As the end of the semester draws near, and continuation on this blog ceases following this entry, I believe it is necessary (not to mention required) to reflect on topics of discussion and readings from the Fall '09 edition of Dr. Spencer's SM 2210 - History & Philosophy of Sport.
At the beginning of the sememster, the class was asked to write about a historical event or figure in sport that we would like witness in person. My selection was to see Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt smash the World Record in the 100m at the 2009 World Championships of Track & Field. Revisiting this subject, watching Bolt outrun his competition would still be quite the experience for me. In addition, I would also like to place attending the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver on my must-see-event wish list. The competition for the gold medal in Men's Ice Hockey may be the most hotly contested battle of the games. Also, Vancouver could be the last time players from the NHL are used in Olympic Hockey because the National Hockey League has yet to commit to the 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia. To my knowledge, the NHL is the only North American sport league that completely closes its doors to allow its players to take part in the Winter Olympic Games.
Speaking of the Olympics, of the topics we covered in class, I would have liked to spend more time discussing the history, impact, and importance of the Summer and Winter Olympic Games throughout the last century or more. I wrote about the Olympics in a previous post following a class lecture on the Politics of the Olympics (from an American perspective) from the 1930s through the 1980s.
While the discussion board, journal/blog entries, and ethical issues presentations gave the students a forum to speak about recent events in sport, I believe that including a lecture on the current and future direction of sport would have made for a lot of intriguing conversation. A lecture of this nature was never formulated due to time constraints, but perhaps it will be included in future installments of SM2210.
Overall, I found this class to be very interesting and it is obvious that Dr. Spencer has a passion for teaching and sport. I learned alot about legislation or measures that helped shape the governance of sport, how the games were played, and key events/figures of sport thoughout the years. I enjoyed reading about the history and philosophy of sport, and I look forward to applying some ideals from the course to whatever my future may hold in the world of sport.
Many thanks to Dr. Spencer for an enjoyable educational experience, and thanks to those who have taken the time out to visit this site.
Good day.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
The Art of Storytelling
Over the last few years, anyone that knows me personally can tell you how often I have voiced my displeasure with ESPN. In my opinion, the cable network operates more like the NFL Network and less like the "Worldwide Leader in Sports." Perhaps my unhappiness with ESPN stems from the fact that I am a life-long hockey fan, and the network rarely acknowledges the NHL throughout the regular season. Despite my stance on the television network, it is worth noting that I have the ESPN.com website set as the homepage on my internet browser.
Could I be classified as a hypocrite? Perhaps. However, compared to the competition, ESPN usually has the best coverage of all North American sports. Being a fan of sport, I simply cannot help myself. Although, my television viewership of the network has steadily decreased since the introduction of the NHL Network. Personal feelings aside, it would be most productive to get back to the purpose of this post.
While burying myself in studies over the weekend in preparation for final exam week, I took a minor break to find out who won the Heisman Trophy. As I turned on the television and changed the channel to ESPN, I caught the closing credits of the presentation and noticed Alabama's Mark Ingram holding up the prestegious award. What happened next changed my semi-strict studying schedule, and cost me a few hours of sleep as well.
Beginning in October, ESPN began the - 30 for 30 - campaign. Described on their website as "an unprecedented documentary series featuring thirty films from some of today’s finest storytellers. Each filmmaker will bring their passion and personal point of view to their film detailing the issues, trends, athletes, teams, rivalries, games and events that transformed the sports landscape from 1979 to 2009."
On this particular evening, the feature focused on how the University of Miami Hurricanes football program was transformed into 'The U.' For two hours, I sat and stared at the television, completely immersed. The story unfolded like the plot of a movie. "The U" was television at its finest. In fact, I was so enthralled with the show that I watched the encore presentation that night, which kept me wide-awake until 3:30 am.
The next day, it seems as though I woke up singing 'It's all about the U.' I searched the programming guide on my television to find the next time that I could watch the documentary. The ESPNU network provided me with the fix I needed. After viewing "The U" for the third time in slightly over 24 hours, and interrupting my study time once more, I choose to watch story about a basketball phenom who never got the chance to shine on the NBA level. "Without Bias" was the story of University of Maryland star and Boston Celtics draft pick Len Bias, who tragically passed away from a cocaine overdose less than 48 hours after his dream of reaching the NBA came to fruition. Prior to watching the Len Bias documentary, I only vaguely knew of his story. It is a heart-wrenching tale and should serve as a reminder that second chances in life are not always guaranteed. According to "Without Bias", the passing of Len Bias also changed the penalty scale for first time drug offenders in the U.S. and initiated the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program - or D.A.R.E.
For as critical as I have been of ESPN, the two stories that pulled me away from my studies were well worth it. In terms of entertainment, educational value, and ability to feel moved as result of storytelling, ESPN certainly has it correct with "The U" & "Without Bias."
To learn more on the 30 for 30 documentary series, visit 30for30.espn.com
Good day.
Could I be classified as a hypocrite? Perhaps. However, compared to the competition, ESPN usually has the best coverage of all North American sports. Being a fan of sport, I simply cannot help myself. Although, my television viewership of the network has steadily decreased since the introduction of the NHL Network. Personal feelings aside, it would be most productive to get back to the purpose of this post.
While burying myself in studies over the weekend in preparation for final exam week, I took a minor break to find out who won the Heisman Trophy. As I turned on the television and changed the channel to ESPN, I caught the closing credits of the presentation and noticed Alabama's Mark Ingram holding up the prestegious award. What happened next changed my semi-strict studying schedule, and cost me a few hours of sleep as well.
