Posts Tagged ‘Rugby League’

Sports a Product & Products Change

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009

Yesterday’s Daily Telegraph reported the poor TV ratings for last Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup between Australia and New Zealand.

Is anyone really surprised?

I mean, here we have a product that refuses to change with the times. My biggest problem is this – rugby heads forget that their game is a PRODUCT. A product that competes in the ‘entertainment space’ for your money and mine.

Rugby is no different to a product you buy in the supermarket. I don’t care how strong the brand is, how long it’s been around, how much tradition it has behind it or how many loyal customers it has. If that product doesn’t adapt and evolve over time then its competition will eat it up.

Can you imagine if Nokia stopped developing their technology? What if after building their first handset they chose to sit back for the next 50 years with the same mobile phone? Oh but that’s like comparing apples to oranges you say, or is it? Nokia would have died a quick death due to the nature of technology and the type of product but let’s be honest, rugby isn’t that much different, it’s just dying a much slower death.

Unlike most products and services, sports have the luxury of moving at a much slower pace when it comes to developing their product. Massive overhauls are not required. Sports can survive with just a few subtle changes here and there.

Rugby League is constantly reviewing and tweaking its game and cricket has embraced 20/20 so it appears some sports get it. Rugby doesn’t. It has too big an ego to look itself in the mirror and admit it has a problem.

Shame, because consumers deserve better. They deserve to buy into a product that constantly strives to be the best.

PS. Thanks to everyone who filled out the brief survey. Appreciate your responses.

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Posted in Cricket, Rugby, Rugby League | No Comments »

10 Things That Make an Australian Athlete Marketable?

Wednesday, May 6th, 2009

1. Sport – a national sport with free to air coverage and a global presence (eg. tennis, golf, cricket, football, swimming). Rugby League players for example don’t command big sponsorships because they appeal primarily to Sydney and Brisbane audiences only. That doesn’t mean they can’t earn good money but they’ll never be Australia’s most marketable athlete. Think Ricky Ponting

2. Winner – Australians love a winner. And the more fierce the competition (underdog status) the better. An athlete can have every quality in the book but if they aren’t winning then forget it. How you win is also an important factor. Is the athlete sinking 20ft putts like Tiger Woods to win, taking 5 wickets on the last day of Test Match like Shane Warne or breaking world records? Think Ian Thorpe

3. Good Looks – This is not an absolute must but don’t underestimate the power of good looks. This attribute appeals strongly to fans not to mention brands looking to invest in athletes. Why do you think movies use good looking actors and actresses? Sometimes an athlete can build a career on good looks alone but this will be short lived if you aren’t doing the point above. Think Stephanie Rice.

4. Media Skills – does the athlete present well in front of the camera? How do they stand, do they make strong eye contact, do they project their voice with clarity? Do they understand and respect the media’s role in their sport? And do they do it all with a warm personality and a smile on their face? Think Lucas Neill.

5. Clean Image – are they someone you could take home to meet the parents? Do they demonstrate strong values? Avoiding drinking, swearing or smoking is a winning combination here. Think Adam Gilchrist.

6. Gracious – everyone likes a winner but Australians don’t react well to arrogance or big headiness. You only have to look at the recent criticism of the Australian Cricket team. Personally I like the way they play but it seems the masses don’t so if you want to avoid tall poppy syndrome, be super humble. Think Pat Rafter.

7. Great with Fans – fans pay the athletes wages. So it makes sense the public respond well to athletes who really appreciate their fans. The most marketable athletes don’t avoid their fans, they embrace them and do their best to connect with them on different levels. It’s all about giving back to the people who support them. Think Brett Lee.

8. Integrity – athletes who stand up for what they believe in and who are consistent with their image gain respect from the public. A good example is an athlete who chooses only to endorse brands and products they really believe in. Think Cadel Evans.

9. Charitable – if you’re an athlete earning big money doing something you love then the public expect you to give back to the community. It can’t be all sponsor appearances and paid gigs, people love when an athlete uses their celebrity and wealth to benefit a greater cause. Think Glen McGrath.

10. The X-Factor – or originality / uniqueness. This can make or break some athletes. It’s easy to be a clone but being unique makes you stand out. Having a distinctive presence, charm or edge to your personality is incredibly powerful. Think Greg Norman.

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Posted in Cricket, Football, Media, Sponsorship, Tennis | 4 Comments »

Crisis Management

Monday, March 9th, 2009

In light of the latest Rugby League drama surrounding Brett Stewart and Anthony Watmough let’s look at crisis management for athlete managers. These are just some of the key points in my experience.

  • Know your strategy. Brainstorm worst case scenarios. Then when the crisis breaks, you immediately know the steps you should be taking. This is about knowing people’s roles in a crisis. Who will be the media spokesperson, who will draft the media release, what are the processes to inform sponsors etc.
  • Inform key stakeholders. When a crisis breaks, consult the athlete’s lawyer (if it’s a legal matter) and then the sporting association or club. Clubs have a duty to know the full details and protect their sponsors and will often take over the management of the crisis – which saves you being the public face of the crisis (never a good look for a sports manager).
  • Be the first to know. Make sure that you are the first person your client contacts after any controversy. Get all the facts on the table. If you are the first to know, then you get a chance to break the news. This is not always possible, but if YOU break the news, then YOU get to control the message, which leads me to…..
  • Don’t ignore the crisis, or sweep it under the carpet. Always assume the crisis is bigger than what it is because in the eyes of the media it often is. The media will always find out eventually and then you’ll have two crises – the actual crisis and the way you’ve handled it.
  • Legal issues are not an excuse to run and hide. You have an obligation to publicly address the issue. It’s only the CONTENT of your public address that needs to be managed carefully. If you’re client is unable to comment due to a legal investigation then say so. Which brings me to…
  • Make sure everyone is briefed. If the media can’t get comment from the source they will go to a family member, former coach, current sponsors etc. So you need to brief all these people that the appointed ‘Spokesperson’ is the contact and any enquiries should be directed to that person.
  • Don’t blame the media for the trouble your client is in. This never achieves anything.
  • Don’t speculate in the media. Stick to the facts if there is an investigation going on. For example, don’t answer questions about possible consequences if your client is found guilty. This only adds more drama to the story.

It will be interesting to watch how the Sea Eagles manage the media as more details come to light over the coming week.

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Posted in Media, Strategy | No Comments »