The Future of Sports Communication

The future of sports communication can go in so many different directions.  I would have to say that the future of sports communication will be more catered to the specific sport.  There will be more sports channels for consumers to view their particular sport and just more programs that are given by the specific league or team.  Yes, there are some sports channels now, but not all sports have their own channels or special programs.  ESPN is the main source for all sports media and communication; however, as time evolves ESPN might go away.  When sports divisions are able to produce their own information from games, coverage, to news there would be no need for channels such as ESPN.  Sports are a big revenue business in our world today and it just keeps increasing as time goes on.  No one sport is able to keep their revenue to themselves.  However, if sports like the NBA get their own media channel, radio station, magazine, mobile phone service, etc. all the income would stay within their industry.

In the article written by Rein, Kotler, and Shields (2007) it was mentioned that because of technological innovations sports teams and leagues are communicating differently with their fans.  The content providers are building pipelines that are directly centered toward their fans.  One of the main leaders in this transformation is “Manchester United, billion-dollar English Football (Soccer) Club, which has adapted and expanded ESPN’s blueprint to its own one-city team.  It has a television channel (MU TV), radio station (MU Radio), magazine (United), mobile phone service (MU Mobile), team-themed restaurants (the Red Café), and interactive Web site (Manutd.com) with streaming video, audio, insider information, and a fantasy game.  Outdoing ESPN, it even has its own financial services, including car insurance, credit cards, and mortgages; a ManU lottery; and a host of other attractions” (Rein, Kotler, & Shields, 2007, p. 42).  This was amazing to me as the sports industries in the United States are not even close to producing that type of technological innovation.  However, that is where the sports world is heading.  It would be very interesting to see what sports industry will be the first to adapt to this type of advancement. 

To actually say where the sports industry is headed for the future is almost impossible.  Technology is evolving on an everyday basis and you never know what direction it is headed.  One thing I do know is that “if the traditional media pipelines are going to survive, they will have to seek new alliances and look to connect to the content providers in innovative ways” (Rein et al., 2007, p. 43).  Therefore, the only “certainty about the sports marketplace is that it is adapting, and for the stakeholders, this means constant monitoring of change and a commitment to innovation” (Rein et al., 2007, p. 43).

One technology innovation that I would like to see in the future for sports communication is being able to watch more sports games anytime you want no matter where you live.  In other words, free television without having to pay additional for sports packages, which are catered to the area that you live and the cable provider you have.  Sports communication is free on the internet, so why can’t it be free on the television.  Individuals today want to receive free sports information, so if the networks were to provide this free at cost more people would be able to view the sports that interest them the most.  It would also be better if the leagues themselves offered their own networks where all games can be watched without any additional cost.  This maybe a future enhancement for sports communication, but only time will tell.

References

Photograph of sports balls.  Retrieved from http://www.apnicommunity.com/other-sports/367909-watch-montreal-canadiens-vs-atlanta-thrashers-nhl-online-live-free.html

Photograph of sports psychology.  Retrieved from http://www.softballpeakperformance.com/sports-psychology-tips-communication-is-key/

Rein, I., Kotler, P., & Shields, B.  (2007).  The future of sports media.  What do the fans want? Sports teams, leagues, and marketing professional are turning to a growing array of media to capture the elusive customer.  The Futurist, 41(1), 40-43.  Retrieved from http://www.theelusivefan.com/Fut.pdf

Writing Grants

According to the 2010 census, Madison has a population of 233,209, which makes it the second largest city in the state of Wisconsin and the 81st largest city in the United States.  From a geographic standpoint, the city of Madison is located 77 miles west of Milwaukee and 122 miles northwest of Chicago.  Overall the city is largely diverse and made up of the following ethnicity groups: White, Black, Asian, Native American, Pacific Islander, and Hispanic (Infoplease, 2011).  The median household income for the city of Madison is $41,941 and the state median is $43,791 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010). 

