New Blog: Wisconsin-Minnesota Sports

I have been working on a new blog about Wisconsin and Minnesota sports. The domain is: http://wiscosotasports.com

Check it out, and let me know what you think! Feedback would be much appreciated.

Jerome

Topps Introduces First 3D Interactive Sports Cards

From what once represented a $1 billion business, the market for sports trading cards has shrunk to around $200 million in yearly revenue today, according to Major League Baseball Properties. The internet age has significantly affected the demand for trading cards, which has companies such as Topps and Upper Deck experimenting with new technologies to help gain popularity for their cards once again.

Topps has introduced a new baseball card, the Topps 3D Live, which uses 3D technology. Collectors who hold a special Topps 3D Live baseball card in front of a webcam will see a three-dimensional avatar of the player on the computer screen. When the card is rotated, the figure rotates in full perspective on the screen. Collectors can also play elementary pitching, batting, and catching games with their 3D avatar using the computer keyboard. Total Immersion, a French company, brought Topps the technology which it calls "augmented reality," a combination of a real image with a virtual one.

Michael Eisner, former CEO of Walt Disney, bought Topps for $385 million in 2007, with grand plans of reshaping the trading card industry. Eisner has said that he sees Topps as much more than a trading card company. "I see it as a cultural, iconic institution not that different from Disney -- it conjures up an emotional response that has a feel good kind of uplift," he told the New York Times.

Eisner has also created Back on Topps, a 17-episode Internet comedy that spoofs his acquisition of the company and is currently developing a movie based on Bazooka Joe bubble gum, another of Topps' products (Disclaimer: Back on Topps features Randy & Jason Sklar, the twin brothers from "Cheap Seats" -- if, like me, you find yourself clenching your teeth when you listen to them speak, take a pass on the link).

Topps and Upper Deck already drive collectors to their websites by inserting special cards with unique codes in the packs. Collectors can create avatars, trade virtual cards, and enter virtual worlds to interact with other collectors by simply entering the codes at Toppstown.com or UpperDeckU.com.

Louise Curcio, VP of Marketing at Upper Deck, says virtual cards that "come alive and contain video" are the next step in repositioning trading cards in the Internet age. It will be interesting to keep an eye on the trading card business as new technologies are introduced to the market. Eisner has brought a ray of hope to Topps, the current leading baseball card company.

Clearly, if sports trading cards are to survive in today's market, they must expand their business models to make use of new media and internet technology. This seems like a great start!

Leading Off: Gary Coleman

The struggling economy has hit sports franchises from several different angles: sponsorships, advertising, merchandise sales, and not least of all, ticket sales. Many teams have decided not to raise ticket prices this season and are finding creative ways to bring in fans.

I came across this hilarious promotion that the Madison Mallards, a summer collegiate baseball team in the Northwoods League, put on last August. As the team got ready for the late season playoff push, they signed actor Gary Coleman to a one-day contract as a designated hitter and slotted him as the lead off batter.

“As the Mallards prepare for the playoffs we feel that we need a special player to help put us over the top,” GM Vern Stenman said at the time. “Gary brings a lot of intangibles to the field and I feel like his presence would help invigorate our club as they get ready for a run at a championship. You can’t coach a strike zone like Gary has and I anticipate him being a force at the top of our lineup.”

He makes a good point about the strike zone! Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to see Gary swing for the fences. Watch as he gets ejected for corking his bat with bouncy balls....

Eastbound & Down Brings the Heat

If you haven't seen or heard of HBO's new comedy Eastbound and Down, then it is time we change that. Danny McBride (Pineapple Express, Tropic Thunder) stars as Kenny Powers -- a washed-up Major League pitcher working as a middle-school gym teacher. Check out the trailer:



After throwing 101 MPH heat and striking out the last batter to win the World Series in his rookie year, Powers' career went downhill fast. Amid steroid allegations, increasingly obnoxious behavior, and slow pitch speeds, his time in the Majors was over after only a couple of years. See his baseball trading cards here (these come from a brilliant promotion by HBO in which the 5 cards appeared as inserts in various sports magazines).

