The Ultimate Fan

Fun With Flavors

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 11:45:42 -0400

Sports and ice cream are among my favorite things. (And NOT Dippin’ Dots… clearly NOT the “ice cream of the future.”) They didn’t have “Last Licks” ice cream shops when I was growing up, but I suspect that if they did, I might have frequented them.

“Last Licks,” termed the “Sports Bar for Kids,” has four locations, including one in New York City and three in Westchester, N.Y., and even has clever sports star-inspired names for some of their flavors, including Brandon Jacobs’ “Louisiana Pecan Crunch,” Tiki Barber’s “Tiki-Tacchio,” and Mike Richter’s “Ricky Road.” Among the fun sundaes available at Last Licks include the Mint Messier, the Lickey Mantle, and Ali’s Knockout Sundae.

Fun, indeed, which made me think of some other historical sports figures whose names might make appropriate flavors. Sure, there’s the obvious ones like Darryl’s Strawberry and anything involving David Cone, but I want to go a little more obscure.

Frenchy Bordargaray Vanilla
Darryl Dawkins’ Chocolate Thunder
Dennis Rasmussen Raspberry
Napoleon Lajoie Neopolitan
Van Lingle Mango
Cookie Rojas and Cream
Elvis Patterson’s Toasted Almond

Quarter-Price Tickets in New York Boost World TeamTennis Playoffs This Weekend

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 21:53:00 -0400

It’s not often that the tickets to a playoff matchup cost less than those of the regular season — especially for a first-place team coming off a near-sellout in its final match. But World TeamTennis has been breaking convention and providing family-friendly entertainment for 35 years, the brainchild of none other than Billie Jean King.

So maybe it’s not such a surprise that the New York Sportimes, batting down to the wire for first place in the WTT Eastern Division and the accompanying home match on Friday at 7 p.m. in the playoff semifinals, is offering fans $10 general admission tickets (and kids 12 and under free) as a “thank you” for a month that has included great crowds and exciting tennis.

Should the Sportimes win their match at Newport Beach (yes, that Newport Beach, in California), they’ll make the quickie return to Randall’s Island in Manhattan, to their home courts at Sportime, the home of the new John McEnroe Tennis Academy, for the semifinal.

The All-American team of Abigail Spears (pictured), Ashley Harkleroad, Jesse Witten and Robert Kendrick, coached by Chuck Adams with the occasional playing appearance of McEnroe (four matches) and Kim Clijsters (one) has compiled an 8-5 mark to date, a slim slim 1/2 games ahead of second place Washington and a game ahead of Boston. The top two teams in each division qualify for the playoffs, Sunday in Kansas City.

Fans can click here for details on how to take advantage of the $10 offer.

Two-A-Days Put Undergrads Through Sports Media "Boot Camp"

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:49:49 -0400

For more than a decade, the Fordham University Sports Communication Institute has helped prep students looking for careers in the sports media industry. The two-week, two-session-a-day course, which includes guest lectures by such luminaries as the TV voice of the N.Y. Knicks and NBA ESPN play-by-play man Mike Breen (pictured); Clifton Brown of The Sporting News, Brandon Steiner, founder of Steiner Sports and David Newman, Senior VP of the N.Y. Mets, concludes Thursday.

The Institute, developed and co-instructed by John Cirillo, President of Cirillo World, and Dr. Ron Jacobson, associate VP of Academic Affairs at Fordham, also includes field trips to sports organizations like the Mets and NFL and specialty events like Thursday’s Women in Sports Media panel with Barbara Barker of Newsday, Lolita Lopez of WPIX-TV and Lauren Spencer, formerly of WNBC-TV Sports.

Fordham, located in the Bronx, N.Y., is the alma mater of dozens of highly-respected sports media professionals, including Breen, Vin Scully, Michael Kay and Jack Curry, as well as two of its most famous sporting alums, Vince Lombardi and “The Fordham Flash,” Frankie Frisch.

Guest Column: Mixed Martial Arts Legislation in NY Would Spur New Economic Activity

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 11:56:56 -0400

by Alexia Krause

With the New York state deficit hitting $8 billion, steps need to be taken in order to right the ship that is the state’s budget. Recently New York Gov. David Paterson stated that the projected deficit for the upcoming fiscal year has grown by an additional $750 million. There’s no doubting that the Empire State is in dire straits trying to fix their deficit. It is extremely difficult trying to balance a state budget at a time when the country as a whole is going through some of its most difficult economic hurdles in recent history. This forces us to take a fresh look at which programs will continue to receive funding. As a result, the state has been forced to cut, reject, and outright shut down many state programs and projects in order to make some type of movement out of the red and back into the black. Many of these budget cuts (like closing down state parks and cutting funding to public schools) were rampant and have cast an unfavorable light on politicians in Albany in the eyes of many New Yorkers. However, something must be done in order to fight the ailing state economy. As coincidence has it, a good fight might just be the answer to the budget problems.

