June 30, 2010
June 25, 2010
The Daily Show tackles the World Cup
The following is a great piece from Daily Show correspondent John Oliver, who uncovers the commercialization and gentrification of the World Cup in Africa. Just enjoy.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| World Cup 2010: Into Africa - Goal Diggers | ||||
| ||||
June 21, 2010
Is this the new currency in NCAA FB recruiting?
An interesting blog post last week from the excellent college sports blog over at The Chronicle for Higher Education details the success of the University of Oregon's video production department, hailing the athletic department's video coordinator Steve Pohl as "the Speilberg of College Sports." The first video below, from Pohl and UO with the help of digital film production house Pushplay Productions, recently won an award at the 2010 College Sports Video Summit, where it took home the prize for best college sports video of the year.
Big deal, you might say. But considering the video went up against entries from ESPN (promo work for the College Baseball World Series) and CBS (the 2010 NCAA basketball championship game between Butler and Duke), well, it actually is kind of a big deal.
What makes it an even bigger deal is that productions like this and university employees like Steve Pohl are considered unnecessary by the committee charged with helping the NCAA rein in spending, the Knight Commission. Considering these video producers and products do nothing to help the health or mind of the student-athlete, there's no arguing that they are superfluous economically. However, the question is, how important are slick videos like this for satiating both the fans and potential recruits? While I hope an 8-minute season montage won't be the deciding factor for standout high school football athletes, it has become just one more perk in the long list at the University of Oregon, where being the best means having the coolest stuff: the close relationship with Nike founder Phil Knight, the country's wildest athlete academic center, and an almost-innumerable amount of uniform combinations.
Oregon Football 2009 Season Highlights from Pushplay Productions on Vimeo.
Watching the video does make me wonder, however, if "the medium is the message" for both recruits and fans. Also, I always love watching videos like this just to see what gets omitted. Where's LeGarrette Blount, the running back who sucker punched a Boise State University player and had to be restrained and escorted off the field by police after a game in Boise last September? Or the team's dreadful graduation rate (49%)?
Anyway, I guess I should be thanking my lucky Title IX stars that the video production team isn't all about football. Here's a slightly-less inspiring video about the Ducks' 2010 Track and Field team.
Oregon Track and Field 2010 from Pushplay Productions on Vimeo.
Yeah. Can you believe they (Pushplay Productions/Oregon) have the music rights to Phoenix? I guess after you saw the shattering opponent football players in the first video, you're ready to believe anything. Like, that they spelled "Field" wrong in the Track and Field video.
Um, yeah. What about those graduation rates again?
Big deal, you might say. But considering the video went up against entries from ESPN (promo work for the College Baseball World Series) and CBS (the 2010 NCAA basketball championship game between Butler and Duke), well, it actually is kind of a big deal.
What makes it an even bigger deal is that productions like this and university employees like Steve Pohl are considered unnecessary by the committee charged with helping the NCAA rein in spending, the Knight Commission. Considering these video producers and products do nothing to help the health or mind of the student-athlete, there's no arguing that they are superfluous economically. However, the question is, how important are slick videos like this for satiating both the fans and potential recruits? While I hope an 8-minute season montage won't be the deciding factor for standout high school football athletes, it has become just one more perk in the long list at the University of Oregon, where being the best means having the coolest stuff: the close relationship with Nike founder Phil Knight, the country's wildest athlete academic center, and an almost-innumerable amount of uniform combinations.
Oregon Football 2009 Season Highlights from Pushplay Productions on Vimeo.
Watching the video does make me wonder, however, if "the medium is the message" for both recruits and fans. Also, I always love watching videos like this just to see what gets omitted. Where's LeGarrette Blount, the running back who sucker punched a Boise State University player and had to be restrained and escorted off the field by police after a game in Boise last September? Or the team's dreadful graduation rate (49%)?
Anyway, I guess I should be thanking my lucky Title IX stars that the video production team isn't all about football. Here's a slightly-less inspiring video about the Ducks' 2010 Track and Field team.
Oregon Track and Field 2010 from Pushplay Productions on Vimeo.
Yeah. Can you believe they (Pushplay Productions/Oregon) have the music rights to Phoenix? I guess after you saw the shattering opponent football players in the first video, you're ready to believe anything. Like, that they spelled "Field" wrong in the Track and Field video.
Um, yeah. What about those graduation rates again?
New York Stadium Documentary
The following is an internet documentary from the blog Internets Celebrities, a tandem of bloggers and a videographer who seek to "expose all sorts of injustice - economic, political, and culinary." Their most recent effort takes aim at the two brand new baseball stadiums that opened to the Yankees and Mets, respectively, last year.