With Will Ferrell as co-executive producer and playing a cameo role as car salesman Ashley Schaeffer, he has quite an imprint on the show. More than just outrageous comedy, the show takes on the task of portraying the selfish, egomaniac star athlete who we find on the front page so often nowadays (wait, didn't he just sign with the Buffalo Bills?).

Teams Using Twitter to Connect with Fans

Many teams are using Twitter and other social media to stay in touch with their fans. Twitter allows teams to advertise, promote and provide news to fans for no price -- an increasingly effective tool in sports marketing.

The Minnesota Timberwolves, for example, have made good use of Twitter. For a recent home game, they used Twitter for a special ticket giveaway. The Phoenix Suns are another team that has used Twitter to its advantage. Led by Director of Digital Media & Research, @PhoenixSunsGirl, the Suns have established quite the Twitter presence.

Shaquille O'Neal and Steve Nash both have Twitter accounts, which they use to update fans about their lives and have real one-on-one connections with them. While Nash may or may not be the one updating his Twitter account, Shaq is no doubt a Twitter fanatic who Tweets consistently throughout the day:

• "To all twitterers , if u c me n public come say hi, we r not the same we r from twitteronia, we connect"
  

• "I feel twitterers around me, r there any twitterers in 5 n diner wit me, say somethin"

This Tweet by Shaq prompted two lucky fans at the same 5 n diner to say hi to the Diesel. If anyone is skeptical whether it is The_Real_Shaq, rest assured it is. One skeptical fan became a believer when Shaq called him on the phone to prove his point.

While Twitter began as a simple tool to update friends on "what you are doing," it has evolved into something much greater and significant than that. It has become a legitimate news outlet and marketing tool. Twitter also allows for third-party applications, and there is no shortage of useful applications out there. One application which I find particularly useful is Twackle, an aggregator of sports news. Twackle allows you to choose your favorite team or league and receive all that has been said about it on Twitter, from ESPN and the local newspaper to your blog-obsessed friend Greg.

It is important for sports teams and companies in general to establish a presence on Twitter, as the technology will only continue gaining popularity. In addition to providing its fans with news updates and connecting with them on a more personal level (oh, the irony), Twitter allows teams to more easily receive feedback from fans. Using an aggregator like Twackle can help teams keep up with what fans are saying about them -- both good and bad.

You can find me on Twitter @JeromeHarrison. I just created my account recently but am appreciating its usefulness more and more every day. Sign up, it can only help!

Minnesota Gophers Basketball Player and Team Reporter Host "The What Else? Show"

Minnesota Gophers basketball player Travis Busch and Minnesota Daily team reporter Zach Eisendrath host an internet talk show called "The What Else? Show" that has become quite a hit on the University of Minnesota campus. Described as a mix between Wayne's World and Seinfeld (the show about nothing), "The What Else? Show" discusses a wide range of topics mostly unrelated to basketball.

The Big Ten Network recently aired a special feature on the show:



Gophers coach and demigod Tubby Smith approved as long as the co-hosts did not discuss Gophers basketball. The show, which touches on a variety of random topics and includes interviews and audience participation, continues to gain popularity on -- and off -- the U campus. The witty co-hosts and entertaining segments equal guaranteed laughs every episode. Be sure to check out the show at whatelsemedia.com.

Cassel to the Chiefs: Why the Patriots Settled for Less

News broke on Saturday that QB Matt Cassel, who had been slapped with the Patriots' Franchise Tag, was traded, along with LB Mike Vrabel, to the Kansas City Chiefs for one second-round draft pick. It is hard to deny the interesting circumstances that surround this trade.

Bill Belichick's Co-Genius for eight years (and 3 Super Bowl Championships), Scott Pioli, just happens to be Kansas City's first-year General Manager. After the Patriots designated Cassel as their franchise player, the price tag for another team to sign him as a free agent was two first-round picks and his hefty salary. Of course, it was unlikely that a team would sign a one-year starter with a price tag that steep, especially knowing the Patriots were eager to rid themselves of Cassel's outrageous cap number and were open to a trade for less compensation.

