Natural Evolution of Advertising Hits Golf

ProBagAds might be changing how player sponsorship and advertising for golfers work. SBJ reports the company has released a golf bag with a built-in H-D, weatherproof digital display that can show advertisements, similar to the outdoor digital billboards that are growing in popularity. Tour player Michael Allen debuted the bag in August.
At a time when [...]

IBM Continues Model Sports Sponsorship Plan

Sometimes they fly under the radar in sports sponsorship coverage because they don’t resort to flashy activations, gimmicky promotions, or execute groundbreaking deals. Still, dollar for dollar, IBM is arguably the leader in integrated sports sponsorships that create a dual value-add for both sports property and brand. In the current world of scrutinized spending and [...]

Buick Open Worth Saving (Sponsors Needed)

Did you see today’s Final Round of the Buick Open, likely the last of the annual event in the Detroit area? Outside of Happy Gilmore, never have I seen a golf crowd (gallery for those golf insiders) so into the tournament, having so much fun, yet still respecting the game. Not Bethpage, not the Ryder [...]

Athlete In-Game Twitter Use: Teams Need to Take Control

With every passing day Twitter is gaining more traction in the sports world, not less, so for all those that said it’s a passing a fad and ignored it, open your eyes. It will have a growing place in sports over the next year, like it or not. Chad Ochocinco proclaims he plans to tweet [...]

Islanders Blackberry Deal Makes For Strange Bedfellows

Last week the revenue starved New York Islanders reached a one-year wireless deal with Blackberry to sponsor the chance to text its prized top draft pick John Tavares. On the surface, it sounds like a good integrated sponsorship deal that adds value for both sides – good marketing for the team, promoting its new star [...]

Athlete Actions Feed the Sponsorship Stereotype

One action served as a good example of why two stereotypes currently plague the world of sports sponsorship. As the public continues to criticize public companies for frivolous spending during a recession and the people cringe at the ever escalating salaries of athletes in walks Vijay Singh sporting his Stanford Financial sponsored apparel.
The same Stanford [...]

What’s In A Word: For Sports Sponsorships and Sales – Everything

Bill Sutton penned an interesting piece in this week’s Sports Business Journal that addresses a concept, which has likely hurt sponsorships more than the recession – perception is reality. Since TARP became a part of American lexicon, firms have tried to run from public affiliation with anything deemed luxury, premium, or naming rights. The result [...]

Sponsorship Mismatch

SBJ reports that LPGA sponsor Michelob Ultra is running a promotion to nominate the ultimate 19th hole bar via an essay submission. It’s a small story, likely swept under the rug, yet it exemplifies why sponsors rarely receive good ROI on sports, and leave me wondering about the brand marketing team at the LPGA.
Obviously, the [...]