Sports Yapper: Creating an Online Sports Bar

Sports Yapper is one of the first businesses to try to utilize the social internet setting to create a space for sports fans.  In short, Sports Yapper is a place to go where you can talk sports with other sports fans.  The goal of Sports Yapper, according to co-founder Eric Goldstein, was to get away from Facebook, Twitter and texting.
The app, which is for both iPhone and Android, is essentially an online sports bar minus the drinks.  By giving a virtual space to voice an opinion about a sporting event that is on helps build a community where fans can go.
Sports Yapper is the first to harness this idea using the 'Game On' technology to essentially generate an ongoing commentary of a live sporting event.  However, I have yet to see it utilized in that manner yet.  The idea of generating a commentary of a sporting event by fans is one that has yet to be released by the media as a means to tell a story.

    

Building an Online Audience

The Brooklyn Nets' success of re-branding utilized a number of social media marketing strategies as well as the use of technology.  The YES network wisely sponsored a small-startup business called The Brooklyn Game, an online news outlet for everything Brooklyn Nets related.  I had the pleasure to work for this company and it provided Nets fans not only in-depth coverage but a way to see the full Brooklyn Nets fan-base on a regular basis.  

Both the YES Network and The Brooklyn Game utilized Twitter in order to see how far the Nets brand could go.  During Nets live-game broadcasts the announcers would reveal segment called, 'Where Brooklyn At?'  Fans would submit a picture of themselves wear Nets apparel in a remote location such as Europe, Alaska, and even Africa.  As for the Brooklyn Game, they published a series a of tweets, using storify, called 'Rep Your Nets.'  This application gave The Brooklyn Game essentially free content to utilize in their story-telling.  

The Brooklyn Game would collect tweets throughout the game that would develop into a game story with fan commentary.  This helped create a a large online community following The Brooklyn Game as they now became part of the story.          

Value of Re-Branding in the NBA: The Brooklyn Nets

Through the help of a successful 2012 off-season the Brooklyn Nets re-branded its franchise successfully by moving from New Jersey to Brooklyn.  Despite a first round loss in the playoffs to the injury depleted Chicago Bulls, the Nets were able to re-brand themselves from lovable losers to perennial winners.
According to Forbes, the New Jersey Nets were listed as No. 14 in 2012 on the list of highest valued NBA franchises at $357 million.  After the full transformation into the Brooklyn Nets, the team is now ranked No. 9 and is valued at $530 million.
The Nets didn't just create this overnight sensation out of nowhere, they used social media to market their new brand.  Through twitter the Nets began targeting their social media audience with #HelloBrooklyn.  The #HelloBrooklyn campaign stormed the twitter-verse and caused excitement for the city's newest team.  The #HelloBrooklyn campaign was also used to crowd-source a homemade Brooklyn song that would become the Nets new anthem.

      
The use of twitter was able to create the basis for a new-found fan base.

Value of Major League Baseball Brands

This week Sports Monopoly will focus in on the competing businesses within the four major American sports—baseball, basketball, football and hockey.  For the MLB, there is a distinct advantage in which a team can build its brand.  The advantage lies within a limitless salary cap.  

While MLB executives have drastically tried to hinder the act of 'buying' players and leveling the playing field for non-major market teams, the advantage still lies with these big time ball clubs.   

Mike Ozanian, a staff writer for Forbes Magazine, wrote an article realeasing the value of Major League Baseball franchises.  According to the article, of the top ten most valuable franchises only one, the St. Louis Cardinals, were a not in a major market.

The New York Yankees have benefitted the most from the major market and historical accomplishments to create the most valuable brand in baseball at $2300 million.  Through the YES network, being in New York and having a tradition of winning, the Yankees have been able to master the brand.

Teams like the Tampa Bay Rays have converted to a recent winning history, however, still struggle to put fans in the seats at Tropicana Field, due to the lack of the Rays brand.