2009

The Key to Navigating NASCAR Uncertainty: Don't Panic

February 09, 2009

This may be the only column you’ve ever read that ties NASCAR to Douglas Adams’ 1970s sci-fi spoof “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” Read more...

2008

Promotion, Broadcasting Changes Could Boost Tiger-less Game

August 18, 2008

Tiger Woods’ season-ending knee surgery has generated high anxiety in the golf industry over potential losses of TV viewership, tournament ticket sales and buzz about the game itself. Read more...

Economic Slowdown Signals Need For Caution, Not Hysterics

February 18, 2008

"The sky is falling! The sky is falling!” So heralds the title character in the classic children’s fairy tale Chicken Little after he gets bonked on the head by a falling acorn. Read more...

2007

Adding Technological Perk Can Enhance Game-Day Experience

November 12, 2007

The sports industry likes to believe that its events have a compelling and unique drawing power. Read more...

Doing The Right Thing Is Also The Logical Thing For Companies

September 03, 2007

If your company is lagging behind in sponsorship of meaningful causes linked to sports, it’s time for you to jump off the sidewalk and join the parade. Read more...

Sports Figures Need On-Field Discipline in Front of the Mike

May 28, 2007

Two-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart’s tirade accusing NASCAR of manipulating the outcome of Nextel Cup events and the subsequent media and fan uproar illustrate an important lesson for athletes and sports executives. Read more...

Ford's Strategies for Reaching Demo

April 30, 2007

Sponsorship consultant Mel Poole recently spoke with Marc A. Perry, multicultural marketing manager with Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, about the automaker’s use of hip-hop, comedian Steve Harvey and the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association tournament to help reach African-American consumers. Read more...

Grasping Sponsor Expectations Critical for Sports Properties

March 26, 2007

In a recent column, we examined the keys to successful sports sponsorships from the sponsors’ side of the table. Read more...

NASCAR Marketer Pitching Series to Next Title Sponsor

February 12, 2007

With Anheuser-Busch walking away as title sponsor of the NASCAR Busch Series following this season, the NASCAR sales force is hard at work finding a replacement. Read more...

Coke's Perez Outlines Pouring-Rights Strategy

February 05, 2007

Sponsorship consultant Mel Poole recently spoke with Coca-Cola’s Bea Perez about the company’s approach to pouring rights, how those deals relate to further-reaching sponsorships, and the incremental business that can go a long way toward sealing a deal with the beverage giant. Read more...

Why the Super Bowl Works for A-B

January 29, 2007

Anheuser-Busch has been the Super Bowl’s exclusive alcohol advertiser since 1989 and each year is the game’s biggest spender on advertising. If there were any doubts about whether the game was still working for the beer company, last year A-B extended that deal through 2012. Read more...

Goal-Oriented Partnerships Keep Sports Industry Buzzing

January 08, 2007

Could ineffective measurement standards and sloppy strategic thinking slam the brakes on sponsorships, a critical revenue driver for the sports industry and the fastest-growing form of marketing in North America? Read more...

2006

Will Bivens’ Big Plans Strengthen LPGA Tour or Drive Off Sponsors?

October 09, 2006

When a new chief executive is hired to run a national sports franchise, stakeholders (athletes, administrators, fans, events and especially sponsors) should not be surprised when the new boss shakes up things. Read more...

Grasp of Risks, Rewards Vital When Sponsoring Athletes

July 10, 2006

When someone says he’s a NASCAR fan, you don’t hear him at the office water cooler Monday morning saying, “Man, that Doris Rumery does a great job as NASCAR’s VP of finance, doesn’t she?!” Read more...

Sprint Nextel, FedEx Cut Through Clutter With National Deals

April 24, 2006

Sponsorship is the fastest-growing form of marketing because it does a better job of cutting through the barrage of advertising messages sprayed on us every day. Read more...

2005

Image is Everything, But What Image do These Brands Want?

December 19, 2005

In the old days, companies would not enter a relationship with an athlete or celebrity if there were aspects of that person’s past that could reflect poorly on the product. Read more...

