Author: horvath

What’s the Purpose of Professional Sports – Provide Entertainment or Determine a Winner?

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Ted Ligety is a great skier and a vocal proponent for increasing the visibility of ski racing. This can be seen in the comments that follow.

“I’ve always believed ski racing is presented and formatted poorly. I can’t think of any successful sports that have a 3-hour half time and fans only see their favorite athlete twice for a max of 4 minutes. I can’t imagine going to a basketball game to watch Lebron James play for 1 minute then wait 3-hours to see him play for another minute. It would not make sense for TV or the fans. Yet this is how a ski race is run. I race at 9am for 1 minute 20 then wait until 1:30pm to do my second run. How is a fan supposed to get into that, live or on TV?”

“Along with formatting changes, every GS and SL should be held at night. That way most tourists near the area of the race (significant number in most winter resort areas) would come to the race for evening entertainment, instead of now most skiers prefer to ski during the day, so the race misses a huge number of spectators at the venue and on TV because people are skiing. (As they should be). This would also create a party atmosphere since there could be a band playing (like Rockfest) which would draw more than just hardcore ski fans, which should be the goal.”

Legity’s comments raise a number of questions, some of which are listed below.

• What is the purpose of professional sports – to determine a winner or entertain a crowd?
• Does the fact that skiing is a winter sport limit its appeal as a spectator sport – no matter the format?
• By proprosing these changes, what is Legity ultimately trying to market?
• Would Legity’s proposed format increase sponsorship, viewership, onsite attendance, and prize money? If so, by how much?
• How would the new format benefit the sport? Would it increase participation, equipment sales, and lesson activity?
• Would the new format give an advantage to a different group of skiers, for example, those who can see better at night?
• Is there other technology that could be used to cover or make the current format more interesting?
• Using Legity’s logic, should Wimbledon be reduced from a two-week tournament to a fast serve contest so that fans could see all their favorites in action in a shorter period of time?

Legity has provided food for thought about skiing and other sports.  Do his ideas have merit or not?

 

Play Ball! Thoughts about Baseball and Life

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Historically, the Cincinnati Red Legs have opened the Major League Baseball [MLB] season. This year the St. Louis Cardinals, sans Albert Pujols, and the Miami Marlins opened the season at Florida’s new ballpark on Wednesday, April 4. The game followed the 2012 MLB Japan opening series between the Mariners and the A’s, which strangely enough was held near the end of the exhibition season.

Over the past couple of years, MLB has been tainted by steroids and the notion that you can win a World Series by renting or buying the best players in the game. Nevertheless, there is something special about baseball. For most, it is the best sign that spring is here – an even better indicator than a date on the calendar or the outcome of Groundhog Day.


One of the best things about baseball is its tradition. And part of that tradition is the wisdom or quotes of some of the personalities who made the sport the national pastime. The following are just a few of the many great baseball quotes from http://www.baseball-almanac.com.

In the Movie “A League of Their Own,” Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks) says to Evelyn (Bitty Schram) “Well I was just wonderin’ why you would throw home when we got a two-run lead. You let the tying run get on second base and we lost the lead because of you. Start using your head. That’s the lump that’s three feet above your ass.”  [Evelyn starts to cry] “Are you crying? Are you crying? ARE YOU CRYING? There’s no crying! THERE’S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL!”

