Morning Buzz

06.11.2024

Start your morning with Buzzcast with Ted Keith: SBJ gets set for Brand Innovation Summit in Chicago; Dan Hurley decides to stay at UConn; Will people tune in for the College World Series?; Recapping MLB's London Series

SBJ heads to Chicago for Brand Innovation Summit

SBJ

Nearly 700 attendees are expected as SBJ begins the two-day Brand Innovation Summit at the Ritz-Carlton in Chicago with a focus on how innovative brands are disrupting the status quo and changing the game of sports marketing.

The agenda features the best ideas connecting sports, brands and fans and how consumer and B2B brands are navigating the sports space and breaking through the clutter. 

The Day 1 agenda begins with sessions led by Navigate President Jeff Nelson and colleagues Jordan Bloem (co-head, consulting), Kevin Kane (senior director, consulting) and Anne Ristaue(co-head, consulting). 

Brad Ross, VP/Global Sports & Entertainment Marketing and Partnerships for The Coca-Cola Company, kicks off the afternoon session with a keynote on the brand’s future global partnerships. Then, Jersey Mike’s VP/Marketing Jeff Hemschootexplains how his brand engages with local communities. 

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Fox Sports gearing up for 2026 World Cup ad sales

DeFodi Images via Getty Images

Today marks two years out from the start of the 2026 Men’s World Cup, and Fox Sports has sent out its official sales packages to all current FIFA partners, giving them a 70-day exclusive window to negotiate becoming a partner for the 2026 event. Those brands include long-time FIFA sponsors such as Visa, Hyundai and McDonald’s.

“When we think about our marketplace, and the support that we’ve had for previous World Cups, multiple categories have stepped up in a big way,” said Mike Petruzzi, VP/Ad Sales at Fox Sports.

Petruzzi referenced categories such as insurance and telco, and emerging categories like data advancement and artificial intelligence.

It’s the sixth time Fox has broadcast a World Cup, men’s or women’s, beginning with the 2015 Women’s World Cup, which Petruzzi said kicked them off “in a major way.”

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Under Armour to outfit U.S. flag football teams

USA Football

Under Armour will outfit the first American flag football Olympic teams when the sport makes its debut at the 2028 L.A. Games under a four-year deal signed with USA Football. The Baltimore-based company will become the “official and exclusive uniform, apparel and football” sponsor of the governing body. Financial terms were not disclosed. Under Armour would not say whether agencies were involved. UA’s uniforms will get their competitive debut at the Int’l Federation of American Football’s Flag Football World Championships in Finland in August.

MLS launches 2024 All-Star Rewards Program

MLS

The 2024 MLS All-Star Rewards Program, a collaboration between the league and mobile developer Fabric, launches today across 40 business in Columbus, where the league will host its All-Star game on July 24.

Between Tuesday and July 21, when the program culminates at the free-to-attend MLS All-Star Soccer Celebration festival in McFerson Commons Park, patrons of the participating local businesses will be able to scan a QR code, access interactive digital experiences and accrue points that can be redeemed for more than 300 prizes, which range from All-Star game tickets, to merchandise, to autographed memorabilia and more.

MLS Chief Events Officer Jen Maurillo called the initiative an example of the league’s consistent focus on connecting local businesses to marquee events. The league distributed marketing kits to help those businesses promote the program, packed with table toppers, window clings, note cards and digital assets.

“A big thing for bringing an event to a market is that we want to leverage the event to bring back good awareness in the community, economic impact, and leave the place better than before we came,” Maurillo told SBJ. “We worked closely with the Columbus Sports Commission to identify partners, brands and retail locations that would engage. We sent out a survey to a bunch of business, and the response was just overwhelming.”

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FanRally designated AXS Anywhere partner

FanRally, which counts the Kings as clients, is now a designated AXS Anywhere distribution partner available to all AXS team and venue partners in the U.S. AXS

AXS and FanRally have taken their dealings to another level with FanRally now a designated AXS Anywhere distribution partner available to all AXS team and venue partners in the U.S. AXS, the primary ticketing company owned by AEG, and FanRally, Chris Giles’ ticketing startup that offers flexible ticket memberships as opposed to traditional season tickets, have worked together since 2021 when FanRally became an AXS distribution partner. The new arrangement -- commercial terms weren’t disclosed -- means that AXS can include FanRally when answering RFPs and bidding for new business accounts, “another way AXS offers clients a powerful discovery and distribution network,” said Marc Ruxin, AXS Chief Strategy Officer.

