The push for the College Football Playoff has garnered all the attention and debate that I thought it would. I believe it’s one of the most progressive and significant decisions of the past decade in sports business and will be a big hit with consumers and the business marketplace. The interest around the weekly selection committee rankings has created a groundswell of momentum that should carry all the way through early January.
One of the concerns voiced to me has been whether it’s asking fans to travel too much — from a conference championship game, to a national semifinal bowl game Jan. 1, and then to Arlington, Texas, for the title game Jan. 12. That’s one of the issues I’ll be keeping an eye on. Trust me, there will not be empty seats in Dallas, but I will be looking at the three-game trends to see whether some fans hedge their bets.
That’s why a new program by Taco Bell caught my eye. The longtime BCS sponsor has a new multiyear deal with ESPN and the College Football Playoff. I like its activation plan to create a student section at the title game, offering 3,000 seats to students from each of the schools represented at the three playoff games, in addition to a national search for “the most dedicated fans.” There’s a natural social component on Twitter and Instagram, a viral effort through the hashtag #livemasfans, and students will sit in the Live Más Student Section at the game. There are plenty of reasons I like this program: It’s targeted to the young Taco Bell customer and allows for a national effort working with schools throughout the country. It can live on social with shared and earned media elements; it has a clear and defined on-site activation element and fun, distinct media components; and it certainly seems measurable. I’ll be following this effort to see how it unfolds.
> WALK OUT OF ANY DOORWAY: At a recent conference in Toronto, executives offered their advice to young people looking to get involved in the sports business. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly dismissed the notion that one needed to have a law degree to be successful. He said one’s success can be more about timing, as he was a rising attorney at Skadden, Arps, and was tasked with writing a key memo to Commissioner Gary Bettman. “I got very fortunate,” he said. “I was in the right place at the right time and was very lucky. But you can have a hand in putting yourself in the right position at the right time by making relationships and maintaining them and by working for the right firms who are involved in sports. Those are all elements in being in the right place at the right time.”
AHL Commissioner Dave Andrews told aspiring sports business executives, “Perform beyond expectations. Do it well but also do it quickly. Urgency takes on a bigger priority today.” Andrews also encouraged young people to learn sales. “You will have a difficult time finding many senior level executives in professional or even college sports who didn’t cut their teeth as revenue generators. You are going to have to generate revenue somewhere along the way,” he said.
Executives also stressed looking at the big picture. “Be well-rounded,” said National Lacrosse League Commissioner George Daniel. “Show me you’ve been volunteering. That shows you’re willing to do anything to get experience.” Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving added, “Young people need to drop the idea that you can go right into the corner office. It doesn’t happen. You need to do whatever it takes to help you and what you can offer us. Volunteer, work the games for free. Make the real effort. Trust me, it’s a lot of grind.”
Finally, Steven Angel, the NBA’s senior vice president of referee operations and analytics, warned against solely selling one’s passion. “We all love passion about sports,” he said. “But passion is just one useful part of your selling point. You need to bring more than just passion to the table and what you have to offer. You need to show us your other talents, specific skill sets and abilities. Not just the fact that you’re a big fan. That is not going to get your job done.”
Abraham D. Madkour can be reached at amadkour@sportsbusinessjournal.com.
