OK,first things first a confession, I'm Irish and I support the Irish football team and I'm a tad disappointed at the result of last night's World Cup Qualifier in Paris. Although I fully expected France to build on their first leg lead and win comfortably,the outcome was not a shock, the way it transpired was.
Thierry Henry; let's give him the benefit of the doubt on the first touch, it may have hit his hand, the second touch in which he scooped the ball round was blatant, clear and unequivocal cheating. Adrenaline took over and he couldn't help himself, pass to Gallas, un-zero, les bleus. 15 minutes later , tout fini, France off to South Africa, an average Irish team stays at home and goes off to the beach.
I wake up this morning, annoyed but hey ho, on we move, it was a game of football and nobody died. I'm lying in bed listening to a sports talk radio station when an irate caller said, "I'll never buy another Gillette product again"
Gillette spend millions a year using Henry, Federer and Woods in product advertising, all chosen for their clean images, character and manliness.
It leads to the question: Can we envisage the morning after the US Masters a similar debate on Tiger taking an air shot and denying it to the world's press.....highly unlikely....ditto Federer on a dodgy line call, can't see it.
Imagine the flip side. 10 seconds after the ball hits the back of the net Henry does the decent thing goes to the ref and says "Sorry, No I handled it" and becomes one of the world's greatest ever sportsmen, sports heroes and a genuine role model, France go on to win in extra time or on penalties and he is a global icon.
Wouldn't that have been something? How in awe would the world have been? Sponsors would have been lining up,a global hero to kids and adults alik.
Back in the real world, will an Henry endorsement ever have the same ring and is this his defining moment in terms of his personal legacy....?
Shame,,,,,,great footballer, but putting his hand up was a step too far
Thursday, 19 November 2009
Monday, 5 October 2009
PPV Internet Streaming of Ukraine v England Football Match is progress, not a drama
Today's announcement that the Ukrainian FA have sold the UK broadcast rights to the Internet streaming operation of Perform Group has been greeted with howls of protest from media and traditionalists that all England games should be broadcast on free to air television at best and digital broadcasters at worst.
A couple of points some to mind;
It is not an FA decision, the broadcast rights belong to the home federation and they make the call on the offers they receive from international broadcasters, so no point making a drama on the airwaves or in cyberland forums.
This medium will, with the convergence of technologies, be an accepted part of our sports media industry landscape and a way in which we consume sport,very very soon, so we need to test it as sports marketers, as broadcasters and importantly as consumers.
The game is a dead rubber as England have already qualified, so what better opportunity to introduce the concept?
Another example of the speed with which the sports media landscape is changing, next stop live streaming on hand held devices.
A couple of points some to mind;
It is not an FA decision, the broadcast rights belong to the home federation and they make the call on the offers they receive from international broadcasters, so no point making a drama on the airwaves or in cyberland forums.
This medium will, with the convergence of technologies, be an accepted part of our sports media industry landscape and a way in which we consume sport,very very soon, so we need to test it as sports marketers, as broadcasters and importantly as consumers.
The game is a dead rubber as England have already qualified, so what better opportunity to introduce the concept?
Another example of the speed with which the sports media landscape is changing, next stop live streaming on hand held devices.
Thursday, 24 September 2009
can you blame sponsors for pulling out?
From the excellent www.sponsorpitch.com website anda very short blog from me, can you really blame them, who wants their logo all over images of blatant cheating? Clients always used to use the argument, " We don't want our logo on images of a crash"....
Hard to get brands into the sport when their sector is on its knees, easy way to give them an out.
Renault's sponsorship programme will recover but sports lawyers worldwide
will now working on a new clause....team corporate morality.
ING announced today that in light of the verdict of the World Motor Sport Council of 21 September 2009 concerning the events that occurred at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, ING will terminate the contract with Renault Formula 1 with immediate effect.
ING is deeply disappointed at this turn of events, especially in the context of an otherwise successful sponsorship. As announced on 16 February of this year, ING decided not to renew the three year sponsorship (2007-2009) contract with Renault F1 and to end its presence in Formula 1 after the 2009 season.
