Watching America wipe the ice with Canada has filled with me with the Olympic Spirit. I’m so full of it that I’m going to improve the Olympic Games. No, this isn’t about NBC’s choice to banish the game to MSNBC, though I do resent not being able to watch in HD.
Do you realize that Olympic events only use half the day? Why? So the athletes can sleep? What a waste. Who says athletes have to all sleep at the same time?
The Olympics should schedule events 24-7. From sun-up to sun-up again, there should always be athletes competing somewhere.
As it stands, attendees and viewers are forced to choose one event among many. With twenty-four hours at its disposal, the Olympics can shine a spotlight on each event, so we won’t miss a thing.
It’s what’s best for the host city. Think of all the extra food that will be sold with the streets filled all day and all night. And it’s not just food. Less events per hour means more customers per hour for local businesses. All registers will be overstuffed with cash.
There’s more money to be made on the broadcast, too. With Olympic events 24-7, team sports can be scheduled closer to prime-time of the home team’s homeland. With Vancouver on west-coast time, it’s easy for Americans to forget that in most countries these Olympic Games are happening in the middle of the night. A 24-7 schedule could have Belarus competing on Belarus time. Where's the money? A full game fits a lot more ads than a recap. You’re welcome, Belarusian television networks.
You may be thinking, “But Jon, aren’t the Olympians accustomed to a certain schedule as athletes?” Yes, they are. But remember, these athletes have flown in from halfway around the world only a week or two before the Olympics began. They’re already adjusting. Let them adjust to the new Olympic schedule instead of the sun.
The best festivals last all night, and so should the Olympics. So let’s turn the Games into a sixteen day, 384 hour bender of sporting action. Otherwise, the London Games will start at 3am CST.
Until next week,
--
Jonathan Rozen
Bonus idea: Holding events all day and all night creates a constant stream of content, but NBC only has enough commentators to cover their four channels of whatever they decide you want to watch. For all events that don’t figure into NBC’s commentator rotation, pick out fans from the crowd to fill in. Better yet, how about a rotation of the athletes’ parents? Their moms and dads surely know more about these obscure sports than Bob Costas.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Pro Sports Music Contests
I attended a Bulls game last week, and it struck me that they’re still playing the same songs as in the Jordan days. Alan Parsons Project for the home team. Pink Floyd for the visitors. AC/DC during breaks to get the crowd pumped. Maybe the occasional top 40 pop song. It’s not just the United Center, it’s the entire NBA. They all have the same soundtrack. All music is borrowed. And it’s not just the NBA, it’s all sports.
Occasionally stadiums play a campy team song from the days before rock and roll. “Bear Down, Chicago Bears.” Or “Let’s Go Go-Go White Sox.” When they do, the entire stadium sings along with pride.
Fans want their own songs. That’s why this week’s free idea is for professional sports teams' marketing departments. Hold a contest among local bands to write original music for your team and players, and fund studio time for the winners.
Imagine it. White Sox closer Bobby Jenks runs to the mound to a song about Bobby Jenks running to the mound. Blackhawk phenom Patrick Kane scores a goal and a song about Kaner trumpets from the speakers. Devin Hester pumps up the crowd before a kick return to a song about Hester breaking ankles and getting away. Suddenly the stadium is awash in its own culture.
Besides enhancing the in-person experience, the contest itself is an irresistible marketing opportunity. To start, let fans vote which songs are put into stadium use or make an eventual album. This participation in the formation of their team’s culture will deepen fans’ devotion. Every band will mobilize their fan base to promote their song. By promoting the song, they promote the team. And don’t forget the songs themselves. When fans begin to sing along, they’ll be singing about the team. Marketing this sneaky is borderline immoral.
The musicians get plenty out of the contest, too. Exposure. One of the things I learned running Green St. Records is that up-and-coming bands are happy to work for free if it gets them new fans. This contest delivers new ears. Another lesson, the only difference between many local bands and what you hear on the radio is time in the studio. With studio time, this contest will be the much-fabled big break for winning bands.
But here’s the best part. The full cost should be easily passed on to corporate sponsors. Maybe Scion? Pepsi? Plenty of companies have their fingers in the music scene and would be thrilled to sponsor this type contest. One of the major record labels might even be interested. With such low overhead, sponsorship revenue will likely exceed cost.
So if it’s good for teams, it’s good for bands, and it’s good for sponsors, there’s no reason not to hold team-specific music competitions for local bands. I look forward to singing about the players I’m watching.
Until next week,
--
Jonathan Rozen
Occasionally stadiums play a campy team song from the days before rock and roll. “Bear Down, Chicago Bears.” Or “Let’s Go Go-Go White Sox.” When they do, the entire stadium sings along with pride.
