SPORTS BUSINESS MEMO (3) SPRING 2024
Assignment:
Ari Emanuel is a powerful sports agent at William Morris Endeavor (WME) representing top athletes. He read in August 2022 about Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner — an American football player who was a top draft pick this season for the National Football League New York Jets — who got a deal with Buffalo Wild Wings somewhat on the basis of his nickname. Buffalo Wild Wings created a special flavor sauce at the restaurant for Sauce. Because wings have sauce. Get it? Sauce and wings.
Here is one article about that deal:
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/2022/08/29/ahmad-sauce-gardner-buffalo-wild-wings-announce-new-partnership-cincinnati-bearcats-new-york-jets/65461986007/
Ari thinks this is a brilliant marketing idea. He wants to copy it.
He hires you to complete the following assignment:
For any athlete in any sport from any country in any language, please recommend what athlete name together with a brand would be the next great partnership deal to make. Ari has heard that you have studied key marketing concepts like Zeitgeist, Basking in Reflected Glory, and more under Professor Hollander at NYU and, therefore, Ari asks that you make your recommendation keeping in mind those concepts and others from the learned professor’s teachings and apply them where relevant to your discussion.
DIRECTIONS:
Please follow directions carefully.
1) Find and read minimum (4-5) articles in first or second tier media (eg. The New York Times (any major newspaper), Wall Street Journal, Sports Business Journal, Bloomberg, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, any major magazine, a city newspaper, major publication, not necessarily sports related), Bleacher Report, SB Nation, Deadspin, (any major website not necessarily sports related Wired, Entertainment Weekly, New York Magazine, New Yorker, The Atlantic, The New Republic, etc.) – the more recent the better – about this topic. And/or feel free to draw from any of the readings we have done in class.
2) Print out a separate sheet with your articles cited in proper MLA citation form. Do not print out the articles.
3) Complete the assignment in no more than (3) pages,11-12 point type, double-spaced or 1.5 spaced, applying where relevant what you have learned in this class so far.
4) Please add a cover page to you assignment which includes your name, the name of this course, the name of the assignment “Sports Business Memo 1”, my name and the date.
5) Please put the pages in the following order: 1. Cover page 2. Articles citations 3. 3-page analysis.
THIS ASSIGNMENT IS DUE IN CLASS, HANDED IN HARD COPY ON MONDAY , MAY 1, 2024.
IT IS WORTH 20% OF YOUR TOTAL GRADE.
FROM YOUR SYLLABUS:
1. SPORTS BUSINESS MEMO 1, 2, 3 (60%)
This written assignment is a chance for students to analyze and reflect on a current issue in sports business and apply principles they are learning in class to that issue. Students must read and cite in MLA from a minimum of (4-5) sources on an assigned topic. In no more than two (3) pages (double or 1.5-spaced, 11 or 12 pt. type) , students will analyze the articles they have found. Grades will be determined based on how completely the student answers the actual the question(s) posed, the clarity of the answer, the logic of the opinion, the application (where appropriate) of relevant class material and the energy and substance (is it compelling, thought-provoking, profound, essentially truthful, etc.) of the opinion/argument. The grade will be reduced for errors in punctuation, spelling, and grammar.
GRADING RUBRIC FOR SPORTS BUSINESS MEMO: Grades will be determined based on –
(25%) how directly and completely the student answers the actual the question(s) posed,
(25%) the clarity of the answer and the logic of the analysis
(25%) the application (where appropriate) of relevant class material and the quality, relevance and application of their research,
(25%) the energy and substance (is it compelling, thought-provoking, profound, essentially truthful, etc.) of the analysis and the depth, quality and range of their insights,
The grade will be reduced for errors in punctuation, spelling, and grammar.
