BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com BloggingStocks http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/media/feedlogo.gif BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Sunday Funnies: Would You Invest in LeBron James?]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/10/17/sunday-funnies-would-you-invest-in-lebron-james/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/10/17/sunday-funnies-would-you-invest-in-lebron-james/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/10/17/sunday-funnies-would-you-invest-in-lebron-james/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

If the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player, LeBron James, was a stock, would you find it was of any value as an investment? From my perspective, it would not be, unless Mr. James were to make some key moves off the court to mirror his talent on the court. The first thing I would tell him is to SHUT UP!

He needs to recognize that it is only natural for people in Cleveland to feel betrayed after years of support and adulation ended in a sputter, with nothing to fill the void. It is only natural for them to feel even worse after the self-serving arrogant way they were informed during a totally over-the-top television special.

Continue reading Sunday Funnies: Would You Invest in LeBron James?

Sunday Funnies: Would You Invest in LeBron James? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 17 Oct 2010 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advertizing sponsorsBasketballBerkshire Hathawaycharles barkleyChris BoshCleveland Cavaliersdwayne wadeESPNLeBron JamesMiami HeatNBAsportssports teamsWarren BuffettSun, 17 Oct 2010 14:40:00 EST<![CDATA[JockStocks: Is Under Armour on the Road to Recovery?]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/07/23/jockstocks-is-under-armour-on-the-road-to-recovery/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/07/23/jockstocks-is-under-armour-on-the-road-to-recovery/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/07/23/jockstocks-is-under-armour-on-the-road-to-recovery/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Football season is right around the corner and you can expect athletic apparel stocks to benefit --- the question is, who will lead the way? Most people will assume Nike (NKE) --- a safe assumption given the company's wide spectrum of offerings, ranging from apparel to shoes. That said, I don't think that we can overlook NKE's competitor Under Armour (UA). For those not familiar with the company, UA makes performance athletic wear, ranging from underwear to camouflage hunting wear. A majority of UA's clothing offerings are made of the company's moisture-wicking and heat-dispersing fabrics, which help keep athletes dry during workouts and competition. The company's products are available on the Internet, through catalogs, and at more than 20,000 stores nationwide. Not only is UA a major competitor to NKE, but it is also the world's leading compression sports apparel brand - holding almost 80% of market share.

Continue reading JockStocks: Is Under Armour on the Road to Recovery?

JockStocks: Is Under Armour on the Road to Recovery? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>inthenewsnikenkeperformance apparelretailsportsUAUnder ArmourFri, 23 Jul 2010 15:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Nike Hopes to Score with Its Q4 Earnings Report]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/06/22/nike-hopes-to-score-with-its-q4-earnings-report/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/06/22/nike-hopes-to-score-with-its-q4-earnings-report/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/06/22/nike-hopes-to-score-with-its-q4-earnings-report/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

nike soccer ballAfter Wednesday's market close, Nike, Inc. (NKE), the world's largest athletic shoe and accessory maker, is going to get its chance to impress Wall Street when it reports its fiscal fourth quarter results.

Analysts are expecting to see the company announce earnings of $1.05 per share, verses $0.99 during the same period last year.

Continue reading Nike Hopes to Score with Its Q4 Earnings Report

Nike Hopes to Score with Its Q4 Earnings Report originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 22 Jun 2010 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adidasathleticsearningsearnings previewforecastsNikeNKEsoccersoccer shoessportsworld cupTue, 22 Jun 2010 17:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Nike Jumps on Stronger Than Expected Earnings]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/12/17/nike-jumps-on-stronger-than-expected-earnings/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/12/17/nike-jumps-on-stronger-than-expected-earnings/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/12/17/nike-jumps-on-stronger-than-expected-earnings/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Shares of athletic giant Nike, Inc. (NKE) are trading sharply higher after hours, following reporting better than expected earnings for its fiscal second quarter.

As we noted in our earnings preview, analysts had been expecting the company to show earnings of 71 cents per share, but the company outpaced these estimates with a reported 76 cents during the quarter, on revenues of $4.4 billion.

