tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74052424290440078832024-03-16T05:20:42.954-07:00Sports Business BostonCovering the business of sports for all of Boston's professional teams.Zachary Baruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100788536329267795noreply@blogger.comBlogger103125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405242429044007883.post-15297355876993853832024-02-08T08:57:00.000-08:002024-02-08T16:45:06.992-08:00It's time to bring the NLL back to Boston<p>By Zachary Baru</p><p>We have the venues, we have the fans, we're just missing the league. That league is the National Lacrosse League, and it is possibly growing better than it ever has before in its 37-year history. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgErbnjey_WNdm9tqtKuQTWGNfER44DUEna4j8f791e1AmSD4uRO_-C_KSc8-ikMoCau3qmHACsO9b1VZRE3WkU6O5HHSppcUlTmCKWxuU_onXqy8YytMdcpDWy75gl77N-E0E07HUgjwBzdFhnblMXdue_DFYaZQiAk31wjjcBEQ8Rg2rCKBd8-MH8WM5_/s980/d50ee7_bac60a221e674744bec24b2c0023c590~mv2.webp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="735" data-original-width="980" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgErbnjey_WNdm9tqtKuQTWGNfER44DUEna4j8f791e1AmSD4uRO_-C_KSc8-ikMoCau3qmHACsO9b1VZRE3WkU6O5HHSppcUlTmCKWxuU_onXqy8YytMdcpDWy75gl77N-E0E07HUgjwBzdFhnblMXdue_DFYaZQiAk31wjjcBEQ8Rg2rCKBd8-MH8WM5_/w200-h150/d50ee7_bac60a221e674744bec24b2c0023c590~mv2.webp" width="200" /></a>Beginning in 1987, and currently with 15 franchises, the NLL is capitalizing off growing youth lacrosse participation rates throughout the nation. No longer is lacrosse just a northeast or mid-Atlantic sport, the game is growing throughout the country with an increasing amount of high school and college programs in non-traditional markets. Children and teenagers in newer markets like Florida and California, along with basically every region in between, are now playing lacrosse in both the youth-level and high school level. The NCAA is seeing increased lacrosse coverage across television networks, most notably ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and especially ESPN+. The latter is now offering a great deal of Division I lacrosse games each week during the season, and ESPN2 and ESPNU have routinely televised the NLL on Friday and Saturday nights. The NLL now has a deal with ESPN, as every NLL match is streamed live on ESPN+, with some being televised on the national networks. With a growing lacrosse culture throughout the country, where does this leave a traditional lacrosse market such as Boston?</p><p>Boston has an outstanding opportunity as a new market for the league. If you want to begin with the venue, the region has at least three very good options. The first and obvious choice is the 17,850-seat TD Garden, which would be perfect for television, accommodating premium seating and media, and also great for larger games. However, TD Garden would likely be too large for the majority of the games, leaving fans in the arena and on TV possibly seeing an unenergetic crowd.</p>A second choice, and perhaps the best choice, would be Agannis Arena. On the campus of Boston University, this 6,150-seat arena is much more intimate than TD Garden, and would ensure a better atmosphere for the games. It would quite possibly encourage multiple sellout crowds, and potentially raise the demand for tickets. Being on a college campus, not only would the crowds possibly be livelier, but the team could most likely attract a key demographic for lacrosse fans. Many lacrosse fans are younger, and college-aged, making Agannis Arena an interesting choice for both the in-arena experience and the type of fans the team would reach.<div><p></p><p>Lastly, the 6,496-seat Tsongas Center in Lowell would be more outside of the city, something that could hurt the team, but the size and arena experience would be beneficial for the potential club's success. The intimacy of the arena would greatly encourage sellout crowds, and with many lacrosse fans living in the area, including New Hampshire, the Tsongas Center wouldn't be a bad choice at all for the league. Multiple teams in the league, including Las Vegas, Georgia and Rochester, have smaller arenas. This can really boost the experience for the fans, and prevent them from seeing potentially a closed 300-level at TD Garden. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYwos0kPC5tfg2mF0y6Fx09rgpOMVLShUHFera0moK3FXC3o1d3rYOODCkoNERGQTcBbqJUkCGuBLwidO4URJ91lS0LRjecU94c5eD5atE83c8y6dbuRLaITXp-eDlhwMNXjk_ebnwByrr2I_0P_FWicjz75JwPYFPzN3fpS2xS2ZfDWoAyb3pbpEBWy6I/s1202/ctbll-stadium.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="1202" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYwos0kPC5tfg2mF0y6Fx09rgpOMVLShUHFera0moK3FXC3o1d3rYOODCkoNERGQTcBbqJUkCGuBLwidO4URJ91lS0LRjecU94c5eD5atE83c8y6dbuRLaITXp-eDlhwMNXjk_ebnwByrr2I_0P_FWicjz75JwPYFPzN3fpS2xS2ZfDWoAyb3pbpEBWy6I/s320/ctbll-stadium.