COLUMN: Sports and advertising, the perfect match
I was tinkering about on ESPN.com and I noticed the strangest thing. They have a “sports business” section.
Yeah, I know. The “Worldwide Leader in Sports Teams who get us ratings” caters to almost every facet of sports fan — anything from basketball to cricket to selected high school sports — and have even left a spot open for the economic connoisseur.
The most recent report was related to NASCAR track workers using Tide to put out the track fire ignited by Juan Montoya hitting a truck in the Daytona 500. There are several reports on shoe deals, sponsorships to live events and anything that fits the metaphorical marriage of a spend-happy America and the sporting world.
This got me thinking, what would be the best move for business sponsors? I mean, the world of marketing is cut-throat as it is, and it only gets more intense when athletes and bowl games are thrown into the mix.
Here is my look at a few of the bigger companies that leave room for sports sponsorships and what I think their best line of defense ought to be.
Nike – Gameplan: get a bowl game. You may find me crazy, but as far as athletes go there really isn’t all that much Nike can do anymore at this point. They have sponsored any person every registered as a professional athlete, including their wives — heck, I’m pretty sure I at least have my own slim-fit undergarment line — so it’s a safe bet that it is about time they branch out. And who wouldn’t want to watch the Nike Bowl? Teams could get free shoes for life and winners could win a trophy completely made of rubber. I’m sold on this idea.
Sara Lee – Gameplan: sponsor Takeru Kobayashi. He is the sultan of swallow, the guru of gobble, the most famous competitive eater in recent history. Recently, he has been in a bit of a funk, but nothing turns a slump around quite like a good lighthearted commercial. I’m thinking a spot where Kobayashi faces off against a family of five in a hot dog eating contest while Donny Osmond narrates. I can hear the cash registers ringing now.
Gatorade – Gameplan: make beef jerky. Just trust me on this one.
Intel computer processors – Gameplan: get Jeremy Lin. Think about it — Lintel processors? How has no one picked up on this?
Finally, H&R Block – Gameplan: sponsor a cricket tournament. There are two things riddling this country. One is the struggling economy; the other is people viewing sincerely interesting sports as boring. So, why not bring them together? Viewers can predict the winning team of the H&R World Cricket Championships, finding a new gem in what is honestly a fascinating international sport, and correct guessers will be promised a tax return. Don’t think it won’t work.
It’s a fascinating thing, sports business. It was interesting enough to make me write about it during a slow sports week, and it has the power to run the sporting world more than we know. Even if it is simply about laundry detergent saving a stock car race.
– Steve Schwartzman is a junior studying communication studies. He has had just about every job in sports writing, including blogs, analysis, statistics and fantasy football tips, but especially loves making bold picks. Think you can out-pick Steve? Let him know: steve.schwartzman@aggiemail.usu.edu.