Sports Business Digest » Emmett Jones

Detroit Tigers surpass 1 million “likes” on Facebook

Emmett Jones — Wed, 23 May 2012 15:11:57 +0000

Like This if you..."Like This". The future of Facebook's stock may be in question, but the obscene number of users flocking to the site is certainly not in doubt. The Detroit Tigers, who are quite popular even without an official Facebook page, have officially topped one million "Likes" on the uber-popular social networking site. With that mark, they become the first American League Central team to reach the one million plateau, and the tenth team in Major League Baseball.

“Social media is an integral part of the fan experience, and we are constantly seeking new ways to engage directly with loyal Tigers fans,” said Tigers’ Vice President of Marketing Ellen Hill Zeringue. “It all starts with unique content, and Tigers fans have demonstrated an exciting response to the Tigers on both Facebook and Twitter, and this milestone is attributable to their support.” (via Press Release)

In an effort to recognize and appreciate their fans, the Tigers are running a sweepstakes for their Facebook followers. Fans who "Like" the team have the opportunity to win four tickets to an upcoming game, complete with a VIP batting practice viewing and a signed Miguel Cabrera baseball. Out of market fans will have the option to opt out of the tickets and receive a free MLB.TV subscription along with the autographed "Miggy" baseball. More information on the contest can be found on the Tigers Facebook page, while fans can also follow the Tigers on their official twitter accounts @Tigers and @TigresdeDetroit

MusclePharm signs deal with Bryce Harper

Emmett Jones — Wed, 23 May 2012 13:17:08 +0000

Washington Nationals phenom Bryce Harper has signed a sponsorship deal with nutritional supplement company MusclePharm. The 19-year old outfielder is in the middle of his first season in Major League Baseball, having debuted for the Nationals on April 28th. While he has tended to shy away from endorsement deals because he's more focused on baseball itself -- according to his marketing agent, Tyler Beckstrom of Boras Marketing, he did sign with MusclePharm in part because of his previous usage of the product,

"I have been using MusclePharm products for more than a year, and I fell in love with the brand after first being introduced to it," Harper said. "MusclePharm products have been certified to be used in professional baseball, and I know they are safe and effective because of that. "Their entire product line is outstanding, and they do an amazing job helping me recover correctly, while allowing me to perform at a high level. I am truly excited to be working with MusclePharm in this capacity." (via Press Release)

MusclePharm is already a popular nutritional supplement among athletes in NFL and MLB circles, and it is the official supplement company of the UFC.

"Harper's immense baseball talent, likeable personality and broad appeal to a key demographic made this the ideal partnership for MusclePharm," said Cory Gregory, the company's co-founder and senior vice president. "We've had our eye on Bryce for nearly two years, because I really thought he fit our brand perfectly. We saw him progress through the minors at a rapid rate, and we were impressed with his Major League debut. It is icing on the cake that he is already using MusclePharm products "Bryce fits into our main demographic perfectly, and we are beyond thrilled to have him on board as one of our main athletes. He trains extremely hard and has a tremendous work ethic, and we are excited to welcome Bryce to MusclePharm in a big way," Gregory added.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Belmont Stakes sells-out tickets in 5 minutes

Emmett Jones — Tue, 22 May 2012 17:40:13 +0000

What a difference a Triple Crown contender makes. The Thoroughbread Times is reporting that reserved seat tickets for the Belmont Stakes sold out in under 5 minutes when a block of 3,000 tickets went on sale via Ticketmaster yesterday morning. Of course, this year's Belmont has a little more added incentive after I'll Have Another won both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes in exciting fashion. Roughly half of the seats at Belmont were sold at the start of the Preakness Stakes on Saturday. Since the end of the Preakness, there has been a mini-rush for tickets, with the New York Racing Association reporting that approximately 5,000 more seats have been sold since the race's end. While the Belmont can hold 32,000, they have the ability to increase capacity for high-demand events like a potential Triple Crown winner. 1,000 more seats will be available for the Belmont starting on Wednesday. While online reserved ticket prices range somewhere between $20 to $120 depending on your seat, secondary tickets are presently going for nearly $1,000 on secondary ticket market website, Stub Hub. The last potential Triple Crown winner, Big Brown, pulled in more than 90,000 fans during his 2008 Triple Crown bid.