NASCAR’s Decision to Limit Multicar Teams Good for Sponsors

December 05, 2005

NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France and President Mike Helton made a ruckus last month when they announced that NASCAR will impose a limit on the number of Nextel Cup teams that can be owned by a single entity. Read more...

Here's the Trick on How to Treat 3 Scary Marketing Characters

October 24, 2005

Most executives in the sports sponsorship and marketing industry are no different from those in other business fields. Read more...

Sponsors Failing to Promote Golfers Beyond the Pro Shop

August 08, 2005

Who would have thought that the most promoted golf personality at the United States Golf Association’s June 16-19 U.S. Open Championship in Pinehurst, N.C., would be a man who died six years ago? Read more...

Why Try to Reach Consumers in Ways That Will Only Annoy Them?

May 16, 2005

Are sports sponsors and advertisers scaring off their best customers? Read more

Decision Time for the NHRA: Go Big, or Go On as It Always Has

May 02, 2005

As Yogi Berra once said, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” Read more

Smarter Marketing Approach Gets You Into the Country Club

March 21, 2005

Sports marketers interested in stimulating sales should reinvigorate their approaches to country clubs and their members. Read more...

Understand Importance of Internet in Customers' Lives

February 28, 2005

A continuing study charting the growth of the Internet indicates that sports marketers who understand online demographics have great opportunities. Read more...

If Sponsors Foot the Bill, They Should Have a Say in Managing Properties

January 24, 2005

No top-tier sports property in North America could operate without sponsorship and its attendant rights fees, advertising and promotional revenue. Read more...

2004

Poll Highlights Key Issues In Sponsor Relations

December 20, 2004

Sports marketers are familiar with this drill: Top company and property executives stand on stage at sponsorship news conferences making happy talk, carefully parceling out overrehearsed answers to softball questions from sports reporters who don’t want to lose their places in the press-box lunch line. Read more...

Youth Marketers Should Recognize When Doing Good Is Good Business

November 15, 2004

Youth sports are attracting higher levels of corporate sponsorship because of the growing spending power exerted by young people. Read more...

Properties Should Not Lock Sponsors Out of Home Page

October 18, 2004

There is more pressure than ever on sports sponsors to squeeze every drop of value out of their relationships with properties. Read more...

After This Chapter 11, Airlines May Close Book On Big Sponsorships

September 20, 2004

US Airways’ second swan dive into bankruptcy proceedings Sept. 12 could make waves that swamp sports properties reliant on major-airline sponsorship rights fees. Read more...

Successful 'Chase' Would Reward NASCAR With Year-Round Attention

September 06, 2004

The NASCAR championship points system, devised in 1975 by the late Bob Latford, rewarded consistency over excellence. Read more...

Ready For The Next Big Thing, Or Will You Be Lapped By Technology?

July 26, 2004

Those of us in sports marketing like to think that we’re early adopters, willing to learn and leverage emerging technologies in order to sell more stuff. Read more...

Technology Stealing TV Viewers, But It Could Also Bring Some Back

June 21, 2004

Technology’s two-edged sword cuts a wide swath through the sports marketing industry. Read more...

Padding the Indianapolis 500 Field Isn't the Answer for the IRL

May 24, 2004

When the starting lineup roars under the green flag in the 88th Indianapolis 500 on May 30, there may be a few empty patches of asphalt at the back of the pack. Read more...

Equestrian Sponsors Recognize It's Right Time To Step Up At 'The Rolex'

April 19, 2004

Longtime equestrian sports sponsors Rolex and Bayer are among the stakeholders taking a financial risk for a TV broadcast to be shown May 2. Read more...

Companies That Use PR Effectively Multiply Value of Their Sponsorships

March 15, 2004

Why are so many sports sponsors willing to walk away from value in their sponsorships for which they have already paid? Read more...

Sports Sponsorship Will be the Key to Connecting With the TiVo Generation

February 16, 2004

Is the bad news for TV networks turning out to be good news for the sports sponsorship industry? Read more...

Some NASCAR Sponsors May Shut Down Early Under New Points System

January 19, 2004

NASCAR recently announced that it is overhauling the championship points system for its top-tier product, the Nextel (formerly Winston) Cup Series. Read more...