Earlier today, fellow Renault sponsor Mutua Madrilena, a Madrid-based insurance company, also cancelled its sponsorship of the French team with immediate effect.
Dubbed "crashgate," the wrath of F1 and its sponsors have come down upon Renault after it came to light that the team deliberately caused a crash in order to fix the result of Singapore's Grand Prix. ING had previously announced it would end its sponsorship of the Renault team at the end of this season
Hard to get brands into the sport when their sector is on its knees, easy way to give them an out.
Renault's sponsorship programme will recover but sports lawyers worldwide
will now working on a new clause....team corporate morality.
ING announced today that in light of the verdict of the World Motor Sport Council of 21 September 2009 concerning the events that occurred at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, ING will terminate the contract with Renault Formula 1 with immediate effect.
ING is deeply disappointed at this turn of events, especially in the context of an otherwise successful sponsorship. As announced on 16 February of this year, ING decided not to renew the three year sponsorship (2007-2009) contract with Renault F1 and to end its presence in Formula 1 after the 2009 season.
Earlier today, fellow Renault sponsor Mutua Madrilena, a Madrid-based insurance company, also cancelled its sponsorship of the French team with immediate effect.
Dubbed "crashgate," the wrath of F1 and its sponsors have come down upon Renault after it came to light that the team deliberately caused a crash in order to fix the result of Singapore's Grand Prix. ING had previously announced it would end its sponsorship of the Renault team at the end of this season
Thursday, 17 September 2009
Cheating in sport, let's live with it?
Another day another cheating scandal in sport. Diving in football, false blood in rugby, staged crashes in Formula 1, mass indignation all around in the media and in general everyday conversation.
All these instances were about gaining an advantage, to win a game, to progress in a tournament or to win a race.
These examples reflect the pressure to compete, win and succeed whether the success is ensuring your team gets to the group stages of the Champions League(££££), the semi final of the Heineken Cup(£££) or wins a Grand Prix and sells more cars(££££££).
The pressure comes from the overriding need to deliver, on players, coaches/doctors and team management.
The Renault case is the most disturbing because a young man was allegedly asked to carry out the antithesis of his sport, crash the car rather than try to win, in the process putting himself and his competitors in potentially mortal danger.
All sad when looked through the rose tinted glasses of the Corinthian spirit that we try and engender in our kids as we teach them the importance and values of sport as a life improving activity.
Perhaps we need to add a new chapter to that book of sporting instruction. It would read something like this....when money kicks and sport becomes a business,all bets are off on the integrity front, people will do anything to win regardless of the impact on the sport and the hopes of fans and spectators, so expect it.
A simple and increasingly true perspective that perhaps we just need to acknowledge and live with it.
All these instances were about gaining an advantage, to win a game, to progress in a tournament or to win a race.
These examples reflect the pressure to compete, win and succeed whether the success is ensuring your team gets to the group stages of the Champions League(££££), the semi final of the Heineken Cup(£££) or wins a Grand Prix and sells more cars(££££££).
The pressure comes from the overriding need to deliver, on players, coaches/doctors and team management.
The Renault case is the most disturbing because a young man was allegedly asked to carry out the antithesis of his sport, crash the car rather than try to win, in the process putting himself and his competitors in potentially mortal danger.
All sad when looked through the rose tinted glasses of the Corinthian spirit that we try and engender in our kids as we teach them the importance and values of sport as a life improving activity.
Perhaps we need to add a new chapter to that book of sporting instruction. It would read something like this....when money kicks and sport becomes a business,all bets are off on the integrity front, people will do anything to win regardless of the impact on the sport and the hopes of fans and spectators, so expect it.
A simple and increasingly true perspective that perhaps we just need to acknowledge and live with it.
Monday, 14 September 2009
Club Rugby at Wembley with Saracens
On a beautifully sunny Autumn Saturday I decided on a whim, after hearing a pre event radio interview to go to the Saracens v Northampton Saints Premiership rugby game at Wembley Stadium, the first club match to be played at Wembley in the modern era. £10 tickets for adults and £5 for kids was too good a bargain to ignore, and getting there was easy on the Chiltern Line.
