Willie Nelson : "Everybody collects data, but it's looking at the data the right way. Asking questions. Not hey, ‘how many posts should we send out?’ Or ‘how many impressions did we get?’ Or ‘how many times did our logo show up?’ But actually asking what content is resonating? Who is the audience that's engaging with the content?” 15.  Driving Brand Value through Engaging Experiences. a.      Allstate Dir of Consumer Marketing & Sponsorships Dan Keats said, “It's got to be able to tell our brand story the right way. Yes, we have to walk the tightrope a little bit in terms of what's going to be compelling to the consumer. And also, is it going to tell our brand story in an authentic, relevant manner? ... Just having Kirk (Herbstreit) deliver some content is great, but how do we get him doing more things showing off his expertise, so that we can, again, further enhance our brand story through that”. b.      Xenith VP/Brand & Experience Tammy DeMarco noted her company, a helmet manufacturer, recently signed a deal with IMG Academy in Florida and will be “developing product with them for the next five years, co-creating content, making sure that everything we do is authentic to the athlete”. DeMarco: “What's your hype music you listen to before a game? What are you training to? What are you doing in your workout? What are you eating? Those are the questions that our community is looking for, so it's much broader. It's more about what's happening in the ecosystem than just on gameday”. 16.  The expanded presence of non-endemic brands in the esports space. a.      Case Example…the Puma/Cloud 9 Partnership. Puma Head of Digital Marketing & Esports Matt Shaw said the new multiyear, eight-figure deal “puts us in a position to create a lot of really awesome, meaningful experiences and product that we’re excited to bring to market. That’s going to include fan wear ... for Cloud9 fans”. Cloud9 Exec VP/Commercial Partnerships Jordan Udko said the deal is a way to “expand our presence beyond esports and to affect a broader culture”. Udko: “We’ve got fans globally. Certainly we’re a very strong presence in the United States, but everywhere from Northern Europe all the way down to Brazil. We feel like Puma could help us get a greater presence and gain greater fans, not just in esports”. 17.  Verizon and Sleep Number score with some of the best ads of the year. a.      Verizon drove home the message of “reliability” during their touching ads, where various NFL players/coaches shared stories of how their lives were positively impacted thanks to quick response to a harrowing incident, with an assist to the reliability of Verizon network. b.      Sleep Number gave every NFL player a Sleep Number bed, which was a great way to cater to a group of athletes placing greater importance on quality of rest while also leveraging the scope of the NFL’s reach. INSIGHTS FROM LEARFIELD COLLEGE INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS FORUM. 18.  Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) will dominate the collegiate sports business conversations in 2020. a.      For more on this, visit my focusing on NIL. 19.  Investments in the mental health of student athletes have and will continue to grow considerably. a.      For more on this, visit my December article focusing on the mental health of college athletes. 20.  Student-athletes taking greater ownership and control over the development of their brands and social media presence      a.      Jim Cavale (CEO of INFLCR) spoke of the importance tied to giving student-athletes easier and better access to content they are part of (be it photos or videos of them in action). Cavale argued that since many of the student-athlete’s social media pages draw more eyeballs than social media accounts tied to the athlete’s team or athletics department, allowing the students better access to their own content could boost the marketing value for the athletics department as a whole. b.      In this article , I listed this issue as among the 5 largest business operations issues facing collegiate athletics moving forward into 2020. of my list of 40 contemporary sports business insights from 2019. The proliferation of legalized sports gambling across various states, and how teams and leagues are utilizing this to boost fan engagement, is among the top 40 sports business themes of 2019. Pictured here is the opening of the William Hill Sports Lounge at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. Prudential Center. The Sports Business Journal is the unquestioned leader when it comes to producing conferences and events germane to the sports industry, largely because of their ability to recruit and access high-ranking industry professionals who are the unparalleled thought-leaders within the industry. Therefore, as these final days of 2019 wind down, and upon reflecting on the numerous SBJ conferences attended in 2019, I’ve come up with a list of 40 contemporary sports business insights/themes/experiences gleaned from listening to dozens of sports executives throughout the year. This particular article focuses on 20 insights/themes/experiences from three specific events: (1) The CAA World Congress of Sport, (2) Intersport’s Brand Engagement and Content Summit, and (3) Learfield IMG College Intercollegiate Athletics Forum. Part 2 of this series covers 20 additional insights obtained across two other SBJ events which occurred during the latter half of 2019, and can be found here. For this first part of the two-part series: - Insights/themes 1 through 9 were from the CAA World Congress of Sport; - Insights/themes 10 through 17 were from Intersport’s Brand Engagement and Content Summit; - Insights/themes 18 through 20 were from Learfield IMG College Intercollegiate Athletics Forum. Throughout this summary, key quotes are featured from the industry professionals who participated at these various events. (Part 2 to the series INSIGHTS FROM CAA WORLD CONGRESS OF SPORT. 1. The OTT streaming video business is ripe for consolidation and will likely move back toward bundling packages for consumers. a. ESPN and Disney Exec VP/Affiliate Sales & Marketing Justin Connolly said the current, disparate array of consumer OTT options is probably not sustainable. “At some point in the future, there will be some type or style of rebundling. There is consumer value created in bundling, and I see the arc moving back in that direction”. b. DAZN Exec Chair John Skipper added, “You’re going to have a fairly existential battle between about 8 to 10 companies, and you can name them quickly. ... But people aren’t willing to buy more than two or three things. You’re going to have a winnowing down of the number of companies that play in this and it’s going to get down to three or four”. 2. The success of ESPN+ should dispel notions that Disney is merely a “legacy” media company. a. Connolly said the arrival of ESPN+ and its surpassing 2 million subscribers and overall digital leadership in the sports industry should be elements that dispel the notion of the Disney-owned company as merely a “legacy” media company unable to change. “The idea of ‘legacy’ media just misses the mark in the reality of what ESPN is in this day and age”. 3. The impact of Sports Gambling on Fan Engagement and Facility Design. a. Kim Pegula, Owner/President of the Buffalo Bills, said legalized sports betting is shaping the team’s planning for future facilities. “We’re doing a feasibility study for renovations or a new stadium,” she said. “We have to think about ... how sports betting changes in-venue experiences when it (is legalized). It’s not how do we build it from concrete and with wiring, but how will the fans use it”. b. Maryann Turcke, COO of the NFL, said legal sports gambling in New Jersey is already changing the fan experience. “There’s a lot of in-venue betting, it’s right around the $10 level,” she said. “It’s a fun way to engage”. c. Speaking about the intersection of tech and gambling at sports venues, Ticketmaster Chief Commercial Officer & Head of Sports Greg Economou said “The economy around it is so huge, you have to think it will increase. It’s the next wave. We have to be very vigilant about how we install it”. 4. Discovery Channel planning a deeper commitment to Sports. a. David Zaslav, President and CEO of Discovery, believes Discovery is positioning itself well to be a major player in the changing media landscape both in the U.S. and abroad as it doubles down on the "