2003

Before Reaching Out To Kids, Sports Marketers Should Think Of Their Own

December 22, 2003

Do you want strangers speaking to your kids without your permission? Read more...

It's a New Sponsorship World, And Agencies Can Thrive If They Adapt

October 27, 2003

If one reads between the lines of SportsBusiness Journal's recently published 2003 League Report Card, there's a message that sports sponsors, agencies and properties will be rewarded if they can build stronger lines of communication, cohesiveness and trust. Read more...

Vanderbilt's Move Bold, And It May Even Pay Off With Sponsors

September 29, 2003

Would the most suitable movie title of Vanderbilt University Chancellor Gordon Gee's recent dramatic reorganization of Vanderbilt athletics be "Braveheart" or "Revenge of the Nerds"? Read more...

Cleveland Golf Strikes Gold With Help of Little-Known Endorsers

September 01, 2003

Cleveland Golf Co. of Cypress, Calif., got a big publicity bonus courtesy of three obscure members of its PGA Tour staff at the Aug. 14-17 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, N.Y. Read more...

Regular Meetings Keep Winston Cup Teams Running Strong With Sponsors

August 04, 2003

Leading NASCAR Winston Cup teams such as Evernham Motorsports, Richard Childress Racing Enterprises and Hendrick Motorsports are continually refining their annual and biannual sponsor meetings, a task that all sports properties should emulate. Read more...

In Bank One Presenting Deal, Bears Saw What Other Teams Couldn't See

July 07, 2003

In late September 2001, when Mayor Richard M. Daley and the city of Chicago told the Chicago Bears they could not sell naming rights to soon-to-be-renovated Soldier Field, the mayor was more concerned with politics than the fiscal health of the Bears. Read more...

Take a Talented Athlete, Add a Shrewd Marketing Plan, And Work It

June 16, 2003

Can you see the thread from Gene Sarazen to LeBron James? Read more...

Save a Place for USOC Sponsors as Table is Set for Reform

May 12, 2003

In the wake of executive and ethical turmoil, the recently created U.S. Olympic Committee Governance and Ethics Review Task Force is developing reform measures under high political and international pressure. Read more...

Annual Sponsorship Meeting Delivers Info That Properties Shouldn't Ignore

April 14, 2003

International Event Group's annual sponsorship meeting, held in mid-March in Chicago, is a must-attend event for more than 1,000 sponsorship-marketing professionals representing properties, sponsors, agencies and leagues. Read more...

Product Placement Offers Opportunities as TV Ads Become Easier to Dodge

February 17, 2003

Has technology killed traditional sports TV advertising? Read more...

LPGA, USTA Looking Out For Sponsors as They Look to Fix Own Flaws

January 20, 2003

You probably wouldn't enjoy working in a sports sanctioning body. Read more...

2002

Power Of Sports Sponsorship Changes More Than Buying Habits

December 12, 2002

Eastman Kodak, Pepsi and Antuofermo Landscaping are changing the world through sports sponsorship and the "law of unintended consequences." Read more...

Properties Hunting Big Bucks Should Target Multibrand Marketing Budgets

October 21, 2002

For years, one of the most powerful revenue sources driving sports sponsorship funding inside some big companies has been the concept of OPM (Other People's Money). Read more...

Sponsors May Complain, But It's Time For NASCAR To Clean Garages

September 23, 2002

What's wrong with this picture? Read more...

Sponsors Should Spend With Sports That Respect Them

August 26, 2002

Is sports sponsorship as we know it dead? Read more...

Reebok An Instigator, Not Victim, In Iverson Episode

July 29, 2002

The good news about linking one's brand to a sports personality is that if the job's done well, the personality's persona will enhance consumer loyalty and sales. Read more...

Activation Turns The Key On Sponsorships

July 01, 2002

Sponsors and properties are partners in each other's success. Read more...

NASCAR Will Be A Wreck If Mannequins Are Doing The Driving

June 03, 2002

Aside from skyrocketing rights fees and advertising costs, the biggest threat to NASCAR's meteoric growth is the industry losing touch with driver personalities, which are the glue that sticks fans — and, therefore, sponsors, TV networks and advertisers — to NASCAR. Read more...