Although there are many recreational activities provided to the citizens of Madison, the skateboard population is left out.  Madison is home to one of the best skate shops in the area, Freedom Skate Shop.  Freedom Skate Shop opened in 1998 as carries a large selection of skateboard hard goods and accessories.  Freedom Skate Shop is also the only store to offer products from companies that are true to skating and not generic.  They also feature exclusive brands such as Landyachtz longboards, which have been the leader in longboards for over 10 years.  With this great collection and store, many of the skateboarders in the city have nowhere to practice their skating skills.  It has been noted that skateboarders are being targeted as criminals for skating in the street and on private property, due to the lack of an adequate public skate park.  They are also being ticketed and harassed for what they love to do without a legal, safe, or appropriate alternative (Freedom Skate Shop, 2011).  The closet skateparks to Madison are the 4-Seasons Skate Park of Milwaukee and the Genoa City Skate Park, which are both over 78 and 113 miles away (Map Muse, 2011).  Therefore the city of Madison is desperate for a public skate park. 

I believe the city of Madison; WI should apply for the Tony Hawk Skateboard Grant as it will help decrease the crime amongst skateboarders and also better equip them with the most appropriate place to skate.  The most knowledgeable group to prepare this grant application would be the Skaters for Public Skateparks Organization.  Skaters for Public Skateparks (2011) is a “non-profit skatepark advocacy organization, international in reach, dedicated to providing the information necessary to ensure safe, rewarding, freely-accessible skateparks are available to all skateboarders” (p. 1).  Although, Skaters for Public Skateparks is located in Portland, OR they are an organization that is “committed to ensuring that the path to a successful skatepark is available to skaters everywhere” (Skaters for Public Skateparks, 2011, p. 1).

Some of the recreational activities that are available to the people of Madison are through the Warner Park Community Recreation Center.  Warner Park Community Recreation Center is a facility that offers recreational, educational, and cultural programs and events from childcare, personal training, to games in the gym (basketball, etc.).  Through Madison Park Facilities, the residents of Madison can also enjoy recreational activities such as baseball, basketball, canoe/kayak rentals, hiking, ice skating, lacrosse, and many others.  Although, there are many recreational activities for the residents in Madison, there are many at-risk.  These individuals are usually high school students, in which their behaviors can lead to mortality and morbidity in youth and adulthood.  The city of Madison conducts a survey each year that monitors the health-risk behaviors such as traffic safety, weapons and violence, tobacco use, suicide, alcohol, sexual behavior, etc. (Wisconsin Dept. of Public Instruction, 2010)  In order to prevent their behaviors the city of Madison offers the Neighborhood Intervention Program through the Dane County Human Services.  This program offers these individuals constructive activities such as dance troupe, discussion groups, and gang prevention activities (Community Development Division – Madison, 2011). 

I believe the city of Madison should provide its residents with a skatepark in Dane County.  Dane is one of the main counties in Madison that is also helping to decrease the at-risk youth of the city.  With this is mind the county of Dane will be able to not only provide the city with programs that decrease at-risk behaviors, but also provide its city with a public skate park where those who love to skate can practice legally.  Skateboarding is considered a 2.5-billion dollar industry that can attract many tourists to an area (Freedom Skate Shop, 2011).  So by building a skatepark in Dan County, WI the youth in the area can have a place to hang out that influences positive behaviors and encourages positive lifestyles.  The skatepark can be located in Downtown Dane, in a well-lit area that is free of crime and drugs.  This area will also promote unity amongst the communities in Madison, WI and can also increase revenue for the city, so that other positive activity programs can be established.  The main purpose of building this skatepark is to provide its youth with a safe place to skate, enhance the city/community reputation, and displace other desirable activities amongst the youth in the area.  