Dickerson lawsuit adds to NFL’s concussion woes

Emmett Jones — Tue, 22 May 2012 14:54:56 +0000

The NFL concussion lawsuits have just gone high-profile. Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson has joined together with 15 other retired NFL players to file suit against the league, alleging that the league was negligent regarding the care and instruction they gave to players to prevent long term damage from concussions, according to the NFL Concussion Litigation Blog. Dickerson, who is the highest-profile claimant against the league to date, is joined in the suit by Pro Bowl Running Back Hoyle Granger, and the estates of David Lunceford and Ernie Stautner; both estates allege that the players were suffering from Alzheimers at the time of their death, which was a result of concussion-type injuries suffered during their time in the NFL. The suit, which was filed in the Southern District of Texas, is the 80th such concussion-related lawsuit filed against the league.

NFLPA disapproves of proposed Pad rule

Emmett Jones — Tue, 22 May 2012 13:08:06 +0000

So...how safe is too safe? An NFL proposed rule change would require that the usage of thigh and knee pads would be mandatory for all players beginning with the 2013 NFL season. The proposed rule change will be reviewed at the league's spring meeting, which takes place today. The NFL Players Association? Not too excited about said proposed rule change, according to a FOX Sports report,

“Guys want to feel as sleek as possible,” NFLPA president Domonique Foxworth told FOXSports.com last year. “Anything that inhibits that makes them feel it’s slowing them down or getting in their way. Some guys have never played with those pads. It’s difficult for them to wrap their heads around it mentally.”

The mandatory usage of pads comes at a time when the NFL is under fire from retired players over what they feel was a lack of information regarding player safety. To date, over 2,000 retired players have filed suit against the league, mainly for issues regarding lack of knowledge about the dangers of concussions and their treatment. Seemingly in an effort to head off potential lawsuits down the road regarding knee and thigh issues, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, and the league itself, are proposing the rule as a part of a group of safety initiatives that seek to make the game safer for the players involved. There had been discussions of a pad rule since the 2010-2011 season, but this is the first time the proposed rule will be voted on by the owners. Of course, as Foxworth said, implementation of the pad rule may prohibit players from playing at their peak proficiency, which in turn effects on-field product and the players' attitudes; it's a delicate balancing act. Empirical data showing that thigh and knee pad usage would decrease injuries would probably go a long way in satiating the NFLPA, but the league has not yet provided them with said evidence, according to FOXSports,

“It sounds obvious that it would (reduce injuries), but it’s not necessarily true,” the source said.

The NFLPA is alleging that the rule change would violate the current collective bargaining agreement and they plan to take the change before an arbitrator, if the 75% owner voting threshold is met. Currently, NFL teams are prohibited from fining a player who does not wear knee or thigh pads. They can however fine players who, without pads, suffer a related leg injury during practice.

Pittsburgh Pirates Social Media Night

Emmett Jones — Mon, 21 May 2012 14:35:54 +0000

This social media thing...I think it may have legs. Continuing the current trend toward a combination of social media and physical presence at a ball park, the Pittsburgh Pirates will host their first social media night of 2012 on Friday May 25th. Pirates fans who follow the team through one of their social media channels (Twitter or Facebook) can receive $10 off their ticket for the social media night game against the Cubs, along with a pre-game reception. Participants in the Pirates social media night will receive a free T-Shirt, a chance to meet local radio personalities from 93.7 THE FAN and Pirates executives, a chance, and there will be various raffles and giveaways accompanying the event. One interesting wrinkle to the Pirates social media night is that one fan from the pre-game reception will be chosen to represent the Pirates as the "Fan of the Game". That fan will be recognized before the game, and will have the opportunity to change a base with the PNC Park ground crew during the game. The Pirates social media night coincides with another popular Pirates promotion -- You Score as the Pirates Score -- in which fans receive a price discount equal to the number of runs the Pirates scored this past weekend against the Tigers (It was $7). Two promotions on the same day. If the weather holds, it looks like the Pirates will have a good night attendance-wise, regardless of their current record. For more information on Social Media Night, visit Pirates.com/socialmedia.

