While TV rights fees have "always lined the pockets" of pro
sports, merchandising has emerged as another key revenue source,
according to CNN's Mark Morgan. "Sports Tonight" examined the
marketing of pro sports, as seen through the differing strategies
of the four major league commissioners. Morgan: "On-the-field
action remains the cornerstone of all four sports, but the NBA
and NHL take merchandising a step further aggressively exploring
potential new markets. ... At the other end of the spectrum,
football and baseball have a less-planned, less-aggressive
approach, letting the history and tradition of these games do the
selling. Baseball doesn't have a comprehensive marketing plan
and the NFL is starting to have trouble with the 'all-for-one and
one-for-all' mindset. It's an issue across the board for all the
commissioners -- trying to keep the teams working as one, while
preserving stability in their respective leagues."
THE COMMISSIONERS: NBA Commissioner David Stern: "Sports
is one of the things that is holding its own and growing a bit
sometimes in a declining market. ... If you have a professional
sports league, then you have a trading card business, you have a
publishing business, you have a home video business, you have a
video disc business, you have an apparel and sporting goods
business." NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman: "Some of the research
tells us that from 7 to 11-year-olds we're as popular as the
other sports. As this generation of children gets older and
controls the remote control and buys tickets, we think we're
going to see growth." NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue: "It's
marketing if you want to use the word, but it's really just
keeping a focus on the greatness of the game and the athletes, as
opposed to things that are extraneous." Acting MLB Commissioner
Bud Selig, on the followings of Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams,
Jackie Robinson and Stan Musial in the '40s and '50s: "We need
to do that again" (CNN, 4/19).
