Millsport Blog

A year later, buzz around Beckham fades

I see where the "Beckham Buzz" has quieted some.  Not exactly surprising.  Professional soccer has never been at the forefront in America and an aging, oft-injured player who (at this point in his career) is more flash than substance wasn't the right person to take it to the next level.

He certainly hasn't hurt the MLS.  Clearly, there are people who've heard of the league and, perhaps, even attended a game or two thanks to Becks.

But, despite what the British tabloids write, it's going to take something or someone bigger from within the U.S. to make soccer a premier sport in the States. Eventually, many of these kids who start their athletic lives on soccer fields will be able to make some noise in international play.  Building your own soccer stars is a better bet than borrowing someone's leftovers. -- DD

The quietest sports day of the day

Black Wednesday (no, not that Black Wednesday):  The day after the MLB All-Star game.  Arguably the quietest sports day of the year.  One of only two days each year when the Big Four (NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB) are off. 

So why hasn't someone stepped up to fill the void?  Why doesn't someone attempt to capitalize on this?

Here's a thought:  The Arena Football League has its championship this coming weekend.  In the future, maybe today would be a good time-slot for the AFL to maximize fan interest. 

No?  Well,there's always Zorbing... -- JM

Favre goes on offensive

He doesn't have a blog, so Brett Favre's turned to Greta Van Susteren and FOX News to make sure the world gets his side of the story.  Here's her lead-in to the Favre interview:

"For the first time, the Packer legend answers all the questions the world has been asking for weeks, and you will only see it here."

Dear Brett, make a decision and stick to it.  After a great season, it looked like you, one of my all-time favorites, was calling it a career.  You didn’t quite go out on the high note that Elway did, but, hey, it was still a memorable effort and a nice exit from the game.

Will his flip-flopping impact his marketability?  Doubt it.  In fact, EA Sports has him on the cover of its 20th Anniversary edition of the Madden video game.

According to our own Davie Brown Index (DBI), Favre rates as one of the most appealing figures in all of sports.  U.S. consumers see him as trustworthy, aspirational, and influential.  And, thanks to the FOX interview, his awareness levels will get a nice boost.  Brands love the guy.

In Brett's spots for TMobile's home phone service (click on the MOVING spot), he appears at a press conference saying "hello" instead of "goodbye."  Maybe it was foreshadowing... -- JM

HR Derby ratings up

I see where the Home Run Derby was the most-watched ad-supported cable program of the year so far.  ESPN hasn't had so many people watching since 2006, when Florida State took on Miami.  State Farm, title sponsor of the HR Derby, has got to be pleased.

What drove interest (other than a steady barrage of ESPN promos)?  That the clock's ticking down on Yankee Stadium, one of the last great American baseball venues, was likely compelling enough for viewers to tune in to for awhile.

Here's what the HR Derby was up against:

- The season premiere's of "The Closer" and "Saving Grace" over on TNT.
- New episodes of "American Gladiators" and "Nashville Star" on NBC.
- A special one-hour episode of ABC's "The Mole."

Not exactly must-see TV... -- CA

Thanks to HR-hitting clinic, Rangers' Hamilton ups his marketability

There’s no doubt that Josh Hamilton’s performance in the Home Run Derby last night impacted his marketability.

Once the Texas slugger stepped to the plate and started his run, the broadcast morphed into a two-hour Josh Hamilton infomercial. For one thing, it took about 45 minutes for Josh to complete his first-round heroics with 28 mammoth blasts.

Then, the buzz in the booth carried over through his succeeding appearances at the plate, replays of his 500-foot shots and, later, comments that it didn’t matter that he didn’t win the contest. He lost the battle, but he'd already won the war.

Hamilton’s story has been chronicled extensively this season with a Sports Illustrated cover feature and numerous other news accounts. He leads the majors with 95 RBIs before the All-Star break, and he is only two off the American League lead in homers with 21.

Most baseball fans are aware of how Hamilton’s courage to put his drug-addiction demons behind him to return to baseball and finally fulfill his promise. The only thing that was missing before Monday night was a national stage where his story could touch a much larger audience.

While Hamilton’s ability was being showcased along with his dream of competing in the Derby, the broadcast likely became the most-viewed cable program of the year. Many viewers were probably channel-flipping or got a call from one of their buddies to tune in.  When they did, they were mesmerized.

What stood out through it all was Hamilton’s attitude and his approach to the contest. It was clear that he was truly soaking up the entire experience with a kid-like expression of joy and disbelief. He smiled throughout with a “pinch me, I’m dreaming” sort of look, and he maintained his smooth swing and rhythm despite constant interruptions. 

Teammates were like corner men in a boxing match, giving him encouragement and keeping him loose for the next swing. Other All-Stars’ kids brought him needed doses of Gatorade (nice product placement) and asked him to sign a ball as everyone became part of the act.

On top of it all, the pitcher sharing the moment with Hamilton and serving up perfect tosses was his 71-year-old former high school coach.

This was a rare occasion when we could sit as viewers and suspend the notion that baseball players are a bunch of millionaires who are looking for their next contract or endorsement deal. 

Nothing appeals more to marketers than a top athlete who plays for love of the game and can succeed under pressure. Hamilton said all the right things in interviews as well, expressing his euphoria in the moment and professing the role his faith has played in his revival. It even melted the hearts of hardened Yankee fans who chanted “Hamilton! Hamilton!”.

There will always be the fear that an injury or difficult times could throw Hamilton into a tailspin again, but it appears that he is making all the right decisions about his life at this point by avoiding temptations and spreading the word to others about how to avoid his mistakes.