Beginning in October, ESPN began the - 30 for 30 - campaign. Described on their website as "an unprecedented documentary series featuring thirty films from some of today’s finest storytellers. Each filmmaker will bring their passion and personal point of view to their film detailing the issues, trends, athletes, teams, rivalries, games and events that transformed the sports landscape from 1979 to 2009."
On this particular evening, the feature focused on how the University of Miami Hurricanes football program was transformed into 'The U.' For two hours, I sat and stared at the television, completely immersed. The story unfolded like the plot of a movie. "The U" was television at its finest. In fact, I was so enthralled with the show that I watched the encore presentation that night, which kept me wide-awake until 3:30 am.
The next day, it seems as though I woke up singing 'It's all about the U.' I searched the programming guide on my television to find the next time that I could watch the documentary. The ESPNU network provided me with the fix I needed. After viewing "The U" for the third time in slightly over 24 hours, and interrupting my study time once more, I choose to watch story about a basketball phenom who never got the chance to shine on the NBA level. "Without Bias" was the story of University of Maryland star and Boston Celtics draft pick Len Bias, who tragically passed away from a cocaine overdose less than 48 hours after his dream of reaching the NBA came to fruition. Prior to watching the Len Bias documentary, I only vaguely knew of his story. It is a heart-wrenching tale and should serve as a reminder that second chances in life are not always guaranteed. According to "Without Bias", the passing of Len Bias also changed the penalty scale for first time drug offenders in the U.S. and initiated the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program - or D.A.R.E.
For as critical as I have been of ESPN, the two stories that pulled me away from my studies were well worth it. In terms of entertainment, educational value, and ability to feel moved as result of storytelling, ESPN certainly has it correct with "The U" & "Without Bias."
To learn more on the 30 for 30 documentary series, visit 30for30.espn.com
Good day.
Monday, December 14, 2009
The World Stage
Chapter 17 of the Rader textbook - "American Sports in a Global Arena" - focuses on the politics of the Olympic Games. Former International Olympic Committee President Avery Brundage once said that "Sport, like music and other fine arts, transcends politics." In the years following WWII, the Olympic Games became grand spectacles for the international media (Rader, p.300). Athletes have always been required to represent their respective countries - not themselves - in Olympic competition. As a result, the Olympics served as a forum for "international politics and the expression of national identities" (Rader, p.300). The Olympiad temporarily, and somewhat inadvertently, grants each nation the opportunity to champion its political goals.
Athletes that are fortunate enough to participate commonly wear the colors of their country with the utmost pride. On occasion, a small number of athletes choose to take a stand on the Olympic platform. American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos share the one of the most memorable moments of outspokenness in Olympic history. At the 1968 games in Mexico City, following the conclusion of the Men's 200m final, the gold medalist Smith and bronze medalist Carlos bowed their heads and held a clenched fist covered with a black glove to the sky. In addition, the United States medalists stood at the podium and received their medals shoeless – wearing only black socks (San Jose State University). The third man at the podium, silver medal-winning Australian sprinter Peter Norman, joined the silent protest by wearing the same ‘Olympic Project for Human Rights’ (OPHR) badge that was also being worn by Smith and Carlos (BBC News).
The Black Power salute and the OPHR exhibition was a protest against racial inequality at home and abroad. The Mexico City games took place only months after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
All three athletes faced ostracism from the Olympic counsel of their home countries in the wake of the protest. Worldwide headlines and negative media attention followed soon thereafter. Smith and Carlos were ejected from the Olympic Village and the 1968 games. Norman, who suggested that each man wear one of Smith’s gloves after Carlos forgot his in the dressing room – and – asked Smith and Carlos if they had an extra OPHR badge for his own use that day, faced even greater challenges in Australia. He qualified for the 1972 Munich Olympic Games and ranked as high as 5th in the world, but was not selected to represent Australia that year. By intentionally overlooking Norman, Australia failed to send a sprinter to the Olympics for the first time (BBC News). Additionally, during the ceremonies of the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Norman was not recognized, despite being one of Australia’s best sprinters ever.
Tommie Smith, John Carlos, and Peter Norman forged a bond at the 1968 Games that remained intact until Norman’s passing in 2006. Both Carlos and Smith served as pallbearers Washington Post columnist Mike Wise revisited the story of Australia’s Peter Norman in an article that can be found here.
On a personal level, I have always found the Summer and Winter Olympic Games to be riveting. The games combine national pride and individual back-stories with incredible feats of athletic achievement for the entire world to see. As a spectator with more than casual interest, I highly recommend viewing the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games, which begin in mid-February of 2010.
Good day.
Athletes that are fortunate enough to participate commonly wear the colors of their country with the utmost pride. On occasion, a small number of athletes choose to take a stand on the Olympic platform. American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos share the one of the most memorable moments of outspokenness in Olympic history. At the 1968 games in Mexico City, following the conclusion of the Men's 200m final, the gold medalist Smith and bronze medalist Carlos bowed their heads and held a clenched fist covered with a black glove to the sky. In addition, the United States medalists stood at the podium and received their medals shoeless – wearing only black socks (San Jose State University). The third man at the podium, silver medal-winning Australian sprinter Peter Norman, joined the silent protest by wearing the same ‘Olympic Project for Human Rights’ (OPHR) badge that was also being worn by Smith and Carlos (BBC News).