forbes Tuesday, December 31, 2019 8:39:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson : "Everybody collects data, but it's looking at the data the right way. Asking questions. Not hey, ‘how many posts should we send out?’ Or ‘how many impressions did we get?’ Or ‘how many times did our logo show up?’ But actually asking what content is resonating? Who is the audience that's engaging with the content?” 15.  Driving Brand Value through Engaging Experiences. a.      Allstate Dir of Consumer Marketing & Sponsorships Dan Keats said, “It's got to be able to tell our brand story the right way. Yes, we have to walk the tightrope a little bit in terms of what's going to be compelling to the consumer. And also, is it going to tell our brand story in an authentic, relevant manner? ... Just having Kirk (Herbstreit) deliver some content is great, but how do we get him doing more things showing off his expertise, so that we can, again, further enhance our brand story through that”. b.      Xenith VP/Brand & Experience Tammy DeMarco noted her company, a helmet manufacturer, recently signed a deal with IMG Academy in Florida and will be “developing product with them for the next five years, co-creating content, making sure that everything we do is authentic to the athlete”. DeMarco: “What's your hype music you listen to before a game? What are you training to? What are you doing in your workout? What are you eating? Those are the questions that our community is looking for, so it's much broader. It's more about what's happening in the ecosystem than just on gameday”. 16.  The expanded presence of non-endemic brands in the esports space. a.      Case Example…the Puma/Cloud 9 Partnership. Puma Head of Digital Marketing & Esports Matt Shaw said the new multiyear, eight-figure deal “puts us in a position to create a lot of really awesome, meaningful experiences and product that we’re excited to bring to market. That’s going to include fan wear ... for Cloud9 fans”. Cloud9 Exec VP/Commercial Partnerships Jordan Udko said the deal is a way to “expand our presence beyond esports and to affect a broader culture”. Udko: “We’ve got fans globally. Certainly we’re a very strong presence in the United States, but everywhere from Northern Europe all the way down to Brazil. We feel like Puma could help us get a greater presence and gain greater fans, not just in esports”. 17.  Verizon and Sleep Number score with some of the best ads of the year. a.      Verizon drove home the message of “reliability” during their touching ads, where various NFL players/coaches shared stories of how their lives were positively impacted thanks to quick response to a harrowing incident, with an assist to the reliability of Verizon network. b.      Sleep Number gave every NFL player a Sleep Number bed, which was a great way to cater to a group of athletes placing greater importance on quality of rest while also leveraging the scope of the NFL’s reach. INSIGHTS FROM LEARFIELD COLLEGE INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS FORUM. 18.  Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) will dominate the collegiate sports business conversations in 2020. a.      For more on this, visit my focusing on NIL. 19.  Investments in the mental health of student athletes have and will continue to grow considerably. a.      For more on this, visit my December article focusing on the mental health of college athletes. 20.  Student-athletes taking greater ownership and control over the development of their brands and social media presence      a.      Jim Cavale (CEO of INFLCR) spoke of the importance tied to giving student-athletes easier and better access to content they are part of (be it photos or videos of them in action). Cavale argued that since many of the student-athlete’s social media pages draw more eyeballs than social media accounts tied to the athlete’s team or athletics department, allowing the students better access to their own content could boost the marketing value for the athletics department as a whole. b.      In this article , I listed this issue as among the 5 largest business operations issues facing collegiate athletics moving forward into 2020. of my list of 40 contemporary sports business insights from 2019. The issues of (1) name, image, and likeness, (2) the mental well-being of student athletes, and (3) students taking more ownership over the cultivation of their personal brands were among three themes I included in my top 40 sports business themes of 2019. Pictured here from mid-December was a panel of current Division I athletic directors discussing the issues keeping them up at night, hosted by John Ourand (far left) from the Sports Business Journal. Marc Bryan-Brown. The Sports Business Journal is the unquestioned leader when it comes to producing conferences and events germane to the sports industry, largely because of their ability to recruit and access high-ranking industry professionals who are the unparalleled thought-leaders within the industry. Therefore, as these final days of 2019 wind down, and upon reflecting on the numerous SBJ conferences attended in 2019, I’ve come up with a list of 40 contemporary sports business insights/themes/experiences gleaned from listening to dozens of sports executives throughout the year. This particular article focuses on 20 insights/themes/experiences from three specific events: (1) The CAA World Congress of Sport, (2) Intersport’s Brand Engagement and Content Summit, and (3) Learfield IMG College Intercollegiate Athletics Forum. Part 2 of this series covers 20 additional insights obtained across two other SBJ events which occurred during the latter half of 2019, and can be found here. For this first part of the two-part series: - Insights/themes 1 through 9 were from the CAA World Congress of Sport; - Insights/themes 10 through 17 were from Intersport’s Brand Engagement and Content Summit; - Insights/themes 18 through 20 were from Learfield IMG College Intercollegiate Athletics Forum. Throughout this summary, key quotes are featured from the industry professionals who participated at these various events. (Part 2 to the series INSIGHTS FROM CAA WORLD CONGRESS OF SPORT. 1. The OTT streaming video business is ripe for consolidation and will likely move back toward bundling packages for consumers. a. ESPN and Disney Exec VP/Affiliate Sales & Marketing Justin Connolly said the current, disparate array of consumer OTT options is probably not sustainable. “At some point in the future, there will be some type or style of rebundling. There is consumer value created in bundling, and I see the arc moving back in that direction”. b. DAZN Exec Chair John Skipper added, “You’re going to have a fairly existential battle between about 8 to 10 companies, and you can name them quickly. ... But people aren’t willing to buy more than two or three things. You’re going to have a winnowing down of the number of companies that play in this and it’s going to get down to three or four”. 2. The success of ESPN+ should dispel notions that Disney is merely a “legacy” media company. a. Connolly said the arrival of ESPN+ and its surpassing 2 million subscribers and overall digital leadership in the sports industry should be elements that dispel the notion of the Disney-owned company as merely a “legacy” media company unable to change. “The idea of ‘legacy’ media just misses the mark in the reality of what ESPN is in this day and age”. 3. The impact of Sports Gambling on Fan Engagement and Facility Design. a. Kim Pegula, Owner/President of the Buffalo Bills, said legalized sports betting is shaping the team’s planning for future facilities. “We’re doing a feasibility study for renovations or a new stadium,” she said. “We have to think about ... how sports betting changes in-venue experiences when it (is legalized). It’s not how do we build it from concrete and with wiring, but how will the fans use it”. b. Maryann Turcke, COO of the NFL, said legal sports gambling in New Jersey is already changing the fan experience. “There’s a lot of in-venue betting, it’s right around the $10 level,” she said. “It’s a fun way to engage”. c. Speaking about the intersection of tech and gambling at sports venues, Ticketmaster Chief Commercial Officer & Head of Sports Greg Economou said “The economy around it is so huge, you have to think it will increase. It’s the next wave. We have to be very vigilant about how we install it”. 4. Discovery Channel planning a deeper commitment to Sports. a. David Zaslav, President and CEO of Discovery, believes Discovery is positioning itself well to be a major player in the changing media landscape both in the U.S. and abroad as it doubles down on the "

