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NFL Blackouts

Despite slumping ticket sales in many cities, the NFL has decided to keep its blackout rules in place for the 2009-10 season. The NFL blackout policy does not allow television stations to broadcast games in regions where the game is not sold out 72 hours prior to kickoff. Many teams, including Sand Diego and Jacksonville, have stated that they may not sell out a game all season, meaning that people in the Jacksonville region will not see a game all season unless they are in the stadium.The fact of the matter is, this will actually affect very few teams, and 12 NFL teams had all of their home games sold out prior to the season starting. Most of the problems we will see occur are in Detroit, Cincinnati, Oakland, St. Louis, and as mentioned before, Sand Diego and Jacksonville. The original intention of this policy was to increase ticket sales because television made it hard to get people out of their houses and into the stadium. The NFL is the only major professional sport league to have a blackout policy. This is because of the few number of games and major revenue sharing that comes from ticket sales (NFL teams split ticket revenue from games 60/40 in favor of the home team).

There was talk in the NFL offices of dropping the blackout policy because of the economy, with many cities being hit hard where fans would not have the disposable income to buy tickets. I find it hard to believe that if the NFL dropped the policy that they would have had much trouble selling out games in most NFL cities. As we noted, only a few of the cities look to be having blackout problems, with most of them being the cities hit hardest by the economic downturn. I think that, if anything, the NFL is losing more fans this year by not showing the games than they are gaining by trying to draw people to the stadium. There are certain times when the NFL needs to reevaluate its mission, and while ticket sales may be an important part of the revenue, the league is by no means in any trouble financially, and should put the fans first in this case. Keeping the blackout policy for this season is putting the league before the fans, and harming cities more that have already suffered during the current economic situation.

Random Thoughts:

Monday was one of the best playoff days I have ever seen. First, a great extra-inning game between the Yankees and Angels with the Angels taking their first win of the season. Then, we saw Jimmy Rollins hit a ninth-inning, two-run walk-off triple to put the Phillies up three games to one. I still think we’ll see Yankees-Phillies in the World Series. As a Red Sox fan, I’m always pulling for anyone who knocks-off New York.

The Patriots looked like the team from 2007. Five touchdowns from Brady in the second quarter alone and a 59-0 win. Too soon to say they’re back on track but definitely a good sign going forward. On the other side, how does a team returning 20 of 22 starters start the season winless? Something is wrong in Tennessee and I wouldn’t be surprised to start hearing rumblings of a coaching change.

Stephen Drew to the Red Sox? Do the Sox need another Drew on the team? Still, I like him as a shortstop and think that he could provide some stability that the Red Sox have needed in that position.

Students Try to Understand Why People Watch Sport and Nike?

Ever sat and wondered why do we really watch sports? I mean really why we watch? Is it the thrill of the game? the comraderie with other fans? the escape from daily life? Or is it much deeper than that. Masters students in Dr. Todd Crosset’s Socio-Historical Foundations of Sport class have been exploring among other things we really watch sport. Recently, teams of students (including myself) created fake Nike commercials in an attempt to appeal to various audiences and explore various reasons we watch. Below you will find links to these commercials as well as comments from Dr. Crosset on why these commercials work. Let us know what you think.

Overview of the assignment – students are given one week to create an idea and produce a rough commercial or Ad (or series of commercials or ads). In the ad they MUST appropriate a “hard core” social world or sub world of sport (fan or athlete (e.g tailgating, ESPN junkies, sport betting, college football, high jumping)) to sell the product or line.  The ad must appeal to a sophisticated audience.  Students are asked to make liberal use of free floating signifiers, humor, irony,  etc. to enhance the authenticity quotient of the brand.

This year’s crop was quite good.  Here are my three favorites with a bit of commentary. Enjoy and let us know what you think of the ads.  What works and what doesn’t.

1) Ping http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHdjIJA8nv8

This ad pulls you in.  What’s going on?  It is fun and funny. The joke music extends the joke. It plays on the distinctive sound of college baseball – ties the brand with college baseball. (arguably the apex of aluminum bat ball) and thus endears the brand to hard core fans and college baseball athletes—but more importantly to the economic buyers of baseball equipment for youth sport.  This is an effective ad to move into a market where other brands have little media exposure.

2) The Pitcher. http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=97756820db10555fe5c3dee5769931eca5828ff61d7cd5c5c95965eaa7bc68bc

Counter posing instrumental music with still images of a work horse pitcher with voice over poetry read in an English (actually Aussie) accent is brilliant. The combination is unexpected but not jarring. The poetry adds a flow to the commercial made up of still images. Using stills invites the viewer to fill in the gaps and to read the images.  The poetry and accent add a touch of class to a hard rock and hard throwing closer.  For the super fan there is much “to get”  — the relationship between Rivera and the music, the number 42 and the inside joke of Posada signaling for a cut fast ball. And the commercial is enjoyable even if you don’t get it on that level.  And the final line of the poem endears the brand to all those who have played baseball on a high level and experienced “understanding too late”.

Who does it?You do It. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUlDWQYSYZ0

The challenge here is that the creators don’t begin in the ad with customary/expected  imagery of a transcendent ad.  Usually the images reflect our best “aspirational” selves. Here they start with dark imagery and a rather sad sack of a character. But what pulls us in is the humor/puzzle of the change message on the TV and in the music. Additionally “Taking a walk on the wild side” refrain plays with the “Just do it” slogan.  I find the deep breath imagery the most effective in getting viewers to embrace the lead.  They could have just end there with the opening of the door to go out into the world to exercise.  The ending is as challenging as the start. When our lead character “just does it” – he is joined by community –most transcendent ads embrace the individual struggle.

A Roadmap

“If I take one more step, it’ll be the farthest away from home I’ve ever been”

– Samwise Gamgee

If my friends knew I was writing a blog, they would laugh.  I am the same person who a few years ago, when asked what “blog” stood for, replied “building log?”  So I am looking forward to taking the time each week to explore blogging and hopefully contribute to making this a successful site.

My focus going forward will be on the business of basketball.  Future topics could include the 2010 free agency, where franchise players like Lebron James and Dwyane Wade will be available.  Or the upcoming collective bargaining agreement between the owners and players, which in this economy could make for a contentious negotiation.  Or how NBA teams use advanced metrics, like PER, offensive and defensive ratings, or plus-minus, to make business decisions.  With the rise of some great players and the complex economic issues facing many teams, the next few years should be a captivating time for NBA basketball.

Next week, my focus will likely be on the NBA referee strike.  How will it affect the league this year and possibly years going forward?  How does it affect the NBA’s reputation?

For me, this is a great way to learn about the business of basketball and hopefully, it will be helpful to others also.  I will be writing every Thursday, so if you enjoy these topics, please come back and take in not only mine but the other bloggers’ articles as well.