Final Post-What I Have Learned

There was quite a bit I learned from doing my blogs from an aspect of marketing and sports and what is all involved. How are players and teams marketed? What players and teams are more marketed than others? What players are in the spotlight for good and bad publicity? These questions and more are what my blogs were based on. The article I enjoyed the most and got the most out of was the one about players who commit crimes and how they are treated differently. As I mentioned before, when there is money and power, there can be a lot one can do to avoid trouble for the most part. If anyone of us did the minor things athletes do and the minor things they do would be major things for us, we would lose our jobs, ruin our families or worse.

I enjoyed writing about this topic so much that I am thinking of switching my major to sports marketing. I am taking sports promotions right now and it is very interesting how people are brought into games by special promotions such as $1 beer and $ dogs at Griffins games. This is a huge draw even for someone who isn't even a hockey fan. These days people just can't afford spending 40 or 50 bucks on an event. Sporting events are not a priority with high unemployment and a crappy economy.

With a passion for sports like I have, I believe I could excel in this field. There has to be a passion for something in order to be really good at it. Especially, when it comes to the NFL, NHL, MLB. NCAA Football is also great to watch. My team is Michigan and right now they have a lot of work to do so hopefully Rich-Rod can get his shhhhstuff together quickly.

Sports Events In 3D

On March 24, 2010, NHL is going the next step in mixing sports with technology. The game between the NY Islanders and NY Rangers at Madison Square Gardens will be shown at the theater at Madison Square Gardens and on the MSG Network. This was the first live sporting event broadcast live in 3-D. I think this was awesome being that it was hockey being part of a "first". Usually when something is being introduced in the sporting world, it usually the NFL, MLB or NBA introducing it.

Now, that it is being broadcast in 3-D, there will be additional cameras to catch different angles which would definitely be necessary. While watching a hockey on a standard broadcast, the puck is always going left and right and away from the viewer. To catch an angle as a puck is coming at you in 3_D would be just awesome. Then you have fights and players being checked into the boards which will create an even more awesome experience.

Eventually, there will be soon be 3-D televisions on the market that will not require special glasses to wear to capture the experience in 3-D. As most of us know, Avatar, which was in theaters in 3-D was mainly why this movie was such a success along with the creation of Pandora and it's characters. 3-D is a step above the high-def we have today and I can only wonder what will be next in 5-10 years. Anyways, back to the sports aspect of this blog, I believe all sports will benefit from this and can't wait to see my first sporting event in 3-D myself. The thought of seeing DT tackling Tom Brady as it is coming through my tv and to see a foul ball fly through my tv screen also would create excitement. 3-D is definitely the newest and ultimate entertainment experience.

http://www.sportsnetworker.com/2010/03/24/another-first-for-the-garden-hockey-in-3d/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SportsNetworker+%28Sports+Networker+%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

Best Sports Movies of all-time

According to the article by Michelle Hill, she lists the top 6 best sports movies of all-time, fictional or non-fictional in this order. 6) Rocky III 5) The Pride of the Yankees 4) Million Dollar Baby 3) Brian's Song 2) Remember The Titans and 1) The Express. Out of these movies I have seen Rocky III, Million Dollar Baby and Remember The Titans and have to say these are good choices definitely, but lets look at some of my favorites. Slapshot, Caddyshack, The Natural, Friday Night Lights, We Are Marshall, Varsity Blues, Hoosiers, White Men Can't Jump, Coach Carter and Kingpin just to name a few.

Sports movies containing comedy, drama, suspense or anything else make for great entertainment. The Natural, probably my best sports movie, has that storyline with tragedy, corruption and a happy ending. What sports is brought out in a movie is just awesome and it tells how the people involved are actually feeling and you see it from their prospective.

We could probably learn lessons from watching such sports movies. Let's take Slapshot, for example. It is probably safe to say that it isn't a good idea to skate around a beat the hell out of the opposing team before the national anthem even starts or possibly take Kingpin, for example, Roy was able to get back to the PBA with a prostetic hand. I know this movie was a fictional as it gets, but the point is he didn't give up. I am sure there are many more sports movies I am missing and a lot I haven't seen, like Blindside and The Express. Many can take certain things from these movies and improve their lives immensely I believe.

http://www.sportsnetworker.com/2010/04/16/top-6-life-lessons-from-great-sports-films/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SportsNetworker+%28Sports+Networker+%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

Are Athletes Who Commit Crimes Treated Differently

There have been several athletes over the years who have been caught up in scandals or crimes. Just to name a few there is Michael Vick, who was caught up in dogfighting. He ultimately went to prison and is now back in the NFL. But he is now struggling to regain his status he once had as an elite quarterback. Next, of course, there is Tiger Woods. We all know what he has done and it looks like now that he and his wife are now done. He took some time off and came back during the masters a week ago and did fairly well and now he will be playing at Quail Meadows this weekend. Then there is Ben Roethlisberger. I am sorry but this guy is a dumbass. Even though there was no crime committed "that we know of" this is the second time he has been in the spotlight for downright stupidity. Does he really have to go in the public to show off his money and power as a professional sports athlete?