forbes Monday, December 30, 2019 5:36:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “We struggled for years to get a requirement approved for PNT, because it’s a challenge,”

insidegnss Friday, December 20, 2019 5:14:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson told : "I started smoking cedar bark, went from that to cigarettes to whatever,"

wxii12 Friday, December 6, 2019 10:45:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson told : "I started smoking cedar bark, went from that to cigarettes to whatever,"

wxii12 Friday, December 6, 2019 10:45:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “I have abused my lungs quite a bit in the past, so breathing is a little more difficult these days and I have to be careful,”

suntimes Thursday, December 5, 2019 6:26:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “Your lungs are the biggest muscle you have got. So when you’re out there working, you are working out,”

suntimes Thursday, December 5, 2019 6:26:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : "Your lungs are the biggest muscle you have got. So when you're out there working, you are working out,"

ibtimes Wednesday, December 4, 2019 9:05:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson told : “I started smoking cedar bark, went from that to cigarettes to whatever,”

wqad Wednesday, December 4, 2019 8:45:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson wrote : “I’m an experimental sort of fellow,”

dailycaller Wednesday, December 4, 2019 7:49:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “I have abused my lungs quite a bit in the past, so breathing is a little more difficult these days and I have to be careful,”

suntimes Wednesday, December 4, 2019 7:16:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “Your lungs are the biggest muscle you have got. So when you’re out there working, you are working out,”

suntimes Wednesday, December 4, 2019 7:16:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “I have abused my lungs quite a bit in the past, so breathing is a little more difficult these days, and I have to be careful,” “I started smoking cedar bark, went from that to cigarettes to whatever, and that almost killed me”

monstersandcritics Wednesday, December 4, 2019 6:35:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson told : “I started smoking cedar bark, went from that to cigarettes to whatever,”

fox59 Wednesday, December 4, 2019 6:27:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson told : “I have abused my lungs quite a bit in the past. So breathing is a little more difficult these days that I have to be careful, I’ve mistreated myself since I was this big,”

wishtv Wednesday, December 4, 2019 4:57:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “I have abused my lungs quite a bit in the past. So breathing is a little more difficult these days that I have to be careful, I’ve mistreated myself since I was this big,” “I started out smoking cedar bark and it went from that to cigarettes or whatever. And that almost killed me”

wishtv Wednesday, December 4, 2019 4:57:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “Singing out there for an hour is a good workout. Your lungs are the biggest muscle you got. So when you’re out there working, you are working out,” “I don’t smoke anymore. I take better care of myself today than I did then”

wishtv Wednesday, December 4, 2019 4:57:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “I have abused my lungs quite a bit in the past,” “So breathing is a little more difficult these days that I have to be careful, I’ve mistreated myself since I was this big. I started out smoking cedar bark and it went from that to cigarettes or whatever. And that almost killed me”