The Black Power salute and the OPHR exhibition was a protest against racial inequality at home and abroad. The Mexico City games took place only months after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
All three athletes faced ostracism from the Olympic counsel of their home countries in the wake of the protest. Worldwide headlines and negative media attention followed soon thereafter. Smith and Carlos were ejected from the Olympic Village and the 1968 games. Norman, who suggested that each man wear one of Smith’s gloves after Carlos forgot his in the dressing room – and – asked Smith and Carlos if they had an extra OPHR badge for his own use that day, faced even greater challenges in Australia. He qualified for the 1972 Munich Olympic Games and ranked as high as 5th in the world, but was not selected to represent Australia that year. By intentionally overlooking Norman, Australia failed to send a sprinter to the Olympics for the first time (BBC News). Additionally, during the ceremonies of the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Norman was not recognized, despite being one of Australia’s best sprinters ever.
Tommie Smith, John Carlos, and Peter Norman forged a bond at the 1968 Games that remained intact until Norman’s passing in 2006. Both Carlos and Smith served as pallbearers Washington Post columnist Mike Wise revisited the story of Australia’s Peter Norman in an article that can be found here.
On a personal level, I have always found the Summer and Winter Olympic Games to be riveting. The games combine national pride and individual back-stories with incredible feats of athletic achievement for the entire world to see. As a spectator with more than casual interest, I highly recommend viewing the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games, which begin in mid-February of 2010.
Good day.
Monday, November 16, 2009
If The Price Is Right
Continuing with the lecture from Chapter 14 in the Rader textbook, ethical decisions arose as a main theme in Post-1950s sport. Population shifts were taking place in America, as cities and there surrounding neighborhoods were becoming larger and larger. Some sport franchises relocated in an effort to capitalize on the new metropolises.
Dr. Spencer formulated a topic for discussion, asking if it is ethical for cities to offer “perks” to uproot a franchise from one city to another?
My response is simple, yes. While I do believe that it is illegal to entice a franchise to breach an existing contract between a team – city – and stadium, it is permissible to “sweeten up” a bid to a free agent franchise in order to land a city/county/state revenue producing monster that is a professional sports team. As a part of the “franchise free agency” movement, the Dodgers were one of the first teams to relocate, moving from Brooklyn to Los Angeles (Rader, 2009).
Team owners are commonly seen as heartless or cold-blooded when a decision to make such a move takes place. To me, it is business as usual. In the current sports environment, a team typically begins to explore all of its options when a stadium or arena deal nears its end. Depending upon the antiquated (vocabulary word meaning ‘out of date’) nature of their current venue and decreasing fan support, a team has the right to pursue funding for a new facility within the same city or to take the franchise to a town that is willing to erect a state-of-the-art structure to call home. Of course, in each North American sports league there are rules and regulations in place and certain criteria – often attendance related – have to be met in order to facilitate such a move. An owner cannot simply move a franchise in the middle of the night because he/she feels the urge to do so. (Although, this may have been the case when the Colts moved from Baltimore to Indianapolis, but not really. It’s quite a long story and the words “eminent domain” are important to the plot. A link is provided here.)
Sure, anger runs high when a sports franchise decides to leave town because of the emotional investment made by fans and players alike. And it is true that a team can take on the identity of its town, embodying what that region is all about. I’m sure some of my classmates lived through this when Art Model chose to move the Browns of the NFL from Cleveland to Baltimore, subsequently renaming them the Ravens. Which returned football to the same place that lost its NFL franchise over a decade earlier, and when the DeLorean reached 88 miles per hour, the flux capacitor was activated, sending us back in time, thus causing a gap in the space-time continuum. (Anyone? … Anyone??)
But, I digress.
I nearly went through a similar situation when the Pittsburgh Penguins were in serious discussions with cities like Las Vegas, Houston, and Kansas City as their arena deal neared its expiration date in June of 2007. Playing in one of the oldest venues in all of professional sports, Mellon Arena, and without a new arena deal in place, my hometown was in jeopardy of losing its NHL franchise. I can honestly say that I would have been beyond repair if this happened. At the time, I was telling everyone I knew that I would never spend another cent in Pittsburgh if the city let the Penguins go so easily. I did not fault team Owner, and NHL great, Mario Lemieux for wanting to protect his investment by searching for the best business deal possible. He was lobbying for at least 8 years to have a new building built in this region, not only for the Penguins, but for concerts, and other events that draw revenue for the city of Pittsburgh. Fortunately for myself and other Penguins fans, a deal was struck between the state of Pennsylvania, city of Pittsburgh and the Penguins to build a new facility in March of 2007 (ESPN.COM). Lemieux later revealed that it never was his intent to leave the city of Pittsburgh, and that his meetings with officials from other cities amounted to nothing more than “a few good dinners.” In the end, Lemieux was able to parlay those meetings into a respectable pact for a new arena that is scheduled to open in the fall of 2010. It will be named the Consol Energy Center, and she will be a beauty.
(Taking a quick break to exhale.)
So, while other towns may try to lure a franchise away from another city, a savvy business owner can also use another town as leverage when renegotiating the lease on its current venue or when discussing the terms of agreement for a new stadium. I consider both to be acceptable strategies for operating a business. Decisions that are similar in nature, but not magnitude, are made everyday in the non-sporting business world.
A thought-provoking example to further illustrate my point:
Does a restaurant owner continue to buy napkins from company A at $.08 each, or begin to purchase napkins from rival company B at $.05 each? Should the restaurant owner bargain with company A or accept the terms offered to him by company B?
In closing, I would not categorize offering perks to a sports franchise in an effort to bring the organization to a new city as unethical because sport is a business.
If you’ve made it this far, I invite you to make appropriate use of the comments section by submitting your thoughts and opinions.
Good day.
Dr. Spencer formulated a topic for discussion, asking if it is ethical for cities to offer “perks” to uproot a franchise from one city to another?