  • “Age is a case of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it don’t matter.” – Satchel Paige.
  • “A great catch (this one was by Curt Flood) is like watching girls go by; the last one you see is always the prettiest.” – Bob Gibson
  • “Booze, broads, and bullshit. If you got all that, what else do you need?” – Harry Caray
  • “I don’t like the subtle infiltration of ‘something for nothing’ philosophies into the very hearthstone of the American family. I believe that ‘Thou shalt earn the bread by the sweat of thy face’ was a benediction and not a penalty. Work is the zest of life; there is joy in its pursuit.” – Branch Rickey
  • “I’m not going to buy my kids an encyclopedia. Let them walk to school like I did.” – Yogi Berra
  • “Why do I have to be an example for your kid? You be an example for your own kid.” – Bob Gibson
  • “Ethnic prejudice has no place in sports, and baseball must recognize that truth if it is to maintain stature as a national game.” – Branch Rickey
  • “It ain’t braggin’ if you can back it up.” – Dizzy Dean
  • “You can observe a lot just by watching.” – Yogi Berra
  • “Everything looks nicer when you win. The girls are prettier. The cigars taste better. The trees are greener.” – Billy Martin
  • “Losing feels worse than winning feels good.” – Vin Scully
  • “I ain’t what I used to be, but who the hell is?” – Dizzy Dean
  • “Little League baseball is a very good thing because it keeps the parents off the streets.” – Yogi Berra
  • “Managing is getting paid for home runs someone else hits.” – Casey Stengel
  • “I never rush myself. See, they can’t start the game without me.” – Satchel Paige
  • “If Satch (Paige) and I were pitching on the same team, we would cinch the pennant by July fourth and go fishing until World Series time.” – Dizzy Dean
  • “In a nation committed to better living through chemistry — where Viagra-enabled men pursue silicone-contoured women — the national pastime has a problem of illicit chemical enhancement. Steroids threaten the health of the 5 percent to 7 percent of players proved, by a mild regime of scheduled tests, to be using them. Steroids also endanger emulative young people. Further, steroids subvert what baseball is selling — fair competition. And they strike at the pleasure of engagement with America’s team sport with the longest history.” – George Will
  • “He (Satchel Paige) threw the ball as far from the bat and as close to the plate as possible.” – Casey Stengel
  • “He (Leo Durocher) had the ability of taking a bad situation and making it immediately worse.” – Branch Rickey.
  • “After I got that hit off Satchel (Paige), I knew I was ready for the big leagues.” – Joe DiMaggio
  • “Being with a woman all night never hurt no professional baseball player. It’s staying up all night looking for a woman that does him in.” – Casey Stengel
  • “Some people have a chip on their shoulder. Billy (Martin) has a whole lumberyard.” – Sportswriter Jim Murray, LA Times
  • “Auggie Busch traded me to the last-place Phillies over a salary dispute ($5,000). I was mentally committed to winning 25 games with the Cardinals and now I had to re-think my goals. I decided to stay with the 25-win goal and won 27 of the Phillies 59 victories. I consider that season my finest individual achievement.” – Steve Carlton
  • “All I remember about my wedding day in 1967 is that the Cubs lost a double-header.” – George Will
  • “He (Bob Gibson) pitches as though he’s double-parked.” – Vin Scully
  • “He slud into third.” – Dizzy Dean
  • “When I gave up a grand slam to Pete LaCock, I knew it was time to quit.” – Bob Gibson
  • “I can see how he (Sandy Koufax) won twenty-five games. What I don’t understand is how he lost five.” – Yogi Berra
  • “Quickest Thinking of the Year: Pulled by Dizzy Dean the day in June when Babe Ruth made a personal appearance at Sportsman’s Park. Diz was supposed to pitch to the Babe. Ruth stepped to the plate, but in his weakened condition, the bat dropped off his shoulder. Sensing danger in the situation, Diz stepped off the mound, strode to the plate and pointed to right field – where the Babe used to clout them. Everybody recognized the gesture immediately.” – The Sporting News (1948)
  • “The way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until it stops rolling and then pick it up.”- Bob Uecker
  • “Correct thinkers think that ‘baseball trivia’ is an oxymoron: nothing about baseball is trivial.” – George Will

Play Ball!

Sports Gadgets – Cyclists Can Check Vital Feedback Safely

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Have you ever been jogging or biking and glanced at your watch to check your pace and crashed and burned? Reportedly that’s what happened to Ian Andes.

For those who don’t know Mr. Andes, he is the inventor of Sportiiiis. He has a story that every athlete can relate to, a brand name that is clever, and a product that sounds rather ingenuous.