Do these athletes get special treatment because they are professional athletes? Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. If we look back at the O.J. Simpson trial back in the 90's, we can all honestly say he is guilty of murder and yet his money and legal team got him off scott free and yet he hasn't been able to stay out of trouble and has landed himself back in jail for other reasons. I think Michael Vick did his time and learned from it. I hope Tiger learned his lesson because it is just awful what he put his family through. With "Big" Ben, who knows. It looks like he will be suspended by the NFL, but he might think nothing of it and keep acting like a fool until he does get in trouble with the law. The point is that in a lot of cases, famous athletes do get special treatment because of their money and power and as average joes like us, it just is not fair.

http://www.sportsnetworker.com/2010/04/06/the-vilifying-of-athlete-crimes/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SportsNetworker+(Sports+Networker+)&utm_content=Google+Reader

Tiger Woods New Nike Ad

When I first saw this ad it was actually kind of creepy and it still is actually. I am sure everyone by now has seen it but if you haven't, check it out online. Even though Earl woods words were said in a different time and place, I guess Nike thought it would be a good idea for Tigers current situation and for the better of Nike themselves. Of course, the amount of money Nike has made off of Tiger is astronomical and vice versa but Nike will do whatever it takes to get Tiger back to his old self, well his old self as a golfer that is. Tiger announced that he is taking more time off and said for sure he will be back for the U.S. Open. Must be nice to be a professional sports athlete and decide to play whenever you want. I guess just playing at the majors takes a lot of the spotlight off of his "off the course" behavior.

Now Tiger is being heavily criticized by Jim Nantz for using foul language on the golf course after Tiger said he would start cleaning up his act on the golf course. Jim Nantz also said that if he said what Tiger said by using the lords name in vein, he would be fired. Well that is true but Tigers job is to play golf and Jim Nantz's job is to broadcast sporting events. Two totally different positions. You really can't compare the two. I believe Jim Nantz is overreacting a bit but he has a point. All the other golfers aren't using that language, at least the ones in front of the camera. It is usually the golfers on the leaderboard who are in front of the camera. I am sure it happens with others golfers as well as other sports such as football, baseball, basketball and hockey. A lot of times you can read lips on tv and know exactly what they are saying. You think when coaches put their playbook in front of their face is to tell their qb to change a play? NO, they are ripping them a new one and using foul language in the process. Just a guess but I could be wrong.

As far as Tiger goes, he will eventually be back to his old self, winning tournaments, doing gilette, Nike and other ads and this "off the course" behavior will soon pass and be over with. Tiger will always have his fans too. His fans are for Tiger the golfer, not Tiger the husband or the father. He may have lost some credibility as a role model but that is something he needs to fix or work on. All I know is when I turned on the tv last week I wasn't interested in who was doing good or winning the masters, I was interested in how Tiger was doing and I am sure that was the thinking of many people. He draws a huge fan base to the sport and that is the way it will always be.

Does the Future in Sports Media Belong to ESPN

I believe what ESPN has is goldmine that isn't going away anytime soon. The power they have over everybody else is the difference between day and night. With all the ESPN ststions there are now like ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic, ESPN Deportes and ESPNU, they are pretty much untouchable. Then they have radio programs like the ever popular Mike and Mike, The Cowherd show, Steve VanPelt show, and the one and only Jim Rome show along with the publication of ESPN the Magazine, ESPN is huge. Then look at all the marketing they do with the actual athletes. For example, the commercial where Steve VanPelt is sitting in Lebron's chair and the one where Drew Brees is holding up traffic in New Orleans driving a float are just some examples of why ESPN is so strong.

According to this article, they believe with internet media, ESPN won't be around long but I strongly disagree. With all the advances of HDTV and now with 3-D tvs coming out, I can't imagine that a station like ESPN going away. NO WAY! Think about it, ABC has the rights to ESPN, and to think a station like ABC or NBC going away is proposterous.

Now wit facebook and twitter, I can only imagine that this will make them even more popular. Even people who aren't real sports fans at least know about ESPN and what they are about. I watch ESPN andlisten to Mike and Mike every morning and can't imagine a day without it. Even when it is just baseball going on, I need my sports fix. Whether I believe everything they say is a different story because it has a lot of opinionated comments but to get my mind thinking about their ideas and ideas of my own makes it pretty interesting. Without SportsCenter is like not having sunlight which would be pretty hard to survive without. Got the Point? I thought so.

http://www.sportsnetworker.com/2010/03/31/does-the-future-of-sports-media-belong-to-espn/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed%3A+Sportsnetworker+%28Sports+Networker+%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

What Athletes Should Be Using Social Media?