'Only the Good Die Young' Should Never Refer to Your Sponsorships

May 06, 2002

Why do so many good sports sponsorships die before their time? Read more...

Pfizer's NASCAR Efforts Show the Value in the Road Less Traveled

April 08, 2002

The rolling outdoor trade fair that follows the Winston Cup Series, a sea of 50 to 200 brightly painted trailers selling souvenirs, apparel, food, cigarettes, insurance, helicopter rides, trucks and cars, mutual funds, RVs, fishing gear and everything else, is one of the most interesting sports marketing laboratories in the world. Read more...

Sponsorship Measurement Vital for the Olympic Sport of Tiger Wrestling

March 11, 2002

As the public's attention turns away from the Olympics to spring training, NASCAR and March Madness, sports marketers are still measuring the effectiveness of their Olympic programs. Read more...

Bid To Bring Games To Salt Lake Launches Changes, Many Of Them Good

January 28, 2002

In June 1995, when the Salt Lake Organizing Committee successfully pitched the International Olympic Committee on its ability to host the XIX Olympic Winter Games, SLOC and the people of Utah had no idea they were in for such a roller-coaster ride. Read more...

Blowouts And Lower Ratings Push College Football Toward The Inevitable

January 14, 2002

Will we look back one day and realize the 2001-02 college football bowl season was so bad that it compelled a change that saved America's traditional holiday TV feast? Read more...

2001

Economy Provides An Opportunity To Feed Your Brand, Not Starve It

December 17, 2001

The Bush administration recently admitted something that most of us already knew: The U.S. economy is in recession. Read more...

Titleist Loosens Up And Lets It Fly With NXT Campaign

December 03, 2001

What's got into Titleist? Read more...

Sponsorship Wheels Coming Off The CART

November 19, 2001

Brand icons Valvoline, McDonald's, Castrol and Budweiser are long gone as major CART car sponsors. Read more...

Numbers Track Movement Of Fans From Big League Stadiums To Other Sports

October 29, 2001

Going by the numbers, it seems Americans' tastes in leisure sports are changing, pulling us away from big stadiums and closer to the courts, fields and rinks in our own neighborhoods. Read more...

Making Yourself Invaluable In The Property-Sponsor Relationship

October 15, 2001

The U.S. economy and, by extension, the sports sponsorship and marketing industries were already shrinking before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Read more...

It's Up To The Sponsors To Take Silliness Out Of The 'Silly Season'

September 17, 2001

NASCAR's "silly season," when rumors fly about drivers changing teams, is running at top speed this time of year. Read more...

Beyond Big-Bucks TV Deal Lies Delicate Balance That Holds Golf's Future

September 03, 2001

PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem and his staff pulled off a great accomplishment with the recently announced 2003-06 television package. Read more...

Denver Dispute Raises Mile High Warning Sign For Rights Buyers, Sellers

August 20, 2001

The Denver Post sent a tremor through the sports industry Aug. 8. Read more...

Victorious Duval's Thank-You To Nike Was Admirable, Not Cheesy

August 06, 2001

The July 22 British Open was David Duval's first major championship victory. Read more...

Beijing Holds Great Promise for NBC, Olympic Sponsors, But Also Great Peril

July 23, 2001

On Friday the 13th, the International Olympic Committee, during its 112th IOC session in Moscow, the heart of Ronald Reagan's "Evil Empire," selected the communist Chinese government's capital city of Beijing to host the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. Read more...

Smart Properties Invite The Agencies, Too, To Meetings With Their Sponsors

July 09, 2001

A positive trend in the sports marketing industry that has taken hold recently is that more properties are organizing meetings with their families of sponsors. Read more...

Woods' Dominance Partly Good, Partly Bad, All Tiger

June 25, 2001

A popular question at the recent U.S. Open was "Is Tiger Woods' dominance of golf good or bad for the game?" Read more...

New Circuit May Not Be A Rival, But It's A Warning

June 11, 2001

The announcement by Team Racing Auto Circuit that it planned to start a stock car racing league set the media abuzz with stories about NASCAR's new competitor. Read more...