On June 16^th, the New York State Senate passed a bill to legalize MMA in the state in an effort to help amend the state’s financial problems. Opening the floodgates for MMA in New York would be more of a benefit to the state than it would to the MMA Industry. For years, promoters have happily held venues in nearby New Jersey. Mixed martial arts competitions like UFC, among others, have been banned in the state because many lawmakers felt it was too brutal of a sport (even though other legal sports like football and hockey can be just as- if not more- brutal). With the passing of this new bill, fans will finally be able to support their home state and local venues. MMA events would potentially have access to one of the most active metropolises in the world- New York City. There are dozens of great venues surrounding the state who have been capitalizing on this opportunity for years. At the UFC’s most recent event held in New Jersey, there were more New York residents in attendance than NJ natives. Fortunately state legislators have finally come to the realization that legalizing MMA will open access to a new revenue stream that it gravely needs.

By welcoming MMA in the state, as much as $11 million in economic activity could be generated for each event held. This activity ranges from salaries paid to venue workers, to an increased interest in martial arts training academies and dojos, and to tourism dollars spent in the surrounding area. At every step of the way, tax revenue is generated. Governor Paterson expects over $2 million generated annually if the bill is passed. The MMA organization UFC (who would play a large role in scheduling events in the state) is broadcasted in over 170 countries, made $5.1 million in Pay-Per-View sales in 2007 alone, and averaged 30.6 million viewers in that same year. This is 3 years ago mind you; the figures projected for the next fiscal year are much higher. This type of outreach is bound to benefit the state and bring thousands to events, thus helping the economies of struggling New York state cities.

Holding events isn’t the only way that this bill will help bring money to the state of New York. In fact, the broad reach of allowing MMA to be legalized is something that will affect participants in the sport from top to bottom. For example, people who run mixed martial training gyms and programs will see a huge revenue generating boost in enrollment that will give many the chance to train and compete in their home state. This bill may even have the effect of preventing violence instead of causing it (which opponents of the bill argue) because it will allow many kids to go someplace safe after school. Studies have shown that when at-risk children are trained by mentors in a disciplined sport such as MMA, they are less likely to become involved in criminal or violent activities. This is one of the most important aspects of the bill from a human perspective, and one of the greatest reasons why this bill needs to be passed.

Every once in a while, a sport can transcend its origins and become a true cultural phenomenon. This is what MMA could be for the state of New York and that is precisely why this bill needs to be passed. The New York budget is going through one of its worst economic times ever, but by legalizing MMA, it can help to fight back against the deficit and make a difference in the lives of millions of New Yorkers.

Update:

As of the morning of June 29^th, 2010, the state assembly quashed the proposed bill which would legalize the sport. The efforts to block MMA in the state are led by a Mr. Bob Reilly, Assemblyman of the 109^th district. You can read some of his stances in an interview conducted by Ben Fowlkes of cagepotato.com last year. If you visit that link, pay careful attention to his inconsistencies and question-dodging. This man claims to be a lifelong fan of boxing, but some of his comments in that interview are quite surprising.

Although this decision is a big setback for the industry, this is not the final word for the measure. New York is one of only 6 states which blindly ignore this sport. With your support, new revenue and jobs can be still be created.

Alexia is a lifelong fan of sports and fitness. Recently, she’s been smitten by Mixed Martial Arts. She is happy to be representing MMA Industries, proud suppliers of MMA training gloves to athletes around the world. Alexia continues to bring you the latest news in the mixed martial arts world on everything from the most advanced MMA equipment to the newest MMA shirts.

Figurine 'Versus' Figurine

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:43:11 -0400

The popular Round 5 UFC collectibles took another step forward with today’s release of images of the new “Versus” line, described as “pairs of distinctly new figures highlighting battle scenes from great UFC matchups.”

The first set is from historic UFC bouts between Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Wanderlei Silva (UFC 92), 2008; Forrest Griffin and Jackson (“The Ultimate Fighter 7”), 2008; Frank Mir and Brock Lesnar (UFC 100), 2008; and Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell (UFC 66), 2006.

As seen in the images, the Versus figurines come with an Octagon section display. They are expected to be available at Toys”R”Us across North America this fall, and at other retailers later in the year.

Many of these fighters have been given the Round 5 treatment before in earlier series. But, like new baseball cards or other representative collectibles, fans like to have the most up-to-date versions, and this new series adds the twist of commemorating classic matches.

I’d like to see MacFarlane or one of the others with the MLB license create pairs like this for Bobby Thomson-Ralph Branca, Mookie Wilson-Bill Buckner, Bucky Dent-Mike Torres and the many other “two-packs” that could be done.

New Tennis Mascot Stirs Up The Fans While Reaching For The Stars

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 17:48:00 -0400

The sport of tennis is known more for its unique characters on the court than ones roaming the seating areas. But World TeamTennis is a different animal, so to speak. That’s where “Tennis the Menace” comes in. And for college senior and aspiring astronomer Joel Peralta of New York, climbing into the furry green bear-like mascot of the New York Sportimes has been a new experience.

“I’ve never been a mascot before, but I saw an ad on Craig’s List and thought, ‘Hey, I can do that,’” said the 20-year-old senior at Stony Brook (N.Y.) University, whose sports teams are nicknamed the Seawolves. “I’ve seen the wolf mascot at our college games a lot, and of course others, so it looked like a lot of fun.”