Dale Earnhart goes “Dark” for Dark Knight Rises

Emmett Jones — Thu, 17 May 2012 17:52:23 +0000

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mountain Dew are apparently big fans of Batman. Earnhardt and Mountain Dew are teaming up to launch an interactive The Dark Knight campaign. Under the campaign, fans will have the power to determine which of four "Dark Knight" inspired color schemes will appear on Earnhardt's Chevrolet car for his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway the weekend of June 15th. Continuing with the Batman theme, Earnhardt will also receive his own customized "Dark Knight" fire suit for that weekend's race.

“I’ve always been a big fan of the Batman movies, so having a special The Dark Knight Rises-inspired paint scheme on my car is pretty cool for me,” explained Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. “I had some creative input on one of the designs, but no matter which one the fans select, it’s going to look pretty awesome flying around the track at Michigan.” (via Press Release)

Voting will take place on the "Dew Crew" website through May 22nd. The winning design will be unveiled during Hendrick Motorsports Fan Fest on May 25th.

“Dale Earnhardt Jr. is kicking off our new DEW The Dark Knight Rises campaign with some serious momentum,” said Brett O’Brien, Vice President of Marketing for Mountain Dew. “DEW, Dale Jr. and ‘The Dark Knight’ fans are collectively the most passionate and vocal consumers out there, and we’re excited to get them in on the action from the beginning.”

For more information on the promotion, you can visit Mountain Dew's Facebook page, or follow Mountain Dew (@mtn_dew) on Twitter.

Seattle is one step closer to a new arena, NBA franchise?

Emmett Jones — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:34:23 +0000

Is it time for the NBA to return to Seattle? The city's former team -- the Seattle Supersonics -- left the city for Oklahoma City after the 2007-2008 season, where they became the Thunder. The Sonics left primarily due to issues over acquiring a new stadium to replace the out dated Key Arena. Funding became an issue, demands weren't met in time...and the team left. But now, maybe its time for everyone to take a long look at the NBA returning to the city of Seattle. Yesterday, a group of people interested in building a new stadium in the city -- including Mayor Mike McGinn and hedge fund manager Chris Hansen, announced that they had completed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) towards the financing and building of a new sports arena. Per the MoU, the new arena would be located in Seattle's Sodo neighborhood. Hansen and his investment group are looking to put up nearly $300 million dollars to finance the new arena with both the city of Seattle and King County footing the rest of the bill. And that's where things get interesting. If Hansen is able to lure an NBA team to Seattle by the time the new arena is built, the City of Seattle will pay $120 million and the county will pick up a $5 million dollar tab. But, if Hansen is able to somehow lure an NBA team and an NHL team to Seattle, the city would pay the same amount, but the county would be on the hook for $80 million dollars instead of $5 million. Any public funding put forward by the city or the county is all contingent upon an NBA team actually coming to Seattle. Neither entity would be required to put up any funding until that time. With so much potential revenue and risk at stake, the council's will be going over the MoU with a fine-toothed comb,

“We will determine if municipal bonds for this project are an appropriate and wise commitment from the City,” Burgess wrote in a statement. “We will also explore any risks to the City’s financial stability and whether this investment provides sufficient public benefit. To the extent appropriate, we will do this work in coordination with the County Council’s concurrent review.” -- Seattle City Councilmember Tim Burgess (via Puget Sound Biz Journal)

Of course, lost in all of the hoopla surrounding the completed MoU, is the fact that Hansen actually needs a team. NBA Commissioner David Stern has already gone on record and said that the league is not looking to expand, so if Seattle is to have an NBA franchise, they would need an existing franchise to move.