In the film, they talk to noted stadium critic, and author of the excellent blog Field of Schemes, Neil deMause, and make general observations on how crazy it is to spend billions on stadia. Enjoy.
Stadium Status from Internets Celebrities on Vimeo.
In the film, they talk to noted stadium critic, and author of the excellent blog Field of Schemes, Neil deMause, and make general observations on how crazy it is to spend billions on stadia. Enjoy.
Stadium Status from Internets Celebrities on Vimeo.
June 17, 2010
Rough week for South Africa, mega-profits for FIFA
Wednesday, on the 35th anniversary of the Soweto Uprising, now commemorated as South African Youth Day, the country had a bit of a rough go of it, to say the least. Not only did their beloved Bafana Bafana fall to Uruguay by an embarrassing 3-0 scoreline, but their team will be without their first-choice goalkeeper, Itumeleng Khune, for their next game (against France) after he was shown a straight red card in the 76th minute. The loss means that the team needs something just short of a miracle to progress out of the group stage and make the second round.
The problems for South Africa, however, don't end there. In Durban today, approximately three thousand South Africans showed up outside Moses Mabhida Stadium to protest the government's lucrative spending to stage the World Cup tournament. With 40% of the country's population living on less than $2 per day, much of the criticism in the build up to the World Cup has centered on whether the South African government should have spent money, specifically, on stadiums that will become obsolete after the tournament ends.
The Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, for example, a 43,500-seat stadium built specifically for this month's tournament cost the nation's taxpayers about $140 million and will host just four World Cup matches. That's a cost of about $35 million per game! Known as the "Giraffe Stadium," there's no denying the beauty of the facility, but many of the residents in the surrounding areas (just a hundred yards in some cases) suffer from a lack of electricity, paved roads, proper housing, and clean water.
The protest came just days after riot police in Durban used tear gas and rubber bullets to dissipate a protest by local security guards who claimed that they had been underpaid for their services. According to the New York Times, the guards were promised about $200 per day for a 12-hour shift; instead, on their first day of work, they received just $27 for their workday in and around the Mabhida Stadium in Durban. As a result of that protest on Monday, security guards in Durban and at other stadiums throughout South Africa have gone on labor strikes and forced FIFA to ask police to take over security at venues in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Port Elizabeth.
Adding to this already-volatile situation, earlier this week, South African energy officials asked their citizens to "reduce their consumption of electricity" to ensure the tournament does not face any energy disruption. Even though each of the country's 8 World Cup stadiums have backup generators, there is still a concern that the country's union of energy workers could strike at the state-owned energy company responsible for producing most of the country's electricity.
At the end of the day, a consistent level of anger has been leveled at FIFA, soccer's governing body, which demanded the South African government spend upwards of $4.3 billion to build new facilities and the infrastructure required for hosting a tournament of this magnitude. And while South Africa will struggle with the lingering financial issues of staging the tournament, FIFA is set to reap profits of up to $2.5 billion from the sale of broadcast rights, marketing, and tickets for the tournament. The best part? As an officially-registered charity in Switzerland, FIFA will pay $0 in taxes on that profit.
The problems for South Africa, however, don't end there. In Durban today, approximately three thousand South Africans showed up outside Moses Mabhida Stadium to protest the government's lucrative spending to stage the World Cup tournament. With 40% of the country's population living on less than $2 per day, much of the criticism in the build up to the World Cup has centered on whether the South African government should have spent money, specifically, on stadiums that will become obsolete after the tournament ends.
The Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, for example, a 43,500-seat stadium built specifically for this month's tournament cost the nation's taxpayers about $140 million and will host just four World Cup matches. That's a cost of about $35 million per game! Known as the "Giraffe Stadium," there's no denying the beauty of the facility, but many of the residents in the surrounding areas (just a hundred yards in some cases) suffer from a lack of electricity, paved roads, proper housing, and clean water.
The orange trusses that support the roof of the Mbombela Stadium
were designed to look like giraffes.
The protest came just days after riot police in Durban used tear gas and rubber bullets to dissipate a protest by local security guards who claimed that they had been underpaid for their services. According to the New York Times, the guards were promised about $200 per day for a 12-hour shift; instead, on their first day of work, they received just $27 for their workday in and around the Mabhida Stadium in Durban. As a result of that protest on Monday, security guards in Durban and at other stadiums throughout South Africa have gone on labor strikes and forced FIFA to ask police to take over security at venues in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Port Elizabeth.
Adding to this already-volatile situation, earlier this week, South African energy officials asked their citizens to "reduce their consumption of electricity" to ensure the tournament does not face any energy disruption. Even though each of the country's 8 World Cup stadiums have backup generators, there is still a concern that the country's union of energy workers could strike at the state-owned energy company responsible for producing most of the country's electricity.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter illustrating how much he cares about
South Africa's financial situation. About yay-much.
