This week’s post was inspired in part by David Beckham’s quote last week and also from a post a few weeks ago regarding the business of sports (”this is a business…”).

Last week, David Beckham commented that he has never played soccer for the money. Specifically, he said “People say that’s easy for you to say because you’ve got the money. To be honest…the game is important to me. I’d play for free.” Keep in mind the soccer superstar signed a $250 million contract with Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Galaxy last summer.

Around the time of the signing, President and CEO…

Hello and welcome back to school…we look forward to another exciting year of sports and entertainment business/marketing education in the classroom! 

Jim Delaney, Big Ten Commissioner, appeared on an interview with ESPN radio this afternoon.  It was an interesting discussion, certainly one that relates to your business, marketing or sports marketing class.  We all know that sports business in today’s competitive marketplace is all about the almighty dollar.  The business and marketing principles that support that infrastructure is reflected in the core content of our curriculum.  One great advantage teachers today have is access to media outlets all over the country.  As such,…

How do you know when you’ve hit it big?  Well, if selling millions of copies of books, grossing millions at the box office and selling millions more in licensed merchandise didn’t provide your first, second and third clue, the announcement of a planned theme park might be a pretty good indication.  We’re not talking a special ride at a theme park…we’re talking a complete theme park…20 acres worth. 

Universal unveiled plans in late May that a Harry Potter theme park will open inside Orlando’s Islands of Adventure theme park (which already houses Marvel Super Heroes and Dr Seuss islands).  The “Wizarding World…

I was in Albuquerque last month and read an interesting article in the Albuquerque Journal.  The headline read ‘Lobos Head to Bahamas Minus J.R.’, a reference to new University of New Mexico men’s basketball head coach Steve Alford’s decision to travel without one of their top players because he is behind in his school work.  I had forgotten that UNM had recently tabbed Alford as coach, news that made waves in the world of collegiate men’s basketball.  After reading the article, I took a moment to analyze the situation and realized that UNM and Alford were charting the perfect course for establishing the…

Earlier this week I was watching the ESPN morning show Cold Pizza in my hotel room.  ESPN’s uncanny ability to transcend sports is nothing short of astounding.  We’re talking about the sports network who built an empire by creating a 24-hour-a-day television channel comprised entirely of sports programming.  That feat in itself has revolutionized the industry.  Now, clearly in an effort to remain cutting edge, they seem intent on venturing outside the realm of sports programming to broadcast events of a very different nature, apparently with relatively successful results.  This particular episode of Cold Pizza illustrates my point perfectly. 

Last weekend, I read an absolutely stunning statistic in the weekend edition of the USA Today.  In a USA Today/Gallup poll, only 8% of the nearly 500 fans interviewed felt Bonds deserved the title of greatest home run hitter of all-time.  On the contrary, nearly 75% of his peers (current Major Leaguers) thought he deserved to be recognized as the greatest slugger ever.

If timing is any indication of corporate luck, perhaps now would be a good time to invest in Oracle stock.  In just their second season as proud owners of the naming rights to the NBA’s Golden State Warriors home building (the former Oakland arena), the company has received an awful lot of valuable exposure throughout this year’s NBA playoffs.

Just a quick note from last night’s NBA playoff coverage…

For those who might think game operations folks don’t have a high pressure job, consider the remarks following the Utah Jazz/Golden State Warriors game last night in which the Jazz won, clinching a berth in the Western Conference Finals.  Following the game, TNT’s sideline reporter Pam Oliver was interviewing Jazz guard Derek Fisher.  They had just capped off an emotional series win and a light shower of confetti was streaming down from the rafters during the interview.  Oliver, taking note, said to Fisher that the confetti was a “pathetic display”, given…

I was watching the NBA playoffs last night in a game between the Utah Jazz and Golden State Warriors.  Following the game, just before the TNT post game show was about to come on, a T-Mobile commercial came on featuring Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade in a golf match with former NBA star Charles Barkley.  Barkley tells Wade that he’ll put him “in his five” (cell phone promotion) if he makes his putt.  As Wade begins to putt, Barkley calls his cell phone and disrupts the shot.

When the TNT post game show comes back from break, they show a clip from…

For those of you who are members of Sports Career Consulting’s education community or are regular readers of this blog, you already know that sports is big business in society today.  In fact, you don’t need to be a rocket scientist at all to figure that one out.  How many athletes and sports executives can be heard uttering those very words on a daily basis?  I think it is safe to say that come contract negotiations, the phrase “this is a business decision” has become a common cliche in the vernacular of the sports industry. 

If I ever needed reaffirmation of this concept, I got it by…