With number 2 daughter interested neither in a a day out with Dad or the rugby but the pre match entertainment supplied by Britain's Got Talent winners Diversity, off we set.
The daytrip got even better when we met a friend from Beaconsfield Rugby Club who had extra tickets in The Club Wembley seats.
Leave aside the dull first half when two defences cancelled each other out,and this was a fantastic experience for which Nigel Wray, Chairman of Saracens must be congratulated. The club took a serious financial risk, £300k-400k in venue rental, depending on who you believe, and got the result they wanted with a crowd in excess of 44,000. They probably still made a loss but they made a huge statement of intent about the building of the Saracens brand as the London Tribe.
Apart from excellent weather , several factors contributed to a great experience; 44,000 people makes Wembley a great venue, not to busy and everything works so much better, queuing for access, trains, food and beverage, merchandising programme sales, betting etc.
Saracens created a crowd friendly,kid friendly example of experiential marketing where thousands of people of all ages sampled Wembley for the first time and many will have samples a Sarries home game for the first time.Excellent family entertainment with bands, dancers, and 100 kids on pitch side at half time.
The proof will of course be the numbers who become loyal or occasional paying cuatomers at Vicarage Road, on this experience they deserve to succeed.
Congratulations of thinking outside the box, Wasps, Irish and Quins will need to be careful they don't get left behind by the Saracens marketing campaign.
With number 2 daughter interested neither in a a day out with Dad or the rugby but the pre match entertainment supplied by Britain's Got Talent winners Diversity, off we set.
The daytrip got even better when we met a friend from Beaconsfield Rugby Club who had extra tickets in The Club Wembley seats.
Leave aside the dull first half when two defences cancelled each other out,and this was a fantastic experience for which Nigel Wray, Chairman of Saracens must be congratulated. The club took a serious financial risk, £300k-400k in venue rental, depending on who you believe, and got the result they wanted with a crowd in excess of 44,000. They probably still made a loss but they made a huge statement of intent about the building of the Saracens brand as the London Tribe.
Apart from excellent weather , several factors contributed to a great experience; 44,000 people makes Wembley a great venue, not to busy and everything works so much better, queuing for access, trains, food and beverage, merchandising programme sales, betting etc.
Saracens created a crowd friendly,kid friendly example of experiential marketing where thousands of people of all ages sampled Wembley for the first time and many will have samples a Sarries home game for the first time.Excellent family entertainment with bands, dancers, and 100 kids on pitch side at half time.
The proof will of course be the numbers who become loyal or occasional paying cuatomers at Vicarage Road, on this experience they deserve to succeed.
Congratulations of thinking outside the box, Wasps, Irish and Quins will need to be careful they don't get left behind by the Saracens marketing campaign.
Sunday, 16 August 2009
FIFA World cup sponsorship 1966 versus 2010
My neighbour Keith Telfer was a match day steward at Wembley Stadium for a number of games during the 1966 World Cup finals and had been promising for some time to share his memorabilia including his programmes stewards passes and badges. We spent a very enjoyable hour reading his superbly well preserved programmes from the tournament and listening to stories of other big games at which he volunteered and ushered people to their seats.
Aside from discovering that England full back Ray Wilson was actually named Ramon, and that stewards had to be on site 4 hours before kick- off, the biggest discovery was the English FA’s Acknowledgements page- the mid sixties version of sponsor accreditation- in which they thanked the tournament Sponsors which for the sake of accuracy I copy here:
The Football Association World Cup Organisation wishes to acknowledge assistance it has received from many firms and organisations. The promotional success of the eighth Jules Rimet Cup competition has been aided by valuable contributions of services and facilities from many sources including:
The Royal Garden Palace Hotel, for making available the location for the FIFA Secretariat
The Imperial Typewriter Company, Limited for the provision of 750 typewriters for use in Press Centres and Press Working Rooms in all the staging towns and cities
Roneo Limited for the loan of duplicators
Umbro International Sportswear, for supplying the shirts, shorts and hose, and Adidas the football boots, worn by the 320 boys representing the 16 participating countries during the opening ceremony, each boy will retain his equipment as a momento of the occasion
Bridport-Gundry Limited, for providing the specially designed goal nets being used on all grounds staging World Cup final series matches
W.D & H.O Wills for supplying the briefcases and portable desks for the use of officials, press radio and television personnel
Note the loan of the photocopiers and the fact that the briefcases were supplied by a cigarette manufacturer
Compare this with the multi-million dollar 8 year, category exclusive sponsorship programmes, global activation, brand integration activities now operated by FIFA for South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014 and smile at the simplicity and pragmatism of it all and how much our industry has grown in a mere 44 years!
