The Sports Professor Rick Horrow, in conjunction with promotional partner Northern Trust, analyzes the top five sports business issues of the week.
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1. Terrell Owens, Kyle Busch, NBA Dress Code, Tom Brady – Image, Image, Image, and Image Again
While seemingly unconnected at first glance, all professional sports superstars share a common virtue and plight – they are larger than life figures in the $357 billion sports industry, and center stage in the close to trillion dollar entertainment industry as well.
All superstars, in effect, are on center stage this week. The Terrell Owens arbitration is the latest soap opera – heard before arbitrator Richard Bloch in Philadelphia. The issue boils down to whether the four-game suspension for “conduct detrimental to the team” is appropriate to keeping a player from a release or trade so that he can ultimately play for another team. In any event, Owens would be paid to sit out the rest of the season, and the Eagles will undoubtedly dispose of his contract so that they do not have to pay the $7.5 million in bonuses for 2006.
Owens stands to lose nearly $15-$20 million in long-term endorsement potential, in addition to another $15-$25 million on his current contract. As his jerseys are reportedly selling for $5 a piece on eBay, and a New Jersey-based retail owner is holding an Owens Bobblehead doll destruction derby, his image – and its reflection on the whole NFL – take center stage.
Across the country, defending NASCAR points champion Kurt Busch enters the final week of his suspension for jousting with a suburban Phoenix police officer outside Phoenix International Raceway last week. Ironically, the issue involved alcohol – the Roush Racing team is sponsored by Crown Royal. Reports have surfaced that Busch might have been under the legal drinking limit anyway, but that hasn’t been good enough for NASCAR or its team owners – who pay the best spin doctors in the business to guard their image.
Kurt Busch’s brother Kyle won the Checker Auto Parts 500 race in Phoenix, and Homestead, the Super Bowl of racing in Miami, brings the checkered flag down on this year’s NASCAR season this week.
This weekend is also a watershed for the NBA and brawlers everywhere – it’s the anniversary of the November 19, 2004 Indiana Pacers-Detroit Pistons “Basketbrawl.” Last month, Pacers players Ron Artest, Jermaine O’Neal, and Steven Jackson pleaded no contest to assault charges and were each sentenced to one year of probation, community service, and a $250 fine. At the same time, the NBA dress code has taken effect amid great debate. Though bargained for with the players, outspoken individuals like San Antonio Spurs superstar Tim Duncan called the plan “garbage.”
The first two weeks of the NBA season revealed resplendent players taking advantage of an opportunity to “strut their stuff.” Interestingly, Dockers has offered to outfit all 450 NBA players from head to toe – potentially spending an estimated $432,000 for pants, shirts, shoes, socks, reversible belts, and one blazer for each player. While the idea of being photographed in public in the blandest of middle aged white male staple clothing is likely nauseating to the young, hip NBA crowd, you can bet David Stern is delighted at the possibility of presenting this comforting image to Corporate America.
At the same time, New England superstar quarterback Tom Brady settled his $2 million lawsuit with General Motors over the New England Cadillac dealers using his likeness in two Boston Globe ads, after his contract with the group expired last year. Brady donated the car to his San Mateo, California high school, which received $365,000 in a charity raffle. And in Cincinnati, it was shockingly revealed that superstar spokesman Ken Griffey Jr. is allergic to chocolate – despite endorsing the Ken Griffey Jr. Milk Chocolate Bar.
How are these issues related? In the high-stakes world of professional sports, image, player behavior, and respect for “law and order” are inextricably intertwined. It is interesting to note that corporate endorsers are developing contracts that are smaller, shorter, and easier to terminate.
Even unruly fans may be running into trouble. The New York City Council this week passed a law that levies fans who interfere with players or throw things onto the playing surface up to $25,000 in civil fines, and up to one year in jail. NFL TV partners have adopted formal policies against broadcasting incidents of fans running onto the field “for fear of encouraging them.” Two weeks ago, New England Patriots fullback Patrick Pass appeared in a public service announcement, “Violence Doesn’t Play,” that discourages hooliganism.
The point is simple: the laws of civilized society should never stop at the ticket gates. Owens’ disrespect for the process, the flap over a drunk driving charge at a NASCAR weekend, the basket-brawl – even the relatively harmless Brady and Griffey examples – all consistently emphasize the fact that sports always has been, and will always be, a big plate glass window into our society. Though the contexts may be different, the enforcement of rules and the protection of the image and integrity of the games – remain paramount.
