JUSTCAWS

Last post explained how parity through a strict salary cap has contributed to NFL media dominance. Now will look at some of the other reasons they rule over all sport and entertainment properties.  First off, as any television sport broadcasting expert will tell you, football is made for TV.  Plays begin with all participants on screen and usually last under 5 seconds. The remainder of time allows for a good number replays of past plays and close ups to build up to the next.  The basic rules of the game and lines on the playing surface are easy to follow.  There are plenty of embedded stoppages in play for sponsors and casual phone glancing. The game can also be easily manipulated by officials (if desired) to keep scores close. I could go on and I am sure you have your own, but I want to get into what I believe are the more meaningful factors. A short, meaningful regular season and playoff matchups decided in one game.  All the other three majors pro sport leag...

In case you still had any doubts, the television placement of this weekend’s playoff games once again proves the NFL is the king of sport leagues.  Of the four time slots for this weekend’s NFL playoff games, the most watched time slot will be Sunday primetime. This marquee time slot is reserved for teams who league and tv execs believe will deliver the biggest audience. For most leagues this slot would be given to large market cities with their significant fan bases ie. New York and LA. The NFL, however, is not most leagues. While a small market play off matchup between Buffalo and Kansas City would depress other league executives, the NFL places this game between two star quarterbacks in its favoured time slot.    This year’s MLB’s World Series between Arizona and Texas was a ratings dud . Oh, how happy the league and tv partners were that Ohtani signed with LA and not Toronto.  In the no salary cap league of Major league baseball, only the big market, high sp...

As I write this, all the top seeds in the MLB playoffs have been bounced early and teams with good, but not great seasons that barely made it into the playoffs are advancing.  Winning a division and getting home field advantage doesn’t seem to provide much of an advantage.  Just getting in is all you need to do.  Does this matter?  To some, not at all, but if your regular season doesn’t matter - why watch. I know plenty of sport fans who now only watch the playoffs - “when it matters”.  Leagues and their broadcast partners should be concerned.  Fandom is about passion not apathy.  Upsets do happen - and they’re not necessarily the issue.  Having a compelling regular season where every game matters is key. The NFL, the gold standard league gets it right.  With only 17 games and  only 44% teams who qualify, it makes game matter.  Due to the grueling nature of football - a bye is really an advantage and the top seeds usually win. ...

Are you really surprised?  If you're reading this I doubt it. Hard core Blue Jays fans saw this movie all year.  Wasted starts, questionable managing, bad base running, and an inability to hit with runners in scoring position.  What made this season, so frustrating - is there is a lot of talent on this roster.  Rogers has told me so. Okay, maybe not as great as the baseball heads at Sportsnet and the organization put out there, but still on paper good.  So yeah it's frustrating watching a team play well below expectations. If not for the other pretenders in the American League choking themselves, this team doesn’t even make the playoffs.  The fanbase doesn’t need answers as to why this happened.  They want to know is who going to be let go?  Sorry fans, but don’t expect major changes. The team really did what it’s supposed to do in Shapiro’s model - contend.  The stadium was full and ratings were solid.  Yes, fans are angry right now - b...

Fire the coach, the GM, blow it up?  None of the above, but running it back is not an option either.  That is by definition insanity - which is happening to me by watching this team lose in the playoffs year after year.  We have changed coaches, goalies, the bottom six, and beefed up the blue line. Time to address the elephant in the room.  Willie and or the Captain must go.  Add a proven winner and some needed salary cap flexibility. Listen to the JUSTCAWS off season plan  HERE.  

Had a speed brainstorm session with my Grade 12 Sports Marketing  class on ways to increase Grey Cup ratings and buzz. I thought many of the ideas were practical and worth consideration. Here’s a summary:          Bring celebrities into the broadcast booth to call parts of the game – suggestions were Dwayne Johnston aka “The Rock” due to his notoriety and past connection as a former CFL player.   Idea is to follow what the Brier did a few years back having Will Ferrell's Anchor Man character call some of the curling action to gain cross media attention.      Have Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky do a via satellite coin flip and offer his thanks and plea for continued support.  Connection also to the large Ukraine populations in the Canadian Prairies.  Bring in a top talent, i.e.. Shawn Mendes, that skew toward a younger demo for the half – time show, but go outside the traditional timelines. Use some commercial time for spo...