My response is simple, yes. While I do believe that it is illegal to entice a franchise to breach an existing contract between a team – city – and stadium, it is permissible to “sweeten up” a bid to a free agent franchise in order to land a city/county/state revenue producing monster that is a professional sports team. As a part of the “franchise free agency” movement, the Dodgers were one of the first teams to relocate, moving from Brooklyn to Los Angeles (Rader, 2009).
Team owners are commonly seen as heartless or cold-blooded when a decision to make such a move takes place. To me, it is business as usual. In the current sports environment, a team typically begins to explore all of its options when a stadium or arena deal nears its end. Depending upon the antiquated (vocabulary word meaning ‘out of date’) nature of their current venue and decreasing fan support, a team has the right to pursue funding for a new facility within the same city or to take the franchise to a town that is willing to erect a state-of-the-art structure to call home. Of course, in each North American sports league there are rules and regulations in place and certain criteria – often attendance related – have to be met in order to facilitate such a move. An owner cannot simply move a franchise in the middle of the night because he/she feels the urge to do so. (Although, this may have been the case when the Colts moved from Baltimore to Indianapolis, but not really. It’s quite a long story and the words “eminent domain” are important to the plot. A link is provided here.)
Sure, anger runs high when a sports franchise decides to leave town because of the emotional investment made by fans and players alike. And it is true that a team can take on the identity of its town, embodying what that region is all about. I’m sure some of my classmates lived through this when Art Model chose to move the Browns of the NFL from Cleveland to Baltimore, subsequently renaming them the Ravens. Which returned football to the same place that lost its NFL franchise over a decade earlier, and when the DeLorean reached 88 miles per hour, the flux capacitor was activated, sending us back in time, thus causing a gap in the space-time continuum. (Anyone? … Anyone??)
But, I digress.
I nearly went through a similar situation when the Pittsburgh Penguins were in serious discussions with cities like Las Vegas, Houston, and Kansas City as their arena deal neared its expiration date in June of 2007. Playing in one of the oldest venues in all of professional sports, Mellon Arena, and without a new arena deal in place, my hometown was in jeopardy of losing its NHL franchise. I can honestly say that I would have been beyond repair if this happened. At the time, I was telling everyone I knew that I would never spend another cent in Pittsburgh if the city let the Penguins go so easily. I did not fault team Owner, and NHL great, Mario Lemieux for wanting to protect his investment by searching for the best business deal possible. He was lobbying for at least 8 years to have a new building built in this region, not only for the Penguins, but for concerts, and other events that draw revenue for the city of Pittsburgh. Fortunately for myself and other Penguins fans, a deal was struck between the state of Pennsylvania, city of Pittsburgh and the Penguins to build a new facility in March of 2007 (ESPN.COM). Lemieux later revealed that it never was his intent to leave the city of Pittsburgh, and that his meetings with officials from other cities amounted to nothing more than “a few good dinners.” In the end, Lemieux was able to parlay those meetings into a respectable pact for a new arena that is scheduled to open in the fall of 2010. It will be named the Consol Energy Center, and she will be a beauty.
(Taking a quick break to exhale.)
So, while other towns may try to lure a franchise away from another city, a savvy business owner can also use another town as leverage when renegotiating the lease on its current venue or when discussing the terms of agreement for a new stadium. I consider both to be acceptable strategies for operating a business. Decisions that are similar in nature, but not magnitude, are made everyday in the non-sporting business world.
A thought-provoking example to further illustrate my point:
Does a restaurant owner continue to buy napkins from company A at $.08 each, or begin to purchase napkins from rival company B at $.05 each? Should the restaurant owner bargain with company A or accept the terms offered to him by company B?
In closing, I would not categorize offering perks to a sports franchise in an effort to bring the organization to a new city as unethical because sport is a business.
If you’ve made it this far, I invite you to make appropriate use of the comments section by submitting your thoughts and opinions.
Good day.
League Commissioner Debate
Based upon a few of the main themes from Chapter 14 of the Rader text on “The Setting of Organized Sports since 1950”, the following question was posed to the class by Dr. Spencer: Which commissioner do you consider to be the most effective in pro sports today?
In answering this question, I will present a list counting down from least to most effective and the reasons behind my choices.
A unanimous decision as the worst commissioner in sports among those who offered their input during class, not to mention most of the sport-viewing society. Selig has a poor reputation with a large segment of the baseball fan-base because his inability to correct problems with the league’s salary cap structure (or lack thereof) and the dark cloud that still looms over the sport in the wake of the steroid-era, as challenges still lie ahead in dealing with the use of similar performance enhancing drugs.
The man gets far too much credit for helping the popularity of the game on both a national and international level. I would give praise in that regard to the 80s duo of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, the phenomenal Michael Jordan, and 1992 Dream Team. (In case you were wondering, it was a rule change by the International Basketball Federation – or FIBA – that lead to the use of professional basketball players in Olympic competition). To his credit, Stern is an ace in terms of creating revenue through advertising. However, the NBA, like Major League Baseball, is faced with a great disparity between the “have” and “have-not” franchises of its league. Additionally, an officiating scandal helped to enforce the notion that the NBA has fixed the outcome of games and the annual draft lottery.
Often vilified for being a key figure in labor negotiations between the players and owners that led to the cancellation of the 2004-2005 season, Bettman has brought tremendous growth his league by adding six new franchises and increasing revenues from $400 million to over $2.2 billion since being named League Commissioner in 1993 (SportsBusiness Journal). A disciple of David Stern in the NBA offices, Commissioner Bettman administered the new NHL image by attracting new corporate sponsorships, increasing league attendance figures, establishing a sound internet presence, and approved slight adjustments to the rulebook to enhance the style of play following the 2005 Lockout. Despite his successes, one glaring omission remains, lack of a viable television deal. The current broadcast partner of the league is the Versus network. The NHL desperately needs to return to mainstream television (i.e. ESPN) in order to capture a greater audience in the U.S. market.