In simplistic terms, Sport-iiiis might be called a sports version of Google Goggles. The product is a device that is attached to a person’s sunglasses. For bicyclists, the device use audible prompts and visual colored-LED displays to present performance data from an ANT+ cycling computer attached to the bicycle. This allows cyclists to safely receive vital feedback and plan their output (cadence, speed, or heart rate) when they are going down a hill at 60 mph, scaling Independence Pass, or passing a pack of other racers.

The manufacturers tout both the safety aspects of the glasses and the ability to monitor performance as obvious reasons for their use.

Gimmick or godsend?

For more information check it out at http://4iiii.com/.

 

Colorado Obesity Rate Increases – Again

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Obesity is a serious issue – both from a cost and health perspective – and it can be addressed, in part, by diet and exercise.

Lately the topic has received a lot of air time, particularly in regards to the obesity rate of Coloradans. On March 22, The Denver Business Journal reported, “Health Report Card: Colorado’s Still the Leanest State, but More of us are Obese.”

It is the final six words of that sentence that are the most important.  Thank goodness, the media is looking past the meaningless rankings. They are finally emphasizing the important part of the story.
The article indicated that 22% of Colorado’s population is obese, according to the 2011 Colorado Health Report Card recently released by the Colorado Health Foundation (CHF). In 1995 that level of obesity would have ranked Colorado as the most obese state in the U.S.
Kind of scary how all those French fries pack on the pounds over time. Rather frightening to think about how obesity rates have rising in other states.

The state health care report card includes more than just a discussion of obesity. Additional information can be found by viewing the report card or visiting the CHF website.

 

 

It’s Time for Kids to Learn to Play the Game

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Kids today have so many great opportunities to participate in sports. There is an endless supply of structured opportunities for our youth to learn to play sports – leagues, clinics, camps, private lessons, and tournaments.

But is this a good thing?

What happened to the pickup games? Do kids play anymore without adult supervision? What about playing sports for the fun of it?

Have sports become too structured?

Think back to when you were young and you got your first bike.
• Did your dad buy a set of training wheels so you wouldn’t crash?
• Did you attend a summer camp to learn to ride your new bike?
• Did your father hire a bicycle professional to teach you to ride?
• Did he make you run laps or do 10 pushups when you crashed into the neighbor’s flower bed?
• Did he hire a sports psychologist to help you learn how to ride past your neighbor’s flower bed without crashing into it?
• Did your dad have a sports doctor on retainer to teach you how to stretch before riding your bike or help you recover from your injuries when you crashed in your neighbor’s flower bed?
• Did he have you practice riding up and down the street doing a progression of drills on your bike? First, pedaling down the street using only your left foot and pedaling back using only your right foot?
• Did your father sign you up for a bicycle league so you could compete against your friends to see who was best?
• Did your dad purchase the Dartfish video system so he could compare your bicycle skills to the nation’s best?
• Did he hire a dietician so that you could perform at maximum efficiency while you learned to ride your bike better?

Most likely your dad took you out, put you on your bike, ran along beside you, gave you big a push, said a prayer, and looked for the box of band aids.

America’s youth are fortunate to have so many great opportunities to learn to play sports more efficiently and safely. At the same time, American youth are missing out on the best part of sports – learning to play the game.

Bicycle analogy compliments of John Kessel, USA Volleyball.

Boulder – Fittest or Fattest Take II

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Obesity and being overweight are serious problems, particularly among young kids. Fitness and diet are ways to partially address the challenge.

The Boulder Daily Camera (Around the County – Local section, March 8, 2012) reported that Boulder was the thinnest city in the country. The poll by Gallup-Healthways reported that Boulder had an obesity rate of 12.1%. The city with the highest rate of obesity was McAllen, Texas – they rolled in at 38.8%. West Virginia led all states with a rate of 34%.

The article stated that this study polled 350,000 Americans in metropolitan areas during 2011. Participants were asked to give their height and weight, which was then used to estimate a body mass index. BMI’s greater than 30 were considered obese. The national average was 26.1%. Colorado was the least obese state with a 20% obesity rate.