Peralta was born and raised in Washington Heights in Manhattan, just a few miles from the Randall’s Island home of the Sportimes, whose captain, John McEnroe, knows a thing or two about being a ‘character’ on the court. Unlike the Seawolf or some other animal, there is no pre-determined mannerism for a “Menace” – or, for that matter, a “Sportime” – so Peralta has been able to use his outgoing personality to bring life to “Tennis the Menace” in his own style.

“I just like to go out there and be really silly,” said Peralta, who has been a bit hit with fans and players at the team’s first two matches, even enduring a playful shove by one of the team’s stars, Robert Kendrick, in the pre-game introductions in Monday’s opener. “The kids like to stop me to take pictures, and I try to pump up the crowd, dance a little to the music. I basically want to make the experience a little more fun for everyone.”

World TeamTennis, which is celebrating its 35^th anniversary in 2010, is the brainchild of tennis legend Billie Jean King, who developed the format and rules to encourage fan participation and a more raucous atmosphere than the pro tour, which adheres to century-old procedures and often staid conduct. The Sportimes, in their second year in the new Sportime complex on Randall’s Island, have five home matches remaining in July, with names like McEnroe, Andy Roddick, Serena Williams, Kim Clijsters and Martina Hingis among those competing.

As for Peralta, the astronomy major has his sights set high, to one day work for NASA. But for now, while he takes a break from his rigorous studies, he’s taking some time to spread some fun around the tennis universe.

“If kids and other fans remember ‘Tennis the Menace’ as part of a great time they had while watching tennis,” added Peralta, “I consider that a pretty good night.”

Five New Inductees to Irish Baseball Hall of Fame

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 14:07:49 -0400

The Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame has announced its inductees for 2010: New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman, veteran TV analyst and former player Tim McCarver, longtime New York Mets announcer Bob Murphy, famed statistician and Boston Red Sox executive Bill James, and Mike “King” Kelly, baseball’s first superstar.

The honorees will be inducted on Friday, August 6 at Noon, when their plaques will be unveiled at a ceremony held at Foley’s NY Pub & Restaurant (18 W. 33rd St.), which houses the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame. Voters include past inductees and a panel of baseball historians.

“This deserving group includes successful executives, a beloved voice of the New York Mets, a four-decade player and Emmy-winning broadcaster, and an early legend that time has nearly forgotten,” said Shaun Clancy, president of Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame and owner of Foley’s, which features one of the country’s most extensive public displays of baseball memorabilia.

With a blessing from Cooperstown, Foley’s, a popular destination among baseball players, executives, umpires, media and fans, created the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame to recognize players, managers, executives, journalists, and entertainers. Inductees are chosen based on a combination of four factors: impact on the game, popularity on and off the field, contributions to society, and ancestry/connections to the Irish community.

McCarver was a two-time All-Star selection (1966, 1967) and World Series champion (1964, 1967). During a career that spanned from 1959 until 1980, McCarver also played for the Phillies, Expos and Red Sox.

During Cashman’s tenure as GM, the Yankees have won six AL pennants and four World Series championships (1998-2000 and 2009). began his career with the New York Yankees as an intern in 1986. He moved up the ranks and eventually succeeded Bob Watson as General Manager in 1998.

Bill James has authored more than two dozen books on baseball history and statistics. He coined the term “sabermetrics” for his innovative statistical analysis of player performances. In 2003, James became a senior advisor for the Boston Red Sox and is credited with advocating moves such as the team’s emphasis on on-base percentage.

Murphy was a TV and radio announcer for the New York Mets from their inception until his retirement in 2003. Beloved for his sunny disposition and “happy recaps” of Mets’ victories, he and colleagues Lindsey Nelson and Ralph Kiner described both the ineptitude of the 1962 Amazin’s and the ecstasy of the 1969 World Series. He died of lung cancer in 2004.

Widely regarded as the game’s first superstar, Kelly was a colorful catcher, outfielder and manager and one of America’s first sports celebrities. He was the subject of a hit song, Slide Kelly, Slide, and a Vaudeville star. A two-time batting champion and daring base runner, historians credit Kelly with developing the hit-and-run, the hook slide, and the catcher’s practice of backing up first base.

The game of baseball has long welcomed immigrants from its earliest days, when an estimated 30 percent of players claimed Irish heritage. Many of the game’s biggest stars at the turn of the 20th century were Irish immigrants or their descendants, including Kelly, Roger Connor (the home run king before Babe Ruth), Eddie Collins, Big Ed Walsh and NY Giants manager John McGraw. Today, major league teams regularly sign players born in Latin America, Japan, Canada, and elsewhere.

Clancy, an amateur baseball historian, created the Hall after learning about the rich heritage of Irish Americans in the sport dating from its infancy – a legacy that has been overshadowed in recent years by other ethnicities. He decided to celebrate his roots and those who helped make the game great by creating a shrine to Irish Americans in baseball in 2008.

...On A Horse With No Name

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 14:39:00 -0400

Talking animals like Mister Ed, the Geico Gecko and the Taco Bell Chihuahua have been a part of television for years. New Yorkers will have the chance to meet one of the newest talking mammals — and even help name him — as Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway launches its “Who’s that Horse Name Him and Win” contest with a live appearance by the equine on Wednesday at the News Corp building (1211 Ave. of the Americas).

