The world of sports endorsements

Athletic endorsements have an allure that other industries don’t have; fans feel connected to players and their successes through their endorsed products. This makes the field extremely lucrative, raking in millions of dollars for athletes and even more for endorsing companies.

Lebron James / Serenity Forbes / Flikr.com

Adding an athlete's name to a product instantly draws fans to buy it. Fans look up to these athletes in one way or another, so these products make them feel connected to their heroes. Consider the popularity of Lebron James’ basketball shoes; not only is he a great player on the court, but he’s also a role model to many aspiring athletes. In 2012 Lebron's shoes earned Nike $300 million which was a 50% increase from 2011.

“There’s an emotional connection that fans make when they see their sport heroes endorsing a line of shoes,” Robert Passikoff said in a 2013 Forbes article. “It’s something that they both physically and emotionally identify with. Maybe they even think in their heart of hearts that the equipment will help them play a bit better.”

Both the brand and athlete benefit from these endorsements. When professional athletes are endorsed they increase the brand equity, or how well known the brand is. Popular athletes can expand the prestige of a brand because of how idolized and highly valued they are, in return athletes get to remain in the center of attention on and off the court.

Not only can athletes increase the brand’s equity, but they also get endorsed when their public image aligns with the values of a company. When athletes mess up their public image, they often lose lucrative endorsement deals. One example is Michael Phelps losing Kellogg’s endorsement. They cut ties with him after he was caught smoking an illegal substance.

"We decided to send a strong message to Michael because he disappointed so many people, particularly the hundreds of thousands of USA Swimming member kids who look up to him as a role model and hero," the Kellogg's organization said in a 2009 NYTimes.com article.  

 Brands ride on the skill and image of popular players to make millions. It seems that this trend will continue due to the ever present reverence for athletes; however, some think with the influx of social media, athletes will become even more popular. In the future, athletic endorsements may increase dramatically because of greater fan to player connectivity.

By: Daniella Smith & Austin Carvey

The fan experience at HSMSE

The students at the High School for Math, Science, and Engineering who attend the varsity games are few in number, but still feel the need to go support the teams. These students want to see a good game and be involved in their teams' performance, all while having a fun time with their friends.

Students find the sporting events a very exciting experience. These fans add on to the popularity of games and attempt to persuade their friends to accompany them.

“Being a fan is exhilarating.” sophomore Omar Carrera said.

They expect to see an entertaining game that is full of hustle throughout the event. Our fans feel enthusiastic about the school teams, and attending helps them relieve stress.

“They help motivate their team like, ‘I gotta win this game for my school,’” Carrera said about fellow fans.

Both Carrera and fellow sophomore Matthew Chae have attempted to get more people to attend. The main reason for not attending is time; their friends say they don’t have the opportunity and don’t want angry parents. Basketball games start at 4:30 PM, and sometimes even later. Despite the late start, both Carrera and Chae find the experience rewarding, better than just going home and being bored.

“Usually people ask their friends, and they say, ‘No no no it’s kinda late,’” Chae said.

The presence of fans at games have a positive effect on player performance, and the players appreciate having them at the games. Most fans at the games are there supporting friends.

“I appreciate the effort they put into coming to the game,” sophomore boys soccer player Alexei Ohotin said.

The fans of the HSMSE are a small, yet dedicated bunch who enjoy the mostly unappreciated sporting events at our school. Games are made possible to attend for all people, even if time constraints are present during the school week. If the fan base is to grow, more students have to give it a try because current fans are really enjoying it.

Fans React to Lockout

NBA players and owners have been in a debate about money, and it has caused a shutdown of the NBA. There is little to believe that the lockout will be resolved anytime soon. "I feel like [the owners] aren't helping us out, they're not trying [to] meet us halfway with it,” complained Kevin Durant in an ESPN interview. Yet the owners and players fail to realize that there will not be any money to distribute if fans stop going to games.

Players have been preaching about their sacrifices to help the dispute come to a quicker resolve. But are the players the only ones that are sacrificing? With two weeks of the season canceled due to the lockout, the fans have lost interest in watching. This may last as long as Christmas, so the fans will leave the routine of watching the basketball game and find something else to spend time.

There were already fans losing interest in 2009-2010. The attendance was recovering in the 2010-2011 season, but this lockout may have been the last straw for fans. The time taken from the season has only angered the public. Basketball fan David Boykin expressed his frustration in a FOX Sports article, “It seems almost like a wasted effort.” This fight over the rich getting richer has irritated once loyal followers of the NBA.

If the lockout comes to a resolution, will there still be fans waiting to watch the games?