Following in the footsteps of Paul Tagliabue before him, Commissioner Goodell has done a good job of maintaining the status of the most popular sport in the United States. The NFL rose to prominence under the guidance of Commissioner Pete Rozelle thanks to his efforts to combine the AFL and NFL, and the progress made in televising sporting events – which lead to the creation of the Super Bowl and Monday Night Football. Next, Commissioner Tagliabue strengthened the NFL brand by establishing league revenue sharing and instituting a salary cap structure, thus making the NFL the ultimate parity league. From the outside looking in, Commissioner Goodell has basically only needed to keep this thing afloat. He has performed his job well, and is known for his no-nonsense attitude towards the players. The true test of his ability will be front and center next season, as the current NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement nears its end.
By default, he has landed at number one on my list ….. or has he?
Continue reading.
It can be argued that no sport has undergone a greater surge in popularity than NASCAR has over the last 15 years. NASCAR Chairman/CEO Brian France has been at the forefront of this movement working as the Director of Marketing for NASCAR prior to being named to his current position in 2003. In a sport where sponsorships and advertisement dollars mean everything (Exhibit A and Exhibit B, the driving billboard/commercial), France turned the auto-racing sport into a marketing machine. He was able to successfully sell his sport to major national companies and a wide & captive audience. Growing up I did not see the excitement in watching cars circle a track for 200+ laps or 500 miles, but I can honestly say that I now have a mild interest in the sport and even watch NASCAR events on TV from time to time. When discussing the “major” sport leagues in our country, NASCAR can definitely be included to the group – which formerly consisted of only four members: MLB, NBA, NHL and the NFL.
What is your opinion? Feel free to make use of the comments section.
Good day.
In answering this question, I will present a list counting down from least to most effective and the reasons behind my choices.
Bud Selig – MLB
A unanimous decision as the worst commissioner in sports among those who offered their input during class, not to mention most of the sport-viewing society. Selig has a poor reputation with a large segment of the baseball fan-base because his inability to correct problems with the league’s salary cap structure (or lack thereof) and the dark cloud that still looms over the sport in the wake of the steroid-era, as challenges still lie ahead in dealing with the use of similar performance enhancing drugs.
David Stern – NBA
The man gets far too much credit for helping the popularity of the game on both a national and international level. I would give praise in that regard to the 80s duo of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, the phenomenal Michael Jordan, and 1992 Dream Team. (In case you were wondering, it was a rule change by the International Basketball Federation – or FIBA – that lead to the use of professional basketball players in Olympic competition). To his credit, Stern is an ace in terms of creating revenue through advertising. However, the NBA, like Major League Baseball, is faced with a great disparity between the “have” and “have-not” franchises of its league. Additionally, an officiating scandal helped to enforce the notion that the NBA has fixed the outcome of games and the annual draft lottery.
Gary Bettman – NHL
Often vilified for being a key figure in labor negotiations between the players and owners that led to the cancellation of the 2004-2005 season, Bettman has brought tremendous growth his league by adding six new franchises and increasing revenues from $400 million to over $2.2 billion since being named League Commissioner in 1993 (SportsBusiness Journal). A disciple of David Stern in the NBA offices, Commissioner Bettman administered the new NHL image by attracting new corporate sponsorships, increasing league attendance figures, establishing a sound internet presence, and approved slight adjustments to the rulebook to enhance the style of play following the 2005 Lockout. Despite his successes, one glaring omission remains, lack of a viable television deal. The current broadcast partner of the league is the Versus network. The NHL desperately needs to return to mainstream television (i.e. ESPN) in order to capture a greater audience in the U.S. market.
Roger Goodell – NFL
Following in the footsteps of Paul Tagliabue before him, Commissioner Goodell has done a good job of maintaining the status of the most popular sport in the United States. The NFL rose to prominence under the guidance of Commissioner Pete Rozelle thanks to his efforts to combine the AFL and NFL, and the progress made in televising sporting events – which lead to the creation of the Super Bowl and Monday Night Football. Next, Commissioner Tagliabue strengthened the NFL brand by establishing league revenue sharing and instituting a salary cap structure, thus making the NFL the ultimate parity league. From the outside looking in, Commissioner Goodell has basically only needed to keep this thing afloat. He has performed his job well, and is known for his no-nonsense attitude towards the players. The true test of his ability will be front and center next season, as the current NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement nears its end.
By default, he has landed at number one on my list ….. or has he?
Continue reading.
#1 - Brian France – NASCAR
It can be argued that no sport has undergone a greater surge in popularity than NASCAR has over the last 15 years. NASCAR Chairman/CEO Brian France has been at the forefront of this movement working as the Director of Marketing for NASCAR prior to being named to his current position in 2003. In a sport where sponsorships and advertisement dollars mean everything (Exhibit A and Exhibit B, the driving billboard/commercial), France turned the auto-racing sport into a marketing machine. He was able to successfully sell his sport to major national companies and a wide & captive audience. Growing up I did not see the excitement in watching cars circle a track for 200+ laps or 500 miles, but I can honestly say that I now have a mild interest in the sport and even watch NASCAR events on TV from time to time. When discussing the “major” sport leagues in our country, NASCAR can definitely be included to the group – which formerly consisted of only four members: MLB, NBA, NHL and the NFL.
What is your opinion? Feel free to make use of the comments section.
Good day.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
True or False: Athletes Are Overpaid
This post is brought to you by way of a class presentation on October 26th.
