Sport is big business and as such, affects livelihoods as any other big business. Can anyone REALLY blame Henry for his act? Did FIFA merely act smart looking to protect their number one asset with a comfier ride to the World Cup for France & Portugal?  Would we even talk about the seeding issue if it had happened before the draw – despite the same issue arising.

On a lighter note…here are some things that sport in the UK misses out on:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hs1l_V9kaYQ