Out With The Old And In With The New?

Even when you thought the sports world couldn’t get any better with the return of basketball season…it did! Could it be that Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul and Dwight Howard maybe playing on the same team? This potential trade created such chaos throughout the sports industry. It was describe as a classic Michael Jordan, Scotty Pippen and Dennis Rodman Chicago Bulls dream team. These three players working together defiantly had many teams scared of the opening season tip off on Christmas Day. However, no need to fear, the story ended as soon as it began.

Buzz of the Week: The NBA Returns

The floodgates open this pass weekend via the social media networks as news spread about the NBA owners and players possibly reaching an agreement. As we all know, the lockout began back in July and it has been a back and forth ordeal ever since. Many athletes were even ready or had already signed contracts to play overseas. Which I might add was paying a substantial amount of money. Nevertheless, the players are allowed to enter the facilities starting December 1. Along with free agency negotiation and the start of training camps scheduled for December 9. Therefore time is very important for all the loose ends to be tied up before anyone changes their minds.

What Really Matters When Writing a Business Plan?

 

For the past few months, I have been working on a potential business plan as part of my requirement for my educational program. This has truly been an exhausting, rigorous but very insightful process. Many entrepreneurs have taken for granted the importance of writing a business plan. I will boldly confess that I was one of those individuals, if it wasn’t for enrolling into the Sports Management program at Full Sail University. I probably would’ve never researched or written an entire business plan. It was like a light bulb instantly went off in my head. Therefore, I feel its only right for me to share with you some of my views on the important matters of writing a business plan that will hopefully attract investors. Now, I don’t have the accomplishments or experiences such as experts Daymond John or Mark Cuban as of yet.  However, I do represent a vast percentage of students and future entrepreneurs that will eventually have to take on this difficult task. So, take my advice as things to expect during this process and please conduct other research as well as.

What Really Matters…

 The Who?

Investors want to read a clear detailed explanation about the purpose of the company. Therefore, the plan should have a section for the company’s description and industry analysis. Which includes a clear mission or vision statement, describes the target audience and the key competitors in that industry. Often times, countless individuals fail to thoroughly explain to investors how they will specifically target this market (Small Business BC, 2011). If investors are confuse by the jargon or see that the target market is not consistent in the business plan. Then it’s going to be perceived that you don’t know the direction of your company brand and you didn’t research the industry. The goal is to always give investors a clear understanding of your company.

The What:

This section defines the type of product or service the company will render. In addition, it is very important that all possible distribution channels are listed as well as how and why these channels will assist in reaching the target market to generate brand identity and sales.

The When:

During one of my courses, I was so focus on getting the financials and marketing strategy together that I completely overlooked the developmental date. This section is not just to reveal the projected launch or opening day of the company. Its letting investors know all about the things you have accomplished. For example, acquiring any type of intellectual properties, purchasing any property and especially the city and state the company will reside. Basically, anything that has been done prior to the submission of the business plan that will help the investors to see that you have put forth time and effort in the company establishment instead of waiting for their financial backing.

The How:

This part of the business plan can be difficult because the main goal is to explain how you’re going to generate sale and any other sources of funding. Therefore, a marketing strategy should be included, along with financial projection such as,  start-up cost, marketing, sales and etc. These financial projections should allow the investors to see what your expenses are, when the company will generate money and hopefully an opportunity see a return on their investment sooner if the company should do well.

All these factors listed above are what I had to take into consideration after reviewing the advice from my experts. Therefore, I had to do some major changes to ensure that potential investors could visualize in their heads what my company does and how we made money. Like Daymond Johnson said, a business plan “is like a roadmap, personalized just for you, that is going to guide you from where you are now, to where you want to be.” In addition I had to make some adjustments to the financial projections of my plans. To demonstrate the growth of the company in a certain amount of years and even giving investors a quick return on their investments. Please do not forget to conduct additional research; sba.gov is a great starting point. See you at the top!

-The Sportnista ‘95

 
 Picture Reference:

Ozkan, E. (n.d.) What Is A Business Plan? Retrieved November 18, 2011 from http://siteboat.com/what-is-a-business-plan-business-development-series-2/

Planini. (2011). Why Business Planning Is So Important? Retrieved November 18, 2011 from http://www.planini.com/2011/10/why-business-planning-is-so-important/

The Business Plan:

So you want to own your business? If the answer is yes, here are some questions for you to think about.