Continue reading Nike Jumps on Stronger Than Expected Earnings

Nike Jumps on Stronger Than Expected Earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>athleticsearningsearnings reportsEarningsReportsNikeNKEsportsTiger WoodsTigerWoodsThu, 17 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[JockStocks: The Palace in Dallas shows that owners are out of touch with the average fan]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/09/25/jockstocks-the-palace-in-dallas-shows-that-owners-are-out-of-to/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/09/25/jockstocks-the-palace-in-dallas-shows-that-owners-are-out-of-to/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/09/25/jockstocks-the-palace-in-dallas-shows-that-owners-are-out-of-to/#commentsFiled under: ,

I didn't want to do it, I didn't want to cover the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium. Mainly because anyone that watches any of the sports channels or any of the NBC network has seen plenty of Jerry Jones and the Palace in Dallas (as some call it).

This $1.15 billion (yes, with a B) stadium is the definition of opulence, as it boasts a high-end steakhouse, tex-mex food, and something called a Cowboyrito. If you are thirsty, you can drop 12 bucks on a Patron margarita in the club lounge, or you could try a frozen Cowboyrita for 14 bucks (Cowboyrita? Seriously?).

I found it very interesting reading the Bloomberg article covering the stadium, especially when they estimated that it will cost $200 per person to go to a game. Yes, that is an average and it takes the high-end tickets into account, but I would be interested to see how much it costs for other teams. We the fans can't afford to go to these palaces and enjoy a game thanks to the ticket prices. I would love to see a game in Dallas Stadium, the new Yankee Stadium, or Citi Field in New York -- but I have a mortgage to pay.

Continue reading JockStocks: The Palace in Dallas shows that owners are out of touch with the average fan

JockStocks: The Palace in Dallas shows that owners are out of touch with the average fan originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Cowboy StadiumDallas CowboysJerry Jonessportssports ticketsticket costFri, 25 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[JockStocks: Is Lowe's trying to get out of NASCAR?]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/08/07/jockstocks-is-lowes-trying-to-get-out-of-nascar/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/08/07/jockstocks-is-lowes-trying-to-get-out-of-nascar/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/08/07/jockstocks-is-lowes-trying-to-get-out-of-nascar/#commentsFiled under: ,

NASCAR fans know Lowe's (NYSE: LOW) Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600. Well, that will soon be a thing of the past, as the hardware giant has decided to back out of its naming-rights sponsorship.

The hardware firm had an 11-year relationship with the racetrack, and it was the first racetrack to have naming rights. Unfortunately for the racetrack, Lowe's decided in the past two weeks to not extend the agreement. The initial agreement between the two was for 10 years and $35 million -- an agreement that lasted through last year. When that initial $35-million contract expired, the company decided to agree to a one-year extension through 2009.

Continue reading JockStocks: Is Lowe's trying to get out of NASCAR?

JockStocks: Is Lowe's trying to get out of NASCAR? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>business of sportscharlotte motor speedwaycontractsinthenewsloweslowes motor speedwaynaming rightsNASCARracetracksportsFri, 07 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[JockStocks: RadioShack to sponsor Lance Armstrong -- is it a smart move?]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/07/24/jockstocks-radioshack-to-sponsor-lance-armstrong-is-it-a-sma/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/07/24/jockstocks-radioshack-to-sponsor-lance-armstrong-is-it-a-sma/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/07/24/jockstocks-radioshack-to-sponsor-lance-armstrong-is-it-a-sma/#commentsFiled under: ,

Lance Armstrong is in the midst of a comeback over in the Tour de France, but he is making news for reasons other than his exploits on his bicycle. Yesterday, Lance announced that he will return to the Tour de France in 2010 and will be riding for a new sponsor, RadioShack (NYSE: RSH).

The terms of the deal were not available, but it also includes rights to Lance as he participates in marathons and triathlons. On his website, Livestrong.com, Armstrong said, "RadioShack has agreed to partner with us on this venture and ensure that this partnership and this team stays alive for years to come." This means that Armstrong will be leaving Team Astana after this year's Tour, and will probably be taking a number of teammates with him. There will also be other sponsors named, with Nissan the most prevalent, and the rumored budget for the team is $20 million.

Continue reading JockStocks: RadioShack to sponsor Lance Armstrong -- is it a smart move?