The harness racing horse appears in Empire City’s television commercials, which have had extensive runs in the New York metropolitan area since 2009, often wisecracking or flirting in the fun spots which highlight various aspects of the casino and raceway.

Fans can help pick the name and win $1,500 if their entry is selected. Submissions will be accepted at the live event on Wednesday, at the promotions booth at Empire City Casino or online at www.EmpireCityGaming.com.

The Empire City horse has already met thousands of fans who visited him during the recent “Summer Festival” at Yonkers Raceway on June 19.

Empire City’s horse follows in the hoofprints of television’s most famous talking horse, Mister Ed, who appeared in the 1960’s show featuring the horse Bamboo Harvester (voice by Allan Lane) and starring Alan Young, who portrayed the character Wilbur Post, the only one to whom Mister Ed would speak.

N.Y. Pro Tennis Team Searching for "Ball Seniors"

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 08:49:03 -0400

The New York Sportimes today announced that they have created and are accepting applications for the first-ever “Ball Senior” position for their select July home matches at the new Sportime at Randall’s Island facility. The “Ball Seniors” program will be sponsored by investment and estate planning company Snearson-Houmis of New Jersey.

“Tennis is a game that can be enjoyed at any age, and there are thousands of people in the area above the age of sixty who have played and kept in shape with this great life sport,” said Sportimes General Manager John Dato. “This promotion will give us an opportunity to have that demo show everyone that they are active and can have some fun with us for some of our matches this July.”

Interested parties can send an email explaining their interest on being a “Ball Senior” to ballseniors@gmail.com. They should include tennis experience and knowledge and whether they have any experience in being involved as a ball person previously. The Sportimes will then select one or two candidates to participate as “Ball Seniors” at five home Sportimes home matches from July 11-19. Winners will be given a uniform, season tickets to the Sportimes, and a small stipend. The deadline for entry is Monday July 5, the same night the Sportimes begin play with a home match against the Washington Kastles.

Blyleven Voted “Greatest Dutch Sportsman” By Grand Central Oyster Bar Media Vote

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 13:51:19 -0400

Circle Me, Bert! Minnesota Twins standout pitcher Bert Blyleven has been voted the “Greatest Dutch Sportsman” in a media ballot conducted by New York City’s historic Grand Central Oyster Bar. The favorite son of the Netherlands outpolled his two nearest competitors by a 2-1 margin in a survey of national sports media.

The promotion was in conjunction with the annual Holland Herring Festival at the iconic Manhattan seafood eatery and a Heineken Salute to Dutch Sportsmen, which was launched last week. Dutch herring from the Netherlands is air-expressed to New York for a two week period at the Oyster Bar. You could say that Blyleven caught the big fish.

Jim Kaat, another outstanding hurler for the Twins, and the Mixed Martial Arts legend Bas Rutten finished in a deadlock for second place, but accumulated just half the number of votes of the leader. During a major league career that spanned three decades, the right-handed Blyleven amassed 287 victories and 3,701 strikeouts during a 23-year major league career that included two stints in Minnesota, and stops in Texas, Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Anaheim. Known for his outstanding curveball, Blyleven was American League Rookie of the Year in 1970, and hurled a no-hitter for the Angels in 1977. Blyleven is now the color analyst on Twins television broadcasts.

Johnny “Double No-Hit” Vander Meer, track and field greats Fanny Blankers-Koen and Cornelius Warmerdam, soccer legend Johan Cruyff and basketball sharpshooter Kiki Vandeweghe finished in a five-way tie for fourth.

Pitcher Curt Schilling, former Indiana Pacer center Rik Smits, U.S. Open tennis champion Tom Okker, the Dutch kickboxer Semmy Schilt, Olympic gold medalist Anton Geesink, and three time Stanley Cup champion Joe Nieuwendyk also received votes. In two somewhat odd ballots, former Jets wide receiver Wayne Chrebet, because he was a “Flying Dutchman” as a collegiate player at Hofstra University, and the Yonkers Raceway harness driver Brett Holland, because of his last name, both received single votes.

Cervelli Talks About Humble Childhood

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 13:16:52 -0400

Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli opened up about his childhood yesterday in a Q&A session with fans as part of an “open house” at Steiner Sports in New Rochelle, N.Y. on Monday night. When asked why he didn’t wear batting gloves that when Cervelli was growing up in Venezuela, he simply couldn’t afford them. He noted that Jorge Posada didn’t wear them either, eliciting a big chuckle from the crowd.

Cervelli also showed his humble side when discussing 2009 World Series shares. When asked whether he received a full share, Cervelli confirmed that he had, but said he was not aware that it was the other players that had voted for him, and that he would thank them tomorrow, drawing another hearty laugh.

Reserve outfielder Marcus Thames, currently on the disabled list, was also in attendance Monday night. In recalling the first-pitch home run off Randy Johnson in his first Major League at bat in 2002, he remembered that Yankees manager Joe Torre had promised to bring him up at the first opportunity, and fulfilled that as soon as another player was injured. Thames also told the group, many of them children, how excited he was to be back in Pinstripes this year.

Young fans also took photos with the two players and toured the Steiner Sports warehouse, which stores memorabilia from 100 years of Yankees and sports history.