 

1. What is the purpose of your business?

2. Are there any investors? If so, how will they benefit?

3. How fast will the company generate profit?

4. Do you know the industry and your competitors?

5. What are the long and short terms risks and opportunities?

Sports Cause-Related Campaigns

Flashing lights, fancy cars and more money to last a lifetime. These are the things people associate with being a professional athlete. For many athletes this statement is true, being the next best player and making as much money as possible is their sole purpose. However, I have noticed over the pass few years several sports leagues and players have been participating and sponsoring various cause related campaigns. In hopes not only to change this stigma but also bring awareness to the issues that are affecting our communities.

Is Silence Really Golden?

After a long evening out with family and friends, I decided to catch up on some scores from Sunday’s football games. As I watched the highlights and the latest sports news, I had a certain peculiar feeling come over me. “Something is missing,” were the words that echoed through my head. As the sport anchor switched to different stories, the feeling became more intense. It wasn’t until I logged onto Twitter and scrolled across a story retweet about a comment NBA player Carmelo Anthony had made that the missing piece.  Literally hit me like a hammer hitting a nail on its head the NBA Lockout.

According to Bleacherreport.com, Carmelo quoted lyrics from one of his favorite song that he felt describe his generation and fellow athletes’ position on the lockout and injustice in America. “My generation: Athletes today are scared to make Muhammad Ali-type statements,” stated Carmelo. I am usually in tuned to the latest updates on any major sports news. Unfortunately, the NBA lockout has a different approach and atmosphere regarding the coverage of their issues. When the NFL had its lockout, the players, owners, and members of the national football league players association were hitting the media with their concerns and status of the agreement at least everyday. The same cannot be said about the NBA lockout, one of the reasons the players are not saying anything is because there is an apparent gag order that prohibits players to discuss the legalities of the agreement. The union wants to contain the amount of information flow that is being delivered to the media. Another reason some players are not being active as football players is because some have other means of income. For example, Deron Williams and Kobe Bryant among other players have been offered a substantial amount of money to play overseas until the lockout is lifted. For football players, there were not many alternatives that were going to paying $3 million dollars. Therefore, a sense of urgency was necessary because the longer an agreement was not reach, the longer the players went without being paid.

This led me to believe that for some players being silent has been a golden opportunity for their professional career during the lockout. Of course there are many players who have not been afforded the chance to play overseas. For instance, Delonte West of the Boston Celtics was recently hired at a furniture store, which is really usual. However, due to his criminal record, Delonte is not allowed to travel outside the country. On the other hand, other players are choosing to take this time to be productive and give back to the community. Stephen Curry of the Golden Warriors decided to finish up his psychology degree. While other players are conducting basketball campus and working with their foundations. Nevertheless, however the players are spending their time, they should defiantly make more of an effort to insure that their opinions as well as their voices are being heard. If not for themselves, than for the millions of fans. Malcolm X said it the best, “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.”

-The Sportsnista ‘95

Photo Reference:
1389Blog-Counterjihad. (2011). Bill C-51: Immediate Threat to Free Speech and Free Press on the Internet in Canada. Retrieved from http://1389blog.com/category/media/art-design/graphic-arts/ 

The NFL Will Never Forget!

This pass Sunday not only marked the opening of the National Football Leagues regular season, but also the 10^th anniversary of 9-11. All across this great country, millions of Americans held ceremonies and attended visuals. As well as the unveiling of the 9-11 memorial at Ground Zero dedicated to the victims and heroes killed on that tragic day. It was truly a day of reflection and more importantly, a time for remembrance.   

A couple of week’s prior, the NFL’s sponsor Reebok sent out special gear for the players to wear on opening day. The purpose of the gear was not to premiere any new apparel or solicit consumers. Instead, Reebok’s intention was to give the players an opportunity to pay tribute to the victims of 9-11. The only problem was, the company sent the items without getting approval from the NFL. This created a major commotion among the industry because many allegations were arising that the league was going to fined players for wearing the uniform before authorization. Many would agree that, sometimes rules are made to be broken for the right cause and that is exactly what some of the players were going to do. According to USATODAY, Lance Briggs was ready and willing to accept any fine that came along with wearing the 9-11 gear. “Reebok did a great job on these gloves and shoes…looks like I’m getting fined this week. Lol!” tweeted Briggs. However, there was no need for anyone to whip out their checkbooks the league made a statement that no fines would be issue for wearing the patriotic apparel. As long as the gear is from a licensed NFL sponsor.

