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SBD/Issue 187/Sports Industrialists
Newsmakers: U.S.’ Loss At World Cup Leads To Questions
Published June 23, 2006
THE DAILY each Friday offers our take on the performances over the past week of
some people and entities in sports business. Here are this week’s newsmakers:
WIN: BIG TEN CONFERENCE –- League announces the creation of its own TV network, while also inking multi-year deal with ABC/ESPN for its bread-winning sports. The conference is intent on making the station available nationally, and already having a deal in place with DirecTV is a good first step in that process. No doubt the other power conferences are keeping an eye on the Big Ten’s results.
LOSS: U.S. SOCCER — The performance of the U.S. team in Germany does little to aid the growth of American soccer, both at home and internationally. Is a poor player-development system to blame (i.e. MLS)? Is it bad coaching? Was it the refs? The questions are all that exist in a sport that was hoping to provide some answers with a successful showing. One thing is certain: The $50M campaign set in motion eight years ago by U.S. Soccer to win the World Cup by 2010 looks overly ambitious at this point.
DRAW: PUMA — The familiar logo has been all over the opening round of the World Cup, appearing in four visible places on the uniforms of 12 of the tournament’s 32 teams. But the strategy of quantity over quality will take its toll in the latter rounds, as only three Puma-sponsored teams will likely advance past group play. On a side note, outfitting the winner of the U.S. Open is a good way to help sell your new line of golf attire.
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WIN: BIG TEN CONFERENCE –- League announces the creation of its own TV network, while also inking multi-year deal with ABC/ESPN for its bread-winning sports. The conference is intent on making the station available nationally, and already having a deal in place with DirecTV is a good first step in that process. No doubt the other power conferences are keeping an eye on the Big Ten’s results.
LOSS: U.S. SOCCER — The performance of the U.S. team in Germany does little to aid the growth of American soccer, both at home and internationally. Is a poor player-development system to blame (i.e. MLS)? Is it bad coaching? Was it the refs? The questions are all that exist in a sport that was hoping to provide some answers with a successful showing. One thing is certain: The $50M campaign set in motion eight years ago by U.S. Soccer to win the World Cup by 2010 looks overly ambitious at this point.
DRAW: PUMA — The familiar logo has been all over the opening round of the World Cup, appearing in four visible places on the uniforms of 12 of the tournament’s 32 teams. But the strategy of quantity over quality will take its toll in the latter rounds, as only three Puma-sponsored teams will likely advance past group play. On a side note, outfitting the winner of the U.S. Open is a good way to help sell your new line of golf attire.