Tebow is the Messiah, according to T-shirt lawsuit

Emmett Jones — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:54:35 +0000

Tim Tebow's faith is always at the fore-front of his life. Whether it be in a press conference, on the field, or just in day-to-day life...Tebow is a fierce believer in Jesus. But, a new lawsuit seems to portray Tim as Jesus. Tebow's attorneys at Ziffren Brittenham, LLP -- a Los Angeles based law firm -- have sent a cease-and-desist letter (via TMZ) to the t-shirt website, Cubby Tees, which claims that the website is illegally using Tebow's name for the company's own commercial gain.

"As you know, Mr. Tebow has not granted Cubby Tees any rights to use his name or likeness in any manner. By promoting, advertising and selling the Merchandise, not only has Cubby Tees used Mr. Tebow's name to promote Cubby Tees, but the Merchandise makes it appear as if Mr. Tebow's actually endorses Cubby Tees and its products...Consequently, Cubby Tee's use of his name in and in connection with the Merchandise for their Website or otherwise, without permission constitutes unfair competition, unlawful misappropriation of name and/or likeness, deceptive trade practices, and a violation of Mr. Tebow's rights of publicty and privacy..."

That all sounds like the standard legal fare for a cease-and-desist letter. "I caught you making money off of my name. Stop right now or I'll sue you, etc." The problem? The t-shirts in question don't contain Tebow's likeness or his actual name. The shirts parody the NY Jets logo and spell out "MY Jesus". Furthermore, the site has a clear disclaimer stating that Tebow in no way endorses the jersey -- a main point of contention in the-cease and-desist letter,

This fun design is not officially endorsed by New York's backup quarterback or the Son of God, but plays off the themes of Tebow's faith and his new team - borrowing from the J-E-T-S to promote J-E-S-U-S, with a fish for a football, and "MY" replacing "NY" with a color scheme that will be familiar to Jets fans. We don't take sides on the field or in the hereafter -- we just try to make fans happy, and this shirt should fit Tebow followers to a tee. It's available in green, white or grey in sizes small through 4XL. (Other colors/sizes/styles available on request) (via Cubby Tees)

If Tebow's legal team does decide to take the case to court -- Cubby Tees has already responded to the letter, and has decided to not remove the shirts -- they have a long road ahead of them. Copyright law would generally protect Cubby Tee's usage of Tebow's name and likeness in an instance where they've created an entertaining or artistic work that is transformative -- i.e. a creative element is added so that its more than just a depiction of the person's name or likeness. A parody t-shirt would seemingly fit that description. On top of that defense, Tebow's team may have quite a tough time proving that Tebow's name or likeness is even being utilized in the first place. To note, Cubby Tees also has parodied t-shirts of other sports superstars including the Detroit Tigers' Prince Fielder and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim's Albert Pujols. To the best of my knowledge, they have not sent a cease-and-desist to Cubby Tees. hat tip to TerezOwens and TMZ.

“Beats by Usain Bolt” with Soul Electronics

Emmett Jones — Wed, 16 May 2012 17:10:37 +0000

The world of celebrity-branded headphones just became a little bit larger...and a whole lot faster. SOUL Electronics and Jamaican sprinter/World's fastest man, Usain Bolt have entered in to a branding agreement. Under the agreement Bolt will represent the SOUL brand in various events and marketing campaigns throughout the year and he will also partner with SOUL to bring out his own special edition headphones. SOUL is most notably known for their SOUL by Ludacris headphone series, which features the rapper, Ludacris. The headphones are expected to debut this summer...just in time for the Olympics.

Usain Bolt noted, "I work hard at attaining my goals and in addition, I always try to inspire others to work hard and attain their dreams. I am looking forward to working with SOUL to deliver this message." (via Press Release)

Besides his new role as a "Brand Ambassador" for SOUL, Bolt will also be featured in SOUL's "SOUL of Greatness" video series, which is a series of inspirational videos which encourage people to strive for their goals. With the Olympics only happening once every four years, this is certainly the time to capitalize off of the marketability of the participants, because they will be on display during the 16-day event (see: Hope Solo). Especially, with the expanded coverage that NBC is providing, you could easily argue that the popular figures that come out of these Olympic games may be the most visible, and most marketable Olympic stars to date.