JockStocks: RadioShack to sponsor Lance Armstrong -- is it a smart move? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>business of sportsinthenewsLance ArmstrongLivestrongRadioShackRSHsportsTour De FranceFri, 24 Jul 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Arena Football League could be on its way back]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/04/15/arena-football-league-could-be-on-its-way-back/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/04/15/arena-football-league-could-be-on-its-way-back/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/04/15/arena-football-league-could-be-on-its-way-back/#commentsFiled under:

The Wall Street Journal reports (subscription required) that the Arena Football League is "closing in on a new collective bargaining agreement with its players union. The new deal, expected to be finalized in the coming weeks, is likely to cut the players' share of revenues substantially. But without the change, owners were not willing to revive the operation."

The AFL canceled the 2009 season back in December because of financial issues and at the time, there was talk about moving single-entity ownership structure -- where one investor group would own the league and all its teams. If the Wall Street Journal report is correct, the league looks like it will be able to hang on without such a draconian move.

Continue reading Arena Football League could be on its way back

Arena Football League could be on its way back originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Arena FootballArena Football LeagueArenaFootballArenaFootballLeagueFootballSportsWed, 15 Apr 2009 17:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Dick's Sporting Goods beats the estimates game]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/03/11/dicks-sporting-goods-beats-the-estimates-game/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/03/11/dicks-sporting-goods-beats-the-estimates-game/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/03/11/dicks-sporting-goods-beats-the-estimates-game/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Dicks Sporting GoodsDick's Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) competed on Tuesday in a contest that no company really wants to play: the Expectations Game. Things turned out pretty well for the famous seller of sports stuff (being that I'm no athlete, I can't say I've purchased anything from the place). For the fourth quarter, Dick's posted adjusted income of 55 cents per diluted share. Analysts surveyed by Reuters believed that the chain might do 53 cents per share.

Very cool. In fact, Dick's stock closed yesterday at $12.84. The shares gained over 17% on excellent volume. So, one might expect that the earnings were great and that the stock is a buy. Not so fast.

Continue reading Dick's Sporting Goods beats the estimates game

Dick's Sporting Goods beats the estimates game originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dicks sporting goodsDicksSportingGoodsDKSfamily dollar storesFamilyDollarStoresfdoretailsportswal-martwmtWed, 11 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A salary cap in baseball?]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/20/a-salary-cap-in-baseball/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/20/a-salary-cap-in-baseball/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/20/a-salary-cap-in-baseball/#commentsFiled under:

Let's take a trip to the "yeah right" files with this entry. Boston Red Sox owner John Henry has again picked up the torch crying for a salary cap yet again. Pot, this is the kettle. The Red Sox payroll is the fourth-highest in Major League Baseball at $133,390,035. Henry's problem is that he was outspent by his arch rival: the New York Yankees. In fact, Henry said that the Yankees spent like Congress.

For history's sake, Henry presented a salary cap five years ago (which was sour grapes in the wake of losing A-Roid to the Yankees) -- obviously this proposal never took hold. I just find it humorous that the owner of the Red Sox is calling for a salary cap. This is a team that is spending a veritable ton of money, and is succeeding. Let's take a look at the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Cincinnati Reds, the Oakland A's. All of these teams are considered "small market" teams. One would think that one of their owners would be yelling for a cap -- and that isn't the case.

Continue reading A salary cap in baseball?

A salary cap in baseball? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 20 Feb 2009 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Boston Red SoxBostonRedSoxbusiness of sportsBusinessOfSportsmajor league baseballMajorLeagueBaseballNew York YankeesNewYorkYankeessportssports businessSportsBusinessFri, 20 Feb 2009 16:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Has the economy caused an NBA team to throw in the towel?]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/19/has-the-economy-caused-an-nba-team-to-throw-in-the-towel/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/19/has-the-economy-caused-an-nba-team-to-throw-in-the-towel/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/19/has-the-economy-caused-an-nba-team-to-throw-in-the-towel/#commentsTurns out no one is safe from the economic downturn, not even an NBA franchise. The New Orleans Hornets dumped Tyson Chandler (and his paycheck of $12.3 million next year) on the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Hornets received Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox in return, along with the draft rights to DeVon Hardin.

According to various outlets (including ESPN.com), the Hornets have long been shopping Chandler for "financial reasons." The two players received in return have contracts that expire at the end of the season, so this is the classic rent-a-player scenario for the Hornets. New Orleans' payroll was set to hit $77 million next season, and they felt strongly enough about keeping that number in check to deal Chandler.