The fact that Cassel was traded is neither suspicious nor a surprise. The fact that he was traded to Pioli's new team in a bundle with LB Mike Vrabel for a measly second-round pick is what has raised so many eyebrows. In a column for Fanhouse, Jay Mariotti calls it a "sweetheart deal" and thinks commissioner Roger Goodell should get involved.

The low compensation that the Patriots received is especially interesting considering that on the same day of the trade, the Patriots were close to a three-team deal with the Bucs and Broncos that would have netted them at least a first-round pick for Cassel. Also discussed in the potential three-team trade was Broncos QB Jay Cutler, who is apparently quite upset upon hearing the news (or is he?).

Entering this offseason, the Patriots were as close to the salary cap limit (about $128 million) as a team could be after they franchised Cassel. Now, after getting rid of Cassel and Vrabel's considerable contracts, they have somewhere around $15 million in free cap space. Problem solved.

But why didn't the Patriots get more for Cassel?!

I believe that, for one, Mariotti could very well be right that Belichick gave Pioli a "parting gift" of sorts. After all, the two won three Super Bowls together, went to four, and basically built the most dominant franchise since the Steelers of the '70's (and in an era of free agency and salary cap!). A nice way to give your buddy an immediate boost in his first gig as General Manager.

But while Belichick may have favored Pioli in trade discussions, he isn't that nice of a guy! I believe Belichick wanted only a second-round pick in exchange for Cassel for the very same reason he wanted to trade him -- the salary cap. A first-round pick (the Chiefs' #3 overall, for example, which wouldn't be unreasonable for Cassel and Vrabel) would require a significantly higher contract than a second-round pick. In addition, the opportunity cost of waiting a few extra days for the better deal -- while potentially missing out on signing desired free agents -- was not worth it to Belichick. So he took the sure thing.

Voilà! Belichick clears massive cap space and puts the Patriots in position to make a splash in free agency. The Chiefs, and Belichick's buddy, get a franchise quarterback for cheap. Both sides happy.

Somebody Call Dr. Phil for the Denver Broncos

Less than two months after firing two-time Super Bowl winning Head Coach Mike Shanahan and hiring his replacement, 32-year old and first-time Head Coach Josh McDaniels, the Denver Broncos find themselves in quite a predicament.

It was reported last Saturday that the Broncos were actively shopping QB Jay Cutler, at one point almost agreeing to a three-team trade with the Patriots and Bucs that would have made Matt Cassel the Broncos new starting quarterback. When the trade did not go down, and Cassel was traded to the Chiefs instead, Jay Cutler caught wind of the trade talks and expressed his discontent.

First of all, Josh McDaniels is crazy to even consider trading Cutler. Sure, he was the Patriots Offensive Coordinator until this season and knows the great things Cassel can do in his offensive system. But Cassel had one productive year in perhaps the most stable franchise in all of sports. Cutler, with a rifle arm that could legitimately be compared to Brett Favre's, has blossomed into a superstar that most any team would kill to be able to build a team around.

By all accounts, Cutler is loved by his Denver fans and teammates. Definitely not the way McDaniels wanted to start his tenure in Denver -- with a seat already as hot as an industrial furnace. McDaniels should immediately begin mending his relationship with Cutler. If he ends up trading Cutler and his successor doesn't fill Cutler's big shoes, then McDaniels will be run out of town. If Cutler plays poorly for the Broncos this year and the bitter relationship between quarterback and head coach continues, McDaniels could be run out of town as well. Either way, it seems he has set himself up for failure.

But, while McDaniels may be crazy for considering trading Cutler, the superstar QB has proven to be quite the prima dona. The NFL is a business, and no matter how important you are to your team, you also carry around a number. No player should ever be exempt in trade talks, if a trade can help the team. Carmelo Anthony, who the Denver Nuggets recently considered trading, has some advice for Cutler in the Denver Post. C'mon Jay, get over it. You're not the first player a team ever CONSIDERED trading.