wkrn Wednesday, December 4, 2019 4:23:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson told : "I started smoking cedar bark, went from that to cigarettes to whatever,"

wptv Wednesday, December 4, 2019 2:03:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : "Your lungs are the biggest muscle you have got. So when you're out there working, you are working out,"

usaToday Wednesday, December 4, 2019 8:44:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson told : “I have abused my lungs quite a bit in the past, so breathing is a little more difficult these days and I have to be careful. I started smoking cedar bark, went from that to cigarettes to whatever. And that almost killed me. I don’t smoke anymore ... take better care of myself,”

wsoctv Wednesday, December 4, 2019 5:54:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson told : “I have abused my lungs quite a bit in the past, so breathing is a little more difficult these days and I have to be careful. I started smoking cedar bark, went from that to cigarettes to whatever. And that almost killed me. I don’t smoke anymore ... take better care of myself,”

actionnewsjax Wednesday, December 4, 2019 5:53:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson told : "I wouldn’t be alive. It saved my life, really. I wouldn’t have lived 85 years if I’d have kept drinking and smoking like I was when I was 30, 40 years old. I think that weed kept me from wanting to kill people,"

nbcnews Wednesday, December 4, 2019 1:21:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “I don’t smoke anymore - take better care of myself,”

click2houston Saturday, November 30, 2019 8:14:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “kind of ride through periods of degraded PNT scenarios and be able to provide mounted platforms assured PNT,”

insidegnss Friday, October 25, 2019 12:01:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “We wrote the requirement on that about a year ago,”

insidegnss Friday, October 25, 2019 12:01:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “There’s a lot of advances that are exciting in vision-based navigation,”

insidegnss Friday, October 25, 2019 12:01:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “I think there’s been a plateau in the last 10 years in the development of some of those (IMUs) but I think industry is really picking back up,”

insidegnss Friday, October 25, 2019 12:01:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “I’m really frankly looking forward to the industry day because I think there’s going to be stuff out there that none of us had even imagined was being worked on,” “But again, we’re going to use that to try to prime the pump to help industry”

insidegnss Friday, October 25, 2019 12:01:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “A lot is happening here, a lot of good success,”

gpsworld Wednesday, October 16, 2019 12:39:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “A lot is happening here, a lot of good success,”

gpsworld Saturday, October 12, 2019 2:43:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson wrote : "I'm sorry to cancel my tour, but I have a breathing problem that I need to have my doctor check out. I'll be back,"

wral Saturday, August 10, 2019 1:03:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson wrote : “I’m sorry to cancel my tour, but I have a breathing problem that I need to have a doctor check out,”

click2houston Friday, August 9, 2019 12:04:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson wrote : "I'm sorry to cancel my tour, but I have a breathing problem that I need to have my doctor check out,"

patch Thursday, August 8, 2019 10:06:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson wrote : "I'm sorry to cancel my tour, but I have a breathing problem that I need to have my doctor check out, I'll be back"

wftv Thursday, August 8, 2019 2:45:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson wrote : "I'm sorry to cancel my tour, but I have a breathing problem that I need to have my doctor check out, I'll be back"

wftv Thursday, August 8, 2019 12:41:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson says : “Pat was our best friend, and still is,” “When we were young, we were all just kids skateboarding and playing video games and watching South Park . At a certain point, Pat decided—as we all did—that being conscientious and aware of our social and environmental responsibilities as humans was an important part of our growth”

goodtimes Wednesday, July 31, 2019 6:36:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson says : “Growing up in Hawaii, we are confronted with a diversity and exposure to nature that many on the mainland aren’t,” “We can see firsthand the importance of preserving culture, and the impact that an invading culture can have on social development. As people of European decent, we had to be educated about the way Hawaiian lands were stolen, and it is our responsibility to make sure that proper respect to the land and native culture is given”

goodtimes Wednesday, July 31, 2019 6:36:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “With devastating weather, low prices, and harmful farm and trade policies, America’s family farmers are facing immense challenges to hold on to their farms,”

agriview Wednesday, July 31, 2019 1:13:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson told : “If it’s just a little bit of pain for a little bit of time that can give someone years of joy, it’s all worth it,”

foxnews Monday, July 22, 2019 10:02:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : "With devastating weather, low prices and harmful farm and trade policies, America's family farmers are facing immense challenges to hold on to their farms. It's not right . family farmers are essential for all of us,"

timescolonist Wednesday, July 10, 2019 8:16:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : "With devastating weather, low prices and harmful farm and trade policies, America's family farmers are facing immense challenges to hold on to their farms. It's not right . family farmers are essential for all of us,"

seattlepi Wednesday, July 10, 2019 3:13:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson said : "With devastating weather, low prices and harmful farm and trade policies, America's family farmers are facing immense challenges to hold on to their farms. It's not right . family farmers are essential for all of us,"

fox13memphis Wednesday, July 10, 2019 2:16:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson said : "With devastating weather, low prices and harmful farm and trade policies, America's family farmers are facing immense challenges to hold onto their farms. It's not right... family farmers are essential for all of us,"

upi Tuesday, July 9, 2019 5:59:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson responds : “That’ll see you through life,”

thedailybeast Monday, July 1, 2019 4:53:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson responds : “That’ll see you through life,”

thedailybeast Sunday, June 30, 2019 6:22:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson said : "With or without weed, Nellie is still Nellie,"

usaToday Wednesday, June 26, 2019 4:10:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : "That's me and Old Blue," "It's my neighbor's horse, and I borrow it every now and then"