Continue reading Has the economy caused an NBA team to throw in the towel?

Has the economy caused an NBA team to throw in the towel? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 19 Feb 2009 17:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>business of sportsBusinessOfSportscontractnbasportssports businessSportsBusinesstradingThu, 19 Feb 2009 17:06:00 EST<![CDATA[Will MLS have to bail like Beckham?]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/06/will-mls-have-to-bail-like-beckham/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/06/will-mls-have-to-bail-like-beckham/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/06/will-mls-have-to-bail-like-beckham/#commentsI found an interesting article on the Los Angeles Times' site today. For those not aware, Major League Soccer (MLS) is about to lose David Beckham, just one year after the soccer coverboy signed a five-year deal to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy. Beckham was allowed to also play for European powerhouse AC Milan, and now he doesn't want to leave.

As the story notes, this looks bad for American soccer because Beckham wanted to be " ... an ambassador for the game here and, hopefully, it is going to encourage other players to come to the States and be part of this because soccer in America can become much bigger." Well, how is that working out? Answer: so well that the ambassador is ready to leave.

Continue reading Will MLS have to bail like Beckham?

Will MLS have to bail like Beckham? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>david beckhamDavidBeckhamlos angeleslos angeles timesLosAngelesLosAngelesTimesmajor league soccerMajorLeagueSoccersportssports businessSportsBusinessFri, 06 Feb 2009 17:15:00 EST<![CDATA[How will the economy impact NASCAR advertisers?]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/04/how-will-the-economy-impact-nascar-advertisers/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/04/how-will-the-economy-impact-nascar-advertisers/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/04/how-will-the-economy-impact-nascar-advertisers/#commentsFiled under:

I was cruising around the Web, trying to find an interesting article to share and I found a very juicy morsel over on Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal dealing with NASCAR and its advertisers. While stock-car racing has been around for quite some time, it has enjoyed a surge of popularity of late, including its own demographic from political experts (NASCAR Dads). This popularity has translated into big bucks from advertisers, but what impact will the current market crunch have?

Continue reading How will the economy impact NASCAR advertisers?

How will the economy impact NASCAR advertisers? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advertisingeconomyFGMinthenewsnascarSsportsTMupsWed, 04 Feb 2009 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Average NFL team now worth more than $1 billion]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/09/11/average-nfl-team-now-worth-more-than-1-billion/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/09/11/average-nfl-team-now-worth-more-than-1-billion/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/09/11/average-nfl-team-now-worth-more-than-1-billion/#commentsFiled under:

In a report not yet posted on its website, Forbes has determined that the average National Football League team is now worth $1.04 billion, a gain of 8.57% over last year, according to Reuters. When Forbes first started looking at NFL team values in 1998, the average was just $288 million.

I'm a little bit skeptical of the valuations because, in a market as illiquid as major sports franchises, it's a huge guessing game. Teams are bought in large part for sentimental/ego reasons, so price/sales and price/earnings ratios are less meaningful than with conventional investments. If two billionaires grew up listening to the same team on the radio and the current owner is looking to sell, the winner will be whoever wants it most.

But it's still interesting: even though Major League Baseball teams play about 10 times as many games as football teams, only one MLB team is worth more than $1 billion (The New York Yankees), according to Forbes' latest report.

Part of the reason may be that the NFL, with its non-guaranteed contracts, is able to keep its player costs down. Tom Van Riper recently reported that "The owners already voted to opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement early, meaning that play could come to a halt after two more seasons."

So the owners are looking to pay players even less in the face of continued increases in team values. The players' union might have a very good rationale for protesting. This could shape up to be a pretty interesting bargaining session.

Average NFL team now worth more than $1 billion originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>inthenewsNFLsportsThu, 11 Sep 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Nike (NKE) gearing up for summer Olympics]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/04/08/nike-nke-gearing-up-for-summer-olympics/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/04/08/nike-nke-gearing-up-for-summer-olympics/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/04/08/nike-nke-gearing-up-for-summer-olympics/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

With this year's summer Olympics just around the corner, athletic outfitter Nike Inc. (NYSE: NKE) unveiled its new Olympic products yesterday.