The answer to the statement in the post title above is false.
Compared to the rest of society, it appears as though ‘athletes are overpaid’ is a true statement.
However, my opinion is that athletes are not overpaid because sport enthusiasts (fans) help to establish their salaries by paying ticket prices and buying team merchandise.
As entertainers, like actors, actresses, song artists, etc., athletes are typically paid according to their value in the market based upon the ability to perform or their ability to sell to the public. According to the Rader (2009) textbook, legendary baseball player Babe Ruth once held out for a higher salary during the Great Depression. Rumor has it that he asked for more money than what President Herbert Hoover was earning at the time. Ruth’s response was: “What the hell has Hoover got to do with it?” Continuing, “Besides, I had a better year than he did.” (p.143)
Athletes are not overpaid because professional sport is a rare business that attracts such a wide-variety and high volume of customers. Pricing is established based upon demand, and if no customer was willing to pay for tickets or merchandise, then the salaries of athletes would be much lower.
The proceedings before and after the NFL Draft would be a primary example for an argument that athletes are, in fact, overpaid. Some believe that it is absurd to spend millions of dollars on a player who has not proven himself on such a high level. While that may be a valid point, rookies in the NFL should not be held accountable for the guaranteed contract dollars that were collectively bargained between the players and the owners. That just represents how far -- and how much $$ -- strong union leadership by the NFLPA can get you.
If I was that talented, and a business wanted to pay me millions of dollars for my skill set, I would jump at that opportunity in a heartbeat. I highly doubt that anyone would decline such an offer.
Do the readers agree or disagree? Add your thoughts to the comments section.
Good day.
The answer to the statement in the post title above is false.
Compared to the rest of society, it appears as though ‘athletes are overpaid’ is a true statement.
However, my opinion is that athletes are not overpaid because sport enthusiasts (fans) help to establish their salaries by paying ticket prices and buying team merchandise.
As entertainers, like actors, actresses, song artists, etc., athletes are typically paid according to their value in the market based upon the ability to perform or their ability to sell to the public. According to the Rader (2009) textbook, legendary baseball player Babe Ruth once held out for a higher salary during the Great Depression. Rumor has it that he asked for more money than what President Herbert Hoover was earning at the time. Ruth’s response was: “What the hell has Hoover got to do with it?” Continuing, “Besides, I had a better year than he did.” (p.143)
Athletes are not overpaid because professional sport is a rare business that attracts such a wide-variety and high volume of customers. Pricing is established based upon demand, and if no customer was willing to pay for tickets or merchandise, then the salaries of athletes would be much lower.
The proceedings before and after the NFL Draft would be a primary example for an argument that athletes are, in fact, overpaid. Some believe that it is absurd to spend millions of dollars on a player who has not proven himself on such a high level. While that may be a valid point, rookies in the NFL should not be held accountable for the guaranteed contract dollars that were collectively bargained between the players and the owners. That just represents how far -- and how much $$ -- strong union leadership by the NFLPA can get you.
If I was that talented, and a business wanted to pay me millions of dollars for my skill set, I would jump at that opportunity in a heartbeat. I highly doubt that anyone would decline such an offer.
Do the readers agree or disagree? Add your thoughts to the comments section.
Good day.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Football on College Campuses
Chapter 6 of the Rader textbook goes in depth about the Rise of Intercollegiate Sports in the late 19th and early 20th century. Rader explains that “college sports helped to foster a new social form, the college community.” He continues in saying that sporting events at universities “forged and strengthened ties between students, faculty, college presidents, and alumni” like no other collegiate activity could (p.84-85).
The game of football, in particular, materialized as a major attraction on several college campuses. With help from the newspaper industry in the late 1800s, college football developed into a must-see event across the country.
At a large majority of college campuses, football is still a grand spectacle. Even when the particular team that you are rooting for is not playing well, thousands of students, alumni, faculty, and other professionals join together at stadiums across the country for each home date.
A recent example of the buzz and excitement that football can produce on a college campus was when BGSU hosted #8 ranked Boise State. By Thursday classes of that week, the nervous energy surrounding the match-up was visible. It was great to see Doyt Perry Stadium hosting a capacity crowd, although the results on the field caused quite a few Bowling Green supporters to head for the exits by halftime.
No matter how a team’s season is playing out, that year can be defined by a strong performance in their rivalry game. A victory against a traditional opponent can raise team and community morale. Universities reap the benefits of this as well because ticket, concession, and merchandise sales at these contests usually produce a significant amount of revenue for the school.
Just in case you have never seen ESPN’s College Gameday, here is a look at what their presence on a campus can produce (YouTube). Just further proof that while other university sports can generate interest, no other sport in a college town can bring the people together like the game of football.
Please add your thoughts and commentary below.
Good day.
The game of football, in particular, materialized as a major attraction on several college campuses. With help from the newspaper industry in the late 1800s, college football developed into a must-see event across the country.
At a large majority of college campuses, football is still a grand spectacle. Even when the particular team that you are rooting for is not playing well, thousands of students, alumni, faculty, and other professionals join together at stadiums across the country for each home date.
A recent example of the buzz and excitement that football can produce on a college campus was when BGSU hosted #8 ranked Boise State. By Thursday classes of that week, the nervous energy surrounding the match-up was visible. It was great to see Doyt Perry Stadium hosting a capacity crowd, although the results on the field caused quite a few Bowling Green supporters to head for the exits by halftime.
No matter how a team’s season is playing out, that year can be defined by a strong performance in their rivalry game. A victory against a traditional opponent can raise team and community morale. Universities reap the benefits of this as well because ticket, concession, and merchandise sales at these contests usually produce a significant amount of revenue for the school.