Keeping Sponsors Means Pitching Like You Did The Very First Time

May 28, 2001

As companies examine their 2002 sports commitments, many sports properties that lost long-term title-sponsorship support are out knocking on doors against the backdrop of a flat economy, the dot.com bust and a corporate layoff wave that is scaring the socks off sponsorship decision-makers. Read more...

Want Global Reach? Look Beyond The Big Events

May 14, 2001

Those of us who live and work in the United States tend to be myopic about the worldwide sports picture. Read more...

This Could Take The Marketing Game To A New Level

April 16, 2001

If Ronald Reagan is the first president you remember, this column may be old news to you. Read more...

Tattoo Who? Bicep Buy Would Ignore Need For Context

April 02, 2001

Just when it looked like the XFL was a lock to win Bad Sports Marketing Idea of the Year, along came a (thankfully) unnamed candy brand that approached NBA all-star forward Rasheed Wallace with a cash offer to wear brand-logo tattoos. Read more...

Golfers Must Go The Distance To Move PGA Tour Forward

March 19, 2001

Could it be that the PGA Tour's marquee players, who have been the primary beneficiaries of pro golf's success, are now restricting the sport's next logical move into the consumer marketplace? Read more...

Tragedy Brings NASCAR To Safety-Question Crossroads

March 05, 2001

The death of Dale Earnhardt in the Daytona 500 signaled a new era of NASCAR accountability. Read more...

Full Disclosure Is No Way To Run A League Site

February 19, 2001

League and new-media officials who proclaim that their officially sanctioned Internet sites cover the full spectrum of hard news for fans are being disingenuous. Read more...

These 3 Properties Optimistic Amid Economic Uncertainty

February 12, 2001

Should sponsors and properties be packing parachutes as the U.S. economy cycles downward? Read more...

Mercedes Falls Victim To Changing Rules Of The Road

January 22, 2001

At 6:15 a.m. Nov. 10, Mercedes-Benz USA sports marketing supervisor Steve Potter was settling into a Continental jet for a quick trip from Newark, N.J., to Detroit. Read more...

The Less Said About Salaries, The Better For Sports

January 08, 2001

Does the practice of reporting athlete compensation do more damage than good? Read more...

2000

Playing 20 Questions? Why Not Start With These 3

October 30, 2000

Sometimes sitting down to write a column produces more questions than answers. Read more...

F-1's Potential Sponsors Hold Key To Tony George's $50M Gamble

October 02, 2000

Indianapolis Motor Speedway CEO Tony George bet $50 million that Formula One auto racing at Indianapolis would be a successful, long-term sports property that could grab the attention of American sports fans and sponsors. Read more...

Coke's Brand May Be Slipping, But Is Power Of Sports Sponsorship?

September 18, 2000

Where were you in August when Microsoft Windows surpassed Coca-Cola as the world's most valuable brand? Read more...

Until IOC Learns To Deal With Internet Rights, Web Is Shut Out At Olympics

September 04, 2000

The Summer Olympic Games' $25 million, 400,000-square-foot media center in Sydney will soon be jammed with 21,000 working journalists from all over the world. Read more...

Equity Purchase Deal Applies The Grease To Sponsor-Property Friction

August 21, 2000

Sports sponsors are tired of skyrocketing rights fees and the persistent erosion of category width and deliverables. Read more...

NASCAR Faces Questions, Not Crisis, As Market Determines Its Future

August 07, 2000

Why are there so many alarm bells ringing in the sports and business media about NASCAR's growth? Read more...

Events Love Free Marketing, But Web Fuels Too Much Of A Good Thing

July 24, 2000

The sports industry has historically courted media coverage because it gives an event or league authentication from an objective source. Read more...

Support For Charities Is Solid Marketing -- And The Right Thing To Do

June 26, 2000

This is a story about sports-industry charity contributions intersecting with the lives of real people. Read more...

Some Sports Execs Have Their Fingers Firmly On Their Fans' Pulse

June 12, 2000

My May 29 column posed the possibility that the sports industry is losing touch with its ultimate customers, the fans. Read more...

Sports Doing Its Best To Chase Away Fans And Viewers

May 29, 2000

Is the sports industry losing touch with its customers? Read more...

Handling Information Is Touchy Stuff For Properties

May 15, 2000

The NBA and NASCAR both had skirmishes with the media earlier this year. Read more...