At the end of the day, a consistent level of anger has been leveled at FIFA, soccer's governing body, which demanded the South African government spend upwards of $4.3 billion to build new facilities and the infrastructure required for hosting a tournament of this magnitude. And while South Africa will struggle with the lingering financial issues of staging the tournament, FIFA is set to reap profits of up to $2.5 billion from the sale of broadcast rights, marketing, and tickets for the tournament. The best part? As an officially-registered charity in Switzerland, FIFA will pay $0 in taxes on that profit.
June 14, 2010
Microsoft and ESPN bring media convergence to sport
Beginning in November, if you own an Xbox 360 and subscribe to Xbox Live, you will be able to watch ESPN3 live and on-demand through your magical Microsoft box. The entertainment device already boasts connections to Netflix and other kinds of entertainment content, but it's safe to say that today's announcement at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) opens the world of sports broadcasting to an intriguing new medium.
Importantly for both companies, however, this new feature will be exclusive to the Xbox, leaving Microsoft competitors Nintendo and Sony out in the cold. Both console-developing companies, however, have made strides within the past year to make their mark in the streaming sports world. Just a few months ago, Sony made a deal with Major League Baseball to supply a live streaming service through the Playstation.
It also means that there are some new features forthcoming as a result of the convergence. According to their presentation, the Xbox/ESPN experience will also feature "live trivia, polls, and clips from ESPN shows like SportsCenter." For ESPN's Digital Media GM, John Kosner, streaming programming through the Xbox can create a "live even experience" that "reach[es] a group that we don't normally reach."
Two SportsCenter anchors were on hand at E3 today to
show this picture of USC players hugging.
Importantly for both companies, however, this new feature will be exclusive to the Xbox, leaving Microsoft competitors Nintendo and Sony out in the cold. Both console-developing companies, however, have made strides within the past year to make their mark in the streaming sports world. Just a few months ago, Sony made a deal with Major League Baseball to supply a live streaming service through the Playstation.
The kids are going to want to do this, ESPN thinks.
It also means that there are some new features forthcoming as a result of the convergence. According to their presentation, the Xbox/ESPN experience will also feature "live trivia, polls, and clips from ESPN shows like SportsCenter." For ESPN's Digital Media GM, John Kosner, streaming programming through the Xbox can create a "live even experience" that "reach[es] a group that we don't normally reach."
June 11, 2010
The new Marlins Stadium officially goes off the deep end
The soon-to-be Miami Marlins are installing two custom-built saltwater aquariums in the facade of their field level wall, to the right and left of each team's dugout. For protection, the aquariums will be constructed with bullet-proof glass, so there's no chance of a Dan Uggla foul ball destroying any precious Florida-area marine life. Plus, destroying Florida-area marine life is BP's job.
The new $515 million stadium will also feature lounging and pool areas in left-centerfield, a water feature in straight-away centerfield, and a some kind of $2.5 million art feature that will be used to celebrate the team's home runs.
While it doesn't justify the price tag, there is no doubt that projects like these will make the new stadium one of the most intriguing facilities in Major League Baseball. Aquariums in the field of play...what will they think of next?
Why watch the Marlins when you can watch smaller fish just swim around?
Currently unnamed and unknown centerfield water feature.
It's an arcade-like design and the marlins will, purportedly,
jump after each Marlins' home run.
While it doesn't justify the price tag, there is no doubt that projects like these will make the new stadium one of the most intriguing facilities in Major League Baseball. Aquariums in the field of play...what will they think of next?
June 8, 2010
The Most Watched Nationals Game Ever?
ESPN started its Stephen Strasburg coverage this morning and will begin pre-game coverage of the pitching sensation's (and top pick in the 2009 draft) MLB debut at 3.30pm this afternoon on a special edition of Baseball Tonight. Local cable network MASN will also deliver additional pre-game coverage with a special one hour edition of Nats Xtra. That show begins at 6pm.
ESPN is giddy.
Considering that Nationals Park sold out within two hours of the team announcement of Strasburg's first MLB start and that over 200 media credentials have been passed out (three times more than normal), it is safe to say that tonight's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates is - by far - the biggest game ever in Washington Nationals history.
Tonight's game will be just the second sellout for the Nationals this season - a fact made more special because weeknight games are usually tough draws for any MLB home game. Currently the Nationals are 24th (out of 30 teams) in the league in home game attendance.
Nationals Park will, undoubtedly, not look like this tonight.
The only other game to sellout at Nationals Park this year? Opening day, when current U.S. president Barack Obama threw out the first pitch.