What athletes should be using social media? Although all athletes should be using social media along with everybody anywhere should be, I believe along with what the article expresses, is that the athletes who are not household names like Tiger, Lebron, Kobe, Peyton Manning and Derek Jeter just to name a few. Let's look at the NFL a second. Let's take a look at a player who isn't a QB, RB or a WR. For example John Phillips, a TE fot the Dallas Cowboys and Anthony Becht, a TE for the Arizona Cardinals. Could anyone tell me who these people were if I hadn't mentioned their team or their position? I highly doubt it.

With social media, these type of people can get their name out there more because just by watching a game on tv, you might get lucky to hear their names brought up a handful of times throughout the season. Using facebook and twitter, these NFL players can broadcast themselves more and try to make a bigger name for themselves. A player such as the two I mentioned could easily have about half a million or more followers on twitter and the same amount of fans on facebook. This would give fans a more in-depth view of a player that you won't hear on sportscenter or Mike and Mike.

This is why social media is so awesome for everyday people like you and me. Broadcast who you are and what you are trying to accomplish and do some free networking and advertising.

http://www.sportsnetworker.com/2010/03/08/sports-debate-what-athletes-should-be-using-social-media/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SportsNetworker+%28Sports+Networker+%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

Athletes and controversy

This article was pretty interesting I thought. When athletes make it as big as people like Kobe, Tiger, A-Rod and Roger Clemens, just to name a few that are current, You have to take on a much bigger case of responsibility. Temptation for many things such as sex, drugs, HGH, PED's and others seem to grow with the more money an athlete makes. When a player gets caught in a situation such as being accused of rape and they are the #1 player for the Los Angeles Lakers, who are the ones giving them advise and do they listen or do they make their own judgement?

It depends I guess. You have to look at common sense first. If you are guilty of a crime then man up and face the consequences. If you are not guilty, hold your ground and fight it with all you got. The next question is How are you gonna go about it? In Kobe's case he did cheat on his wife but was found innocent of a sexual crime. How do these athletes find themselves in this position in te first place? I understand with fame and fortune there are many things that can be obtained whether it is good or bad. But an athlete has to think before they act instead of apologizing everytime they make a mistake and hope everyone forgives them and all things return to normal.

Now Ben Roethlisberger has found himself in some hot water. Whether he is guilty of sexual assault or not, why was he in a college bar being 28 and a high profile professional athlete. Seriously, someone like him can find anyone he wants so if he is guilty of sexual assault, he is a complete idiot. Especially seeing how this is his second time of being in this situation.

Athletes have to have a lot of self-control. Play their sport with all their heart and live a life without running into the law which is unheard of these days but it does happen.

http://www.google.com/reader/view/#stream/feed%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.sportsnetworker.com%2Ffeed%2F

Denny's Free Breakfast Day!

Dennys for the second year in a row offered an unbelievable deal. During the Super Bowl, they offered a free breakfast on Tuesday February 9 from 6am til 2pm. They spent about $5 million on advertising which was for 3 30 second spots and brought in about $50 million across the country in purchases such as coffee, pop, and other side orders here and there which I think is amazing.

I think this was brilliant on Dennys part. Although Denny's is a struggling restaurant with competition such as IHOP to name one, this marketing strategy definitely paid off. Even tough this success will be temporary, they cleared $45 million in 8 hours time. This will keep them afloat to come up with other marketing strategies to once again possibly be a leading chain in dining. Don't get me wrong, I love Dennys, but I would definitely go to an IHOP for breakfast after work.

With a few changes in how their chain is ran Iwould definitely be a regular customer. There have been many times that I have gone where the service and/or the food was bad. With me working 3rd shift, I want to eat and run and leave a happy customer with the hopesof returning. I would also like to mention how AWESOME their onion rings are...YUM YUM.

Maybe if our class could contact Danny Beckett from Spearia to give Denny's' headquarters a call with some ideas,maybe there could be positive and permanent improvements. Although Danny being young speaking to a franchise older than he is might be challenging, but If I were Dennys I would be open to anything.

In conclusion I just want to say again how big of a success this was for Dennys and I believe there will be other good rewards from marketing in this chain. Of course, any advertising anyone does during the Super Bowl is going to be viewed by many more than any other event on tv so if anyone is willing to pay the higher fees for advertising during these 3 1/2 hours, I pray for their success. Advertising is a powerful tool!!!

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=122209

Sports Management

I am Chris Cooper. I am 36 years old. I am married with 3 daughters. I work full-time at Gentex Corp. in Zeeland, Mi. I am currently attending Grand Valley State University with a major in Information Systems.
The main theme for this blog will entail sports management. I hope to get a lot of ideas and comments from fellow classmates and beyond about this topic and hope to carry on what I learn from here on out. I think with the sports theme, it will make it that much more interesting. I am Looking forward to hearing from everyone.