Winning Proves Good Strategy For Anheuser-Busch

May 01, 2000

My mantra is that no sports sponsor should depend on winning to make a program work. Read more...

PGA Tour Rules For Logos Fit Golfers Just Fine

April 17, 2000

Jerry Kelly and Phil Mickelson are PGA Tour golfers separated by a wide gap in experience and income. Read more...

Ideas And Imperatives Blowing In The Wind In Chicago

April 03, 2000

IEG's Event Marketing Conference in Chicago each March is the closest thing the sponsorship industry has to a tribal gathering. Read more...

Sears Gains In Shift From Brand To Corporate Control

March 20, 2000

Beer, oil and tobacco companies were the first sponsors to follow the crowds to NASCAR. Read more...

In Just Two Years, Conseco Builds A Name For Itself

March 13, 2000

This is a tale of how aggressive sports marketing skyrocketed brand recognition for a company locked in the traditionally stodgy financial services industry. Read more...

Sponsorships Have To Go Where The Companies' Customers Are

February 21, 2000

The overwhelming majority of companies involved in sports sponsorship are retail-oriented. Read more...

Caste System That Leaves Fans On Bottom Sucks Life From Sports

February 07, 2000

Two tribes have evolved in the American sports industry: insiders and fans. Read more...

Here's The Inside Story: It Pays Sometimes To Get An Outside Look

January 24, 2000

If you were hired to critique your own sports marketing program objectively, what would the verdict be? Read more...

1999

Properties And Dot.coms: Wedded Bliss Or Marriage Of Convenience?

December 27, 1999

Sports properties and sponsors can make odd marriage partners. Read more...

Wecome To The Sports Business Industry -- Now Start Shoveling

December 13, 1999

There's an old joke that applies to working in sports. Read more...

Inside The Deal

December 05, 1999

THE DEAL: CarsDirect.com buys title sponsorship of Las Vegas NASCAR Winston Cup Series event. Read more...

NASCAR's Rise To TV's Big Leagues Creates Some Big Questions

November 29, 1999

The Madison Avenue stick-and-ball elite historically pooh-poohed auto racing, but the NASCAR Winston Cup Series crashed their party Nov. 11 with its $2.4 billion TV package. Read more...

Inside The Deal

October 11, 1999

THE DEAL: Sprint extends U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association sponsorship to include six athletes. Read more...

Draft Your Emergency Plan Before The Bad News Hits

September 20, 1999

Things can change fast in sports sponsorship, and it pays to be prepared. Read more...

US West, UPS, Bell Atlantic Get To The (Grass) Roots Of Sponsorships

September 06, 1999

US West, United Parcel Service and Bell Atlantic are good examples of international sports sponsors who take it to the streets. Read more...

Ryder Cup Tussle Will Produce A Solution, But Here's What PGA Should Do

August 23, 1999

Golf's genteel ranks are squaring off against each other because David Duval flunked Spokesperson Training 101. Read more...

If The Battle Is Good Vs. Bad, Which Side Are You On?

August 09, 1999

If you believe that sports are tribal, is it possible the commercial forces controlling sports have segmented us into tribes of "good" consumers and "bad" consumers? Read more...

When The People Have The Power, Will Your Business Lose Its Head?

July 26, 1999

There's revolution in the streets. Read more...

Pinehurst's Open Displayed How Tasteful Effective Sponsorship Can Be

July 12, 1999

The June 17-20 U.S. Open Championship at Pinehurst No. 2 was successful by any measure. Read more...

Inside The Deal

July 05, 1999

America Online Inc. Sponsors Internet Sports Auction To Benefit Special Olympics Read more...

Cluttered Advertising Landscape Gives Sponsorship A Winning Edge

June 28, 1999

Which customer is more receptive to your sales message? Read more...

Inside The Deal

June 21, 1999

Hewlett-Packard Becomes Official Sponsor Of 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Read more...

Real Winners Follow Through On Their Responsibilities To Fans And Sponsors

June 14, 1999

Sponsors who invest in athletes and properties have every right to expect a good return on their investment. Read more...

Inside The Deal

June 07, 1999

Priceline.com Signs As Corporate Partner And Official Travel Provider Of Major League Soccer Read more...

