And have you seen 3 guys marketed any better? Why can't Broe and Goucher or Alan Webb be marketed similarly? And don't say "because they aren't the best in the world"... because the general public need not know that right now. And hyping them up may instill, God forbid, some confidence in these guys that will propell them to super stardom. You have to think a bit outside the box here, otherwise we're stuck in the same old rut we have been. Whining how it will never happen is just exasberating the problem. You don't think my idea will work, that is fine. Lets hear something else... just not the same old tired tune about how no one cares about track but us. I call BS! Obviously there is interest... track and field has to be the sport most participated by high schoolers.
Still searching for meaningful comments, Mike >From: Mike Prizy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >To: Michael Contopoulos <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >CC: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: Re: t-and-f: USATF Advertising idea... >Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 12:50:51 -0600 > >No, three words brought back the NBA from near death: Magic, Larry, and >Michael. Zippy the Chimp >could have written that advertising campaign. > >Michael Contopoulos wrote: > > > Glen, > > > > Nominate me to head USATF and I'll do better than that. I will prove >your > > assertations false while raising millions of dollars and developing a >core > > set of distance and middle distace runners capable of running with and > > beating anybody on the scene. I'm a man with little tolerance for > > incompetence, and sadly, that is all I see in USATF. Being 24 years old > > with nothing more than a bachelor's degree and 2 years work experience, >I > > don't think I am in the best position to make an impact like I would >like to > > someday. HOWEVER, I can tell you this much, given the authority and >power > > to surround myself with knowledgable people, older and wiser than >myself, I > > am 100% confident I can out lead Craig Masback and bring this sport to a >new > > level. Look at soccer: a sport similar to t-n-f in that there is wide >high > > school participation, it is huge in Europe, but the post college >domestic > > scene was seriously lacking. It is still not where it wants to be, but > > soccer is surely worlds ahead of track and field in this country. And >you > > are wrong about advertising... the NBA was about to go broke when an > > agressive advertising campaign and restructuring plan under commssioner > > David Stern brought it back from the dead. You are underestimating the > > power TV. > > > > Mike > > > > >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >Subject: Re: t-and-f: USATF Advertising idea... > > >Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 11:21:53 EST > > > > > >In a message dated 1/30/02 8:23:59 AM Central Standard Time, > > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > > > > > > > > > > OK, why is distance running not popular in the US but fly fishing >gets > > >great > > > > ESPN time? Why can't the general public watch a 13 minute 5k, but I > > >have > > > > co-workers (in NYC, not down south) getting amped to work half a day >so > > > > they > > > > can sit on their couch and watch machines speed around a track 500 > > >times? > > > > Its all about advertising. Television advertising. > > > > > >Michael... it is NOT all about television advertising. In fact, I would > > >posit > > >that the popularity (or lack thereof) of distance running in the U.S. >has > > >little to do with the sport's TV exposure. Heck, they can show baseball >24 > > >hours a day on TV and I still won't like it, or watch it. Same goes for > > >beer... surely the most advertised product on primetime sports TV, but >I > > >still am not remotely interested in it. And NASCAR? Heck, I live "in >the > > >south" and I wouldn't watch that garbage if it was the ONLY thing on >TV. > > > > > >People like what they like for odd reasons, and no amount of slapping >them > > >in > > >the face with endless "cute" or "touching" or "cool" ads will change >that > > >much. > > > > > >As for your assertion that you could easily raise millions of dollars >for > > >an > > >ad campaign... then just do it (sorry, Nike...). Talk is cheap. Once >you > > >get > > >that first million, come back and share with us how easy it was. And by >the > > >way, you'll have to operate under the same restrictions as USATF, i.e. >no > > >"ownership" of athletes and their images. > > > > > >Glen McMicken > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at >http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp. > _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp.