upi Wednesday, June 19, 2019 4:47:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson : "Everybody collects data, but it's looking at the data the right way. Asking questions. Not hey, ‘how many posts should we send out?’ Or ‘how many impressions did we get?’ Or ‘how many times did our logo show up?’ But actually asking what content is resonating? Who is the audience that's engaging with the content?” 15.  Driving Brand Value through Engaging Experiences. a.      Allstate Dir of Consumer Marketing & Sponsorships Dan Keats said, “It's got to be able to tell our brand story the right way. Yes, we have to walk the tightrope a little bit in terms of what's going to be compelling to the consumer. And also, is it going to tell our brand story in an authentic, relevant manner? ... Just having Kirk (Herbstreit) deliver some content is great, but how do we get him doing more things showing off his expertise, so that we can, again, further enhance our brand story through that”. b.      Xenith VP/Brand & Experience Tammy DeMarco noted her company, a helmet manufacturer, recently signed a deal with IMG Academy in Florida and will be “developing product with them for the next five years, co-creating content, making sure that everything we do is authentic to the athlete”. DeMarco: “What's your hype music you listen to before a game? What are you training to? What are you doing in your workout? What are you eating? Those are the questions that our community is looking for, so it's much broader. It's more about what's happening in the ecosystem than just on gameday”. 16.  The expanded presence of non-endemic brands in the esports space. a.      Case Example…the Puma/Cloud 9 Partnership. Puma Head of Digital Marketing & Esports Matt Shaw said the new multiyear, eight-figure deal “puts us in a position to create a lot of really awesome, meaningful experiences and product that we’re excited to bring to market. That’s going to include fan wear ... for Cloud9 fans”. Cloud9 Exec VP/Commercial Partnerships Jordan Udko said the deal is a way to “expand our presence beyond esports and to affect a broader culture”. Udko: “We’ve got fans globally. Certainly we’re a very strong presence in the United States, but everywhere from Northern Europe all the way down to Brazil. We feel like Puma could help us get a greater presence and gain greater fans, not just in esports”. 17.  Verizon and Sleep Number score with some of the best ads of the year. a.      Verizon drove home the message of “reliability” during their touching ads, where various NFL players/coaches shared stories of how their lives were positively impacted thanks to quick response to a harrowing incident, with an assist to the reliability of Verizon network. b.      Sleep Number gave every NFL player a Sleep Number bed, which was a great way to cater to a group of athletes placing greater importance on quality of rest while also leveraging the scope of the NFL’s reach. INSIGHTS FROM LEARFIELD COLLEGE INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS FORUM. 18.  Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) will dominate the collegiate sports business conversations in 2020. a.      For more on this, visit my focusing on NIL. 19.  Investments in the mental health of student athletes have and will continue to grow considerably. a.      For more on this, visit my December article focusing on the mental health of college athletes. 20.  Student-athletes taking greater ownership and control over the development of their brands and social media presence      a.      Jim Cavale (CEO of INFLCR) spoke of the importance tied to giving student-athletes easier and better access to content they are part of (be it photos or videos of them in action). Cavale argued that since many of the student-athlete’s social media pages draw more eyeballs than social media accounts tied to the athlete’s team or athletics department, allowing the students better access to their own content could boost the marketing value for the athletics department as a whole. b.      In this article , I listed this issue as among the 5 largest business operations issues facing collegiate athletics moving forward into 2020. of my list of 40 contemporary sports business insights from 2019. The proliferation of legalized sports gambling across various states, and how teams and leagues are utilizing this to boost fan engagement, is among the top 40 sports business themes of 2019. Pictured here is the opening of the William Hill Sports Lounge at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. Prudential Center. The Sports Business Journal is the unquestioned leader when it comes to producing conferences and events germane to the sports industry, largely because of their ability to recruit and access high-ranking industry professionals who are the unparalleled thought-leaders within the industry. Therefore, as these final days of 2019 wind down, and upon reflecting on the numerous SBJ conferences attended in 2019, I’ve come up with a list of 40 contemporary sports business insights/themes/experiences gleaned from listening to dozens of sports executives throughout the year. This particular article focuses on 20 insights/themes/experiences from three specific events: (1) The CAA World Congress of Sport, (2) Intersport’s Brand Engagement and Content Summit, and (3) Learfield IMG College Intercollegiate Athletics Forum. Part 2 of this series covers 20 additional insights obtained across two other SBJ events which occurred during the latter half of 2019, and can be found here. For this first part of the two-part series: - Insights/themes 1 through 9 were from the CAA World Congress of Sport; - Insights/themes 10 through 17 were from Intersport’s Brand Engagement and Content Summit; - Insights/themes 18 through 20 were from Learfield IMG College Intercollegiate Athletics Forum. Throughout this summary, key quotes are featured from the industry professionals who participated at these various events. (Part 2 to the series INSIGHTS FROM CAA WORLD CONGRESS OF SPORT. 1. The OTT streaming video business is ripe for consolidation and will likely move back toward bundling packages for consumers. a. ESPN and Disney Exec VP/Affiliate Sales & Marketing Justin Connolly said the current, disparate array of consumer OTT options is probably not sustainable. “At some point in the future, there will be some type or style of rebundling. There is consumer value created in bundling, and I see the arc moving back in that direction”. b. DAZN Exec Chair John Skipper added, “You’re going to have a fairly existential battle between about 8 to 10 companies, and you can name them quickly. ... But people aren’t willing to buy more than two or three things. You’re going to have a winnowing down of the number of companies that play in this and it’s going to get down to three or four”. 2. The success of ESPN+ should dispel notions that Disney is merely a “legacy” media company. a. Connolly said the arrival of ESPN+ and its surpassing 2 million subscribers and overall digital leadership in the sports industry should be elements that dispel the notion of the Disney-owned company as merely a “legacy” media company unable to change. “The idea of ‘legacy’ media just misses the mark in the reality of what ESPN is in this day and age”. 3. The impact of Sports Gambling on Fan Engagement and Facility Design. a. Kim Pegula, Owner/President of the Buffalo Bills, said legalized sports betting is shaping the team’s planning for future facilities. “We’re doing a feasibility study for renovations or a new stadium,” she said. “We have to think about ... how sports betting changes in-venue experiences when it (is legalized). It’s not how do we build it from concrete and with wiring, but how will the fans use it”. b. Maryann Turcke, COO of the NFL, said legal sports gambling in New Jersey is already changing the fan experience. “There’s a lot of in-venue betting, it’s right around the $10 level,” she said. “It’s a fun way to engage”. c. Speaking about the intersection of tech and gambling at sports venues, Ticketmaster Chief Commercial Officer & Head of Sports Greg Economou said “The economy around it is so huge, you have to think it will increase. It’s the next wave. We have to be very vigilant about how we install it”. 4. Discovery Channel planning a deeper commitment to Sports. a. David Zaslav, President and CEO of Discovery, believes Discovery is positioning itself well to be a major player in the changing media landscape both in the U.S. and abroad as it doubles down on the "

