After PGA Championship, McIlroy and Fowler are 2014 Winners

NY Daily News

It was at the beginning of the 2013 PGA Tour schedule when Rory McIlroy signed his massive $200 million long-term deal with Nike. By the end of the year, McIlroy had gone winless and there were rumblings that the deal was a bust. 


Some cited the new club manufacturer as a source of the struggles; some cited his then-relationship with Caroline Wozniacki. A little patience was all that was needed, though. Because in 2014, McIlroy is asserting himself as the top golfer in the world. And he looks to have gained the killer instinct it takes to win majors.

Outside the Octagon: Bellator's Business Strategy

In my column, I usually write about the UFC, but this week I wanted to change it up and talk about one of the UFC’s rival organizations Bellator.  Bellator is a much smaller organization and doesn’t have the same star power as UFC.  A lot of times, when Bellator’s best fighters’ contracts are up the UFC will sign them.  Recently, Bellator has been signing a lot of former UFC athletes.  Personally, I do not believe this is the best business strategy.

Sport For Thought: Wimbledon, The World's Most Recognizable Brand

With all of the sporting events that occur throughout the world, is any brand more recognizable than Wimbledon? When flipping through the channels, you may see football, baseball, basketball, soccer, golf or any other sport being played. But can a viewer know exactly what the event is just from watching what is being televised? How is a World Series or Super Bowl game more recognizable to the television viewer then just any regular season game? The answer is, their is no difference! But when one turns on the television to view a tennis match, what is more recognizable then the perfectly landscaped grass courts, all white, and the properness that is Wimbledon?

The Sports Biz Report - Episode 2.9 - The Rise of CrossFit

Under Further Review: Three Phrases To Avoid In Your Twitter Bio

Since I assume that many of you reading this are on Twitter, then I think it is also safe to assume that many of you have seen the phrases that I am thinking of.  You look at somebody's bio, maybe to see what they actually do and maybe to see how your friends describe themselves.  Space is precious in that 160 character bio, so it is best to fit as much useful information into those 160 characters as possible especially for personal branding purposes.  Here are three space-wasting phrases to avoid in your Twitter bio:

HIO: Promoting Team Loyalty Through Social Media

On social media, whether a team is promoting the score of a game or a community charity event, groups of audiences will view the content differently. Social media is a broad swipe, sending bits of content to any and all followers or fans. It is impossible to distribute content that will hit only one target audience. The hope is that messages will appeal to a large base.

The Sports Complex: The Insane Trends in March Madness

Amongst the madness of March each year (as fellow contributor Kevin Murray discussed yesterday), it’s easy for the big business of the Big Dance to go unnoticed. High-level sponsors and multibillion dollar broadcast deals make the Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament one of the biggest draws in sport. Here are some trends that affect the future of the Big Dance:

SMTSU General Body Meeting: Personal Branding

US Open - Biggest Winners

The US Open at the Olympic Club definitely proved to be golf's toughest test this past weekend.  Maybe the PGA Tour was angered by Rory McIlroy tearing up the tournament last year, who knows.  This year Webb Simpson out lasted the field by winning the US Open at a score of +1 and taking home his first PGA Tour major victory in the process.  Interesting note, I have been reading that Simpson is unlikely to participate in the Open Championship in July because his wife is expecting their child.  So going into the British Open, I'm doing my research and picking a golfer whose wife just recently gave birth within the month or is expecting within the month (Masters champion Bubba Watson had adopted a baby boy, Caleb, within the month when he won his first major).  As with any visible sporting event, there are winners and there are losers.  When it comes to branding, here is my brand winner and loser from the US Open.

Big Winner - Beau Hossler and University of Texas


Hossler is the 17 year old amateur who made a remarkable run at the Olympic Club and at one point, many thought could possibly be the champion.  After a Sunday mini implosion, Hossler didn't even end up as the low amateur of the tournament. However, he had already made a name for himself and the college that he will playing golf at after he graduates high school.  Donning the University of Texas visor all week and the Longhorns burnt orange shirt on Sunday, Hossler and his college were given plenty of air time by the NBC crew.

Honorable Mention
Jim Furyk - 5 Hour Energy
Webb Simpson - Wake Forest Arnold Palmer Scholarship
Collegiate Golf in general.

Big Loser - Bubba Watson


Watson simply had a rough start to his first Father's Day weekend as a father when he missed the US Open cut.  Shooting a rough 78 on Thursday, Watson was snippy with reporters and some may say even a bit childish. Everybody loves Bubba because he's laid back, but when the tides turn and he isn't winning, that laid back attitude turns into a perceived lazy demeanor.  His performance this past weekend may have some even saying that his Masters win was a bit of a fluke.  I wouldn't go that far, but his performance and antics definitely didn't sit well with many.

Honorable Mention
Luke Donald - Missing cuts in majors for the world's #1 player should not be the norm.
Rory McIlroy - US Open winner to US Open missed cut in one year, oy.

Sixers Sales

As the Philadelphia 76ers continue through the NBA playoffs looking to survive the Boston Celtics for a chance to play in the Eastern Conference Championship, ownership hopes that the on-court success can translate off-court.  This summer will be a big offseason for the team because it will be the first full offseason for Adam Aron, Josh Harris, and the rest of the new 76ers ownership group.

This season saw the team earn the 8 seed in the Eastern Conference.  The 76ers capitalized on the playoff berth by beating the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the NBA playoffs to win its first playoff series since 2003.  The on-court accomplishments have been impressive, but the off-court accomplishments have been even better.

According the Terry Lefton in this week’s Sports Business Journal, the 76ers ticket sales were outstanding for the first season under the new ownership group.  Average attendance at the Wells Fargo Center jumped from 14,751 to 17,503 this season, which was good for moving up from 25 to 14 in NBA.  The statistic that I found most interesting was the fact that the 76ers sold more paid tickets in lockout shortened 66 game season than they did in the full 82 game season last year.  Season tickets have also seen improvement with a jump from 3,294 this season to 5,438 next season with CEO Adam Aron’s prediction that next season’s number will end somewhere around 6,500.

This summer will be the test for the marketing arm of the 76ers.  The team looks to use the momentum from the on-court performance and attendance increases to build stronger sponsorship deals.  Four of the bigger categories of 76ers sponsorship inventory are up for renewal this offseason including beer, healthcare, quick service restaurant, and wireless provider.

One element that may really be holding the organization back sponsorship wise is their lack of signature inventory.  A solution may be on its way because the team is moving its offices out of the Wells Fargo Center and into office space at the Navy Yard.  The biggest plus to this move is the 76ers’ plan to build a practice facility there.  I think this would be huge for the organization because it would provide them a unique sponsorship inventory item and give one of their top sponsors a chance to further brand themself in the Philadelphia sports marketplace. 

I think that the success of the 76ers this past year will help them greatly in the area of sponsorship.  Not that companies looking to partner with the team will automatically throw truckloads of money at them (ignore the impossibility of the physical strength needed), but it will offer a little bit of friendly competition that could push the price up a little bit.  Every little bit counts for a team under new owners, even for new owners like Adam Aron and Josh Harris who have seen great success already.

Agree?  Disagree?  Leave your thoughts in the comment section below!