TV & the Logos War

The advent of sports made for TV couldn't be better amplified these past days (or months) with the avalanche of big sporting events that have hit the boob tube. Unlike the past, it has now gotten to a point where almost the whole year is now filled with big TV sports events that shouldn't be missed by the avid TV sports fan in all of us.

The NBA Finals had us glued to our TVs for two weeks. For the rabid NBA fans, this meant over a month of playoff games plus the 82-game regular season for the really loyal NBA addicts. Tennis had two weeks each of the French Open and the Wimbledon which ends tonight. Golf had the Masters and soon the British Open.

And how can we forget the World Cup, a whole month of football from Germany. Even if it's aired live only through private pay-pre-view telecasts, football fans have found a way to stay up early morning to catch all the action. On the local TV front, Game 3 of the PBA All Filipino Conference Finals takes place tonight. The NCAA launched its games two weeks ago while the UAAP started yesterday.

But as we watch our favorite sporting events and teams on TV, have we realized how the TV has now become a critical medium not only for sports per se? Sports has broken beyond the realm of the bleachers of a stadium right on to the couches of the fans' homes, especially those who can't physically watch an actual event live. And so while sports has grown and reached a worldwide audience, a natural offshoot or sideshow has also surfaced, at times unconsciously on the part of the fans.

Aware of the millions of fans following their idols and teams, the consumer world hasn't been left behind. The market has moved in to exploit the situation to find ways to build their respective brands to the whole world. The only term that I can think of at the moment is a war of logos or a "Logos War." It really isn't anything new but something that has grown to become a norm in the sporting industry. The sporting industry's major brands are fighting (and spending a lot) for the rights to "dress up" the most popular teams in the land with an eye of being recognized by sports fans worldwide.

Have you ever thought that the Wimbledon finals between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal has Phil Knight and his team at Nike celebrating the fact that they have the sport's top two players on their payroll? Wearing their traditional all-whites, it's hard to miss the Nike swoosh logo above their hearts as if to say, "My heart belongs to Nike." But the women's side saw Nike with a fat egg in the finals as poster girl Maria Sharapova fell to Amelie Mauresmo (Reebok) while Justine Henin-Hardenne (Adidas) overcame Kin Clijsters (Nike). The interesting thing though, is that Reebok is now owned by Adidas.

At the World Cup, Nike was booted out by two German-born brands. With France (Adidas) beating Brazil (Nike) and Portugal (Nike) on the way to the finals, Nike's top brass will have to accept that they can't win it all. Moreover, Puma, a darkhorse in the game that didn't mind sponsoring a team with a scandal-plagued league, is surprisingly in the finals. After beating Germany in the semifinals, they also seem to be sending a message that the world doesn't belong to only Adidas and Nike.

Last Sunday, Manny Pacquiao pledged his loyalty to No Fear with another example of a no fear way of getting the job done in the ring. But I must add that I still believe he held back and took it easy on Oscar Larios. His classic no fear ways of boxing was more evident at Pacquiao-Morales 2.

The PBA finals is another traditional vs. darkhorse as Purefoods (Adidas) battles Red Bull (Hang Ten). "Hang Ten?" you might ask. I also asked the same question, but I guess it's working for them.

The trend or norm is clear, but believe it or not, it still hasn't reached its climax. Did you notice that the NBA teams still don't have branding or logos stitched or printed on their game uniforms? Sure, their warm-up suits have logos, but the logo that counts most is the one on the jersey and shorts that they wear on the court.

But the question remains. Does the logo approach really help build the image and equity of these brands? The practice of commercial endorsement from individual athletes or entire teams hopes to drive home the point that the best athletes only use this or that brand with the hope that we, the fans, patronize and buy their products. Millions of dollars are invested in these logo wars and the bottom line that the Nikes, Adidases and Pumas would like to see is that the ordinary sports fan will also wear the same brands that their idols put on their hearts.

And you, to what brand does your heart belong?

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Time-out: To all ASMS (now ASMC) alumni: The 2006 Alumni Reunion will be held on July 16, at the Grand Convention Center. Doors open at 9 am for registration. >>> For comments, you can reach us at [email protected] or http://bleachertalk.blogspot.com