While Nike has never really embraced the concept of being a sponsor for the Olympics, it prides itself on being an outfitter for the competing athletes. This year there will be thousands of Olympic hopefuls from over a hundred companies that will be sporting the famous "Nike Swoosh" on themselves for millions of watchers to see.

Nike will definitely leave its own footprint all over this summer's Olympic games. For the first time ever, BMX will be an Olympic medal sport, and the new Nike gear for the sport is being heralded by Nike's global director for action sports, John Martin, as the "illest BMX product ever." I honestly thought the word "illest" vanished from the vocabulary around the same time as Run-DMC; guess I was wrong. But I will definitely look forward to seeing the "illest" BMX gear ever, Nike definitely got my attention on that one!

Continue reading Nike (NKE) gearing up for summer Olympics

Nike (NKE) gearing up for summer Olympics originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 08 Apr 2008 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>athletesathleticsChinahuman rightsHumanRightsinthenewsNikeNKEOlympicsshoessportsTue, 08 Apr 2008 12:15:00 EST<![CDATA[The perils of diversification: A lesson from the sports betting experts]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/02/24/the-perils-of-diversification-a-lesson-from-the-sports-betting/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/02/24/the-perils-of-diversification-a-lesson-from-the-sports-betting/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/02/24/the-perils-of-diversification-a-lesson-from-the-sports-betting/#commentsFiled under:

Market gurus like Jim Cramer preach the benefits of broad diversification, something I think is good for investors too: if your goal is to produce returns approximately equal to the market averages. In other words, if you believe in diversification, buy an index fund. If you don't want to simply buy and hold index funds, broad diversification is unlikely to make sense for you.

I recently found a good summary of why combining diversification with stock-picking is a bad idea from an unlikely source: Michael Konik's The Smart Money, a book about an elite sports bettor who gambles hundreds of thousands a day on football -- and wins. Here, he explains why the elite gamblers don't bet on more than a few games each week:

I'm sober enough about the difficulty of betting sports to realize that gambling on seven pro games in one weekend is the sign of a sucker. The linemakers just don't make that many mistakes on NFL football, where all the information is widely known to everyone in the universe.

It would be impossible to sum up the problem with diversification in the stock market any better. Generating greater returns without taking greater risk requires the investor to spot instances of market inefficiency -- the stock market equivalent of the linemakers making a mistake. And even the best investors in the world can't find enough market inefficiency to earn exceptional returns while owning a lot of stocks.

The perils of diversification: A lesson from the sports betting experts originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 24 Feb 2008 12:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bettingdiversificationgamblingindex fundsJim CramerMichael KoniksportsThe Smart MoneySun, 24 Feb 2008 12:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Live Nation: A key player with music players]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/22/live-nation-a-key-player-with-music-players/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/22/live-nation-a-key-player-with-music-players/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/22/live-nation-a-key-player-with-music-players/#commentsFiled under: ,

While sagging global music sales may be down, spelling hard times for music labels and the like, the proliferation of cribbed (read, downloaded illegally) music is actually driving concert sales to record levels.

Anyone heard of Live Nation (NYSE: LYV)? It only happens to be a real player in this industry. Live Nation recently announced its global ticketing initiative, which is set to debut next January. Live Nation is partnering with European firm CTS Eventim, which will provide the back-end technology and other related services for LYV's ticketing business.

So, what does this new business mean to a company that is a mover and shaker in the the promotion and production of live music shows, theatrical performances, and specialized motor sports events?

Continue reading Live Nation: A key player with music players

Live Nation: A key player with music players originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 22 Jan 2008 16:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>concertebayfootballLive NationLiveNationlyvmadonnamusicsoccersportsTue, 22 Jan 2008 16:19:00 EST<![CDATA[Sportswriters in demand as Yahoo, ESPN poach from print media]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/12/24/sportswriters-in-demand-as-yahoo-espn-poach-from-print-media/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/12/24/sportswriters-in-demand-as-yahoo-espn-poach-from-print-media/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/12/24/sportswriters-in-demand-as-yahoo-espn-poach-from-print-media/#commentsFiled under: ,

With the newspaper industry in decline and big layoffs at a lot of big newspapers, this is a tough time to be a journalist. But someone forgot to tell that to the elite sportswriters who, according to The New York Times, are receiving offers of double or triple what they earned at newspapers to write for Yahoo! Sports (NASDAQ: YHOO) and ESPN. Even Sports Illustrated lost star columnist Rick Reilly to ESPN -- for a reported $3 million per year.