Complained last night on twitter about the length of the world series game. So during the endless dead time came up with the following suggestions. I'm not sure I am a purist, but I have played, coached, managed and umpired this game we love, so not offering anything incredibly radical. All seem doable to me, but welcome your tweaks and ideas too. If chess can add a clock, so can baseball. Some players will feel rushed, but that's the whole idea.  I know some may want to leave the game as is, but professional sports are in the entertainment business. Leagues have to adapt to stay relevant and ensure top talent plays under their banner. Its balancing act to maintain integrity while chasing viewers and advertising dollars. Tried to keep that in mind with the following 9 suggestions for keeping it a 9 inning game. Here goes... 1. Batters cannot step out of the box unless they swing at a pitch or leave the box to avoid being hit by a pitch. If they do step out, a strike is called a...

I have waited on writing this, hoping the man would say something. So on the anniversary of the big trade that saw the Raptors acquire Kawhi Leonard, my disappointment turns to disbelief. I doubt anything is coming. Not sure who Kawhi Leonard has as his publicist, or if he even has one. Sad, because the man could use some advice. Most Canadians do not begrudge Kawhi for wanting to go home and play for the LA Clippers. Sorry to see him go and not return for another Championship run, but no anger. Well that maybe changing Kawhi. A city and country opened its arms to you and offered you the moon. The least you could do is offer some token acknowledgment. It's standard practice to post something thanking the fans. Danny Green did his  late in the night, after word go out that he was leaving to go to the Lakers. Apparently, this gesture is just too much for the fun guy who was given the literal key to the city. Fine, you don't like talking to the press and avoid s...

Published Version: https://www.guelphmercury.com/opinion-story/9248912-toronto-blue-jays-fans-should-hold-on-to-their-low-expectations/ Another Blue Jays season is upon us and expectations could not be lower. Many pundits have the team pegged at 65-75 wins, and that may be optimistic. The Blue Jays finally flipped the page from the vets of 2015-16 to a youth movement of promising position player talent. It had to be done. Paying the likes Tulo, Martin, and now Molasses (misspelling intentional) to go away is the right move. It will free up at bats for the kids and show the organization what they've got. So that part of the plan, is fine. Fans upset their stars of years ago are gone - get over it. It was time. What doesn't get enough attention, is this idea that this needed rebuild must come with a white flag attached. The potential stars here and coming up are position players - not pitching. The best pitching prospect they have - Nate Pearson, will probably n...

Plenty of Blue Jay's talk about their upcoming superstar in waiting Vladimir Guerrero Jr.. If this young hatch-ling is a good as the pundits believe, he could follow his Dad and fly right into Cooperstown. To do that of course he will have hit some major milestones, as the hall rewards not a few years of brilliance, but a career. Your life -time stats in hits and home runs to name a few, are measured against all that came before you.  So you can see why Vlad Jr. has been anxious to get his career started. Unfortunately, for him the Blue Jays, like many clubs want to delay his entrance into the majors and maximize the years he is Blue Jay before he becomes a free agent. He didn't play on the big club last year and it is widely speculated that he won't make his earliest debut for the Blue Jays until this May. By doing so the Jays keep him locked up a year longer year and delay him from becoming a free agent and making ridiculous dollars.  While many fans complain about not be...

       They say perception is reality. If you’re Mark Shapiro of the Blue Jays the reality of his current perception with the fan base is not a good one. If you’re one of the many fans lamenting what “Shatkins” has done to your beloved  Blue Jays, perhaps a little inside perspective into what’s been going on behind the scenes is in order. To do so, let’s look back as to as to why Rogers went out and got Shapiro in the first place. Let’s be clear, Rogers does want to win. But they will not do so at all cost. Shapiro was brought in to get away from the boom, and bust cycle of pro sports. Rogers wants a perennial contender who keeps fans interest going and money flowing for most, if not all of the season. They also want this within set budget parameters. Rogers is a publicly owned corporation and not all shareholders see the Blue Jays as an asset worthy of a constant hefty investment. The other key pressing file for the organization was the handling of numerous ren...

I told my friend the other day that I think the Olympics has become a sham. He said,   “When did you get so cynical”? Well, I can tell you it didn’t happen yesterday. The Olympics have marked the passing time of my once innocent youth, to becoming a cynical, but wiser adult.   Growing up as flag waving American, I remember watching the U.S. hockey team win gold with the 1980 “Miracle on Ice”.  I was inspired by this underdog team and reveled in watching sport and patriotism being celebrated in unison.  In 1984, I fell for Mary Lou Retton and marveled at the circus like routines all the gymnasts performed. Four year later however, I found my innocence slipping away.  The myth of America was beginning to fade for me and with that I found myself cheering with the rest of my Canadian school mates for Ben Johnson in the 100 metre dash.  Early on, when Johnson claimed that he had not taken steroids – I believed him. I was naïve to believe that some p...