Aside from discovering that England full back Ray Wilson was actually named Ramon, and that stewards had to be on site 4 hours before kick- off, the biggest discovery was the English FA’s Acknowledgements page- the mid sixties version of sponsor accreditation- in which they thanked the tournament Sponsors which for the sake of accuracy I copy here:
The Football Association World Cup Organisation wishes to acknowledge assistance it has received from many firms and organisations. The promotional success of the eighth Jules Rimet Cup competition has been aided by valuable contributions of services and facilities from many sources including:
The Royal Garden Palace Hotel, for making available the location for the FIFA Secretariat
The Imperial Typewriter Company, Limited for the provision of 750 typewriters for use in Press Centres and Press Working Rooms in all the staging towns and cities
Roneo Limited for the loan of duplicators
Umbro International Sportswear, for supplying the shirts, shorts and hose, and Adidas the football boots, worn by the 320 boys representing the 16 participating countries during the opening ceremony, each boy will retain his equipment as a momento of the occasion
Bridport-Gundry Limited, for providing the specially designed goal nets being used on all grounds staging World Cup final series matches
W.D & H.O Wills for supplying the briefcases and portable desks for the use of officials, press radio and television personnel
Note the loan of the photocopiers and the fact that the briefcases were supplied by a cigarette manufacturer
Compare this with the multi-million dollar 8 year, category exclusive sponsorship programmes, global activation, brand integration activities now operated by FIFA for South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014 and smile at the simplicity and pragmatism of it all and how much our industry has grown in a mere 44 years!
Friday, 14 August 2009
the vices of sports stars, new depths plumbed by Michael Vick
In the UK , we are used to sports stars excesses, e.g. drink driving, spending gazillions on a team ates birthday party,thousands on the horses, playing hide the sausage with page three girls etc etc...all fairly routine and boring News of the World fodder....imagine the headline "Premier League player vows to give organising Dog Fights and to campaign for dog welfare"
step up Michael Vick of the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles
Vick Vows To Help End Dogfighting –, Michael Vick spoke out and told the world that he will now be an advocate to help stop dogfighting. He continued on to apologize once more for all that he has done wrong and admits that he was at fault for running an illegal dogfighting chain. Later this week CBS Sports’ James Brown who interviewed Vick commented that he felt Vick’s apology was sincere and that he was deserving of another chance on the field to prove so. Now keeping in mind that Vick has officially signed a short-term contract with the Philadelphia Eagles
and that the NFL is giving him another chance, do you think we will ever see Vick land a solid sponsorship agreement in the future? The Eagles think Vick will be a positive face for preventing animal cruelty in the community.
Sir, we salute you for Celebrity Innovation....you could not make it up
step up Michael Vick of the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles
Vick Vows To Help End Dogfighting –, Michael Vick spoke out and told the world that he will now be an advocate to help stop dogfighting. He continued on to apologize once more for all that he has done wrong and admits that he was at fault for running an illegal dogfighting chain. Later this week CBS Sports’ James Brown who interviewed Vick commented that he felt Vick’s apology was sincere and that he was deserving of another chance on the field to prove so. Now keeping in mind that Vick has officially signed a short-term contract with the Philadelphia Eagles
and that the NFL is giving him another chance, do you think we will ever see Vick land a solid sponsorship agreement in the future? The Eagles think Vick will be a positive face for preventing animal cruelty in the community.
Sir, we salute you for Celebrity Innovation....you could not make it up
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