Marketers who had qualms before cast the demons aside as well by calling Hamilton’s agent immediately after the Derby display. The offers are coming. It will start with niche products looking to make a splash and will ladder up to the big boys as Hamilton’s reputation grows.

Of course, what remains to be seen is if Hamilton can maintain his extraordinary level of play throughout an entire season and propel the Rangers into the AL wild card race through September. He has already pushed his team to the top of the majors in runs scored (with a little help from Ian Kinsler and Milton Bradley) and to four games above .500.

If the team and individual success continue, Hamilton could find himself in the spotlight again in the fall. If that happens, he will become one of the most marketable players in baseball and the Home Run Derby can be credited with starting it all. -- DD

Ah, the allure of one-on-one basketball

After watching the State Farm Home Run Derby last night, I thought it might be the right time for the NBA and its sponsors to revisit this idea:  NBA One-on-One Championship, "brought to you by Vitalis Dry Control."

It had it all:  Six-foot-3 guards going against 6-foot-11 centers, a dark and deserted arena, and '70s-era on-screen graphics.  What's not to like?

Here's how Bob Lanier remembered it:

"They brought us all to a high school gym somewhere. I think that they figured that Pistol Pete was going to win it. Vitalis was the sponsor and they made a deal with Pistol to do the TV commercials for the event. But he didn’t win; he got knocked out just before the finals. Jo Jo (White) and I ended up playing in the finals.  [After beating White], they gave me a Vitalis trophy and a satchel that contained about $15,000. I remember unzipping it and pretending that I was tossing the money out to the fans."

Seriously, for a brand-supported sports promo done 30-plus years ago, it did a lot of things right.  For starters, it featured a number of the NBA's top players actually competing with a decent level of intensity.  And it was hosted by Keith Jackson and Bill Russell, which upped its credibility. 

Ok, so the production value wasn't up to today's standards and the sponsoring brand could have been integrated further into the event and broadcast.  But it was an innovative idea at the time that we might be able to learn from.

For me, it’s a reminder that less is more. (And I’m not talking about the paltry payday. A satchel of 15,000 $1 bills . . . Nice work, Vitalis.)

This competition is so elemental. A ball. A rim. And two guys (in tank tops and tube socks, no less) playing a game we all played in our driveways and at parks. The simplicity is refreshing.

Of course, this thing wouldn’t fly in this superstar-player-as-brand, attention-challenged, 21st century environment. To be incarnated, it’d have to be tricked up with 24 cams, incentive-laden gold balls, shape-shifting backboards, enhanced gravity spots, and, quite possibly a Burmese-tiger trap in the floor — all set to pulsating music.

Sports advertising, sponsorships may go flat with AB-InBev merger

With the AB-InBev acquisition apparently set, everyone from the TV networks to event marketers to sports properties are trying to calculate how this is going to impact their business.

First, recognize that Anheuser-Busch is one of the largest spenders in advertising and sponsorships with an annual spend of $475 million on advertising in the U.S., of which an estimated $218 million is spent in the world of sports.

Now, compare this to what InBev currently spends on advertising here in the U.S. - approximately $58 million annually for brands like Bass, Beck’s, Stella Artois and others.  It's easy to conclude that the AB model of “spend money to make money” will drastically change. 

As an efficiency expert, InBev has a reputation of cutting unnecessary spending, which is pretty much the opposite of the AB model.  Combine this with InBev’s traditional opposition to sports spending and you can see why the sports industry is getting a little nervous.

Look at what other brands are spending in sports.  Chevy is the second largest spender at an estimated $45 million annually.  You might say, "Sure, but that's one brand.  AB represents several brands." 

True, but it paints a picture of just how committed AB has been to sports advertising and sponsorships. 

Just looking at the beer category we can see that -- combined -- Coors and Miller spent only $172 million in sports, which further highlights the significance of AB's position in sports. 

If InBev does what it traditionally does and significantly cuts back on AB's advertising and sponsorship budgets, we could expect to see as much as a 50 percent reduction of this $218 million annual spend. 

If InBev takes a more modest approach, we might see a 25 percent reduction in sports spending to begin with, and a slower pace of these reductions.  But even at that rate this cut would surpass Chevy's annual sports spend. 

Everyone in the industry will feel this at some level.  I predict the impact will be felt first in second- and third-tier markets, and later with a new or revised strategy in key major markets.

The bottom line is this:  The days when AB outspent everyone to maintain its "King of Sports Sponsorships" crown are likely over. -- DP

NBA takes first step to address officiating concerns

You may have seen a note about the NBA hiring a retired U.S. Army general to oversee the league's officiating program. 

It's a good move for a couple a reasons:  First, it demonstrates to the fans and the media that the NBA is taking action to ensure its officiating is credible.  They're not just talking about addressing the issue.  They've brought in an outsider to help get their house in order.

Second, according to at least one poll, Americans find military personnel to be trustworthy figures, behind only doctors/scientists, teachers/professors, and members of the clergy.

Time will tell if the move pays off, but it's a solid start. -- CA

Spikeball, anyone?

As a kid, before video games were in every home, me and my buddies would create our own games out in the park or on the driveway.  [As I recall, most involved a Super Ball...]

Anyway, I read recently where some Chicagoland entrepreneurs are trying to help a game they created -- Spikeball -- catch on.  If nothing else, looks like it might be a fun game for the beach.

Now, generating some buzz on the beach about a new game and having it develop into a institutionalized sport are two different things.  But it's encouraging to see that there are people out there who are still creating new games (even if they're not wearing Toughskins). -- CA