The Times quotes sports agent Leigh Steinberg: "It's the exact same model as what happened to athletes. We're seeing free agency for sports journalists."

In spite of all the complaining and gnashing of teeth about the decline of journalism, I would argue that the internet is the best thing that has happened to the industry in a long time. The rise of aggregators and syndication has probably created a decline in the number of reporter jobs available -- but less duplication of efforts is good.

Continue reading Sportswriters in demand as Yahoo, ESPN poach from print media

Sportswriters in demand as Yahoo, ESPN poach from print media originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 24 Dec 2007 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ESPNJim CramerJimCramerjournalismsportsSports IllustratedSportsIllustratedYahoo!YHOOMon, 24 Dec 2007 12:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Is the NHL on its way to reviving hockey?]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/12/03/is-the-nhl-on-its-way-to-reviving-hockey/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/12/03/is-the-nhl-on-its-way-to-reviving-hockey/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/12/03/is-the-nhl-on-its-way-to-reviving-hockey/#commentsFiled under:

Sidney Crosby Not so long ago, the NHL seemed like it was on the brink of losing what little cultural relevance it had left. The lockout irritated the sport's loyal fans, and less-loyal fans simply lost interest. Attendance was weak, and what were thought to have been important contests were getting beaten in the ratings by arena football games.

Now, Nashville investor David Freeman has led a group buying the Nashville Predators franchise for $193 million -- a strong vote of confidence in the league's future.

The last NHL team to be sold was the St. Louis Blues in 2006. The Blues fetched $150 million. An NHL-commissioned report found that, during the 2002-2003 season, the NHL's 30 teams lost a total of $273 million.

It seems like efforts to rein in player salaries may be making the league more competitive financially, and the NHL could be back on the road to profitability.

Now all it needs is a young stud to revive mainstream interest the way that Wayne Gretzky did many years ago. If the league can get behind promoting him, 20-year old Penguins phenom Sidney Crosby could be their man.

Is the NHL on its way to reviving hockey? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 03 Dec 2007 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>HockeyNHLSportsMon, 03 Dec 2007 18:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Sports leagues turn to Las Vegas -- to stop cheaters?]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/03/sports-leagues-turn-to-las-vegas-to-stop-cheaters/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/03/sports-leagues-turn-to-las-vegas-to-stop-cheaters/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/03/sports-leagues-turn-to-las-vegas-to-stop-cheaters/#commentsFiled under: ,

A fascinating piece (subscription required) in The Wall Street Journal looks at the ways that Las Vegas bookmakers are teaming up regulators to catch cheating in collegiate sports. And with the Tim Donaghy scandal, there may be more of a need for vigilance in professional sports than we would like to think.

Las Vegas bookies have a terrific incentive to uncover game-fixing schemes: If gamblers manage to place a large bet based on illicit information before the bookie has a chance to move the betting line, they can be left holding the bag. Because they have relationships with gamblers and will be the first to notice signs of unusual gambling activity (much like a market maker might be able to detect suspicious trading activity in the stock market), they can be a valuable source of intelligence for the leagues and regulators.

In the book Freakonomics, Steven Levitt looks at the ways that the economist's toolkit can also be used to detect signs of cheating -- whether that be elementary school teachers' changing students' answers on standardized tests, or sumo wrestlers throwing matches.

While relying on input from members of the underworld might seem distasteful, bookies and even criminals often have valuable real world experience and connections that can help regulators. Ex-cons like Barry Minkow and Sam Antar have helped the FBI and SEC crackdown on numerous cases of securities fraud, and bookies can help the NCAA fight cheating. It's good to see that they are taking advantage of the opportunity.

On the other hand, Major League Baseball has been reluctant to take help from the underworld. Former Commissioner Fay Vincent explained to The Journal that he hadn't used Las Vegas as a source of information because he "can't quite imagine what they would've been telling us that we would've been interested in."

Perhaps that is part of the reason baseball has suffered from so many scandals over the years, including a whole decade of statistics that are in doubt because of steroids.

Sports leagues turn to Las Vegas -- to stop cheaters? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 03 Oct 2007 17:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CheatingGamblingSportsWed, 03 Oct 2007 17:19:00 EST