forbes Tuesday, December 31, 2019 8:39:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson : "Everybody collects data, but it's looking at the data the right way. Asking questions. Not hey, ‘how many posts should we send out?’ Or ‘how many impressions did we get?’ Or ‘how many times did our logo show up?’ But actually asking what content is resonating? Who is the audience that's engaging with the content?” 15.  Driving Brand Value through Engaging Experiences. a.      Allstate Dir of Consumer Marketing & Sponsorships Dan Keats said, “It's got to be able to tell our brand story the right way. Yes, we have to walk the tightrope a little bit in terms of what's going to be compelling to the consumer. And also, is it going to tell our brand story in an authentic, relevant manner? ... Just having Kirk (Herbstreit) deliver some content is great, but how do we get him doing more things showing off his expertise, so that we can, again, further enhance our brand story through that”. b.      Xenith VP/Brand & Experience Tammy DeMarco noted her company, a helmet manufacturer, recently signed a deal with IMG Academy in Florida and will be “developing product with them for the next five years, co-creating content, making sure that everything we do is authentic to the athlete”. DeMarco: “What's your hype music you listen to before a game? What are you training to? What are you doing in your workout? What are you eating? Those are the questions that our community is looking for, so it's much broader. It's more about what's happening in the ecosystem than just on gameday”. 16.  The expanded presence of non-endemic brands in the esports space. a.      Case Example…the Puma/Cloud 9 Partnership. Puma Head of Digital Marketing & Esports Matt Shaw said the new multiyear, eight-figure deal “puts us in a position to create a lot of really awesome, meaningful experiences and product that we’re excited to bring to market. That’s going to include fan wear ... for Cloud9 fans”. Cloud9 Exec VP/Commercial Partnerships Jordan Udko said the deal is a way to “expand our presence beyond esports and to affect a broader culture”. Udko: “We’ve got fans globally. Certainly we’re a very strong presence in the United States, but everywhere from Northern Europe all the way down to Brazil. We feel like Puma could help us get a greater presence and gain greater fans, not just in esports”. 17.  Verizon and Sleep Number score with some of the best ads of the year. a.      Verizon drove home the message of “reliability” during their touching ads, where various NFL players/coaches shared stories of how their lives were positively impacted thanks to quick response to a harrowing incident, with an assist to the reliability of Verizon network. b.      Sleep Number gave every NFL player a Sleep Number bed, which was a great way to cater to a group of athletes placing greater importance on quality of rest while also leveraging the scope of the NFL’s reach. INSIGHTS FROM LEARFIELD COLLEGE INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS FORUM. 18.  Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) will dominate the collegiate sports business conversations in 2020. a.      For more on this, visit my focusing on NIL. 19.  Investments in the mental health of student athletes have and will continue to grow considerably. a.      For more on this, visit my December article focusing on the mental health of college athletes. 20.  Student-athletes taking greater ownership and control over the development of their brands and social media presence      a.      Jim Cavale (CEO of INFLCR) spoke of the importance tied to giving student-athletes easier and better access to content they are part of (be it photos or videos of them in action). Cavale argued that since many of the student-athlete’s social media pages draw more eyeballs than social media accounts tied to the athlete’s team or athletics department, allowing the students better access to their own content could boost the marketing value for the athletics department as a whole. b.      In this article , I listed this issue as among the 5 largest business operations issues facing collegiate athletics moving forward into 2020. of my list of 40 contemporary sports business insights from 2019. The issues of (1) name, image, and likeness, (2) the mental well-being of student athletes, and (3) students taking more ownership over the cultivation of their personal brands were among three themes I included in my top 40 sports business themes of 2019. Pictured here from mid-December was a panel of current Division I athletic directors discussing the issues keeping them up at night, hosted by John Ourand (far left) from the Sports Business Journal. Marc Bryan-Brown. The Sports Business Journal is the unquestioned leader when it comes to producing conferences and events germane to the sports industry, largely because of their ability to recruit and access high-ranking industry professionals who are the unparalleled thought-leaders within the industry. Therefore, as these final days of 2019 wind down, and upon reflecting on the numerous SBJ conferences attended in 2019, I’ve come up with a list of 40 contemporary sports business insights/themes/experiences gleaned from listening to dozens of sports executives throughout the year. This particular article focuses on 20 insights/themes/experiences from three specific events: (1) The CAA World Congress of Sport, (2) Intersport’s Brand Engagement and Content Summit, and (3) Learfield IMG College Intercollegiate Athletics Forum. Part 2 of this series covers 20 additional insights obtained across two other SBJ events which occurred during the latter half of 2019, and can be found here. For this first part of the two-part series: - Insights/themes 1 through 9 were from the CAA World Congress of Sport; - Insights/themes 10 through 17 were from Intersport’s Brand Engagement and Content Summit; - Insights/themes 18 through 20 were from Learfield IMG College Intercollegiate Athletics Forum. Throughout this summary, key quotes are featured from the industry professionals who participated at these various events. (Part 2 to the series INSIGHTS FROM CAA WORLD CONGRESS OF SPORT. 1. The OTT streaming video business is ripe for consolidation and will likely move back toward bundling packages for consumers. a. ESPN and Disney Exec VP/Affiliate Sales & Marketing Justin Connolly said the current, disparate array of consumer OTT options is probably not sustainable. “At some point in the future, there will be some type or style of rebundling. There is consumer value created in bundling, and I see the arc moving back in that direction”. b. DAZN Exec Chair John Skipper added, “You’re going to have a fairly existential battle between about 8 to 10 companies, and you can name them quickly. ... But people aren’t willing to buy more than two or three things. You’re going to have a winnowing down of the number of companies that play in this and it’s going to get down to three or four”. 2. The success of ESPN+ should dispel notions that Disney is merely a “legacy” media company. a. Connolly said the arrival of ESPN+ and its surpassing 2 million subscribers and overall digital leadership in the sports industry should be elements that dispel the notion of the Disney-owned company as merely a “legacy” media company unable to change. “The idea of ‘legacy’ media just misses the mark in the reality of what ESPN is in this day and age”. 3. The impact of Sports Gambling on Fan Engagement and Facility Design. a. Kim Pegula, Owner/President of the Buffalo Bills, said legalized sports betting is shaping the team’s planning for future facilities. “We’re doing a feasibility study for renovations or a new stadium,” she said. “We have to think about ... how sports betting changes in-venue experiences when it (is legalized). It’s not how do we build it from concrete and with wiring, but how will the fans use it”. b. Maryann Turcke, COO of the NFL, said legal sports gambling in New Jersey is already changing the fan experience. “There’s a lot of in-venue betting, it’s right around the $10 level,” she said. “It’s a fun way to engage”. c. Speaking about the intersection of tech and gambling at sports venues, Ticketmaster Chief Commercial Officer & Head of Sports Greg Economou said “The economy around it is so huge, you have to think it will increase. It’s the next wave. We have to be very vigilant about how we install it”. 4. Discovery Channel planning a deeper commitment to Sports. a. David Zaslav, President and CEO of Discovery, believes Discovery is positioning itself well to be a major player in the changing media landscape both in the U.S. and abroad as it doubles down on the "

