In our last post, we examined Virginia football’s marketing campaign and effort to build tradition which got me to thinking, what are some traditions that are already ingrained in the fan culture on campuses across the country?  And what, if any, impact does tradition have on the loyalty of each respective fan base?  In reality, this is more of a “fun” post than educational, but there are some relevant lessons.  So, without further ado, here are my top five notable college football traditions:

5) Penn State’s “White Out”

This is as simple a tradition as it gets, but the tradition’s rich history and…

In the last blog post, we discussed the marketing efforts of Stanford football to expand their fan base.  Today’s post reviews another collegiate football program and their marketing strategies.  The Virginia Cavaliers campaign for this football season is the “Power of Orange” and provides an excellent case study in the efforts to build tradition.  Obviously, building tradition is often influenced by success on the playing field, and Virginia has certainly elevated the program’s status with the hiring of former NFL coach Al Groh back in 2001.  Heading in to this season, Groh’s record at Virginia was 51-37 and the Cavaliers had been…

When summer rolls around I usually take a brief reprieve from adding any posts to the post but the Beijing Games are nearly upon us and I thought I’d be remiss not to add some quick commentary.  Traditionally, this blog has been dedicated to educators around the country.  Now that we’ve developed an avid readership from a myriad of professional backgrounds, I suppose we should step up our efforts to contribute more regularly…

So, without further delay, here are a few items in the news as it relates to the Olympic Games that have caught my attention over the past few weeks.

Sponsorship

Top sponsors…

It’s early May and the season is already in full swing.  Not baseball, mind you, but marketing.  Well, maybe a little of both.  The season for marketing baseball is in full swing.  As such, it is never too early to look back at a few of the season’s wildest and wackiest promotions.

Last delivered a number of real gems, including the likes of Back Hair night, Britney Spears Shaved Head night, Salute to Indoor Plumbing night, “Price is Right” Night featuring Bob “Parker” Bobblehead, World’s Largest Tighty-Whitey Race and Ugly Sweater Night to name a few.

I’m always amazed by the creative (and often…

I realize this post is a little overdue, but while Semi-Pro is dying a slow death at the cinema, Jackie Moon is still pitching Old Spice and Bud Light every hour on ESPN.  I have had this post on my “to do” list for over a month and figured now might be the time to dust it off and get it online.  Somehow seeing Ferrell in those ridiculous shorts in an Old Spice commercial last night while watching Sports Center provided the inspiration to wrap this up.  So, here goes nothing…

All-Star games.  What are they?  What do they mean?  Do fans care about these events that pit the best of the best in each respective sport against one another?  By taking a closer look at the marketing and hype that surrounds the events, I think one could draw the conclusion that fans do indeed care.  The ratings, although in some cases quite modest, would support that notion:  Major League Baseball’s 2007 All-Star Game drew a 16.1 rating, the NFL’s Pro-Bowl a 10.7 and the NBA All-Star a 4.5.  Broadcastingcable.com reported that “TNT’s All-Star Saturday — featuring the Orlando Magic’s Howard strapping on…

As the New England Patriots and their 18-0 record barreled into Phoenix to take on the New York Giants, high expectations were abound on many fronts, particularly for the business of the Super Bowl.  And, unlike the Patriots performance, those expectations were met.  Record revenues.  Record ratings.  Record crowds.  Not only was this a game for the ages ON the football field, this was a game for the ages for corporate America. 

Back in the late 1980’s, the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers brought home two straight championships.  After the victory parades were over, Pat Riley (the team’s coach), trademarked the phrase “three-peat” so he could cash in on licensing fees if the team went on to win a third straight title.  Unfortunately for Riley and the Lakers, the Detroit Pistons would crush those hopes by beating them in the finals in year three. 

In the early 90’s, the Chicago Bulls (led by Michael Jordan) would capture those elusive three straight championships for a “three-peat”.  Riley, however, was one step ahead and earned millions…

The seven-time Tour de France winner is again leveraging his amazing sporting accolades to maximize his marketing power.  On the heels of one of the most successful brand campaigns, Lance Armstrong and company are pushing the LiveStrong brand as a means for raising more money for cancer research.  This time, however, the promotion is tied-in through a major sporting goods retailer (Dick’s Sporting Goods).  The partnership between Dick’s and Armstrong serves as an excellent example of cause marketing for all you teachers out there.  Proceeds from sales of the Livestrong/Nike branded merchandise will go to the Lance Armstrong Foundation, a group formed…

A lot has been made in sports and entertainment circles about ratings of late.  Why?  Well, a number of factors have contributed, capped off by a few historic events that managed to capture the nation’s attention over the holidays.

Before delving into specifics, let us first address the concept of ratings.  Many automatically associate the term “tv ratings” with Nielsen.  This is understandable given Nielsen Media Research’s evolution as an American brand name, much like kleenex, band-aid, q-tip or scotch tape.  Nielsen has established its service as the industry expert when measuring the number of people watching television shows and makes its data available…