FanRally CEO Chris Giles presented and participated in a roundtable discussion at SBJ's Brand Innovation Summit on how tech is transforming sports marketing.

FanRally’s progression with AXS mirrors its growth in the sports ticketing world. Fans whose teams use FanRally can switch their seats in the same way they would on an airplane, offering like-for-like swaps or upgrades. The quantity and location of tickets can be changed in one transaction. Teams are using FanRally for either next generation season ticket models or on the b-to-b side by offering corporate partners the option to buy, for example, $100,000 worth of premium credit for a season, then utilize FanRally to pick games and seats throughout the year.

The 4-year-old FanRally had its first full-venue deployment this past season at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, Calif., home of the AHL Ontario Reign. FanRally is also handling quarter season tickets for the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field, and counts the Brewers, Rays, Madison Square Garden, Rockets, Clippers, and L.A. Kings as clients.

Barclays nearing renewed deal with Premier League

Barclays is "on the brink of renewing its long-standing link to the Premier League" with a $95.5M deal which "easily eclipses the value of its existing tie-up." Sources said the proposed four-year agreement, which would "last an additional season than the current partnership," is "worth roughly 60% more" per year. Barclays has had a "lengthy connection" with the EPL, having been its title sponsor for years under both its name and that of Barclaycard. The new deal will come as Oracle "prepares to end its association" with the EPL, "leaving it searching for a new technology partner" (SKY SPORTS, 6/10).

Looking at Learfield's revamped Compass platform

Learfield is rolling out a revamped version of their Compass platform. SBJ’s Ben Portnoy catches up with Learfield’s Cory Moss and Solly Fulpto discuss how this new project will transform NIL. 

Speed Reads....

Clippers F Paul George will serve as a guest analyst for ABC/ESPN’s coverage of Games 3 and 4 of the NBA Finals in Dallas. He will appear on set inside American Airlines Center with Stephen A. Smith, Michael Wilbon, Bob Myers, Adrian Wojnarowski and host Malika Andrews (Tom Friend, SBJ).

Stars GM Jim Nill was named the 2023-24 recipient of the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award last night, "marking the second consecutive year" he's won the award. Nill joins Lou Lamoriello as "the only GMs to capture it in consecutive seasons" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 6/10).

The OHL is "expected to name" RBC Canadian Open Tournament Dir Bryan Crawford as its new commissioner. Crawford will replace longtime commissioner David Branch, who is leaving the post after 45 years running the league (SPORTSNET.ca, 6/10).

Excel Sports Management’s executive search arm Nolan Partners has partnered with change management firm Deutser to form a collective leadership and culture transformation offering called Ethos (Excel).

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Morning Hot Reads: A Special Connection

As the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst approaches, the Southern Pines PILOT goes with the header, "The Special Relationship: Pinehurst, the USGA and a Time of Transformation." Today, the USGA and Pinehurst "occupy common ground" within the village in "a symbiotic relationship." This 124th U.S. Open, which tees off Thursday morning, "celebrates a marriage that unites two entities with shared goals." As a result of the relationship between the USGA and Pinehurst, people come to the Sandhills of North Carolina "to bask in golf’s heritage and play its championship courses." It’s a "natural partnership" for Pinehurst and the USGA, "yet it took more than 100 years to consummate."

Also:

  • Road to Rickwood: Key facts, historic dates and how segregation impacted fans at nation’s oldest ballpark.

Social Scoop....

Last night’s "Final Jeopardy!" category was "New York Times Book Reviews"

"In 1958 a review of this book now considered a classic called it repulsive, disgusting and 'highbrow pornography.'"

Off the presses....

The Morning Buzz offers today's back pages and sports covers from some of North America's major metropolitan newspapers:

Final Jeopardy....

"What is Lolita?"

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Quote of the Day
I lose sleep over it. I’m trying. I know whatever decision I’ll make, I’ll be able to look in the mirror and put my head down on the pillow and know that I can live with myself with it.
-- Rays owner Stuart Sternberg, on the uncertainty over whether to proceed with the St. Petersburg ballpark deal.
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