forbes Monday, December 30, 2019 5:36:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “We struggled for years to get a requirement approved for PNT, because it’s a challenge,”

insidegnss Friday, December 20, 2019 5:14:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson told : "I started smoking cedar bark, went from that to cigarettes to whatever,"

wxii12 Friday, December 6, 2019 10:45:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson told : "I started smoking cedar bark, went from that to cigarettes to whatever,"

wxii12 Friday, December 6, 2019 10:45:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “I have abused my lungs quite a bit in the past, so breathing is a little more difficult these days and I have to be careful,”

suntimes Thursday, December 5, 2019 6:26:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “Your lungs are the biggest muscle you have got. So when you’re out there working, you are working out,”

suntimes Thursday, December 5, 2019 6:26:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : "Your lungs are the biggest muscle you have got. So when you're out there working, you are working out,"

ibtimes Wednesday, December 4, 2019 9:05:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson told : “I started smoking cedar bark, went from that to cigarettes to whatever,”

wqad Wednesday, December 4, 2019 8:45:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson wrote : “I’m an experimental sort of fellow,”

dailycaller Wednesday, December 4, 2019 7:49:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “I have abused my lungs quite a bit in the past, so breathing is a little more difficult these days and I have to be careful,”

suntimes Wednesday, December 4, 2019 7:16:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “Your lungs are the biggest muscle you have got. So when you’re out there working, you are working out,”

suntimes Wednesday, December 4, 2019 7:16:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “I have abused my lungs quite a bit in the past, so breathing is a little more difficult these days, and I have to be careful,” “I started smoking cedar bark, went from that to cigarettes to whatever, and that almost killed me”

monstersandcritics Wednesday, December 4, 2019 6:35:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson told : “I started smoking cedar bark, went from that to cigarettes to whatever,”

fox59 Wednesday, December 4, 2019 6:27:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson told : “I have abused my lungs quite a bit in the past. So breathing is a little more difficult these days that I have to be careful, I’ve mistreated myself since I was this big,”

wishtv Wednesday, December 4, 2019 4:57:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “I have abused my lungs quite a bit in the past. So breathing is a little more difficult these days that I have to be careful, I’ve mistreated myself since I was this big,” “I started out smoking cedar bark and it went from that to cigarettes or whatever. And that almost killed me”

wishtv Wednesday, December 4, 2019 4:57:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “Singing out there for an hour is a good workout. Your lungs are the biggest muscle you got. So when you’re out there working, you are working out,” “I don’t smoke anymore. I take better care of myself today than I did then”

wishtv Wednesday, December 4, 2019 4:57:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “I have abused my lungs quite a bit in the past,” “So breathing is a little more difficult these days that I have to be careful, I’ve mistreated myself since I was this big. I started out smoking cedar bark and it went from that to cigarettes or whatever. And that almost killed me”