Fantasy Sports Guru Perdew Talks Business

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 21:15:00 -0400

The fantasy sports business has grown into a multinational, multibillion dollar industry with thousands of sites, from small information gathering blogs to huge endeavors by media giants like ESPN and Yahoo, all looking to satisfy the jones of any sports fan who wants to out-do his friends, family or favorite (or hated) general manager. What started as a baseball ploy just over 30 years ago is now a multi-season, multi-sport bonanza replete with mini-games, tournaments and championships on a weekly basis. Fantasy sports has transformed the coverage and the viewing patterns in sports like football and baseball and has migrated over time to global sports like golf, cricket and soccer. There is even fantasy NASCAR. One top five site, Fantasy Sports Ventures, based its original model on aggregating the best independent fantasy sites and has seen its growth surpass 16 million visitors a month, many of which are people looking to get that little edge to be better at the front office game than anyone else.

This week the 2010 World Cup starts, and with it has come a digital onslaught for fans looking to best follow and engage with their favorite side. Fantasy soccer is really still in its infancy. A number of games have caught on, two of which were developed for large platforms: Sports Illustrated and the popular social entertainment site hi5.com…by Los Angeles-based game developer Rotohog.

While media companies and many smaller sites have looked to attract eyeballs and sponsors to the games themselves, Rotohog has built an amazing behind the scenes business developing, implementing and in some cases marketing, fantasy games from everyone from the NBA and NASCAR to Turner and Pro Football Weekly. The company recently added entertainment fantasy games for media brands like “US Weekly,” and are in the process of assisting media giant Bloomberg in building its first Facebook game for baseball. The CEO of Rotohog is former Apprentice winner Kelly Perdew, who has also helped launch other digital startups like eteamz and Pro Elite. We took a few minutes to ask Perdew what he thought about the landscape and if World Cup could be the time when fantasy soccer firmly takes root. Here is a look:

1- This is a big year for the brand of soccer in the US, with World Cup and MLS expansion. Do you see the fantasy market growing for soccer exponentially this year and if so why in the States?

I doubt it will grow exponentially in the US but it will grow. For a few reasons… 1) the pervasiveness and viral nature of technology delivery systems makes everything available no matter where the consumer is – TV, Social Media, Mobile – the World Cup will have all eyes focused on it and this will translate into many, many viewers and fans. 2) the major media companies in the US, especially ESPN, have expended extraordinary amounts of money on distribution rights and you can be they are going to hype it to the hilt. 3) the US has a good team and will go very far in the competition, which will spark more nationalistic fan interest. All of these things will be good for Fantasy Soccer; but, the US is still learning about the sport and all fantasy has roots in loyalty to an athlete, team or sport.

2- Has the fantasy market in Europe started to grow for soccer? how popular are fantasy leagues for elite clubs and what kind of games are they?

Yes, it is growing in Europe as well. However, there is a damper…in most jurisdictions in Europe, fans are allowed to gamble on sports. This fact somewhat dampens fans enthusiasm for Fantasy Sports. Pick ‘ems and Salary Cap games are the most popular in Europe and usually run by the major media companies.

3- Baseball and football are very stats oriented games which make them naturals for very detailed fantasy play. Soccer is a much simpler game. Can soccer fantasy be as engaging as football and baseball are here?

Absolutely. The number of stats in soccer are more than sufficient to create an engaging game – goals, minutes on field, shots on goal, yellow cards, red cards, dribbles, penalty kicks, corner kicks, goalie saves, defensive saves, hand balls, head balls, bicycle kicks, tackles, etc. Additionally, there are many ways to add fan behavior as well as virtual goods into the game dynamic. For instance, we just launched a World Cup Soccer Game on hi5 that includes a concept called confidence points (the game allows you to distribute a certain number of Confidence Points across your selections and provide you weighted returns on those selections).

4- Even in baseball, fantasy has not really expanded outside of the US, to places where the sport is popular like Asia and Latin America. Do you think fantasy is still more a North American phenomenon?

Yes, to some degree. However, Cricket, Rugby, Soccer, Golf, F1, Basketball, Baseball all have huge followings abroad and the market is ripe for a lot growth. We built and delivered a baseball game in Spanish for Fox Sports International last year and there were huge Central and South American followings.

5- What will it take for this year’s World Cup to be the tipping point for fantasy soccer globally?

Large sponsorships, exciting prizes, and the appropriate style of game for each of the regional audiences. For instance, for those countries not used to playing fantasy sports, you can’t give them league manager style games and expect huge adoption. You have to provide a suite of games with varying levels of complexity to engage the largest audience.

6- How does Rotohog view fantasy soccer as a growth sport to say, fantasy hockey or cricket?

Soccer, Cricket and Hockey in that order. They all have different appeal. Soccer has the largest, worldwide fan base. Cricket has a very large Indian ex-pat consumer base that is a very desirable demographic. Hockey fans and fantasy players are known for being the most zealous. Fortunately, RotoHog supports all three!

7- The games that Rotohog designed for hi5 and Sports Illustrated are relatively simple ones for fans to play. Is there not a need for an in-depth soccer fantasy game at this time?