Fans want their own songs. That’s why this week’s free idea is for professional sports teams' marketing departments. Hold a contest among local bands to write original music for your team and players, and fund studio time for the winners.
Imagine it. White Sox closer Bobby Jenks runs to the mound to a song about Bobby Jenks running to the mound. Blackhawk phenom Patrick Kane scores a goal and a song about Kaner trumpets from the speakers. Devin Hester pumps up the crowd before a kick return to a song about Hester breaking ankles and getting away. Suddenly the stadium is awash in its own culture.
Besides enhancing the in-person experience, the contest itself is an irresistible marketing opportunity. To start, let fans vote which songs are put into stadium use or make an eventual album. This participation in the formation of their team’s culture will deepen fans’ devotion. Every band will mobilize their fan base to promote their song. By promoting the song, they promote the team. And don’t forget the songs themselves. When fans begin to sing along, they’ll be singing about the team. Marketing this sneaky is borderline immoral.
The musicians get plenty out of the contest, too. Exposure. One of the things I learned running Green St. Records is that up-and-coming bands are happy to work for free if it gets them new fans. This contest delivers new ears. Another lesson, the only difference between many local bands and what you hear on the radio is time in the studio. With studio time, this contest will be the much-fabled big break for winning bands.
But here’s the best part. The full cost should be easily passed on to corporate sponsors. Maybe Scion? Pepsi? Plenty of companies have their fingers in the music scene and would be thrilled to sponsor this type contest. One of the major record labels might even be interested. With such low overhead, sponsorship revenue will likely exceed cost.
So if it’s good for teams, it’s good for bands, and it’s good for sponsors, there’s no reason not to hold team-specific music competitions for local bands. I look forward to singing about the players I’m watching.
Until next week,
--
Jonathan Rozen
Monday, February 8, 2010
LocalElections.org
Another election has come and gone in Chicago, and big shocker: I didn’t vote. Yes, it was just a primary, but that’s not why. I’m painfully uninformed when it comes to local elections, and I won't vote blindly. I'm not alone. Reports have the turnout below 25%.
I don't know what I'm voting for. I can’t explain what a comptroller does, let alone the qualities the job requires.
Like most Americans, the only exposure I've had to the candidates has been combating smear campaigns on television. One will raise taxes to 100%. The other will mandate prayer in schools. This lofty debate hasn’t shed light on effective comptrolling.
The only options are to vote smear, vote party or not vote. I and over 75% of Illinois residents chose the last.
For democracy to work, we need to be voting, but most of us won’t if we can’t feel informed. That’s where this week’s free idea comes in: LocalElections.org.
At LocalElections.org, Americans in all 50 states can find out who is running for what where they live. One resource for everyone. For true beginners, LocalElections.org will detail the responsibilities of every electable office and register voters. More importantly, it will house videos from the candidates themselves expounding on their views and platform.
But this isn’t for stump speeches. At LocalElections.org, the voters set the itinerary, submitting issues for the candidates to address. Those issues solicit a video response from each candidate, unless, of course, they prefer only their opponents’ voices be heard. These responses are organized by election and by issue for easy browsing.
Party-wide talking points will be traded for issues that are actually relevant to the office being sought. No more will a candidate’s stance on abortion rights determine whether they’re qualified to be Treasurer. In this local forum, candidates that evade with empty rhetoric will lose votes to straight talk.
This website’s launch will be a pivotal moment for third parties, giving their candidates and messages equal weight and billing as those of the Democrats and Republicans. Further, if there’s one place a voter can go to learn each candidate’s stance on every issue, the correlation between ad spending and election victory can be broken. Lowering the price of victory will be a boon to third parties everywhere.
With LocalElections.org, we can stop complaining and start participating. Isn’t it time you found a reason to vote?
Until next week,
--
Jonathan Rozen
I don't know what I'm voting for. I can’t explain what a comptroller does, let alone the qualities the job requires.
Like most Americans, the only exposure I've had to the candidates has been combating smear campaigns on television. One will raise taxes to 100%. The other will mandate prayer in schools. This lofty debate hasn’t shed light on effective comptrolling.
The only options are to vote smear, vote party or not vote. I and over 75% of Illinois residents chose the last.
For democracy to work, we need to be voting, but most of us won’t if we can’t feel informed. That’s where this week’s free idea comes in: LocalElections.org.
At LocalElections.org, Americans in all 50 states can find out who is running for what where they live. One resource for everyone. For true beginners, LocalElections.org will detail the responsibilities of every electable office and register voters. More importantly, it will house videos from the candidates themselves expounding on their views and platform.
