Sports fans rejoice!
Good morning. It is a beautiful time for sports fans.
If you follow sports (especially any of the major ones), then you know that there is no shortage of viewing options right now.
All five major American sports leagues (MLB, MLS, NBA, NFL, and NHL) are currently active and pulling on different heartstrings of ours. These are by no means the only active sports, but, according to a 2021 survey by Statista, they are the 5 most popular by American viewers.
This is a time where we can enjoy the unparalleled optimism of a new season, the shake-the-dust-off frustrations of some early/mid season games, and the unbridled chaotic energy of a championship series.
Whether you are a devoted fan or a casual supporter, enjoy the wins of the season and don't let the losses get you down! Lessons are learned in both.
-- Taylor and the CG Sports Co team
Ps. Congratulations to all of the Diamondbacks and Rangers fans amongst our midst! Enjoy the 2023 World Series when it begins later this week!
OTHER BIG NEWS THIS WEEK:
Brian Gushue's book, The Grass is Always Greener: One Football Fan's Improbable Quest to Attend 500 NFL Games, is currently 50% off on Amazon. Act now!
P.S. Nervous about missing upcoming news from CG Sports? Follow us on Instagram (@cgsportsco), Facebook (CG Sports Management), and, of course, our weekly newsletter.
The World Aquatics Swimming World Cup concluded in Budapest, Hungary this past weekend.
Kieran Smith delivered swift swims in multiple events, collecting medals in the 200 free (3rd - 1:46.93), 400 free (2nd - 3:46.80), and the 200 IM (2nd - 1:58.98).
Click here to view full results from Budapest.
The USA 3x3 women are back-to-back gold medal winning champions! Team USA took down Chile in the semi-finals, before facing Columbia in the final game with Cierra Burdick scoring two of Team USA's points from the final game.
The 3x3 team plays on a half-court of basketball with a 10-minute clock and 12-second shot clock.
Read the full report from USA Basketball online.
The 2023 Pan American Games splashed into action in Santiago, Chile earlier this week and Paige Madden and Jack Dahlgren have posted some amazing swims.
Madden opened night one with a gold medal and a new Pan American record in the women's 400 free (4:06.45). She has since added two more gold medals in the 800 free (8:27.99) and the 800 free relay (7:55.26; individual split - 1:58.50, anchor leg).
Dahlgren delivered a third place finish in the 200 fly (1:57.53) and anchored the men's 800 free relay to a second place finish (7:08.06; individual split - 1:45.67).
View full results from the Pan American Games online.
Ideas for marketing Olympic athletes
This post is for sponsors and marketing folks who are beginning to work with athletes! Sponsoring an Olympian is exciting. To help, here are a few examples of what we have seen work over the years for successful ways to integrate an athlete into your marketing.
Below are examples of successful marketing activation campaigns that companies have used to integrate athletes into their brand.
Professional photography: Schedule a photoshoot with the athlete to capture professional photos that can be used by both Sponsor and athlete. These images will have a lengthy life span and can enhance the relationship between athlete and sponsor.
Example 1: Olympian Elizabeth Beisel + Pentair
Example 2: UCAN + Olympic Captain Maggie Steffens
Integrate athlete in “out of home” marketing: Out of home advertising (OOH) is a form of advertising that can be found outside of a consumer’s home. Traditionally this includes everything from billboards to bus shelters, benches, and everything in-between. OOH ads are difficult to avoid, and they can have a significant impact on consumers due to their size and contrast to the real-world environment. Alongside this, OOH has a positive effect as a complement to digital advertising. One study found that consumers are 48% more likely to interact with a digital ad after being exposed to an OOH ad first.
Example 1: Natalie Hinds + City of Midland
Example 2: Clear Channel Outdoor + Swim Across America (NYC times square)
In-person engagements. Bring the athlete to your next big in-person event to engage with key stakeholders, VIPs, customers or community members. They can give a motivational speech, bring their medals and provide an unforgettable experience to the audience.
Community engagement. Bring your athlete into your next community event as your spokesperson.
No big deal - just CEO Cejih Yung and CG Sports author Carla Albano out to lunch!
Purchase Albano's book Soul of a Swimmer and learn more about the Nicholas Dworet Memorial Fund online.
DNA Physical Therapy
Bodies age and injuries happen. Unfortunately, many of us may need physical therapy services to navigate our aging and/or injured bodies. Thankfully, DNA Physical Therapy was created to help individuals recover from injuries and excel in their respective sports.
Dr. Nader Amer of DNA Physical Therapy is dedicated to creating a personalized plan with each individual that not only helps them to relieve them from the pain they're in, but also assists them in reaching their top performance goals. This is done by listening to your goals and analyzing your anatomical biomechanics to reduce the risk of further injuries.
Visit www.dnaphysicaltherapy.com to learn more about the services offered by Dr. Nader Amer's office.
Champion's Mojo, Episode #232: "Future's So Bright: Swim Melbourne Masters Magical Growth: Coaches Trinity & BJ Graham"
Meet Trinity and BJ Graham, co-founders of the Swim Melbourne Masters team. This inspiring duo built a now dominant team from a group of 19 swimmers into a thriving team of over 150. Assistant Masters Coach Mike Mirda was also instrumental is helping build the team. Besides planning and execution you'll hear some behind the scenes best practices and how the team just came off winning the 15th Annual Rowdy Gaines Masters Classic by over 2000 points.
They also reveal the secret behind - the “Mahi Magic”, and how their welcoming culture embraces everyone from fitness swimmers to Olympic level athletes. Looking to build and maintain a successful team of your own? Find out the importance of a balanced leadership approach, the art of delegation, and the power of contribution straight from these champions. This episode is packed with insights, motivation and stick around until the end to hear how BJ and Trin met in a charming love story you wouldn't want to miss.
BJ is a US Masters Swimming Certified Level 3 Coach, 2022 Florida LMSC Coach of the Year and winner of the 2022 Kerry O'Brien Coaching Award.
Episode artwork picture of BJ and Trinity Graham enjoying the solar eclipse during the Rowdy Gaines meet.
Catch up on EVERY episode at ChampionsMojo.com.