What adds intrigue to this story, however, is Peter King's recent discovery that Cutler asked for a trade soon after the season ended. Supposedly, Cutler was upset when Offensive Coordinator Jeremy Bates (who Cutler openly supported as the Broncos next head coach), left to coach for USC. So perhaps Cutler's game of crybaby is part of a bigger plan to get traded. If this is the case, then Cutler can only be described as one thing. Either way, this adds an interesting dimension to the Cutler saga, and it will be interesting to monitor as the offseason moves forward.

Milwaukee's Miller Park Partners with Summerfest to Hold More Concerts

The Milwaukee Brewers reached a deal last week that will allow the operator of Milwaukee's Summerfest to book major concerts at the 41,900-seat Miller Park. The venue has hosted very few concerts since its opening in 2001. The George Strait Country Music Festival and the supposed "band" N'Sync played at Miller Park in its opening year. Since then, only Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band and Bon Jovi have played the venue.

Summerfest is run by Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. and has an average of more than 75,000 people attend each of its 11 days of entertainment. Summerfest bills itself as "The World's Largest Music Festival."

President and CEO of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. Don Smiley said in a statement, "This agreement provides an opportunity to leverage our proven resources and expertise in targeting and securing world-class entertainment, while working cohesively with Brewers Enterprises to help maximize Miller Park for our community."

This deal clearly benefits both the Milwaukee Brewers and Summerfest. In these trying economic times, in which sports teams across the spectrum are needing to find creative ways to sell tickets, the option of holding major concerts at Miller Park sounds like a homerun. All four major concerts held at Miller Park have each drew more than 34,000 people. The current "main stage" of Summerfest, the Marcus Ampitheater, only holds a capacity of 23,000. The option of holding major Summerfest concerts at Miller Park will greatly increase Milwaukee World Festival's revenue from Summerfest and revenue for the Milwaukee Brewers, since the Brewers do not have to share any revenue from concerts with other MLB teams.

Charles Barkley, Tiger Woods' Golf Coach to Star in New Series

Charles Barkley, the outspoken NBA Hall-of-Famer, commentator, and famously TERRible golfer, will star in a new reality show on The Golf Channel with Tiger Woods' coach, Hank Haney. The new reality show, The Haney Project, which premieres tonight at 8 p.m. CT, will put Haney up to the task of fixing Barkley's hilariously ugly golf swing.

Sir Charles, who at one point was a 10-handicap golfer, has not broken 100 in several years. He most recently finished last at the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship in July. Barkley said the idea for the show came after he was bombarded with an unusually large number of "golf tips" from anonymous passer-by's after the Celebrity Championship. "It's kind of funny, but it's kind of like, 'Wow, I must really suck,'" Barkley said after the tournament.

There are seven episodes scheduled for The Haney Project, five of which have already been shot. The premiere begins just two months after Barkley's most recent run-in with the law. On New Years Eve, Barkley was arrested for a DUI in Scottsdale, Arizona, after registering a .149 BAC. The details of the arrest created quite a stir in the blogosphere for weeks to come.

According to the police report, Barkley was in a hurry to receive oral sex from a female friend when he ran a stop sign. He said the woman had performed the sex act for him a week earlier and "it was the best one he had ever had."

Sir Charles can be criticized for many things. Lack of honesty, however, is not one of those. It is reasonable to assume that production of The Haney Project had already begun when the New Years incident occurred, but I am curious as to whether or not it would have even mattered. No matter what controversy Sir Charles surrounds himself with, people continue to be drawn to his affable personality (Take a look at Frank Caliendo's Barkley impression, which is almost spot-on).

Personally, I will be tuning into The Haney Project for no other reason than to watch Barkley act like a complete clown. In a marketing and sponsorship environment that often has little tolerance for legal mishaps (See Michael Phelps and Kellog's), Barkley's seemingly unfazed celebrity can be attributed to the public's attraction to honest and compelling sports personalities. People are generally willing to forgive mistakes made by celebrities if they are honest, apologetic, and able to acknowledge their faults.

Whether or not Haney can actually fix Barkley's awful swing remains to be seen. Five bucks says Barkley improves his game by three strokes or less. Any takers?