References

Community Development Division – Madison.  (2011).  Neighborhood Intervention Program.  Retrieved from http://www.cityofmadison.com/cdbg/1999/activity/gb001.htm

Freedom Skate Shop.  (2011).  About us.  Retrieved from http://freedomskateshopmadison.com/about-us/

Freedom Skate Shop.  (2011).  We need a skate park.  Retrieved from http://freedomskateshopmadison.com/we-need-a-skate-park/

Infoplease.  (2011).  Wisconsin.  Retrieved from http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108291.html

Map Muse.  (2010).  Search for skate parks, skateboard parks, skaters in Madison, WI.  Retrieved from http://find.mapmuse.com/map/skate-parks/near/Madison,+WI

Photograph map of Wisconsin.  Retrieved from http://wisconsin.modularhomes.info/

Photograph of skateboarder.  Retrieved from http://www.kidprintables.com/coloring/sports/skateboarding.shtml

Photograph of skateboarding is not a crime.  Retrieved from http://www.graphicshunt.com/tags/1/skateboarding.htm

Photograph of sports balls. Retrieved from http://www.uwhealth.org/news/should-your-teen-wear-ankle-braces-for-sports-a-qa-for-parents/32252

Skaters for Public Skateparks.  (2011).  About SPS.  Retrieved from http://www.skatepark.org/about/

U.S. Census Bureau. (2010).  Median household income.  Retrieved from http://http://www.census.gov/

Wisconsin Dept. of Public Instruction.  (2010).  Wisconsin Youth Behavior Survey.  Retrieved from http://dpi.wi.gov/sspw/yrbsindx.html

Communication Deadlines

The job of a sports reporter is to write stories and report on anything that is related to sports.  However, many are struggling with meeting deadlines that are given by newspapers, magazines, sports radio, and television.  One of the ways that hinders the ability for a sport reporter to meet deadlines is not having knowledge of the sport.  Sports reporters must possess some type of knowledge or background of the sport they are reporting on.  If a sports reporter is unfamiliar with the sporting game, then they are unable to produce a story; therefore in order to meet deadlines, a sports reporter must have knowledge on the specific sport.  After all, a sports reporter is always on the job, handling tough deadlines, and doing the best they can while understanding the nature of the sports game (Pedersen, Miloch, & Laucella, 2007).  Another way that hinders the ability for a sport reporter to meet deadlines is not having strong writing skills.  The majority of sports reporters have developed strong writing skills from reading and through experience.  Dave Anderson, a sports columnist stated that “writing goes back to reading.  If you don’t like to read, what would make you want to become a writer?  And if you want to be a writer, there’s no better training than reading” (Pedersen, Miloch, Laucella, 2007, p. 169).  A sports reporter with strong writing skills knows how to avoid the use of exaggerations and clichés and is able to pull readers into their stories and sustain their interest.  Without having these types of skills, a sports reporter is surely defeated in meeting deadlines.

Although, knowledge of the sport and strong writing skills are what hinders a sports reporter from meeting deadlines, they can also be considered great ways to facilitate the ability to meet deadlines.  Having prior knowledge of the sport allows a reporter to easily interpret scores, calls and plays, and even statistical information.  This makes it easier when pulling all the components together to complete a sports report that is on time.  Having strong writing skills is also a plus when it comes to sports reporting.  Many of today’s sports reporters are faced with tight deadlines and are forced to write many of their leads during the game.  However, by having a strong background in writing, a sports reporter would easily be able to manage their task of writing sport stories that meets all deadlines.  Another way that facilitates the ability for a sports reporter to meet deadlines is having a great position on the field/court.  A sports reporter needs to be positioned in an area where they can read and hear the scores, conduct quick interviews, and see all plays.  By being in a great position on the field/court, the reporter is able to capture all information necessary for their story without any problems.

In my own personal experience, I was able to meet my own deadline for posting the game results by 11:55pm on the date of the event (Bengals vs. Bills, October 2, 2011).  This was easy for me to do as I prepared myself before the game with all the necessary tools.  Before the game, I read all the cover stories, which clued me in to specific players and plays.  I also wrote down specific questions that I needed answered before the game ended, so that I would not miss anything I wanted to cover in my story.  All of these things helped me to be fully equipped as a reporter during the game and further allowed me to meet my deadline. 

One type of information that I needed to write an appropriate game story was the location and time of the game.  Knowing the time and location of the game was very important because it helped me to attend the game on time and avoid any problems in getting there.  Another piece of information that I needed to know was the names of the quarterbacks on both teams, so that I could easily identify, which team made the plays.  By keeping up with the scores throughout the game, I was able to write specifics on the plays and key players within the game.  Also, observing what happened before the game and at halftime allowed my sports report to be personable and stand out from others who may have reported on the same event.  Finally, knowing the winner of the game was the main piece of information in the report as many readers would like to know who won the game.  All of these elements were important to me because I didn’t want to just attend the game as a fan, but as a reporter that was well prepared. 

