Will O’Bannon Change College Athletics?

This case presents a natural tie-in to the Johnny Manziel autograph story which is the debate over whether or not athletes should be allowed to profit off their name, image and likeness. Should the plaintiffs prevail in the “O’Bannon case,” college athletics will be radically transformed which may bring to an end amateur sport as we know it. What is being called into question is whether the NCAA and co-defendants EA Sports and Collegiate Licensing Company violated antitrust law by conspiring to fix a price of zero for use of college athletes' likenesses in their products. This has major implications to college sports because a victory for the plaintiffs would force a major concession by the NCAA and may lead to college athletic compensation. 

CEO’s Don’t Value Social Media

If you could help your company grow by joining social media, would you? The CEO’s from the majority of the world's largest companies don't seem to care much for social media and the reason why isn't clear. They likely don't care or are far busier working and think it's a distraction. Social media has grown faster than industry knowledge on how to use it and if social media is a vital part of today’s online experience, why do so many CEO's neglect it?”

The social media world is huge and for companies to continue to grow and connect with their customers they must embrace this social world. How big are these networks? As of January 2013, the five largest social networks based on active monthly users were: Facebook (1 billion), YouTube (800 million) and Google+ (343 million) followed by Twitter and LinkedIn with 200 million active monthly users each. A study released Wednesday by Domo and CEO.com found that nearly 70% of Fortune 500 CEO's have no presence whatsoever on any major social media channels, including Facebook,Twitter, LinkedIn or Google+. Of the 30% that choose to engage in social media, nearly all of them (28%) do so through LinkedIn. While the number of CEO's utilizing the other three networks is small, it appears that Twitter is the only other social channel Fortune 500 CEO's are moving toward. Here are some of the report's most interesting findings:

Orlando City Envisions a “Brazilian Beckham”

When David Beckham signed with the Los Angeles Galaxy there was fervor of excitement from everyone. Beckham was the first major international signing for Major League Soccer and while he was known by fans for his ability on the field, he was also an icon off. The “Beckham effect” led to an increased awareness of soccer in the United States and a growth of MLS. Since the signing of Beckham the MLS has added 7 teams and built numerous soccer specific stadiums. MLS Commissioner Don Garber said last week the league will add four new teams by 2020. With league revenue growing many minor league teams vie for one of these four spots. While clubs reputations will be considered in the process, the ability to draw top talent has become a major factor in deciding who will be accepted into the league.

Owners of Orlando City Soccer Club are making a pitch for a funding plan to build a soccer specific stadium in Orlando. The minor league team is trying to build a soccer specific stadium as part of a quest for a major league soccer franchise. In local government presentations on Tuesday, Orlando City S.C. said that they truly invision themselves signing a “Brazilian Beckham” when they plan to enter Major League Soccer in 2020. Orlando is thought to be a front-runner in being added to the league. "MLS is waiting for us to say we have a funding plan for a stadium, and then they will give us a franchise," Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said. "It's as simple as that."

Phoenix Sun's: Nothing Like a Rivalry

There is nothing better for sports teams than rivalry games. To have your team showcased on national television, and see increased ticket and merchandise sales during the course of a regular season game is invaluable to any organization. The Phoenix Suns plan to revive their rivalry with Los Angeles and bring the energy back into their stadium when they face their Western Conference competitors.  

The brawl between the Diamondbacks and Dodgers this season demonstrates the power of rivalry games. After the brawl both teams saw an increase in ticket sales, social media interaction, and interest in the next time both teams met. If anything good came out of the brawl other than Mark McGwire nearly getting into a fist fight, it was the resurgence of a rivalry between two teams. The Phoenix Sun’s seek to create this kind of rivalry with Los Angeles so that they can increase national television exposure, ticket sales, and merchandise sales.   

Ref Cam Gives New Perspective

In case you missed it, the wireless ref cam was featured in last night’s game between the MLS All Stars and A.S. Roma. The Ref Cam is a person-wearable wireless camera system designed to capture the point-of-view (POV) of the referee during live broadcast productions of sporting events. The camera is positioned at the eye level of a referee, giving viewers a first-person perspective of the field. Ref cam has been seen on other televised sports this year, including WNBA and European Rugby matches; however, with the growing use of the ref cam for major televised events, it seems as though televised sports are moving in the direction of using a ref cam with every broadcast. This is a step in the right direction for viewers because the camera angle brings you onto the pitch for a first-person perspective which allows viewers onto the field and into the action. For every call you think the ref got wrong, you can see it from the refs’ angle the moment they made the call and that adds value to viewers.