He’s done it.  The man with a target on his back and a chip on his shoulder has won an Olympic record eight gold medals…but my guess is that you already know that.  Let’s face it.  You can’t turn on the TV without seeing some montage commemorating the achievements of Michael Phelps in the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing.  In an Olympics where the NBA’s elite re-claimed the basketball throne and a Jamaican sprinter bolted into the record books, Phelps remains the story of these Games.  So what now?  Well, I think we can all say with a certain amount…

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…

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…

As the holiday season revs up, so does the sports marketing machine.  Of course, there is no better time to entice consumers to tap into holiday budgets and buy tickets and team gear as the perfect holiday gift.  Many promotions range from simple “holiday” ticket packages to combination gift packages that feature tickets, concessions AND merchandise.

This week’s post features a sampling of what types of promotions are being offered in the sports business world in an effort to generate revenue during the heaviest period of consumer spending in the calendar year.

RAYS HOLIDAY PACK

The Tampa Devil Rays (Major League Baseball) package…

Amid swirling accusations of animal cruelty and an indictment on dog fighting charges, Atlanta Falcons superstar quarterback Michael Vick’s endorsement potential is dropping faster than Enron’s stock price in 2001.  Any sports marketing executive can tell you that Vick’s existing sponsors are in for a rough ride as the controversy continues to escalate while Vick’s name remains under scrutiny in the public eye. 

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…

In a story that made headlines last week, Ben Wallace, star center for the NBA’s Chicago Bulls announced that he will begin wearing a low-cost sneaker introduced earlier this season by New York Knicks star Stephon Marbury.  ESPN reported that Wallace began wearing the “Starbury II” basketball shoe when the Chicago Bulls play his former team, the Detroit Pistons (no coincidence there I’m sure). 

Discussing the Starbury shoe movement, Wallace said in a news conference:

“Kids don’t really understand what it takes to go out and buy a pair of $300 pair of shoes.  We don’t understand the pressure we put on our…