If you recall, on February 19th, the Boulder Daily Camera reported that a survey of city employees showed that 57% of the City of Boulder workforce was overweight. The report went on to say that 19% of men and 16% of women were obese.

About a year ago, USA Today reported that the Society of Actuaries had determined that the economic cost of people being overweight and obese to the U.S. and Canada was about $300 billion in 2009. Costs were about $72 billion for overweight and $198 billion for obesity. According to SOA, a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is overweight, with anything 30 or higher being obese.

The article stated, “The $300 billion total cost in the United States and Canada is the result of: increased need for medical care ($127 billion); loss of worker productivity due to higher rates of death ($49 billion); loss of productivity due to disability of active workers ($43 billion); and loss of productivity due to total disability ($72 billion)”.

The point of mentioning the above articles is to encourage increased awareness about obesity AND being overweight in hopes that the level of both can be reduced. Focusing strictly on obesity does not fully address the challenges in this area.

 

Portable Biofeedback System for Runners

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Twenty years ago sports gadgets were typically limited to fancy wristwatches. Physiological research was typically done in the lab with treadmills and expensive equipment that required lots of wires and measuring devices.

Today the gadgets are less expensive, more portable, and “reasonably” priced for the serious athlete.

For example, consider the Pear Square device by Pear Sports.

The biofeedback training system costs $250 and includes a foot pod, wireless heart rate sensor and strap, and earphones with a retention system. The user can select music and a training program for their workout.  From there the heart monitor and foot pod measure performance. The interactive audio coaching or software provides commentary about whether the runner is meeting the goals (heart rate, pace, time, and distance) of their training plan.

Its simple to use.

For more information contact Pear Sports at http://pearsports.com/

Ralphie Violated Again – This Time by Campus Units

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“I truly think Ralphie belongs to academics as much as it does sports.” – quote from a Daily Camera Facebook fan who commented about an article discussing Ralphie’s use and misuse.

On February 12 the headlines of the Daily Camera Local section read, “CU corrals use of the Ralphie logo” – Tightening reins on mascot’s image is a result of branding campaign.

Over the past 9 months the Camera has documented efforts by the athletic department to control use of the Ralphie. Mike Bohn and company have been portrayed in a positive light, as they tried to work with local business leaders to educate and better manage use of the university’s most beloved marketing logo.

Past articles have featured discussions about local businesses which either used or misused Ralphie for promotional purposes. The most recent violators include on-campus units such as food services in the UMC whose employees wore uniform/t-shirts with Ralphie on them. For years, the Leeds School of Business which has had a two-foot Ralphie plastered on the wall in the lobby of the dean’s suites.

Branding is a serious matter. CU fans of all types like Ralphie because the logo is unique and it represents the positive things about CU. It is a feel good logo.

Cynics are quick to point out that the interlocking CU may be elegant, but it represents perceptions of CU that are not necessarily positive. For example, CU stands for Cornhuskerhater U – and obnoxious football fans, Cannabis U – and the infamous 4/21 on-campus celebrations, Churchill U – and Ward Churchill’s contribution to the school’s image, Coors U – for the beerless sporting events held in the Coors Events Center, or Controversy U – for the ongoing challenges that keep the state’s flagship university in the headlines. Branding is important.

Prior to February 12, the athletic department was the designated “Ralphie enforcer.” The article suggests that they aren’t the villains. In fact, nobody in the CU system is the bad guy. Instead, the blame for the crackdown is a much needed $780,000 branding and awareness campaign.

In the article, Regent Stephen Ludwig, D-Lone Tree pointed out that the enforcement has been heightened for financial and communication reasons. He stated, “The enforcement may seem Draconian, but we are a $2.8 billion enterprise that has invested a lot of time and money in getting our branding straight so that we can communicate with one voice.”

And another reason for the crackdown is money.

The article also quoted CU officials who clarified that Ralphie can only be used for sports and competition, such as political campaigns for the regents. One regent indicated that he had used the logo in his campaign because it is a great logo that people recognize. Another regent indicated that she avoided using Ralphie in her campaign because it represents athletics only at the Boulder campus and the regents serve multiple systems.

