What is Sports Marketing?

A Look Back at the History of Sports Marketing… William “Bill” Veeck was one of the most influential people in sports marketing. Took sporting events to different levels of entertainment. In mid-1900’s, introduced the concepts of player names on jerseys, ballpark giveaways, and exploding scoreboards. Mark McCormack, founder of IMG, linked athletes to corporations in the 1960s. Many sports 1st’s took place in the 20th century. Longest running endorsement deal in sports history: Wilson Sporting Goods & Gene Srazen, 1923-1999.

A Future in Sports Marketing? With the growth of the sports industry- 213 billion in revenue & 20 new leagues in the past decade- employment possibilities are expanding.

Categories of Sports Amateur High School College & University Professional

Amateur Sports An amateur athlete is a person who does not get paid to play a sport. To be an amateur, an athlete needs only the desire and drive to play a sport. High school, college, recreational players. Recreational sports cannot function without the help of the community, therefore, teams are sponsored.

High School Sports Many high schools and communities put much effort and enthusiasm into their sporting events. Sometimes a part of tradition encouraging people to rally around the games. National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) set guidelines and make sure that students benefit from a balanced educational and athletic experience. Regional influences affect the popularity of sports in the U.S.

College & University Sports Very popular and extremely competitive. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a national organization that governs college athletics and oversees important decisions pertaining to athletics. Rules & guidelines posted on www.ncaa.org If rules are broken, the NCAA has the power to eliminate teams from playing an entire season and can terminate an athlete’s scholarship. To ensure competitiveness, created divisions determined by student population, financial stability, and player ability. Ex.) Division I, Division II, or Division III

Professional Sports A professional athlete is an athlete who has the will and ability to earn an income from a particular sport. Extremely talented athletes have opportunities to earn endorsements, which are sometimes, larger than team salary. Ex.) At the age of 18, LeBron James signed a 3-year, $12.96 million deal with the Cavaliers and a 7-year $90 million endorsement deal with Nike. Most heavily marketed category of sports. Ex.) Gillette Stadium cost $345 million to build. Stadium features 68,000 seats, with 6,000 club seats in midfield that go for as much as $6,000 each over ten years. Currently there are over 50,000 fans on a waiting list for season tickets.

Olympic Sports According to legend, founded by Hercules. First recorded evidence of the Olympic Games was in 776 B.C. in Olympia, Greece. Only event at this time was a 192 meter run. Abolished in 393 A.D. because of pagan influences. In 1890, revived by Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin. Implemented the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which plans the games and oversees issues and decisions. In April 1896, Athens was chosen for the revival of the games. Contestants were not chosen by their nation, but instead, traveled to Athens at their own expense. 300 athletes from 13 countries participated.

Present-day Olympics Held every four years. Each time it is held, the IOC increases its global membership. The 2012 London Summer Games included 205 countries with 10,500 athletes competing. For years, “The Amateur Rule” prohibited professionals from competing in Olympic events. Overturned in 1986; as a result, viewership increased. 1992’s the “Dream Team” (Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, & Larry Bird) was responsible for the enormous boost in popularity of basketball on an international basis.

Paralympics & Special Olympics In 1948, Sir Ludwig Guttman organized a sports competition involving WWII veterans; paralympics began. Olympic-style games for athletes with disabilities were organized for the 1st time in Rome in 1960. They are held the same year as the Olympic Games. In 1968, Eunice Kennedy Shriver organized the 1st International Special Olympics at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. 26 Olympic-type summer and winter sports. Currently serve 1 million people in more than 200 programs in more than 150 countries.

International Sporting Events In the early days of ABC Sports, Roone Arledge created “The Wide World of Sports”, a weekly television show that brought unusual sporting events into homes. Ex.) Wrist-wrestling, cliff diving, world figure skating, cricket, and rugby. Introduced the public to icons such as the Harlem Globetrotters, Muhammad Ali, and Evel Knievel. Soccer (known as football outside the U.S.) is one of the world’s most popular sports; World Cup. Tour de France bicycle race, a 28 day 2,200 mile race, has gained American interest.

Women’s Sports On June 23, 1972, the enactment of Title IX, the Education Amendment, advanced girls’ participation in sports. Title IX is a law that bans gender discrimination in schools that receive federal funds. In 1970-71, only 294,000 high school girls competed in sports. By 1998-99, more than 2,652,000 girls were participating. Prior to Title IX, few colleges offered sports scholarships for women. By 1995-96, female athletes received $212 million in scholarships. Billie Jean King was a key player in the advancement of women’s sports. Dominated women’s tennis for 2 decades, winning 20 Wimbledon titles. In 1973, challenged male tennis player that proclaimed no woman could beat him; King defeated him.

Extreme Sports Extreme sports are sports that involve nontraditional, daring methods of athletic competition. In the 1980’s, skateboarders, rollerbladers, stunt bikers, and snowboarders of Generation X helped launch this sport. Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk, skiing and snowboarding legend Warren Miller, and surfing legend Kelly Slater have promoted this marketing movement. ESPN and the X Games have helped add to its success. Products include sports drinks, clothing, and video games.

Activity Time!!! Now that we have discussed all the categories of sports, working with a partner…you are to brainstorm to create a “NEW” category of sports, you believe to be the “next best thing”. You and your partner will create a poster that illustrates this new category of sports to the public. Also, be sure to give your “NEW” category of sports a name. At the end of the class period, your group will present posters and explain this “NEW” category!