The Future is when?????

Sports communication today is different than what the article explains. The Big Ten Network is already up and running along with other NCAA conference channels. NFL teams have streamlined the viewing of games on their official websites. The NFL Network is still showing games which other people cannot. Players are using Facebook and Twitter to communicate with their fans and get themselves into trouble with their teams. Sports is trying to reach out to every customer they can. They must be careful or they will alienate their viewers over time.

If customers are forced to pay for the ability to watch their team no matter where they are in the world, then customers might not buy the product. Certain channels are a couple hundred dollars a season to have the ability to watch. If a customer has more than one channel he or she likes, then they are forced to shell out a lot of money. With the tough time today, people are starting to make sacrifices. A lot of people were upset because they were unable to watch Ohio State Football certain dates unless they went to a bar or restaurant. Yes, it gets business in but people are still paying money to watch the game.

Networks are continually trying to raise the rates to distributors and the increases are passed along to the consumer. Time Warner Cable had commercials asking its customers should "we give in" or have the Network stop broadcasting. Networks are forcing people to pay more for TV. The Internet offers the same for streamlining. Unfortunately, people are paying the high rates to see and hear their favorite sports teams. If prices keep going up, then when it will be too much for people during these hard economical times?

The Internet will be more important as time goes on. When the technology to streamline live feeds to anywhere in the world is achieved by all sources, the Networks will have to find another way to get money from its consumers. Computers and cell phones have the capabilities to watch sports on a mobile level. Players and fans will be able to talk more using technology like Twitter. Hopefully, stalking will not increase since fans will be able to get to know a player on a more personal basis. It all comes down to how much is a person willing to spend to watch, get information, and support his or her team? What is the monetary limit for people and their families?

Sports Reporters

If it was not for Bonnie extending the time by a hour, I would not have been able to get my report done on the Columbian Boys Basketball team’s win over Norwalk. The game ended just after 9:30 pm. Even if I had a laptop, I would not have finished the post by 10 pm. I never returned home until 9:50 pm. Also, there was not any room for me to type on a laptop. There was only the scorers’ table set up to write on. I had to make sure I did not hit the guy in front of me in the back with my binder. I feel bad for sports writers who work on the West Coast because of the change in time and trying to make the papers for the East Coast.

I had the extra time to create a story for the blog and my short hand writing style helped remind me of what was going on in the game after I returned home. I wish I could have found a program for the game but they were either sold out during the Junior Varsity game or were sold out for the year. It was difficult trying to figure out what number went with which player. I had to do some Internet searching for players and their jersey numbers. I read the local paper the next day to find out what happened to the other teams in the conference. That piece of information would have been helpful to create a better story. Tiffin Columbian was one game back after that night and after reading this past Tuesday’s paper; they were able to clinch a share of their conference title. It was the first time in 40 years Columbian’s Boys Basketball team had back to back conference titles.

I think it was difficult for me to separate myself from the game and the atmosphere. Again, I had not seen a Columbian basketball game higher than the second row or from behind a video camera. My illusion of grandeur of then and now affected my view on the game. I am still disappointed about the students, the band, and the adults. I could not feel the energy of Saturday Night Basketball like I used to. There was a dance that night, but for how important of a game it was the students still disappointed. Students used to show up late because of the basketball game. If I would become a sports reporter, I would have to try to separate myself from the team and my emotions. I did find myself cheering rather than analyzing. I still have pride in my high school even though I did not like being there. I invested so much time and effort into the basketball program to which it still stays with me. I guess times do change when generations come and go.

2010 PDGA Amateur Disc Golf World Championships

Innova is selling custom discs to raise funds for the 2010 PDGA Amateur Disc Golf World Championships being held in Northwest Ohio. The center of the tournament is stationed in Marion, OH and the other courses include: Delaware, Tiffin, Bucyrus, and Upper Sandusky. Players from all over the world are invited to come and compete to be the best in the world. Players from Japan, Russia, Europe, and other parts of the world have been invited to participate in this tournament. The more discs that are sold, the more money we raise goes towards better prizes for the players who place and to the player’s packages they receive for participating in the tournament. Where else will you be able to see the best up and coming prospects from around the world? Ohio has the chance to host one of the biggest tournaments this state has ever seen. Over 1000 people are going to be in Northwest Ohio at one time competing for supremacy. Don't you want to be a part of Ohio History? Come Join us and support your fellow country men and women!
Media Kit List

· 2010 Am Worlds Complete Invite Package

· 2010 Worlds Invitation & Cover Letter

· 2010 Am Worlds Hotel Guide

· 2010 Amateur & Junior Worlds Registration Form

· 2010 Am Worlds Schedule

· 2010 Am Worlds North Map

· 2010 Am Worlds South Map

Fundraising vs. Recruiting

Fundraising and Recruiting are pretty much the same thing, it just involves a different group of people. If it was a Division I (D I) college, then the Athletic Director (AD) has a huge job ahead of themselves. That AD must hope their coaches can bring in the top prospect and perform at a high level. In big schools the alumni (financiers) are kept happier than the players (recruits) because the alumni are the main contributing factors financially. Each step in the article is the same for both recruiting and fundraising. The big difference is the group and the age of the prospect. The coach may not do a lot of the fund-raising, but the coach must be present at all fundraisers their team is involved with. The coach is the face of both the alumni (financiers) and players or soon to be players (recruits). The coach represents both sides of the ball.

I can't believe I'm commenting on Tiger!

I never thought I would do anything on Tiger Woods. I'm not into golf. The only time I watched golf is when Tiger made his US Open comeback on one leg. I knew I would be watching history and I did not want to miss it. Also, my boss was letting me watch it on his TV he brought to work so he could watch it as well.

For the first time, I am actually siding with Tiger here, not about his cheating but by his sponsors dumping him left and right. I guess this happens when you are an ICON in your sport and make a mistake. I do not understand why some of these companies dumped Tiger but kept other stars for other mistakes. Kobe Bryant had rape allegations against him and a lot of his sponsors dumped him, but charges were dropped. Tiger had sex with a lot of women and none of them, so far, have claimed had been raped.

Gatorade, AT&T, TAG Heuer, Accenture, and GM all cut ties with Tiger and ended their sponsorship with him. From the websites below, it is thought shareholders could lose up to 12 billion dollars not having Tiger as a representative. I wonder what would happen if Tiger starts to win again? Will they try to sign him back?

Golf itself will be greatly affected by Tiger not being at tournaments. Many examples of low TV ratings have occurred when Tiger is not playing due to knee surgery. Tournaments lose money when he does not play even if it is televised or not. Without Tiger, professional golf would not be as popular today as it is. TV ratings and the number spectators will drop every tournament in which Tiger does not play. If Tiger can achieve life after a mistake, then he will have to win like he used to. Again, Kobe is a prime example since he has won repeatedly, his status has increased and the sponsors have come back. If Tiger does not perform well, he might become the next Shawn Daly.

1. ^ Shareholder Value Destruction following the Tiger Woods Scandal, by Christopher R. Knittel and Victor Stango, University of California at Davis, December 28, 2009
2. ^ Tiger Woods Scandal Cost Shareholders up to $12 Billion, UC Davis Study Says, Business Wire, December 28, 2009