For many, the branding discussion is contentious and it raises a series of questions.

• Do the CU regents have their priorities straight when their discussions are focused on whether food service employees in Boulder should be wearing Ralphie t-shirts?
• Are the “Ralphie enforcers” being Draconian by enforcing the tactics outlined in their branding campaign?
• Is the $2.8 billion enterprise more focused on $$ generated from Ralphie than they are in making the state’s flagship university stronger and more relevant?
• How can the regents justify using Ralphie in their election campaigns?
• What is the first thing that comes to mind when Colorado residents are asked to think about when you mention CU – Ward Churchill, party school, corn huskers, academics, or Ralphie?

Like it or not, branding is a serious matter – for Google, the Bubba Gump’s restaurant chain, and CU – and that includes Ralphie.

These are YOUR Colorado Buffs, but be careful what you do with Ralphie.

Go Buffs!

 

Boulder – Fittest or Fattest?

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On June 29, 2010, The Denver Business Journal reported that Colorado had the lowest rate of adult obesity of any state in the nation (“F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future 2010”). Colorado’s adult obesity rate was 19.1% and 38 of the 50 states and the District of Columbia had obesity rates over 25%.

America’s top 20 healthiest cities were listed in the September 13, 2001 issue of Forbes. Denver was ranked fifth because 61% of residents were in excellent or good physical health, cardiovascular disease rates were lower than average and residents were less likely to be obese, diabetic, have asthma, or die of heart disease. The study was conducted by the American College of Sports Medicine.

In February 2011 four of Colorado’s major cities placed in TIME‘s Top 15 Fittest Cities of the United States list. Boulder was at the top of the list as the fittest city in the United States, followed by Arvada (6th), Denver (11th) and Aurora (15th).

As part of its economic development strategy the City of Boulder has included natural products and the outdoor recreation industry as part of its lifestyle clusters to support.

Colorado and Boulder are arguably a Mecca for health and fitness, along with Salt Lake, Austin, and Portland.

With this backdrop, it came as a surprise to read the headlines of the Sunday February 19, 2012 Boulder Daily Camera, “Survey: Weight a Staff Issue.” The article discussed a survey of city employees that showed 57% of the City of Boulder workforce was overweight.

Key findings from the report (published in the Camera) follow:
• 57% are over their recommended weight.
• 47% have low fitness levels.
• 43% have high cholesterol.
• 41% are at a high risk of cancer.
• 40% are at high risk of heart disease.
• 32% have poor nutritional intake.
• 26% have high blood-sugar levels.
• 19% of men were obese.
• 16% of women were obese.
• 13% reported having high stress levels.
• 10% drank alcohol excessively.
• 9% have high blood pressure.
• 5% are smokers.
Most likely some of these factors are understated because it can be difficult to get people to admit to their vices, particularly in surveys conducted for or by their employers.

On a positive note, 61% of the city’s workforce is rated as having good health ((BMI scores, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar.)

The article stated that the city’s Wellness Works program has been offered to about 1,200 employees at a cost of $144 per employee, plus incentives given to the employees for achieving certain goals. This is a significant cost to taxpayers (at least $175,000 per year); however, it is reportedly offset by lower insurance premiums and increased productivity.

This seems to be a reasonable and well-thought out investment.

City officials also indicated that previous reports were used for targeting areas where the collective group of employees needed assistance.

Another well-thought out strategy.

The article dealt with a sensitive issue and the reporter covered it in a positive manner; however, the topic deserves additional consideration.
• If the city employees are representative of the health of the healthiest city in the U.S., what does that say about the health and fitness of the U.S.?
• How valuable are the rankings and polls that ranked Boulder as the fittest in the U.S.? Are their broad criteria for developing health and fitness rankings so general that the results are virtually useless? Does it really matter if Boulder is more fit than Montgomery, Alabama?
• How many other employers in Boulder are proactive in addressing the health and fitness of their employees? How do the health and fitness of their workers compare to the city employees?
• Is it appropriate to provide incentives for wellness or should that be part of the employee’s performance reviews?