Just in case you have never seen ESPN’s College Gameday, here is a look at what their presence on a campus can produce (YouTube). Just further proof that while other university sports can generate interest, no other sport in a college town can bring the people together like the game of football.
Please add your thoughts and commentary below.
Good day.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Willie O'Ree
I may quite possibly be getting ahead of myself in terms of content related to the course, but when stumbling across this man’s name in the PowerPoint slides – Proper APA Formatting – section from Class 10 (dated 9/28), I felt the need to discuss what he means to me as a pioneer and humanitarian.
As you may or may not know, Willie O’Ree is credited for breaking the color barrier in the National Hockey League, being the first person of color to play in the NHL as a member of the Boston Bruins in 1958. Similar to Jackie Robinson in the game of Baseball, O’Ree endured a litany of threats on his life and well-being as he played in the professional ranks, faced ostracism from his teammates, and the measure of his impact on the game was not completely grasped until after long after his retirement.
An amazing fact about O’Ree is that he was able to play professional hockey despite having a visual impairment in one eye as a result of a stray slapshot that hit him in the face years before he made his NHL debut. He was able to keep his condition hidden, and did not divulge the information until playing days were over. Resulting from his efforts in the late 50s and 60s, there are many players of color in the National Hockey League today – most notably Calgary Flames superstar Jarome Iginla – who can thank Willie O’Ree for shattering color lines in the sport.
It can be argued that the triumphs Mr. O’Ree can be attributed to the efforts of another black hockey player, a pioneer in his own right that was denied an opportunity to play in the NHL years earlier, the legendary Herb Carnegie.
Currently, Mr. O’Ree continues to open up doors in the world of hockey by remaining involved in the NHL with their “Hockey is for Everyone” initiative, and sharing his story with the youth all across North America.
To me, the courage of Willie O’Ree and his story serve as a testament that despite any and all obstacles, if you work hard enough at something you truly love, there are no limits as to what you are able to accomplish.
For more on O’Ree and his contributions to the game, take a look at this article written by Kevin Allen of USAToday.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
20th Century Sport Icons – Most Overrated and Underrated Athlete
In class recently, we learned about a few of the key figures in sport during the 19th century, according to our textbook, names like – John Cox Stevens, “Father” Henry Chadwick, and John L. Sullivan – were prominent in their field (Rader, 2009). While learning about these gentlemen, my mind began to wonder into more recent history. I began to think of athletes that I would consider to be icons of sport in the 20th century. Based on my own reasoning and information that I have learned about athletes in the sporting world of the 1900s, I produced a list of two names whom I consider to be the Most Overrated and the Most Underrated athlete of the 20th century.
Most Overrated – Joe Namath (NFL Quarterback)
While I am pretty sure he was able to handle himself well outside of the football field, his results on the field do not even come close to the level of acclaim and praise he receives. Aside from successfully predicting that his heavy-underdog New York Jets would beat the seemingly-great Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III, in what turned out to be a career defining victory, Namath only completed 50.1 percent of his pass attempts throughout his career (NFL.com), a shockingly low number.
To his credit, “Broadway Joe” embodied New York fashion and flare, characteristics that probably turned him into a billboard sensation and media darling. Two other statistics to consider that may help bolster my argument, according to his profile on NFL.COM: Only 173 career touchdown passes versus 220 career interceptions. Nonetheless, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.
Most Underrated – Jack Johnson (Boxer)
As the first African-American heavyweight champion of boxing, Jack Johnson was perhaps one of the most underrated individuals of the 20th century, let alone the world of sports. I first learned of the “Galveston Giant” while watching a documentary about his life on PBS titled "Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise And Fall of Jack Johnson." He was nearly unbeatable in the ring during his time, and suffered the majority of his professional losses after the prime of his career. Johnson was the victor in the "The Fight of The Century" on July 4, 1910 against Jim Jeffries, a former boxing great who was brought out of retirement in an attempt to stop the reigning World Heavyweight champion. According to documentary Director Ken Burns, “For more than thirteen years, Jack Johnson was the most famous and the most notorious African-American on earth” (Unforgivable Blackness, 2005).
Due to his rebellious “you can’t tell me anything” attitude, frequent run-ins with the law, and his ways with women – white women in particular, during an era when the concept of slavery was still fresh in the minds of many – not much is said or written about Jack Johnson when it comes to creating lists of 20th century sporting icons. Johnson passed away in an automobile accident in 1946. Since his death, many proposals have been submitted to congress to posthumously grant Johnson, a legendary boxer, with a full presidential pardon.
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So there you have it readers. Do you agree or disagree? Any suggestions? Consider my list as you wish.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Background on the Author
Hello again, welcome to round 2 of the most exciting blog on the planet (not exactly). Because I got a little carried away in the initial installment, I would like to take the time to share with you some of my background in the sporting world. Also, I want to hear what readers have to say about what they read, or any other comments regarding content inside this blog. Feel free to add your two cents. In order to do this efficiently, it is only fair that you (the reader) are given a little information on me (the author).
I hail from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I can assume at this point that quite a few of my classmates have clicked the “x” on their web browser after reading that statement. Naturally, I am a fan of the professional sport franchises that call the city of Pittsburgh their home, the Penguins of the NHL, and the Steelers of the NFL. A sharp-minded reader would point out that I omitted the ‘Pirates of Major League Baseball’ from my list of teams above. That action was very much intentional. In 2005, I decided that enough was enough, and I would no longer bring myself to lend support to a team that operates at the management and ownership levels in the way that the Pirates have consistently done since 1993. Often times, I act as though a baseball team does not exist in Pittsburgh, and this has probably diminished my interest in the sport to some degree.