It’s my belief that the NFL had no intention of penalizing anyone; they have been known to create special gear to show their support for many good causes. For example, last season the league participated in Breast Cancer Awareness Month by having a huge campaign. Players wore pink cleats, gloves and helmets decals, in addition to the coaches and the sideline staff sporting pink caps and t-shirts. Also, there were games balls with pink ribbons and a pink goal post padding in the end zone (NFL, 2010). The campaign proven to be a success in raising over $80,000 that was donated; there is aspect of the league that isn’t all about making money or thinking of the next best marketing scheme. Football is known to be the American sport. Therefore, it wasn’t a surprise to me when the players proudly stepped onto the field wearing their red, white and blue. It was the NFL way to show the American people and the world that they will NEVER FORGET the victims and heroes of 9-11.

-The Sportsnista

Picture Reference:

Monty, C. (2011). WTF. NFL Players to Face Fines for Wearing Commemorative 9/11 Gear. Retrieved from http://www.blippitt.com/wtf-nfl-players-to-face-fines-for-wearing-commemorative-911-gear-photos/

Weasel Zippers. (2011). NFL May Fine Players for Wearing 9/11 Tribute Gear. Retrieved from http://weaselzippers.us/2011/09/09/nfl-may-fine-players-for-wearing-911-tribute-gear/  

New Collegiate Uniforms

Last week kicked off the official season of college football. The social media networks were buzzing with tweets and posts of fans talking trash and giving their predictions of whose team will be number one despite some key player’s suspensions. However, all of the traditional pre-game commotion went to a screeching halt once the teams hit the field and we notice a major change to the player’s uniforms.

ACCESS DENIED!!!

Less than four weeks away marks the official start of football Sunday. Many sports fans will be gathered around the television with friends and wonderful food as if it was a Super Bowl party. Especially after the threat of possibly not having a football season, fans are going to be pulling out all of the stops to make it a memorable season. Although fans are excited about the upcoming season, there are still some concerns that could put a damper on these parties.

Breach of Duty-Referees Betting?

A referee is defined as an official who watches a game or match closely to ensure that the rules are adhered to and (in some sports) to arbitrate on matters arising from the play. Their ruling or “calling” plays such a vital role in the sports industry to the point of determining whether a team wins or lose a game and more importantly, a championship. Therefore, the million-dollar question is: while the officials are watching the players, who are watching the officials? Apparently no one, of course there is the National Basketball Referees Association. However, there have been some issues that even the NBRA have missed over the years. One of the main concerns that have been slightly swept under the rug is referee participating in betting or being paid to throw games. It is well known that this type of behavior is going on. However, it wasn’t until the Tim Donaghy incident in 2007 that the dusk hidden under the rug was revealed.

NCAA Athletes Have No Publicity Rights

It’s a feeling that some of us can relate to, whether you currently play a sport or played while in high school or college. The feeling of wearing a jersey with your name and number printed across the back brings a sense of pride and joy to an athlete. However, picture an athlete such as Tim Tebow, whose name and football jersey which were one of the top selling jersey in college history. A jersey so popular that according to Dave Curtis, a writer for the Orlando Sentinel, he helped make the University of Florida the number 3 school for merchandising in the U.S. So how much money did Tebow receive from the selling or licensing of his name and jersey? Well, he received nothing, not even a penny.

Industry Interview with Kristy Sampson

The summer times are one of the biggest seasons for the Amateur Athletic Union organization, especially for the basketball department. There are over 21 tournaments that are held between girls and boys basketball each summer. While working at the annual AAU and NCAA boy’s basketball tournament located at the ESPN World Wide of Sports in Orlando, Florida. I had the opportunity to sit down with Kristy Sampson, one of the Sports Manager and who is also over girl’s basketball at AAU. The interview was conducted during a hectic evening and we experienced some interruption because Kristy was one of the main individuals in charge of assisting participants in the tournament office. Some of these individuals range from team’s coaches, parents, and even college coaches. According to Ian Guerin a writer for the SunNews.com, “AAU tournaments give players the exposure they may not have during the school season. This allows college coaches on tight budgets to see players from around the country at once” (2011).  Therefore, I expected there to be many interruption during our interview, which was all right with me because I wanted to conduct the interview during the time she was in the moment. I wanted to observe her tone, demeanor, and how she handles difficult situations. I believe this environment opened up the floor for many examples and allowed us to engage more regarding the sports industry.

