Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

The Olympics: Yin and Yang

For the past few decades of Olympic celebrations, the conversation has been a yin and yang. The Atlanta Games firmy positioned that city as an international destination. Vancouver's Games positioned an entire country.

But the Games in Athens and Montreal were reported to not be the economic boon that had been promised.

Today, some in London are wondering whether this was a good idea. Theatre owners are convinced their seats will be empty during their prime season. Companies are stressing over lost productivity when employees can't get to work because of increased traffic.

At the same time, construction trades are rocking...building the infrastructure required for the games at a time when the Bristish economy could certainly benefit from the infusion of cash.

It all comes down to whether the host city is already an attraction. London clearly is...and stands to lose the visitors that will now elect to go elsewhere to avoid the Olympic crowds. So...in terms of visitor spending, this Olympics could be a wash.

But, that's not taking into consideration the long term advantages seen in communities like Barcelona, where the Olympic Village has transformed a once shabby section of town into a vibrant community.

Will London benefit from the Olympics? Yes...in ways that may be difficult to measure. But, if they can score the kind of world-wide TV coverage that Vancouver garnered?

Hell yes.

Packers Rock

The Green and Gold begin their quest for back-to-back Super Bowl titles this weekend. Last year, the coolest Packers song came from a couple of the guys from Garbage, masquerading as The Six Packers.

This year, it has to be Madison's Lucas Cates (who looks a lot like Aaron Rogers) and Danielle Robay doing Packer Rock Anthem.

Put your hands up!

Not What They Had in Mind

Driving home from the airport last night, I wanted to check in on the progress of the National Championship Game. As I couldn't find a Madison station running the coverage, I switched to New Orleans' WWL 870.

I listened to the halftime synopsis and, as the studio announcers threw it back to the stadium, they intoned, "Now, back to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome...and the Mazda Broadcast Booth."

It was all I could do to not swerve into the ditch through my laughter.

And, it is so not what I'm guessing Mercedes expected when they signed their naming rights agreement for the stunningly rennovated Superdome...for some serious coin (and some beads).

Madonna? Really?

If I was Indianapolis...I'd be really pissed.

I finally get a Super Bowl and the NFL sticks me with Madonna as a halftime show? Really?

How un-Super Bowl is this?

But actually, it's not. Looking back on the halftime performers of the past 40 years, there have only been a few standouts (outside of Janet's nipple).

The NFL is all about playing it safe...knowing that we'll all be there, regardless of how lame the halftime show is.

Sigh.

SNF vs. MNF

Monday Night Football is an icon in American Media. Sunday Night Football is a knock-off.

Except when it comes to hotel demand.

A new study by Sports Business Digest suggests that hotel occupancy is significantly higher for SNF games than MNF events...even when discounting the effects of business travel on Monday nights in host cities.

While Sunday is clearly a more desirable night for leisure travelers than Monday...there is something more at work here, according to the researchers. And, I can't wait to hear their analysis.

Relevancy Defined

After 25 years, the Olympic-styled sporting event known as the Badger State Games was on the ropes. The parent association that had run the event for years announced in August that it was pulling the plug on Wisconsin's Winter and Summer events due to declining sponsorship and participation levels.

Enter the Wausau/Central Wisconsin CVB, which had walked away from what it said was an excessive sponsorship requirement for the Winter Games a couple years ago. At the time, CEO Darien Schaefer said his Destination Marketing Organization simply couldn't justify the ROI of the $100,000 per year being required by the Wisconsin Sports Development Corporation.

The purchase price for both the Winter and Summer Games this week: $15,000.

While it was no doubt painful for the CVB to walk away from the Games in 2009, in hindsight, it was a masterful move...and one that will breathe new life into this iconic economic generator.

Congratulations, my friends. Well played. Games On!

Celebrity Endorsements

OK...I admit that I don't have the benefit of consumer research to help me with this rant. Maybe America really really likes QB Eli Manning and will race out to secure their very own Samsung TV because he says we should.

But, I'm not buying it. Beyond the fact that, even after seven seasons in the NFL, he is still one of the most uncomfortably uneasy spokesmodels on the planet... wouldn't only New York Giants fans care? 

His brother Peyton is another story, as he has easily transcended team allegiance. But, is that why Samsung paid Eli a load? Cause they think he's like his brother?

Big Mistake...because it so doesn't work.

Class Act

Mark Cuban is one of the most outspoken voices in professional sports. His Dallas Mavericks schooled the cocky Miami Heat in 6 last night. One might expect him to revel in receiving the NBA trophy.

Instead, he asked that the trophy be handed to the original owner of the Mavs, Don Carter.

Class Act...all the way.

The Loss of Teen Spirit

What has happened to School Spirit?

The High School that all three of my daughters attended qualified for the Elite Eight of the State Basketball Tournament this year for the eighth straight year. Which is pretty freakin' amazing.

At those early games in the run, the student section was simply packed with Spartan green. They had their own cheers. They had their own dance moves. They were almost as much fun to watch as Michael, Wes, Justin and the rest of those early teams.

As I watched v8.0 of the Memorial Spartans in the Championship Game Saturday night, I was stunned that the student section was a shadow of its former self. Only 2/3 of the seats were taken...and I surely didn't see anything like the Ikegwuonu brothers' legendary crowd-sourcing movements.

Am I missing something? And, don't tell me it's gas prices or the cost of hotel rooms...because the Championships are played, errr, in our home town.

Is it because winning is old hat for this school? Or, is it because today's students no longer embrace the concept of winning?

Because, from my perspective, it sucks.

Congratulations, Spartans. At least I was doing the old crowd moves in my easy chair as you won another State Championship...in triple OT. Hell yeah.

Image: Martha Busse / Madison Magazine

Where was Super Bowl 45 Played?

Dallas...except, not really. Yeah, it was Jerry's stadium and the Cowboys are all about Dallas (even though they used to be located in Irving...which is, interestingly, where the teams slept the night before the game). But the Super Bowl (can I say that and not get sued?) was played in Arlington.

You'd never know that by watching ESPN, however. Check out this great post by my friend and fellow blogger Reyn Bowman. It's a great example of how smart marketers can make somebody else's event theirs.

And, no...I won't use Roman Numerals anymore. It's just getting stupid.