In search of the greatest sports marketing moment

(c) NFL / Getty Images

It’s not often that I will post about work-related content here, but the latest debate raging over on Synergy’s blog is actually pretty thought-provoking (well, for those in the sports industry at least).

Any sports fans out there remember when Twenty20 was first ‘invented’? Or when Nike burst onto the scene helping Michael Jordan hit his jump shot? Or even, for the veteran fans amongst you, when NFL was first broadcast on our TV screens?

Well, whatever you think the biggest moment was, Synergy wants to hear about it. We’ve started a bit of a debate going by naming an initial top 12 (below), but we’re a friendly, modest bunch and open to suggestions of things we’ve missed. Have a look at the below, and let us know what you think by commenting on the original blog post here.

And eventually we’ll put up a poll and get to the official #1. But only with your help. So what’s it to be? Let us know…

1. 1960 – a promising American golfer called Arnold Palmer shook hands over a representation deal with his friend and Yale law grad, Mark McCormack. This handshake was the start of IMG and birth of modern sports marketing.
2. 1968 – After the NFL and AFL merged in 1966 the first two championship games between the two winners were called, snappily, the NFL-AFL World Championship. KC Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt then came up with the term Super Bowl for the game after seeing his grandson playing with a Super Ball, (a densely elasticated ball) and a global phenomenon was born.
3. 1976 – already prevalent abroad, Kettering Town became the first British football club to have a sponsor on its shirt – the deal may only have lasted four games but it changed the rules in the UK. The forward thinking brand? Kettering Tyres.
4. 1978 – Horst Dassler and Patrick Nally created a sponsorship model for world events starting with The FIFA World Cup that other rights holders have followed ever since.
5. 1978 – Bernie Ecclestone became chief executive of the Formula One Constructors Association (FOCA) which culminated in Ecclestone securing the right for FOCA to negotiate television contracts turning F1 into the global financial phenomenon it is today.
6. 1979 – Jack Nicklaus argues successfully for the inclusion of European (rather than just British) players in the Ryder Cup. This turned a struggling, one-sided tournament into what is today probably the most significant global event in golf.
7. 1981 – the first major PPV boxing match between Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns was screened by Viacom Cablevision, the event sold over 50% of its subscribers for the fight and a new form of sports viewing was born.
8. 1984 – Nike, a struggling sports shoe company, signed rookie Michael Jordan and created the first shoe named after a player – The Air Jordan.
9. 1985 – Michael Payne restructured the IOC Marketing Programme creating TOPs – the building block of the most lucrative sponsorship format in the world.
10. 1992 – The English First Division clubs resigned en-masse from the Football League and formed the Premier League which is now the most watched and most lucrative football league in the world with the format copied across the globe.
11. 1995 – The first ever Extreme Games (later changed to X Games) was held with the backing of ESPN – it catapulted fringe sports into the mainstream, bringing with it vast corporate investment.
12. 2003 – The ECB introduced the world to Twenty20 Cricket via the Twenty20 Cup between counties, the mould breaking game has gone on to be adopted across the globe with IPL changing the financial face of the sport.

Flawless. Absolutely Flawless.

(Click on the image to see the full Flawless Britain's Got Talent performance)

Now I’m not normally a huge fan of the red-top tabloid fodder that is Britain’s Got Talent (will we HAVE to endure Amanda Holden on the front page of every such paper for the next two months?), but this weekend’s opener held within its midst an absolutely blinding act.

Not exactly new to the stage, Flawless have been together for over four years and have performed at a huge range of events from Sadlers Wells to Bloomsbury West End Theatre and for companies as diverse as Nike and Haringey Council. To let them introduce themselves from their MySpace page:

Based in North London, with a combination of influence and inspiration from Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, James Brown, Bobby Brown, The Electric Boogaloos, Usher and many more bring us ‘Flawless’ to who we are today [sic].

And boy can they dance. I’ve never seen anything like it. Think Into the Hoods, meets Save the Last Dance meets Step Up and you’re probably still only halfway there. They are a supremely talented bunch of young guys, and I deeply hope that ITV’s merciless talent show manages to provide a platform to catapult them to the super-stardom that they clearly deserve. As their own little mantra states:

‘Chase the dream, not the competition.’

Cute.

If these guys don’t have their own sell-out show by this time next year, I’ll eat my hat. Or some such more suitable street equivalent. And judging by Simon Cowell‘s rather overly pious commendation following their act, he’s already signed them:

I’ve always believed that we, in this country, have talent. And where we are in the world right now – it’s a horrible, tough time, particularly for young people right now. But you’re an example of a group of people, who are obviously great friends… and the example that you’ve just shown, which is that with a focus, with commitment, with a confidence, but with hard work – you can achieve something. This is one of the best things I’ve ever seen in my life.

As Ant said at the time: now that’s a compliment.

Free-throw Obamania from Nike

Nike's Jordan brand Obama shoes hit the Atlanta Hawks court

Synergy CEO Tim Crow recently blogged about the huge number of companies and brands capitalizing on the inauguration festivities taking the US (and the world) by storm this week.

Another one to add to the pile is Nike, who provided Atlanta Hawks guards Joe Johnson and Mike Bibby with special shoes, in honour of President Barack Obama’s entry into office, courtesy of Nike’s “Jordan Brand.”

Both pairs of red, white and blue shoes were customized for each player, complete with their personal logos. The date, Jan. 20, 2009, was also included to commemorate the historical moment.

When unveiling the new shoes to the US media, Jordan said, “They look pretty good to me,”  before breaking into a wide smile: “Really good.”

If anyone hears of any other cute Obamania marketing stories, I’d love to hear them.