Sustainable Sport’s Rapidly Growing Business Link

We’re pleased to note a hot new firm entering the Sustainable Sport business in New England. Athletes for a Fit Planet has just announced its relationship with three race series, as part of a rollout of a significant range of services.

Green to Gold is a phrase that will be finding more use in the coming season.

In the firm’s own words:

You take your health seriously.
What about the Planet’s?

What we do

For Race Organizers

We provide customized environmentally responsible solutions for race and event organizers who produce multi-sport, running, cycling, swimming, and walking events. We focus on four areas:

1. Reducing waste you send to landfills
2. Reducing the emissions produced by your event
3. Leaving the event site cleaner than you found it
4. Encouraging your sponsors and vendors to adopt environmentally responsible practices

We encourage you to think long term and to start the journey now.

For Athletes

We provide environmental news and resources about events, products and services, and companies so you can make informed choices about how you spend your money.

http://www.afitplanet.com

Advertising and Sponsorship – A Natural

The Kansas City, MO, ad agency Barkley has invested $50,000 (US) and teamed with Hincapie Sportswear (Greenville, SC) to sponsor a 12-member cycling team, aimed at riders in the 15-23 age group. Their announced goal is twofold: garnering practical experience as a sports sponsor, and marketing to cyclists and racing enthusiasts.

The CEO notes, according to the NY Times: “If we’re in a pitch for any account in the active lifestyle field, it’s instant credibility.”

We’ll be seeing more of this.

What Comprises “Sport Business”

Anyone seeking a quick course on the makeup of the “Sport Business” sector (components and players) need only turn to the shortlist of the nominees of the 2008 Sport Industry Awards. It’s all there.

http://www.sportindustry.biz/awards/shortlist/

An Inside Look at the Acquisitions of the Competitor Group

VeloNews has published a very nice recap of their history and some inside views of the recent takeover by the Competitor Group. Interesting reading.

http://www.velonews.com/article/73427/
velonews-has-new-owners-as-inside-communications

Speaking of Sponsorship – We Should Have Written the Book

The last post about sponsorship got the team thinking about the magnitude and importance of the subject in sports. And what should pop up on the radar but a chance to buy the new tome explaining it all:

Advanced Sports Sponsorship Strategies –
The Ultimate Guide for Rights Holders, Brands and Agencies

All for a mere £695 (USD1,378)

The World of Interesting Sponsorship Deals

A couple of examples of interesting sponsorship relationships have just appeared.

In the first, the UK’s largest bike retailer, Halfords, will be sponsoring the Great Britain Cycling Team. A commercial logo will appear on uniforms for the first time, and Halfords will of course get the usual publicity at races and the like. But, in this case the company has committed to enhance public awareness of British Cycling and Cycle Sport in the UK, to get people into BC events, and to support participation in the Everyday Cycling program.

A great example of using the power of the retail community, linked with national sports events, to support broad public initiatives.

The second deal relates to the sponsorship of the Marco Polo Cycling Team (i.e., the Chinese racing team) in its participation in the high profile Tour de Georgia stage bicycle race, by GE Energy.

This is a very interesting move by the huge multinational, which has little, if any, direct linkage with the sport. The official statement? According to the Atlanta Business Chronicle: “As a global business, GE recognizes the importance of bringing people and nations together,” said John Krenicki, president and CEO of GE Energy. “Sports and other cultural events can play a major role in making this happen.”

But spin this a different way. Cycling is a natural for China, and the national frenzy for the sport could far surpass that seen in Europe. Basketball has swept the country, and Major League Baseball is madly trying to replicate its evolution. One could do a lot worse than to be present at the beginning, and be seen as the guardian angel of the new sport … especially if your marketing targets for the country are in the tens of billions of dollars.

Triathlon, are you watching?

Editor’s Note: In the spirit of a piece about sponsorship, the correct names of the above-cited entity and event are:

• GE Marco Polo Cycling Team presented by Trek
• Tour de Georgia presented by AT&T

Risk Management as a Biz Topic

If you’ve never thought about the financial, legal, and administrative aspects of Risk Management in the context of multisports, then it’s fairly safe to say that you are not a race director, federation official, or community government staffer.

The topic, while huge and massively important, is something that competitors know little about, and (to the credit of race promoters) for the most part can assume is being well addressed.

Today we read a post on trailrunningSoul.com. The topic is not strictly business-oriented, but it puts right out on the table one of the key ingredients of race planning and operation. It is a must-read for all involved in multisports.

Why Do Runners Die During Marathons?March 14, 2008 · Written by trailrunningSoul.com
Filed Under Articles, Health & Running
Tags: health, Joe English, Marathons

When a death of a runner participating in a marathon makes its way to newspapers and media front pages people talk about how sad that is and question on how fit the person was or even if running 26.2 miles is healthy at all. When you have a more detailed read you may get some clues on the actual conditions under which the misfortune happened but usually not in-depth medical explanations. Joe English, coach and blogger, details some of the usual causes that may end up in a death in an endurance competition: heart disease, heart genetic defect or low blood sodium levels. His post is based on research and his own experience (so not from a strict direct medical source) and also points some heat and dehydration illnesses as potentially life-threatening conditions. Worth a read.

Ironman Championship Program Gets Emmy Nomination

You have to give the Ironman family high marks for “getting it” when it comes to the business of multisport. Their media outreach is superb, as illustrated by the most recent announcement from IronHQ:

2007 Ford Ironman World Championship Receives Nomination

The Ford Ironman World Championship that aired on December 1, 2007 was among the nominees announced yesterday for the 29th Annual Sports Emmy Awards.

The Ford Ironman World Championship that aired on December 1, 2007 was among the nominees announced yesterday for the 29th Annual Sports Emmy Awards.

The nominees are recognized by the National Academy of Television and Arts and Sciences, with nominees from a variety of 30 categories. Ironman Productions, now with 42 nominations and 14 wins, was recognized in the categories of Outstanding Edited Sports Special and Outstanding Camera Work.

As a matter of fact, while reading the rest of this press announcement we were invited to check out the Ironman YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/IronmanTriathlon.

Certainly a cornucopia of things Iron, but maybe a bit of sensory overload for folks older than 20. At least, though, all this Web real estate gives WTC a place to park their unlimited supply of sponsor logos and ads. (And these electronic money machines never turn off, do they.)

http://ironman.com

ITU + YouTube = Genius

Who’d have thought that stodgy ol’ ITU would venture into the media world, and actually get it right?

ITUtv.com Productions resides on YouTube and serves up some of the best, most entertaining sports videos anywhere.

Check it out, and witness the fulfillment of many of the promises of those who said that Web media would change the face of business, sport, and anything it touches.

http://www.youtube.com/user/itutriathlon

Yes, RDs, There Is Another Side to All This

What race director standing in the pre-dawn rain with hundreds of anxious competitors staring at you-know-who has not wondered why dental school was not a better career choice? So maybe Mom was right after all.

Take heart. There is life out there, and if you play your cards right, you too might be in London next year.

http://www.sportindustry.biz/awards/#