Social Media Analysis of Amateur Athletic Union

Social media tools such as, Twitter and Facebook have taken over the world! As I continue on this wonderful journey on my summer internship at the Amateur Athletic Union known as AAU. We have also tapped into using social media to allow our participants, fans, and sponsors to keep up with the latest sports events. Therefore, here is a presentation of how I believe social media has enhance the business of AAU.

Sports Still Draws Fans Despite Recession?

If you didn't know, ever since the beginning of the year. I have been attending a wonderful university in Orlando, Florida called Full Sail University. For this month class, Sports Management and Operations. I had the pleasure of reading and article by Charles Davidson title "Sports Still Draws Fans Despite Recession." Here's a video of my personal thoughts on the article as wells as my suggestions to facilities managers on how to increase revenue in today's recession.

Enjoy!

-The Sportsnista '95

Biggest Play in Sports Biz:Tiger Woods Falls from Grace

In the Beginning…

Tiger Woods has been swinging his way on to the golf scene since the age of 2. No one would have imaged that the little boy that premiered on the Mike Douglas Show, would become one of the greatest golfers of our time at the age of 35. Through out Tiger’s career, he has won over “95 tournaments, 71 of those on the PGA Tour with the second Masters victory in 2001, becoming the first ever to hold all four professional major championships at the same time” (Tiger Woods, 2011). In 2007, Tiger’s skills had proven that he could generate huge endorsements as well as major revenue. In that particular year, he was the first athlete in history stated by Forbes.com to have banked $100 million in one year. Yes, it is fair to say that Tiger Woods was a force to be reckoning with, “when you’re on the golf course, you’re the boss,” stated Earl Woods. Tiger truly had a certain demeanor and genuine innocence about him and there was no one like him. Tiger was an athlete that brought respect and dignity to the game of golf; his fans adore him, while his competitors dreamed of being him. So how did Tiger go from being one of the top golfer’s in the country to headlining one of the biggest sports scandals of the decade?

The Negotiations: From an Athlete to an Actor

The Back Story:
 We have seen it many times before from athletes such as recently retired basketball player Shaquille O’Neil to former football players Jim Brown and Dwayne Johnson, athletes turning actors. Whether it’s making a small appears on a television show or a major role on the big screen. Athletes are making the transition into film not just because of the money, but for some of them it has been a long time dream coming true. When I sat down with a close friend of mine who has been in the film industry since the age of twenty. Nyjo Brennen an actor, film producer, songwriter, model, director, singer, and multimedia journalist. From the beautiful country of the Bahamas was raised in West Palm Beach, Florida and graduated from Florida A&M University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Broadcast Journalism. Some of Nyjo’s passed works includes his first documentary titled “Exodus To Beauty” with Co-Producer Courtney Sims. The documentary revealed the airbrushing, dieting, and hard work of the modeling industry. It featured supermodel Jada Collins and a slew of other talents in the industry. He has also starred in the 2006 TV pilot My Brother’s Keeper, where he played the character of Dallas Wright.  Along with making his first director debut on the Florida Bureau of HIV/AIDS Awareness film titled “Voices: Love Exchange.” This film replaced the older version of sexual awareness videos throughout Florida and some courses in New York. As of today, Nyjo Brennen will be receiving a Masters of Science degree in Entertainment Business at Full Sail University. While working on producing and starring in several projects such as, Season 3 of My Brother’s Keepers and Talking with the Taxman About Poetry both created by Lamont Pierre. 

The Crossover:

How does an athlete’s affiliation and status come into play in negotiating a deal for a film? 

Nyjo: Well, we treat an athlete the same way we would any other celebrity, just because this individual is known for running a football or dunking a basketball. Doesn’t mean he or she isn’t good for the role. There is already a stigma attached to athletes; therefore, people are going to tune into see if this person can really act. With this understanding, during negotiations the athlete must recognize that this isn’t a one-man show; you are just one person in this entire cast. There are many actors including myself who premiere in films and have negotiated what is called deferred payment. Basically, when the film makes money that is when you make money. In many cases an athlete’s affiliation and status will come into play especially when figuring out how much money they would be paid. However, that depends on the financial budget of the film. 

There are times when executives have reached out to athletes because they want names, endorsements, and fan base that comes with an athlete being in their film. Then players will have a good opportunity in receiving a good deal because they are bringing more revenue to the table. On the other hand, there are times when a player auditions and offered a role which signifies their crossed over into the acting world. Therefore, they are might receive the same treatment as a regular actor. For instance, if Chad Ocho Cinco stars in an independent film that the cast members signed a contract of defer payment. He doesn’t receive special treatment because he is Ocho Cinco and gets paid before everyone else-it’s not going to happen like that!  