Keep It Simple, Sloganeers: Don't Forget Brand Name

May 31, 1999

OK, fellow sports marketers. We're brand savvy, right? Read more...

Inside The Deal

May 24, 1999

Sears, Roebuck & Co. Extends WNBA Sponsorship, Media And Retail Relationship Read more...

After Jumping Into NASCAR Sponsorship, Deere Ran With It

May 17, 1999

The John Deere NASCAR sponsorship is an interesting model of a successful sports investment that reaches across several divisions of the same company. Read more...

Inside The Deal

May 10, 1999

The Weather Channel Becomes Official Forecaster Of The PGA Tour And Senior PGA Tour Read more...

When It Comes To Sports Sponsorships, The Bottom Line Can Be Hard To Find

May 03, 1999

Things that get measured get better. Read more...

Inside The Deal

April 26, 1999

Boston's Fleet Financial Group Inc. Becomes National Sponsor Of Major League Baseball And The 1999 All-Star Game Read more...

Cutting To Chase, Knowing Sponsor's Business Make A Good Presentation

April 19, 1999

Which sponsorship presentation scenario has a higher chance of success? Read more...

Inside The Deal

April 12, 1999

Osram Sylvania Replaces Builders Square As Title Sponsor Of The Alamo Bowl In San Antonio Read more...

Instead Of Burning Energy On Cold Calls, Use It To Research Targets Better

April 05, 1999

It's a sad fact that 95 percent of cold-call sponsorship pitches are a waste of time and money. Read more...

Inside The Deal

March 29, 1999

Fila USA Renews As Offical Athletic Footwear And Tennis Apparel Sponsor Of The U.S. Open Read more...

CART Roars Back From Dark Days, But Road To The Next Level Runs Uphill

March 22, 1999

The Marlboro Grand Prix of Miami marked the start of Championship Auto Racing Teams' ambitious FedEx Championship Series schedule, which includes 20 races in nine states and five countries. Read more...

Inside The Deal

March 15, 1999

Goodyear Tire And Rubber Co. Becomes Title Sponsor Of The International Soap Box Derby Read more...

Inside The Deal

March 01, 1999

NFL Becomes National Sponsor Of 99-Event Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Race For The Cure Awareness And Fund-Raising Program Read more...

Sponsorship Play Wins The Super Bowl Battle For Progressive Insurance

February 22, 1999

While 84 million Americans watched the entire Super Bowl — and 127.5 million caught at least a minute of the game — researchers from The Bonham Group were hunched over stopwatches, clipboards and VCRs, counting exposure value for sponsors in the telecast. Read more...

Inside The Deal

February 15, 1999

HealthSouth Corp. Of Birmingham, Ala., Becomes "Official Health-Care Provider" Of The PGA Tour And Senior PGA Tour Read more...

Inside The Deal

February 08, 1999

Time-Warner Inc.'s Turner Broadcasting System Inc. And Royal Philips Electronics NV Sign Strategic Partnership That Includes Naming Rights To Atlanta's New $213 Million 20,000-Seat Philips Arena, Opening In The Fall Read more...

NASCAR's Breakneck Growth Offers Big Payoffs -- And big Challenges

February 08, 1999

CBS Sports anchor Ken Squier affectionately refers to Sunday's Daytona 500 as America's "redneck high holy days." Read more...

Inside The Deal

January 25, 1999

Fox Sports Net Puts Up Cash Sponsorship For 2000 America's Cup Yacht Race Entrant Young America Read more...

Sports Media Resist Sponsors' Efforts To Get Name Out

January 25, 1999

Sports properties and agencies that tell potential sponsors they can turn the sports media into an outside sales force are whistling past the graveyard. Read more...

Inside The Deal

January 18, 1999

Kemper Bumps PGA Tour Event Purse Up 25 Percent From 1998, To $2.5 Million Read more...

NBA Solved Its Problems, But Answers May Not Come So Easy For Sponsors

January 11, 1999

Even with the 11th hour agreement apparently saving the NBA season, NBA sponsors such as Gatorade and AT&T Corp. have lost valuable time and return-on-investment as a result of the lockout. Read more...