Ideas We Liked: The Best New Ideas In Sports Business
Every year, in every industry, there are new ideas that are introduced. Here are some we particularly enjoyed and believe will have legs going forward.
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TNT's "Wide Open Coverage" Earns
Positive Reviews From Critics, Fans |
TNT’s “WIDE OPEN COVERAGE”: While ratings for NASCAR Nextel Cup races continue their decline in ‘07, TNT’s “Wide Open Coverage” debuts to mostly positive reviews from fans and critics during July’s Pepsi 400. The format, which substitutes national ad breaks for on-screen branded content, allows for continuous action with minimal interruptions, providing sponsors with a captive audience.
NHL'S OUTDOOR GAME: The NHL announces plans for its first regular-season outdoor game in the U.S. and fans cannot get tickets to the Penguins-Sabres matchup fast enough. The idea may just be out of the box enough to entice curious TV viewers to tune into the game on NBC on a busy New Year’s Day. Weather permitting, the game will afford the league the opportunity to showcase its marquee player, Sidney Crosby, to a national audience.
PEYTON MANNING, THE ENTERTAINER: Sure, Manning finally wins his first Super Bowl, but let's talk about his year off the field. While many feel he is overexposed, his humorous presence in TV commercials translates well for his role as “SNL” host. And his "Priceless" ads for MasterCard, with the new "Pep Talks" iterations, continue to entertain.
THE DODGERS OVERHAUL THEIR FRONT OFFICE: While they had their share of bumps early in their tenure, Frank and Jamie McCourt are not sitting still. They are aggressively trying to blow out the Dodgers brand and reclaim the team's status as one of the marquee franchises in sports. Their hires of Dennis Mannion and Charles Steinberg are proactive moves and add some major marketing and event panache. Both bring longtime sports marketing experience and both have been successful every step of the way. This tandem should be one of the top stories to watch in '08.
THE RATTLERS' MONEY BACK GUARANTEE: The AFL Arizona Rattlers, 4-12 in ’07, are promising a no-strings-attached, full refund to each season-ticket holder if the team fails to make the playoffs next season. Rattlers Managing Partner Brett Bouchy says, “You have to do something to earn back the confidence of the fans.” What a novel idea.
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