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>All of the ingredients are there: good venues, a passionate fan base, and a growing demand for lacrosse across the media landscape. A return for the NLL would be the first since 2011, when the Boston Blazers suspended their franchise and never returned. New England once again saw professional indoor lacrosse in 2015 when Philadelphia relocated to the Mohegan Sun Arena and become the New England Black Wolves. However that franchise moved to Albany in 2021, leaving a viable market like New England without a team. Only time will tell what future pro indoor lacrosse has in Boston, but for an investor with the right capital, this investment could very well bring a positive return financially in an area that is just as ready for lacrosse as any other market throughout the nation. </p>
<i>Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/zbaru">@zbaru</a> and reached at <a href="mailto:zachbaru@gmail.com">zachbaru@gmail.com</a>.</i><br /><br />
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<i>Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/zbaru">@zbaru</a> and reached at <a href="mailto:zachbaru@gmail.com">zachbaru@gmail.com</a>.</i><br /><br />
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</script></div>Zachary Baruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100788536329267795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405242429044007883.post-14733210721110490762022-01-31T11:54:00.000-08:002022-02-01T11:57:43.279-08:00Sports betting is popping up everywhere, but will it come to Massachsuetts?<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">By Zachary Baru</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sports betting is currently not legal in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. But just as the purchase of recreational marijuana for those 21 and over became legal in the state, the months until such a bill for sports betting is passed seems inevitable. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The real questions here are, how will it benefit the state, what are the social effects, and how will it benefit local businesses? All three are directly related, and all three should be taken into consideration as sports betting can do a lot of good for an economy, but certainly does have social effects on the citizens within that economy.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>The Growing Trend Nationwide</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sports betting in the United States <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2022/01/07/where-is-sports-betting-legal-america-2022/?sh=3f897d8e2342">is now legal in 30 states</a>, with 18 of those states allowing online sports betting. Four of those states share a border with Massachusetts: New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">This can be looked at in one of two ways: how much money is Massachusetts loosing to each of these four states as residents travel to them to wager, or how many people in Massachusetts are prevented from the potential social effects of sports betting due to the inability to wager within the state? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfJ036Mgu9mZqhuU2MmxppX2whDL08t-CUBypBgwIQ5kLTw4fsLJ6i3qoIdpd9tfhw5g7oi-exP6pkQv-ifvJrbDmUde9N0T83QYO1mICljRCSS_W-eEQc7XLHj8MlVvUfGQPY1uwe-ZQTUTseYlPKXomYtfHcFyDnVHRvm7CGdjJGN55LEKunrXQTLw=s720" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="720" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfJ036Mgu9mZqhuU2MmxppX2whDL08t-CUBypBgwIQ5kLTw4fsLJ6i3qoIdpd9tfhw5g7oi-exP6pkQv-ifvJrbDmUde9N0T83QYO1mICljRCSS_W-eEQc7XLHj8MlVvUfGQPY1uwe-ZQTUTseYlPKXomYtfHcFyDnVHRvm7CGdjJGN55LEKunrXQTLw=s320" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">It is hard to find legitimate stats for the number of Americans with sports betting addictions, as a true survey is virtually non-existent of how many Americans have sports gambling-specific addictions. However, <a href="https://www.ncpgambling.org/help-treatment/faq/">in research from</a> the National Council on Problem Gambling, and reported across several sources including the New York Times, NBC News and Bloomberg, it is reported that about 1% of American adults, which is roughly 2.5 million Americans, have "severe" problem gambling. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">In a further examination of this data, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-12-21/sports-betting-boom-will-foster-compulsive-gambling">Bloomberg reports</a> that 2-3% of adults have "less severe problems" from gambling, but gambling still is responsible for "financial and social miseries". According to Bloomberg, this represents 6-8 million Americans. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>The State's Budget, the Economy and Social Effects</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Which brings us to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the underlying question: is sports betting good or bad for the state? Clearly there are going to be mixed opinions about the social ramifications of sports betting, but what does it mean for the state's budget and the local economy.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Across the country in 2020, sports betting </span><a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/sports-betting-skyrocketed-pandemic-experts-warn-ticking-time-bomb-n1266518" style="font-family: inherit;">generated $1.5 billion</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> in revenue, up 69 percent from 2019, according to NBC News. With those being 2020 numbers, and the amount of states legalizing sports betting rising to 30 as of January 2021, the revenue is sure to sharply increase. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3YGXMDmJxspQ4X51IRJSFhH740OAi9sxlMaSEwssueVRa64doa0bGZyBRytb7Nn6IImiu7QNmjPpBo40lw0C9WWyFOApwjaMkaQ547MeWo9aN-_lITeHbHU_p9ybLula5sNG8JBFi9O0LBqkYC8BT4AzPFeWdg-EmHLbuH8MMwNJmdZe4N0mQwxty4Q=s1000" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="1000" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3YGXMDmJxspQ4X51IRJSFhH740OAi9sxlMaSEwssueVRa64doa0bGZyBRytb7Nn6IImiu7QNmjPpBo40lw0C9WWyFOApwjaMkaQ547MeWo9aN-_lITeHbHU_p9ybLula5sNG8JBFi9O0LBqkYC8BT4AzPFeWdg-EmHLbuH8MMwNJmdZe4N0mQwxty4Q=w400-h180" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">From these numbers one can make a case for the benefits of sports betting from the state's standpoint. But there is a little bit more to the story - in fact, there is a lot more. The economic benefits must be weighed in as well, which will ultimately contribute to state tax revenues. Local bars and casinos in the state will almost certainly see an increase in patrons, as many television networks have seen a rise in sports ratings as wagering becomes legal in more states. Sports betting can attract patrons, who sometimes will go to a bar to watch the game, or go to a casino to wager. Especially if the casino has a deluxe sports book with many TVs, all games, sofa chairs and a bar. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Whether betters are attracted to a sports book in a casino, or a bar to wager on a mobile device, the state will benefit from tax revenue. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The question remains, what will benefit the Commonwealth more: tax revenue from sports gambling, or helping to prevent increased gambling addictions. There will always be the argument that no matter how long you prevent sports betting apps or sports books from the state, there will undoubtedly be underground sports betting taking place within the state. With that being said, it should also be noted that keeping sports betting illegal will discourage a certain amount of people from having access to it. Either way you look at it, there will be a price to pay. The question is, how does Massachusetts want to pay for it? A loss of revenue by not allowing sports betting, or a potential increase in addiction by allowing it. Only time will tell.</span></p>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: Forbes, National Council on Problem Gambling, NBC News, Bloomberg </span><br />
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<i>Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/zbaru">@zbaru</a> and reached at <a href="mailto:zachbaru@gmail.com">zachbaru@gmail.com</a>.</i><br /><br />
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</script></div>Zachary Baruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100788536329267795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405242429044007883.post-6493794319560284482021-07-04T21:25:00.010-07:002021-07-08T17:51:38.224-07:00Analyzing the benefits and drawbacks of the new Revolution TV contract<p>By Zachary Baru</p><p>As we enter the middle of the New England Revolution's season, the Major League Soccer franchise is in the fourth month of their new television contract. The new deal with CBS Boston brings all regionally produced Revolution games to CBS Boston's broadcast and digital properties. In a deal that feels very 2021, with so much of entertainment heading to streaming, is the Revs' new deal positive or negative for the franchise's brand?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQ0nbUSj3sEkV9G4QaA4ucB-EuylqBiDFBycgkmiLLeupkApX_PGiOsntV9WM07mc-uT-hoCOct1r5clyd92ukTPXzl7uKJPogioPSqoAy-i4tg0EuTT30GRy_GTwDcq8Qs0osSAopmeE/s1500/Combo-Logo-BOSTON.