But this isn’t for stump speeches. At LocalElections.org, the voters set the itinerary, submitting issues for the candidates to address. Those issues solicit a video response from each candidate, unless, of course, they prefer only their opponents’ voices be heard. These responses are organized by election and by issue for easy browsing.
Party-wide talking points will be traded for issues that are actually relevant to the office being sought. No more will a candidate’s stance on abortion rights determine whether they’re qualified to be Treasurer. In this local forum, candidates that evade with empty rhetoric will lose votes to straight talk.
This website’s launch will be a pivotal moment for third parties, giving their candidates and messages equal weight and billing as those of the Democrats and Republicans. Further, if there’s one place a voter can go to learn each candidate’s stance on every issue, the correlation between ad spending and election victory can be broken. Lowering the price of victory will be a boon to third parties everywhere.
With LocalElections.org, we can stop complaining and start participating. Isn’t it time you found a reason to vote?
Until next week,
--
Jonathan Rozen
Monday, February 1, 2010
Lost full-series DVD set: Character Timelines
In honor of Lost’s return, this week’s free idea is for J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof and Jeffrey Lieber. No, I’m not pitching my theory of what’s really going on. This idea is for the inevitable full-series DVD set.
If you don’t watch Lost, stop reading now, splash some water on your face and go tell your boss you’re feeling sick. Really sell it, because you’ve got work to do. There’s no hope of catching up by tomorrow’s premiere, but you could tackle the 98 episode binge by next Tuesday. I envy your journey, for I long to watch Lost again, for the first time.
If you must read on, I’ll try to avoid revealing much.
For years, the writers have ignored criticism that even they were making it up as they went along. They’ve always claimed to have a plan, saying that by the end, they’ll fill in the timeline. Assuming their narrative brilliance is confirmed, it’ll be time to show it off on the DVD set. That is why I bestow upon the creators of Lost, this idea.
Character Timelines. Let us pick a character and watch the entire series, in order, from their perspective.
We’ve grown accustomed to scenes from the island being interrupted by snippets from different periods in characters’ lives. With the whole story told, we can remix the footage to show the characters from a unique new perspective, their own. Watching their chronological, uninterrupted timelines will give fans a brand new Lost experience.
Watching each character’s pre-island life in order will give a new context for their island experience, but that’s just the teaser. For many characters, this will begin as children.
Even more interesting will be seeing the island through the lens of a single character. A crux of the show is that nobody ever tells each other anything. Ever. Information is only shared with the audience. Watching only the scenes of a chosen character, the audience will only know what that character knows.
There will be dozens of new ways to enjoy Lost. To watch a show about the mysteries of the island, select John Locke. To watch a show about love squares and triangles, select Kate Austin. If you love to read, select Sun or Jian.
Without these Character Timelines, I’ll never buy the DVD set. I’ve already seen it. But if they’re included, I’ll be calling in sick the week it comes out.
Until next week,
--
Jonathan Rozen
If you don’t watch Lost, stop reading now, splash some water on your face and go tell your boss you’re feeling sick. Really sell it, because you’ve got work to do. There’s no hope of catching up by tomorrow’s premiere, but you could tackle the 98 episode binge by next Tuesday. I envy your journey, for I long to watch Lost again, for the first time.
If you must read on, I’ll try to avoid revealing much.
For years, the writers have ignored criticism that even they were making it up as they went along. They’ve always claimed to have a plan, saying that by the end, they’ll fill in the timeline. Assuming their narrative brilliance is confirmed, it’ll be time to show it off on the DVD set. That is why I bestow upon the creators of Lost, this idea.
Character Timelines. Let us pick a character and watch the entire series, in order, from their perspective.
We’ve grown accustomed to scenes from the island being interrupted by snippets from different periods in characters’ lives. With the whole story told, we can remix the footage to show the characters from a unique new perspective, their own. Watching their chronological, uninterrupted timelines will give fans a brand new Lost experience.
Watching each character’s pre-island life in order will give a new context for their island experience, but that’s just the teaser. For many characters, this will begin as children.
Even more interesting will be seeing the island through the lens of a single character. A crux of the show is that nobody ever tells each other anything. Ever. Information is only shared with the audience. Watching only the scenes of a chosen character, the audience will only know what that character knows.
There will be dozens of new ways to enjoy Lost. To watch a show about the mysteries of the island, select John Locke. To watch a show about love squares and triangles, select Kate Austin. If you love to read, select Sun or Jian.
Without these Character Timelines, I’ll never buy the DVD set. I’ve already seen it. But if they’re included, I’ll be calling in sick the week it comes out.
Until next week,
--
Jonathan Rozen
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)