Our platforms enables us to provide any type of fantasy game that exists. We have, in fact, provide salary cap style soccer games for large media companies in Brazil (games were in Portuguese) and they were some of our most avid fantasy players. But as I noted above, you want to understand and deliver the appropriate style of game for your audience. The 4-5 weeks of World Cup and the International nature of the audience dictate that you should keep a game relatively simple.

So as the world turns to South Africa starting this week, more and more fans will be also turning to their laptops and following the stars of their favorite country. While that passionate following may not lead to an immediate boom in business, it may some day make fantasy even more of a reality for the world’s most popular sport, and if that does happen there is a good chance the a builder like Rotohog will be there to make sure the games run smooth, consistent and are as much fun and engaging as fantasy football and baseball fans already enjoy today.

Johnny Mac CAN Be Serious... About Tennis In New York

Thu, 20 May 2010 13:19:04 -0400

The phrase “tennis academy” brings to mind settings like Florida and California, with aspiring young stars practicing serves and groundstrokes and doing tennis drills from dawn to dusk. It’s a formula that parents see as the best way to give their kids the best chance — realistic or not — at a scholarship or the pros.

John McEnroe has another idea in mind.

Drawing from his own experiences growing up in New York, having developed his game there and achieved some of his greatest successes on the U.S. Open courts, McEnroe this week announced the formation of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy, part of Sportime at Randall’s Island, a 20-court complex which opened less than a year ago. On a teleconference on Wednesday, McEnroe discussed the motivation behind the new endeavor.

“If you know me, this is something I’ve wanted for a long time, having grown up in the New York area,” said the four-time US Open champion,” and seeing tennis somewhat disintegrate here. “So it seemed only natural for me to put together a tennis academy [here]. I used to play other sports on Randall’s Island, when I was in high school at Trinity. They’ve put in hundreds of millions of dollars, including this tennis facility. It’s great for the City of New York.”

McEnroe, 51, can’t recall a great player having come from New York in the past 25 years.

“I’m living proof of someone who can live a ‘normal life,’ go to school and play other sports, and succeed in tennis,” he added.

The experiment could be considered a risky one, given the current economic climate and the seemingly diminished level of interest in tennis in the U.S. But Claude Okin, CEO of Sportime Clubs and the N.Y. Sportimes World TeamTennis franchise, is confident that the Academy will be a huge hit, with two McEnroes — John and his younger brother Mark, general manager of the Randalls Island site, leading the way.

“This is not a trial balloon,” explained Okin. “The Academy is constructed and funded, there are almost 3000 tennis players using the facility now, and 1000 juniors playing now; many have had the treat of interacting with John this year – under the radar, as he has begun to put the tools in place.”

While discussions have already taken place with the USTA, the sport’s governing body and promotional engine in this country, Okin says the project is a go regardless.

“Whether or not we end up in quasi-partnership with the USTA, and as we add sponsors, the John McEnroe Tennis Academy is going to be here for a while and produce players,” he said. “And most importantly, it will maintain enough independence that can reflect the wisdom and inspiration of John McEnroe, a pretty independent guy.

Therein lies some of the dilemma. For as much as John McEnroe has meant to American tennis in the past three decades-plus, he has maintained an independence that, coupled with some criticism of the USTA and its strategy in growing the game, has made a partnership seem less likely, even if his other brother, Patrick, is general manager of USTA Elite Player Development.

“For many years, I talked to the USTA about this type of thing at the tennis center, naming it the John McEnroe Tennis Academy, but I was unable to get through,” he said. “Now I have this tremendous opportunity to work with Claude and his people at a facility that is as good or better than the Tennis Center. With the tens of millions [the USTA] make[s] in a single year I would think that it’s in their best interest and the sport’s best interest to welcome us with open arms and provide us with money that they provide other programs.”

The Academy will open in September, with a summer’s worth of activity at Sportime and the July World TeamTennis season helping to generate interest. The Academy will hold open tryouts for youngsters ages 8-16 interested in attending the Academy, with at least one boy and one girl earning scholarships for the fall. The tryouts will be held on July 14 (boys) and July 19 (girls) and will tie in to WTT Sportimes matches those evenings, in which McEnroe will participate.

McEnroe has a vision for those kids and the others that find their way to Randall’s Island.

“My academy, based here in the world’s greatest city, will provide a balance of world-class tennis and fitness training, along with a New York experience, so maybe our kids will be a little more creative, a little more intense, and will be able to think on their feet a little better, like any New Yorker,” he said. Over time and with my guidance and that of our hand-picked coaches and pros, I think our students will see great success.”

Home Runs Add Up To Free Yankees, Sox Memorabilia

Thu, 06 May 2010 17:53:41 -0400

For fans of the Yankees and Red Sox, a well-timed home run during Saturday’s game at Fenway Park won’t just bring in some runs for their favorite team. It can also bring them some free Steiner Sports memorabilia.

From now (Thursday, May 6), all day Friday, May 7, through Saturday at 3:05 p.m. ET, (just before the 3:10 p.m. first pitch), fans who purchase select Steiner Sports Yankees or Red Sox player-specific memorabilia will receive their item free of charge should that particular player hit a home run during Saturday’s game. For “Bronx Bombers” and “Sawks” zealots, it will be a new-fangled version of the “Home Run Derby” to send baseball’s most heated rivalry to a new zenith this weekend thanks to Steiner, which is hitting one out of the park for collectors, “See Ya,” “It’s Outa Here,” and “Kiss It Good Bye!”

