The "concept" of high school sports being a "growth
opportunity for marketers and corporate sponsors" is
"already being nurtured in Cincinnati" by Don Schumacher &
Associates (DSA), as the marketing firm is "creating a high
school sports unit," according to Nick Miller of the
CINCINNATI POST. DSA two years ago launched the Skyline
Chili Crosstown Showdown, which features one day of football
games between a rotating list of Cincinnati area high
schools at the Univ. of Cincinnati. This year's event drew
18,000 fans, and DSA expects next year's event "to generate
more than $100,000 in corporate support." DSA VP Tom Gamble
said that the firm "also plans to launch the Elite Prep
Series for other high school sports ... to give corporations
year-round marketing opportunities." Additionally, DSA has
a "proposal before" a 16-school conference that covers five
counties which "would bring corporate sponsorship dollars to
the league." But Miller wrote that some wonder if the "big-
money atmosphere of corporate sponsorship ... would detract
from high school athletics." Elder High School AD Dave
Dabbelt: "I think there is some concern. This is high
school sports. It's not big business" (CINCI. POST, 11/26).