I could continue to discuss, at length, the reasons why I loathe the Pittsburgh Pirates. Perhaps I will save that information for another post on another day.
Anyway ...
As stated in my answer to the question posed on the class discussion board, sport has been an outlet of creativity and imagination for me through out my life, continuing to this day. Somewhere around eighth grade, I realized that I was not an elite level athlete and I should probably look at different outlets in order to remain involved with athletic competition. Fast forward through the years in between, and this is what brought me to Bowling Green State University. Currently, I am a Junior, studying Sport Management – with a Sport Enterprise specialization.
With a decent level of certainty, I can say that I am a fan of, and have at least moderate viewing interests in, all sports (including NASCAR, Soccer, Golf, etc.). As a youth, I played Baseball, Soccer, and Basketball for many years, and was a member of the Baseball and Basketball teams in high school. Around age 8, I successfully persuaded my parents to allow me to play the game of Hockey, a move that had a profound effect on my complete adoration of the sport. It goes without saying that 2005 was a rough sporting year for me because of the NHL Lockout (thankfully, the Steelers were able to capture their 5th Vince Lombardi trophy in early 2006). To wrap things up, this past year was nothing short of superb as my two favorite teams in their respective sports, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Pittsburgh Steelers, brought home world championships.
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In closing, I realize that I may have alienated myself from the readers (hopefully not my Professor) as I spoke about my allegiance to sports teams. To make amends, I offer you a video clip of Cleveland Cavaliers superstar Lebron James’ opening monologue from Saturday Night Live.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Introduction
(A drum roll, please.)
……Welcome to Tracking the Semester: SM 221 at Bowling Green State University. I aim to serve as an unofficial tour guide to the course, overseen by Dr. Nancy Spencer, by way of this blog during the Fall 2009 semester. The official title of this class is SM 2210 – History & Philosophy of Sport. As indicated by the title, you can anticipate subject matter from the class to be tied into each post. In addition to discussing class related material, I plan on sharing my opinion on a variety of sport-related topics and supporting those opinions with fact, and links to noteworthy articles and video. You can also look forward to witnessing my conversation veer off course from time to time, and this is where I expect Dr. Spencer and my fellow classmates to chime in via the comments section.
During our first class meeting, we spoke about the athlete or sporting event, from any era, that we would like to see in person. My choice was to witness Usain Bolt at the recent Track and Field World Championships when he demolished the former World Record time in the Men’s 100m. Visual evidence can be seen here.
Are. You. Kidding. Me? That video produces chills. He is super-human fast. Rumor has it that he prepares for his races by eating chicken nuggets. If this is the case, why isn’t there a global shortage of this prepared food? Despite his never-seen-before speed, analysts believe that he can shave fractions of a second (precious in the racing world) off of his time by developing a more structured and consistent start out of the blocks. The fastest man alive becomes even faster? That is difficult to imagine, but I would love to see it happen. My father once told me about a legend attached to former Negro League Baseball player Cool Papa Bell, saying he was so fast that “he could turn off the light switch and be in bed before the room went dark.” True or not, I think we can apply similar dimensions of speed to Mr. Bolt (aptly nicknamed “Lightning”).
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My goal for this course is to learn about the earlier periods of sport/sporting events, and how the games themselves became such significant part of our society. The primary concern that I have in this class is maintaining this blog, because I view writing as an unpaid chore – something that I may not want to do, but a necessary task nonetheless.
With that, I will bring post #1 to a close. I hope you continue to check in to see how the semester is progressing. Thank you for stopping by, you may resume your normal web-surfing activity.
……Welcome to Tracking the Semester: SM 221 at Bowling Green State University. I aim to serve as an unofficial tour guide to the course, overseen by Dr. Nancy Spencer, by way of this blog during the Fall 2009 semester. The official title of this class is SM 2210 – History & Philosophy of Sport. As indicated by the title, you can anticipate subject matter from the class to be tied into each post. In addition to discussing class related material, I plan on sharing my opinion on a variety of sport-related topics and supporting those opinions with fact, and links to noteworthy articles and video. You can also look forward to witnessing my conversation veer off course from time to time, and this is where I expect Dr. Spencer and my fellow classmates to chime in via the comments section.
During our first class meeting, we spoke about the athlete or sporting event, from any era, that we would like to see in person. My choice was to witness Usain Bolt at the recent Track and Field World Championships when he demolished the former World Record time in the Men’s 100m. Visual evidence can be seen here.
Are. You. Kidding. Me? That video produces chills. He is super-human fast. Rumor has it that he prepares for his races by eating chicken nuggets. If this is the case, why isn’t there a global shortage of this prepared food? Despite his never-seen-before speed, analysts believe that he can shave fractions of a second (precious in the racing world) off of his time by developing a more structured and consistent start out of the blocks. The fastest man alive becomes even faster? That is difficult to imagine, but I would love to see it happen. My father once told me about a legend attached to former Negro League Baseball player Cool Papa Bell, saying he was so fast that “he could turn off the light switch and be in bed before the room went dark.” True or not, I think we can apply similar dimensions of speed to Mr. Bolt (aptly nicknamed “Lightning”).
--
My goal for this course is to learn about the earlier periods of sport/sporting events, and how the games themselves became such significant part of our society. The primary concern that I have in this class is maintaining this blog, because I view writing as an unpaid chore – something that I may not want to do, but a necessary task nonetheless.
With that, I will bring post #1 to a close. I hope you continue to check in to see how the semester is progressing. Thank you for stopping by, you may resume your normal web-surfing activity.
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