“To celebrate this weekend’s Yankees-Red Sox Series, we wanted to offer fans this unique opportunity,” says Brandon Steiner, CEO of Steiner Sports. “This adds another level of excitement, for fans of both teams, to a game that would ordinarily be must-watch television anyway.”

Fans can log onto www.SteinerSports.com or call 1-800-759-SCORE to purchase their player-specific item. Should that particular player hit a home run on Saturday, the fan will not be charged for their ordered item, and will receive it free of charge (standard shipping rates will apply). If that player fails to hit a home run, all orders will be treated as usual and will be subject to normal charges.

“It’s really simple,” says Steiner. “For example, purchase a Derek Jeter hand-signed baseball from Steiner Sports prior to the game; if Derek hits a home run, you won’t be charged for that baseball. The same would apply for all players on both teams this Saturday.”

Fans are encouraged to place their orders under the following guidelines: Orders must be placed prior to first pitch on Saturday, May 8, 2010 (approximately 3:05 p.m. EST). All sales are final, even if a particular player doesn’t appear in the game. The standard 30-day return policy does not apply. Game used or Yankee Stadium demolition items do not apply. This promotion cannot be combined with any other offer and is only valid on new orders placed between Thursday, May 6, at 3 p.m. and Saturday, May 8, at 3:05 p.m. Should multiple players appear on a single piece, all players must hit a home run to qualify.

Last Look at Giants Stadium, Seats Still Available

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:08:39 -0400

I haven’t been able to bear stopping by Yankee Stadium in its final days. I know that it’s just a building, but last year’s send-offs gave me proper closure.

I only saw a dozen or so games at Giants Stadium, and because there were fewer games played there and over a shorter period of time, the good-byes have been less celebrated. But I think they are just as keenly felt by Giants fans, who, like Mets fans, won’t have to see the unattended facility sit through a yearlong stay of execution as Yankee fans did last year.

Yankee Stadium memorabilia got the lion’s share of notice, but Giants Stadium yielded plenty of goodies for collectors as well. Steiner Sports, the same group that handled the distribution of pieces of the House that Ruth Built, is concluding its auctions this weekend on Giants Stadium items.

The iconic Giants Stadium sign from above the building, the ‘Play Like a Jet’ sign above the equipment room and section markers autographed by Lawrence Taylor are among the offerings. Taylor and other Jets and Giants greats including Eli Manning, Marty Lyons, Joe Klecko and Brandon Jacobs have also signed seat backs that are also on the auction block.

Goal posts, game-used turf and yard markers have been turned into commemorative items that fans can also bid on.

Emotional Highs

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:08:00 -0400

The Center for Media Research deposits an email in my box via the very useful MediaPost a few times a week with research briefs from different sources that I occasionally find interesting.

One caught my eye today, from the Cinema Advertsing Council (CAC), involving emotional attachment people have to movies. Now, the “NewMediaMetrics 360 Cross Platform Study” is a product of the CAC, which, according to its Website, “serves cinema advertising sellers, the theatrical exhibition community and the advertising community, acting as a central source of information for the industry.”

So — surprise! — the study has found that movies have a higher emotional attachment rating (between about 43 to 45%, depending on the category) than TV, radio, magazines and the Internet, which range from about 20 to 30%, for consumers of various types of goods and dining services.

Additionally, the study notes that the 41.5% rating for movies is also higher than watching major televised sports and entertainment events, including the Super Bowl (emotional attachment rating of 39.7%, Summer Olympics (26.3%), World Series (22.8%), Oscars (16.1%) and Grammys (15.1%).

The full report, including methodology, is available here.

It’s easy to be skeptical of a report whose results so clearly benefit the group that commissions it, but I think that within the general consumer population there is some truth to it.

But here’s the issue I have with the study. The sporting events listed in the televised category are the largest viewed by “casual” sports fans; they are once-a-year happenings, whereas NFL or MLB or NBA fans who watch their favorite teams and others dozens of times a year may have a larger emotional attachment, just as Kanye West fans have a greater attachment to his music than to the Grammys and dedicated “Lost” fans are closer to that show than to the Emmys.

The goal of the study is to show that the cinema is a viable environment for marketers to connect with consumers. Fair enough. But I think the way it was structured underestimates the emotional attachment that sports, music and TV fans have to those respective categories.

World Series Victory Art

Tue, 13 Apr 2010 22:51:18 -0400

Yankees Manager Joe Girardi has been stressing that today’s World Series Ring ceremony at Yankee Stadium is an opportunity for the team to gain “closure” on the 2009 championship and become fully invested in 2010. I think it’s a good, if symbolic, marker, and a day to celebrate the title for the last time.

In that spirit, I thought it was interesting that artist Opie Otterstad, who has painted official World Series celebration works, today gave a first look at the 2009 piece in advance of Saturday’s official unveiling at Pop International Galleries, in SoHo, NYC.

Artist Steven Holland will also display art depicting Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Alex Rodriguez at Saturday’s event.

