Archive for April, 2009

So the New York Jets on Saturday pulled off a fantastic deal, in every way. In the boldest move in franchise history, the usually conservative and low-key Gang Green traded up for USC hot shot QB Mark Sanchez. Granted, all trades and draft picks look great four months before the season opener. But for the Jets, this was a deal to not just improve the talent on the roster but a terrific public relations coup that greatly improves the team’s impact and relationship with the fans and community. But less than 48 hours later, in the midst of all the [...]

Click Here To View an Image Slide Show of the New Yankee Stadium Whether or not you’re a Yankees fan, and setting aside your thoughts on ticket and concession prices, the new Yankee Stadium is an incredible venue and a sports and entertainment attraction one must experience personally. I finally made the trip to the new Yankee Stadium, securing a pretty good seat on StubHub.com for last Wednesday’s (April 22) day game against Oakland. Including the handling and processing fees, I paid $40 for an electronic ticket I could easily print out at home. Even before I could step foot [...]

The “Boomer and Carton in the Morning” radio show (aired weekday mornings on New York’s sports radio 66 WFAN) was never a program I would have consider hard-hitting or with much substance. Although I have to admit I’m not a loyal listener, only flipping on the show occasionally, the show’s style seemed more like a general entertainment-type program with an emphasis on sports. But certainly not a show to take seriously. Craig Carton (pictured left) worked his way to the New York media market as a sports/shock jock radio personality. Before coming to WFAN in September, he had been involved [...]

As the 2009 NFL Draft approaches and potential picks are evaluated and analyzed around-the-clock in the sports media world, it has occurred to me that the University of Southern California has to be the greatest sports publicity machine ever. USC junior quarterback Mark Sanchez has entered the draft, forgoing his senior season. Virtually all draft experts agree Sanchez will be selected within the first 10 picks and some believe he could go as high as four. That is astonishing when you consider that Sanchez played only ONE season at USC. A highly recruited high school player, Sanchez was red-shirted as [...]

I can’t believe I’m actually doing this, but I’m going to post some positive thoughts and opinions about Isiah Thomas – sort of. There’s no point in going down memory lane about Thomas, especially if you’re a Knicks fan, but here’s a quick recap (following his Hall of Fame basketball career): • Becomes part owner and first executive vice president for the expansion Toronto Raptors. After four years, Thomas leaves the organization with the Raptors in shambles following a dispute with new management. • After a short stint in broadcasting, Thomas purchases the Continental Basketball Association for $5 million. In [...]

To no fault of their own, the New York Mets have suffered some negative publicity as a result of issues related to the country’s economic downturn. The naming-rights of the Mets news stadium, Citi Field, belong to a financial institution that has received billions of dollars in bailout money. Many fans (and many more taxpayers) are understandably furious at the idea that the bailed out bank continues to honor its naming-rights and sponsorship deal with the Mets for $400 million paid-out over 20 years. The Mets have also taken some knocks because of their most famous season ticket holder, now [...]

Nobody would ever accuse me of being an expert in emerging technologies. But anyone working in public relations or marketing has to keep a steady eye on the technology and business news and stay aware of new tools that could help gain publicity for a client or assist in building a brand. Especially tools that are free and extremely easy to use. So when something like Twitter comes around a PR or marketing executive has to be able to recognize the potential of such an unusual instrument. Although created in 2006, Twitter didn’t break into the mainstream until last spring. [...]

As a sports PR professional, I believe that one of the best ways to learn and improve my craft is to monitor closely interviews with athletes and coaches. Most interviews, of course, are very generic with softball questions and answers that would force a yawn from even the most intense fan (Reporter: How did you feel out there today? Athlete: I felt good. I just wanted to play well for my teammates…etc.). But from time to time important questions, even tricky ones, are thrown at players and coaches – sometimes with the sole purpose of causing controversy (see Jim Calhoun [...]