June 7, 2010
ESPN Rolls Out its WC Coverage
This is an impressive start. Mike Tirico handling the on-location studio-hosting duties for ESPN's World Cup coverage, a first for World Cup coverage in the U.S.
With pre-match shows and post-match shows, as well as a daily evening show to recap and analyze the day's action - all broadcast from South Africa - it's like soccer finally getting its due from the Worldwide Leader.
With pre-match shows and post-match shows, as well as a daily evening show to recap and analyze the day's action - all broadcast from South Africa - it's like soccer finally getting its due from the Worldwide Leader.
June 6, 2010
I don't get this new Adidas ad......
...I mean, did they make this just because they could? And what more random collection of folks than Daft, Punk, David Beckham, Snoop Dogg, Jay Baruchel, Noel Gallagher, Ian Brown, Franz Beckenbauer, and a host of crazy aliens in a remake of a scene from Star Wars that takes place in a Mos Eisley cantina.
Well done, Adidas. I guess.
Well done, Adidas. I guess.
June 2, 2010
Huge Boondoggle on Tap for MLB
On Wednesday night, Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga was set to make history against the Cleveland Indians. Through 8 and 2/3 innings, Galarraga had pitched a perfect game. He was just one out away from recording the third perfect game in the last month in MLB (following Dallas Braden of the Athletics on May 9th and Roy Halladay of the Phillies on May 29th). Then this happened:
Here's the image up close. You make the call.
And now, let the media siege - and those who scream for instant replay - begin.
Yikes. Count this as just another in the many, many, many number of times I wouldn't want to wake up as Bud Selig tomorrow.
Here's the image up close. You make the call.
And now, let the media siege - and those who scream for instant replay - begin.
Yikes. Count this as just another in the many, many, many number of times I wouldn't want to wake up as Bud Selig tomorrow.
June 1, 2010
Canada's Stanley Cup Coverage puts NBC to shame
As in many things hockey, the Canadian Broadcasting Company is putting NBC's lackluster approach to the Stanley Cup Finals to shame.
Evidence? Exhibit A and B, from the CBC, below. From the opening night (Saturday) of the Stanley Cup Finals...
Sinatra, the history of both franchises, and one of the wildest arenas in all of sport? Well done. And from last night's coverage of game two of the Stanley Cup Finals...
My favorite part? About 1:10 in, where you can see Patrick Sharp yelling from the bench at pulled Flyers goaltender Michael Leighton. The production firepower for NBC's Stanley Cup Finals broadcasts don't even come close. This is all I could find online from Game 1, and I can assure you that Game 2's intro video was just as short and lame.
I guess that should be expected, considering how low hockey is on the totem pole in the United States, but still - if the Stanley Cup is your property, NBC, wouldn't you give it half the consideration and production power of that overblown, completely out-of-touch venture you call Sunday Night Football?
Well, remember, this is NBC we're talking about. Still, NBC network executives are probably ecstatic with the Stanley Cup Finals, considering their coverage on Saturday night produced the highest overnight ratings for the opening game of Stanley Cup Finals in 11 years and a 12% jump over last year's opening game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings. While national viewership figures won't be available until tomorrow (Wednesday), we already know that the overnight figures for game 2 produced the highest-rated game 2 numbers in 35 years and a 21% jump from last year's game.
Still, couldn't they put a bit more effort into their production? As it stands, CBC's coverage is all the more interesting because they are formulating an actual narrative. A narrative - with all of the dramas, twists and turns, and so on - sells the broadcast. Seems like common sense.
Time to admit that yes, even with these guys, Canada does it better.
Evidence? Exhibit A and B, from the CBC, below. From the opening night (Saturday) of the Stanley Cup Finals...
Sinatra, the history of both franchises, and one of the wildest arenas in all of sport? Well done. And from last night's coverage of game two of the Stanley Cup Finals...
My favorite part? About 1:10 in, where you can see Patrick Sharp yelling from the bench at pulled Flyers goaltender Michael Leighton. The production firepower for NBC's Stanley Cup Finals broadcasts don't even come close. This is all I could find online from Game 1, and I can assure you that Game 2's intro video was just as short and lame.
I guess that should be expected, considering how low hockey is on the totem pole in the United States, but still - if the Stanley Cup is your property, NBC, wouldn't you give it half the consideration and production power of that overblown, completely out-of-touch venture you call Sunday Night Football?
Still, couldn't they put a bit more effort into their production? As it stands, CBC's coverage is all the more interesting because they are formulating an actual narrative. A narrative - with all of the dramas, twists and turns, and so on - sells the broadcast. Seems like common sense.
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