The Mad Dominican

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 22:20:00 -0400

In the 70s, there was The Mad Hungarian. Today, there’s The Mad Dominican.

A generation ago, Al Hrabosky was a mustachio’d, excitable-type left-handed reliever for the Cardinals, Royals and Braves. Those of us old enough to have seen Hrabosky pitch will principally remember his histrionics prior to facing a new batter. He would take the ball behind the mound, rub it up roughly, then slam it into his glove.

Sammy Gervacio, righty middle reliever for the Astros, isn’t exactly mad. In fact, his unusual pre-pitch routine drew mostly laughs from the Giants dugout when he entered in the 8th inning of today’s season opener. Before each pitch, the wiry 25-year-old holds the ball up and looks directly into the third-base dugout, pausing for a second before coming to the set position.

As pre-pitch routines go, it’s unlike anything I — and apparently the visiting Giants as well — have ever seen. The Astros announcers were ready for it, and the Fox Sports cameras caught most of the pauses, and got some good shots of the San Francisco players yukking it up. It helped that Gervacio retired the Giants in order with relative ease, and after an impressive 29-game stint (1-1, 2.14 ERA, 25K in 21 innings) with Houston last year, he looks like he has the stuff to stick.

I remember Hrabosky mostly as a Royal, even though only two of his 13 seasons were in Kansas City. But those were 1978 and 1979, when the Yankee-Royal rivalry was in full bloom. Even though, to this young Yankee rooter, he was on the “enemy” team, Hrabosky made a positive impression on me as a baseball fan. To know that there were unique personalities like Hrabosky made watching the game a richer experience. I hated him and was especially pleased when Reggie Jackson took him into the Royals Stadium waterfall, but having that emotion made the game much more fun to follow.

I hope that some young fan today, learning the game and its players for maybe the first time, saw Gervacio and had some of those same thoughts — that if you look closely, you’ll see something unique in different players, something that might make you gravitate towards (or away from) a particular guy.

Hot Dogs still rule baseball concessions

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 18:35:00 -0400

Opening Day — or in the Yankees’ and Red Sox’s case, opening night — is just two days away, so the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council has picked an appropriate time to tout the hot dog as the undisputed king of ballpark concessions.

From its release today:

The NHDSC predicts that ballparks around the country will serve 21,378,064 hot dogs this season, enough to round the bases 29,691 times. If laid end-to-end, the dogs would stretch from the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., to Coors Field in Denver, Colorado, with enough left over to give a hot dog to every fan at every Colorado Rockies’ home game for the entire 2010 season. In addition, the NHDSC predicts ballparks will sell 4,933,853 sausages this year.

That’s a whole lot of weiners.

“Old” Yankee Stadium didn’t have much to offer in the way of food outside of the hot dog realm, and the selections were pretty limited. Regular size and slightly larger “jumbo” were available at most stands, and a select few had “footlongs.” Of course, the vendors came around with “dirty water” dogs that looked awful and smelled worse. For most games, it was a dog or maybe a sausage, or grab a slice at the pizza place up 161st Street before the game.

Now, the new Stadium has tons more offerings, even a choice between standard, footlong and natural casing dogs. The entire first level is full of vendors that there had simply been no room for in the old Stadium.

My favorites at Yankee Stadium last year were the Boar’s Head corned beef and pastrami sandwiches (usually made to order, unless you got there too early) and Philly Cheese steaks (not the Chicken Cheese steaks, which looked substantially less appetizing).

I didn’t branch out much further than that — I made the chicken fingers mistake once — but I might try a few others this year, just to see what else is out there.

It also doesn’t hurt to have a Carvel stand right near the entrance to my station. Of course, it would help if they didn’t run out of ice cream most games by the 7th inning…

Mauer Extension News Best For Baseball

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 23:04:17 -0400

I’ve been a Yankees fan for more than 30 years. In a way, it’s kind of strange, because in just about everything else, I root for a collection of perennial underdogs, small-market teams, mid-majors and general underachievers.

In that time, you can count on one hand (well, maybe two) the number of players that were available that the Yankees really wanted — that is, REALLY wanted — that they didn’t get. Greg Maddux comes to mind, and while dozens of guys have also used the Yankees for leverage elsewhere, not too many have gotten away. Whether they were the right moves (cough, cough, Carl Pavano, cough, Danny Tartabull, cough, Hideki Irabu, well… you get the point).

Which is why today’s news that Joe Mauer is staying with the Twins, thanks to an eight-year, $184 million contract extension, is so great for the game. The Yankees and Red Sox won’t be replacing the catchers who have meant so much to their organizations but who are near the end of their respective stellar careers with Mauer; it will take some old-fashioned player development. Or, of course, they can go and get another catcher from someone else. But it won’t be the big fish. He’s staying put.

The Yankees and Red Sox will continue to compete every year, and guys that hit the market will always pass their resumes through New York and Boston on their way to wherever they end up. But every team deserves a chance at keeping its stars, and though it took a new stadium and unprecedented commitment (the Twins are looking at a $90+million payroll this year), the Twins and Mauer found a way to get it done.

This way, when the Yankees are celebrating World Series titles No. 28 through 31 in the mid-2010’s, it won’t be because they just took Mauer from Minnesota.