There is a lot to consider.

Having said that, the article quoted a city spokesperson as saying, “Now that we know that, we are actually encouraging supervisors that if they’re going to have food at meetings…they’re trying to have healthier options.”

Hopefully the spokesperson was misquoted or quoted out of context.

Mandating carrot sticks, broccoli spears, or bagels without cream cheese at meetings will not improve the health of the city of Boulder workers.

Health and fitness are lifestyle decisions. Effective employer health and fitness programs will do more than lower insurance programs, they will alter the way people live their lives at home and work.

 

Women’s Sports Touted as Contributor to Colorado Economy

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On February 17th, the Denver Post reported “Women’s sporting events to be economic blockbuster for Denver.”

In the article, which was posted in the business section, Rich Grant of Visit Denver stated, “Women’s sports are becoming a huge economic engine, and Denver is poised to be known as a major center for this.” In particular, Grant was referencing the Colorado Crossroads volleyball tournament and the NCAA Women’s Final Four.

The Colorado Crossroads tournament is one of 9 national events where teams can qualify for the USA Junior Nationals. The Post reported that it will draw 11,000 players and 33,000 spectators over a two week period in late February and early March. The projected impact is about $22 million, with most of the benefit accruing to rooms, food, taxis, rental cars, trinkets, and other souvenirs.

The tournament reportedly hosted about 100 teams ten years ago, but is expected to attract 1,100 teams from 34 states this year. This speaks to the growth in the popularity of volleyball, the increased impact of USA Volleyball, and greater interest in women’s sports.

The NCAA Women’s Final Four will be in Denver April 1-3. In addition to the three games, the playoffs are billed as a three-day party, including events at the Colorado Convention Center prior to the tournament and a concert by Jewel. The direct economic impact is expected to be about $20 million. As with the volleyball tournament, the businesses that will feel the impact are hotels, restaurants, transportation, and retailers.

There is still hotel space in Denver during the Final Four and tickets were still available at the time the article was published. The Post cited enthusiasts who projected that hotel and tickets would pickup in the weeks ahead.

The two events attract very different crowds, which speaks to the diversity of the appeal of the region. The volleyball tournament will attract families to the area, who will likely spend less per person because of budget and time constraints. The Final Four is a special activity, which will have more corporate appeal. It will attract a crowd that is more likely to have time to explore the city and spend more in the local economy on a per capita basis.

The first event portrays Colorado as a place to be for participant sports, while the latter positions Denver as a location for the country’s top sporting events. The Final Four is expected to be covered in 177 countries.

As well as discussing the impact of the Colorado Crossroads and Final Four, the Post listed the economic impact of other previous sporting events:

2012 Women’s Final Four – $20 million – projected (direct benefits only)
2012 Colorado Crossroads -$21.9 million – projected (direct benefits only)
2008 NCAA Frozen Four Men’s Hockey – $15 million (direct benefits only)
2007 Rockies World Series (Games 3 and 4) – $10 million (may include direct benefits)
2006 AFC Championships $21 million (may include indirect benefits)
2005 NBA All-Star Game – $30 million (may include indirect benefits)
2004 Mountain West Conference Men’s Basketball – $4 million (
2002 Grand Prix Denver – $30 million (may include indirect benefits)

Comparisons of these events should be made with caution. Most likely these impact studies were calculated using different models. While the major source of impact for all events is food, room, transportation, and the purchase of goods and services, different methodologies may produce results that may not be comparable.

As mentioned above, some of the studies include direct impacts only while others include a much broader contribution to the economy (direct and indirect impact). This is like comparing apples and apple pie – they are different.

While it is important to understand the challenges in producing valid and reliable economic impact studies, the real point is that one-time special activities, such as sporting events, conventions, or film production can have a short-term positive impact on local economic activity. (This does not guarantee they have a positive fiscal impact on the economy.)

Of equal or greater importance are the intangible benefits of an event. Quite often they far exceed the economic activity. The above events have portrayed Denver in a positive light and helped mold the perception that it is a great place to live, work, and play.