wkrn Wednesday, December 4, 2019 4:23:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson told : "I started smoking cedar bark, went from that to cigarettes to whatever,"

wptv Wednesday, December 4, 2019 2:03:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : "Your lungs are the biggest muscle you have got. So when you're out there working, you are working out,"

usaToday Wednesday, December 4, 2019 8:44:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson told : “I have abused my lungs quite a bit in the past, so breathing is a little more difficult these days and I have to be careful. I started smoking cedar bark, went from that to cigarettes to whatever. And that almost killed me. I don’t smoke anymore ... take better care of myself,”

wsoctv Wednesday, December 4, 2019 5:54:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson told : “I have abused my lungs quite a bit in the past, so breathing is a little more difficult these days and I have to be careful. I started smoking cedar bark, went from that to cigarettes to whatever. And that almost killed me. I don’t smoke anymore ... take better care of myself,”

actionnewsjax Wednesday, December 4, 2019 5:53:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson told : "I wouldn’t be alive. It saved my life, really. I wouldn’t have lived 85 years if I’d have kept drinking and smoking like I was when I was 30, 40 years old. I think that weed kept me from wanting to kill people,"

nbcnews Wednesday, December 4, 2019 1:21:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “I don’t smoke anymore - take better care of myself,”

click2houston Saturday, November 30, 2019 8:14:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “kind of ride through periods of degraded PNT scenarios and be able to provide mounted platforms assured PNT,”

insidegnss Friday, October 25, 2019 12:01:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “We wrote the requirement on that about a year ago,”

insidegnss Friday, October 25, 2019 12:01:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “There’s a lot of advances that are exciting in vision-based navigation,”

insidegnss Friday, October 25, 2019 12:01:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “I think there’s been a plateau in the last 10 years in the development of some of those (IMUs) but I think industry is really picking back up,”

insidegnss Friday, October 25, 2019 12:01:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “I’m really frankly looking forward to the industry day because I think there’s going to be stuff out there that none of us had even imagined was being worked on,” “But again, we’re going to use that to try to prime the pump to help industry”

insidegnss Friday, October 25, 2019 12:01:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “A lot is happening here, a lot of good success,”

gpsworld Wednesday, October 16, 2019 12:39:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “A lot is happening here, a lot of good success,”

gpsworld Saturday, October 12, 2019 2:43:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson wrote : "I'm sorry to cancel my tour, but I have a breathing problem that I need to have my doctor check out. I'll be back,"

wral Saturday, August 10, 2019 1:03:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson wrote : “I’m sorry to cancel my tour, but I have a breathing problem that I need to have a doctor check out,”

click2houston Friday, August 9, 2019 12:04:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson wrote : "I'm sorry to cancel my tour, but I have a breathing problem that I need to have my doctor check out,"

patch Thursday, August 8, 2019 10:06:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson wrote : "I'm sorry to cancel my tour, but I have a breathing problem that I need to have my doctor check out, I'll be back"

wftv Thursday, August 8, 2019 2:45:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson wrote : "I'm sorry to cancel my tour, but I have a breathing problem that I need to have my doctor check out, I'll be back"

wftv Thursday, August 8, 2019 12:41:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson says : “Pat was our best friend, and still is,” “When we were young, we were all just kids skateboarding and playing video games and watching South Park . At a certain point, Pat decided—as we all did—that being conscientious and aware of our social and environmental responsibilities as humans was an important part of our growth”

goodtimes Wednesday, July 31, 2019 6:36:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson says : “Growing up in Hawaii, we are confronted with a diversity and exposure to nature that many on the mainland aren’t,” “We can see firsthand the importance of preserving culture, and the impact that an invading culture can have on social development. As people of European decent, we had to be educated about the way Hawaiian lands were stolen, and it is our responsibility to make sure that proper respect to the land and native culture is given”

goodtimes Wednesday, July 31, 2019 6:36:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson said : “With devastating weather, low prices, and harmful farm and trade policies, America’s family farmers are facing immense challenges to hold on to their farms,”

agriview Wednesday, July 31, 2019 1:13:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson told : “If it’s just a little bit of pain for a little bit of time that can give someone years of joy, it’s all worth it,”

foxnews Monday, July 22, 2019 10:02:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : "With devastating weather, low prices and harmful farm and trade policies, America's family farmers are facing immense challenges to hold on to their farms. It's not right . family farmers are essential for all of us,"

timescolonist Wednesday, July 10, 2019 8:16:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : "With devastating weather, low prices and harmful farm and trade policies, America's family farmers are facing immense challenges to hold on to their farms. It's not right . family farmers are essential for all of us,"

seattlepi Wednesday, July 10, 2019 3:13:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson said : "With devastating weather, low prices and harmful farm and trade policies, America's family farmers are facing immense challenges to hold on to their farms. It's not right . family farmers are essential for all of us,"

fox13memphis Wednesday, July 10, 2019 2:16:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson said : "With devastating weather, low prices and harmful farm and trade policies, America's family farmers are facing immense challenges to hold onto their farms. It's not right... family farmers are essential for all of us,"

upi Tuesday, July 9, 2019 5:59:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson responds : “That’ll see you through life,”

thedailybeast Monday, July 1, 2019 4:53:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson responds : “That’ll see you through life,”

thedailybeast Sunday, June 30, 2019 6:22:00 AM EAT

Willie Nelson said : "With or without weed, Nellie is still Nellie,"

usaToday Wednesday, June 26, 2019 4:10:00 PM EAT

Willie Nelson said : "That's me and Old Blue," "It's my neighbor's horse, and I borrow it every now and then"

upi Wednesday, June 19, 2019 4:47:00 PM EAT