What advice would you give an athlete to prepare for a negotiating meeting in the film industry?

Nyjo: Athletes shouldn’t be too passive or aggressive. During negotiations athletes should used their affiliation and status to portray that he or she is passionate and assertive about the film. As far as the money goes, my advice to an athlete to receive the most bang for their buck, is to ensure that they are invested in the film. For example, if the player as no experience in the industry, they can negotiate in becoming an executive producer. The difference between a producer and an executive producer is that a producer is in charge of pre-production, production, and post-production. An executive producer is when a person gives money to produce the project. By athletes being an executive producer, it makes the process easier for them to transition into the film industry. 

It was such a pleasure to interview Nyjo, I learned a lot about the film industry from him. As we were bringing the interview to a close, he left me with a food for thought. “Your acting is only going to be as good as the person that stretches you.” Similar to a coach and teammates, the director and the cast are individuals who are there to assist and guide each other for the benefit and success of the film. It is important to receive the best deal as possible, but remember that building a business relationship will last a lifetime.

The Sportsnista '95

References:

Gordonshumway. (2003). The Game Plan: A Primer. Retrieved June 19, 2011 from http://ladiesdotdotdot.wordpress.com/2008/01/23/the-game-plan-a-primer/

The 700 Club. (2011). Jada Collins: The Truth About Beauty. Retrieved June 18, 2011 from http://www.cbn.com/700club/features/amazing/Jada_Collins040508.aspx

 

 

MASCOTS: Just a Costume or Apart of the Game?

Real Sports: Mascots

Mascots are defined and used for many things, whether it’s a person, animal, or object. They are thought to bring luck or a representation of a school, professional sports team, or brand name. Team’s mascots often take the form of the school’s logo and nickname. In addition, the sports world utilized mascots as marketing tools to generate revenue, fan recognition, as well as community service. As a sports fan, I never paid mascots any attention. I always saw them as entertainment for the children and over the top sports fans. However, that’s until I watched a mini documentary on HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel that I realize the seriousness and dedication that goes into being a mascot. 

Pay to Play?

For years there have been controversies regarding the fact that college athletes are not paid to play, contributes to the many scandals of players taking money from outside sources.

TED.com-Caroline Casey: Looking Past Limits

“When I was seventeen, I wanted to be a biker chick, race car driver, a cow girl and Mogalie from the Jungle Book.” These were the dreams of Caroline Casey, a former global management consultant turned social entrepreneur. As I watched her speech via TED.com I had to admit that her dreams were very interesting, until she explained why. “All of those things consisted of being FREE, feeling the wind in your hair and just living,” she stated.  However, Caroline would soon discover that life does not always go as planned and some obstacles take us down path that we were never supposed to go. A path that crushes those innocent dreams that sometimes we’ll never see come to fruition.

Who's really calling the shots?

If the NFL lockout wasn’t already feeling like an episode of as the world turns, a twist was added when

Who will reap the benefits of the NFL Lockout? Someone.

It’s no secret that the National Football League is struggling with the possible reality of a lockout for the 2011-2012 seasons. So, when news came of the owners and the player’s labor union not reaching an agreement before the extended deadline of March 11, as a fan, I felt more nervous than shocked. Many questions ran through my mind as to what I would watch in replace of professional football? I must admit that nothing came to mind! Like Daniel Roberts a writer for CNN Money.com stated, "The biggest losers in an NFL lockout? Everyone."

A word to the W.I.S.E.

One day last week, while reading up on the latest news on the NBA trades; I came across some interesting information that was posted on one of my personal learning networks. Nonetheless, the owner and blogger Russell Scibetti of the Business of Sports, informed his readers of an upcoming award ceremony being held

SUPER BOWL XVL: Race vs. Class?

Last Sunday, I along with millions of Americans gathered around the television to watch Super Bowl XVL. Any sports fan understands the excitement and chaos that goes into this major event. Every aspect of the game is picked apart and dissected, from the numerous interviews conducted with the players and coaches during the pre-game show. All the way down to the field just before the coin toss. People are waiting with anticipation to see who will be crowned the next champion. However, if paid close attention, one would hear more than just the sound of “black & yellow” playing throughout the stadium. See pass the fans wearing the weird cheese shaped hat and discover a story unfolding right before our very eyes.