References

Pedersen, P. M., Miloch, K. S., & Laucella, P. C.  (2007).  Strategic sport communication. Champaign, Illinois: Human Kinetics.

Photograph of pen and paper.  Retrieved from http://www.contentflicks.com/how-to-write-sports-articles/

Photograph of sports reporter in grass.  Retrieved from http://funnytreat.com/pictures/sports/pictures-details.html?id=101

Photograph of sports writing text.  Retrieved from http://www.docstoc.com/docs/81276859/sports_writing

Live Sporting Event

Today I attended the Cincinnati Bengals Football game against the Buffalo Bills.  This was a very important game for the Bengals as they were hoping to end their losing streak and also gain a win over the Bills to end their personal losing meeting streak that dated back to 1989. 

The atmosphere of the game was okay compared to other games.  The Paul Brown Stadium was not filled or as many would say not sold out.  After talking to one of the event staff members, the game was 20,000 tickets short of being sold out.  I was very surprised to hear this news.  However, I was still glad to be there considering the fact that I have not been to a NFL Game in a long time.  Although the stadium was not sold out, you still felt appreciated and loved by the Bengals Organization.  Everyone was very nice and they also acknowledged the cause the affects many, Breast Cancer.  Every person that entered the stadium was given a pink ribbon in honor of October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month. 

Let the game begin…

The Bengals came out excited and ready to play and so did the Buffalo Bills.  Both teams played hard during the first quarter, but I didn’t think anyone would score.  However, the Bengals were able to score a field goal and put 3 points on the board.  That field goal must have put fire under the Bills team because they were able to intercept 2 plays, which turned into 2 touchdowns for the Bills and put them in the lead.  The fans seem very disappointed in the Bengals as the score that took us to half time was Buffalo 17 – Cincinnati 3.  I was very nervous at this time for the Bengals because I thought they were not going to win the game.

Half time was fun as I walked around the stadium observing the fans and enjoying the food.  Some of the fans were recapping the plays that had taken place while others were complaining they paid money out of their pockets to attend another losing game.  I didn’t hear much good comments from the fans as many were just unhappy. 

The second half of the game was beginning as the commentators were back on microphone/intercom.  The third quarter turned around for the Bengals as they scored a field goal and gained 3 more points on the scoreboard.  Another surprising play came from J. Gresham who scored a touchdown and gained 7 points for the Bengals.  By this time I was thinking “could the Bengals really win the game…maybe”.

The start of the fourth quarter was beginning and the commentators were revving up the crowd.  The fans got their energy back and began to really support the Bengals team.  Everyone was chanting defense.  Buffalo came out and scored a field goal adding 3 more points to their score.  Then controversy came when Fitzpatrick (Bills QB) threw a short pass that was ruled an incomplete.  Buffalo challenged the incomplete pass ruling; however the referees determined the play on the field was an incomplete and Buffalo was therefore charged with a timeout.  As far as the Bengals, Andy Dalton (Bengals QB) made a surprising play.  He scored a touchdown, which tied the game with 4:45 left on the clock.  Buffalo got the ball, but was unable to score.  On the other hand, Cincinnati was able to get the ball back and drive the play all the way down to the 25 yard line.  Nugent was then able to kick the field goal and the Bengals won the game. 

THE BENGALS WON THE GAME (23-20)!!!

The Bengals can now hold their heads up and not be disappointed in their playing abilities.  They were able to pull out a win over the undefeated Bills and also end their losing streak with the Bills that dated back to 1989.  Way to go Bengals.  What a game and one I will not forget!

Reference

Video clip of winning kick.  Retrieved from http://www.bengals.com/media-lounge/videos/BUF-CIN-Highlights-Nugent-game-winner-10211/ce6f1c19-6270-4e70-bdf3-08174b755238