Sports Biz

Here is my interview today with Nike CEO Mark Parker on what Nike has in store for the up coming Olympic Games in London.

Nike

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[NKE  Loading...      ()   ] is revealing their new innovations like the Hyperdunk plus, which basically, you can put in your iPod. You do any movement and it tells you everything about agility. NBA super star Lebron James will be wearing one of these during the games.

That's just one of the new products according to Parker, so take a listen to the interview.

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For years, fans have held mini heads of players on a stick. I remember holding one myself in 1999 of our best player Evan Eschmeyer while I was at Northwestern.

Source: Build-A-Head Jeremy Lin Big Heads

And while Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon made heads on a stick a frequent feature on their popular ESPN show “Pardon The Interruption,” it took years for heads to go viral across the country.

The tipping point? Bigger heads that have been noticed on TV and by still photographers have attracted greater buzz.

The guy responsible for most of the recent talk about heads is University of Alabama student Jack Blankenship, who made a head of himself making an ugly face and matches that with the same ugly face behind the basket where the opponent shoots his free throws.

“The university will print out pictures of random celebrities and players on the basketball team for everyone to hold a photo of and I figured it would be hilarious to bring a picture of myself making a face, between my friends, that we like to do,” Blankenship told The Today Show on Tuesday morning.

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Photo by Darren Rovell for CNBC.com Mitch Modell is making his biggest bet yet on one athlete, Jeremy Lin.

Mitchell Modell stood in the corner of his flagship store in Times Square with his flip phone pressed to his ear, trying to find out when the truck with his new merchandise was showing up.

Ten minutes later, boxes of gear arrived, marked “Lin #17” in black Sharpie.

Two store employees, armed with X-Acto knives, sliced through the taped cardboard as 25 or so fans looked on, waiting for the blue and orange shirts and jerseys to be placed on the rack.

Moments later, customers were rifling through, trying to find the right sizes, as TV crews filmed the frenzy.

Sometime, in the very near future, there will be a company that might take a big bet on Jeremy Lin.

Until then, Mitchell Modell has more riding on the 23-year-old Harvard graduate turned Knicks point guard, than anyone else in the country, save for Knicks owner James Dolan.  » Read More

Photo By: Adam Jeffery for CNBC.com Sports Illustrated Covergirl Kate Upton recreates "THE" pose.

From 'The Dougie' to the cover of the Sports Illustrated

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[TWX  Loading...      ()   ] swimsuit issue, Kate Upton's stock continues to reach new highs.

The 19-year-old supermodel stopped by CNBC to discuss her rise to fame, how the internet has helped shape her career, and where she expects to be in ten years.

During the segment, CNBC sports business reporter Darren Rovell made a bold move — dropping to one knee — asking Kate to be his Valentine.

The blonde bombshell tried to let him down easy saying, "I definitely want the chocolate, but there’s a little bit of a waiting list.”

Here are some amazing (and sometimes hilarious) photos from Kate Upton's visit to CNBC. » Read More

In October 2010, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit editor MJ Day had invited me to show up to a model’s body painting, even though the issue wouldn’t be out for four months. I couldn’t say anything about who she was and MJ only allowed me to tweet body parts.

Getty Images Model Kate Upton

But I knew this 18-year-old girl was a star. She had the personality – a childish laugh, a great sense of humor – and the non-traditional body that SI loved.

Sports Illustrated has made a name by steering away from the skinny model craze and pushing more towards women of more normal proportions.

What stood out to me? Confidence. She knew what she wanted and she was going to get it.

She told me her dream had always been to be in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and she came to IMG to represent her because she they had faith that she could crack the issue at 18, young by the issue’s standards. That she did.

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When not many people believed in Jeremy Lin, there was Roger Montgomery.

The sports agent, whose only other NBA client is Mo Evans, who plays for the Washington Wizards, traveled to Harvard during Lin's senior year on the belief that one day Lin would be an every-day NBA player.

Montgomery said that scoring Lin as a client wasn't by default.

"The competition was steep," Montgomery said.

But Lin's and Montgomery's dreams came to a halt when Lin wasn't drafted. Sure, he got a garbage playing time with the Golden State Warriors, but things didn't materialize and the Rockets picked him up and released him, which Rockets general manager Daryl Morey quickly acknowledged was a mistake.

"He has always had this skill," Montgomery told CNBC. "It's just that no one really wanted to give him a chance to show what he could do."

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Getty Images Victor Cruz dances at City Hall following a ticker-tape parade in Manhattan celebrating the team's Super Bowl win over the New England Patriots.

Today on CNBC fresh off his Super Bowl win, Victor Cruz was asked about the most-talked about action "off the field."  » Read More

Photo by: Seth Paladin Seth Paladin couldn't believe the time Antonio Brown spent with him

January 31 9:29 am: Tweet from @AntonioBrown84: Indianapolis #steelernation talk to me

January 31 9:39 am: Tweet from @sdpaladin: @AntonioBrown84 I live in Indy! Let's get lunch! How's 12:30?

It started just like that.

Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown had arrived in Indianapolis for the Super Bowl with some time on his hands. So he told his fans where he was. Seth Paladin, a die-hard Steelers fan, had planned his normal Tuesday. He was about to start his day as a sales representative for home security company ADT. But the fan in him decided to be bold, as he quickly scanned his Twitter timeline before going out. Not expecting much, he tweeted at the Steelers Pro Bowler, with 85,000 followers. He wanted to see him in person.  » Read More

On and off the field, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has all the markings of a perfect endorser. He's a winner, he's got the crossover good looks and plenty of confidence.

Eli Manning? Winner, sure.

But beyond that the younger Manning doesn't exactly compete with Brady for national attention in the advertising world.

Yet data from one national pollster reflects that Manning, who has deals with Reebok, Toyota

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[TM  Loading...      ()   ], Oreo & Citizen Watch, should be getting more attention.

Getty Images New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady with New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning.

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At an average of $3.5 million for a 30-second ad, the Super Bowl is an expensive proposition for any advertiser. It's also an incredible value, at least when compared to what they pay for a standard spot that gets no buzz and is likely seen as more of an annoyance than content.

Source: Youtube.com 'Ferris Bueller' Super Bowl Ad with Matthew Broderick.

Over the past couple of years, Super Bowl advertisers have started to play with the idea of releasing their ads ahead of the game.

Others have issued teasers, so as to hint what their plan is but not give away the surprise.

Whether it's a teaser or releasing the full commercial, I think it's a bad mistake.

Let's get this straight: I clearly sympathize with the marketers dilemma. Why shouldn't I try to own the audience for a few more days? Why shouldn't I do that before the game as the media runs out of stories to tell?

The answer? In order to achieve buzz, time is not a factor. When a company pre-releases an ad or even a teaser, the chance of garnering that white hot momentum that every advertiser craves is significantly lessened.

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