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="1500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQ0nbUSj3sEkV9G4QaA4ucB-EuylqBiDFBycgkmiLLeupkApX_PGiOsntV9WM07mc-uT-hoCOct1r5clyd92ukTPXzl7uKJPogioPSqoAy-i4tg0EuTT30GRy_GTwDcq8Qs0osSAopmeE/s320/Combo-Logo-BOSTON.png" width="320" /></a></div><p>To most people, this new deal that allows the games to be both televised and streamed sounds like a perfect one, one with zero negative outcomes. And while nearly four months in this deal does in fact feel like a very positive one, there is one key issue that this deal causes: leaving NBS Sports Boston. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">The Loss of NBC Sports Boston</span></b></p><p>This is no small side affect. NBC Sports Boston has a massive cable and online presence, where viewers can watch on nearly all cable companies in basically every New England city or town. NBC Sports Boston also has their own app that streams games live, as well as being featured in the NBC Sports app, which allows fans to watch games on smart phones and smart TVs. All in all, the loss of the Revolution's presence on NBC Sports Boston is one that cannot be measured, as it almost unquestionably will hurt the franchise with so many sports fans no longer seeing the Revs on these platforms. </p><p>On the flip side, the new deal with CBS Boston does allow for streaming capabilities for all games this season. As sports, television and radio/audio all seem seem to be heading the direction of streaming, or are already there for the most part, this new deal does appear to be very beneficial for the Revolution and the Kraft Group. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>The Streaming Revolution (No Pun Intended)</b></span></p><p>It is no secret that the Kraft Group has always had a great relationship with CBS and CBS Boston, but this deal goes much further than that. The deal allows for not just live broadcasts throughout many New England states, but it allows for all games to be streamed live and featured on CBS Boston's digital properties.</p><p>Beginning with streaming, all Revolution games this season will be streamed live on ESPN+. The subscription service is available on the ESPN app. Games on ESPN+ will be blacked out in the Boston/Manchester market and in Rhode Island, but those fans can watch live on myTV38 or myRITV. This allows any fans in New England or worldwide who cannot watch the Revs locally on television, the opportunity to stream live on their TVs or phones with the ESPN app.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">The Digital Reach of CBS Boston</span></b></p><p></p><p>The new Revolution deal also allows games to be streamed across CBS Boston's digital properties on CBSN Boston, a network that can be streamed on PlutoTV and CBSBoston.com. So yes, by now it is obvious, and maybe a little exhausting, but the key word here is <i>streaming. </i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Yf5T2zZHrnWBbWlqlbw85D5mUvHC_b752Nugs105LeQoUThAojV4y77A24lXmZvXAmJbX-HFF4l81jftnwSJlUjyFwF_Ex7ruaXP571eovFpui0CID0LxNaJzs0GClb-92zHQPIu4e3o/s560/espn-plus-logo-560.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="166" data-original-width="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Yf5T2zZHrnWBbWlqlbw85D5mUvHC_b752Nugs105LeQoUThAojV4y77A24lXmZvXAmJbX-HFF4l81jftnwSJlUjyFwF_Ex7ruaXP571eovFpui0CID0LxNaJzs0GClb-92zHQPIu4e3o/s320/espn-plus-logo-560.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Finally, although the theme of streaming may be the number one takeaway with this deal, one final part that should not be overlooked is that the first match of the season was aired on WBZ (Channel 4 Boston, Boston's CBS affiliate). Additionally one other key match will be aired on WBZ, giving the Revolution a large viewing presence in the Boston market. <p></p><p>When all is accounted for, this deal does appear to have impacted the Revolution positively. The new deal with CBS Boston allows for all games to be accessed through streaming and digital platforms, something that will undoubtedly be important to keep the franchise up to date with technology and the viewing habits of fans. As the way viewers watch sports changes, the focus of the teams must change along with them.
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: New England Revolution, CBS Boston</span><br />
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<i>Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/zbaru">@zbaru</a> and reached at <a href="mailto:zachbaru@gmail.com">zachbaru@gmail.com</a>.</i><br /><br />
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</script></div>Zachary Baruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100788536329267795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405242429044007883.post-54407404580272691752021-01-19T19:46:00.008-08:002021-01-19T20:05:58.437-08:00During a pandemic, Gillette Stadium rises to be much more than a sports venue <p>By Zachary Baru</p><p>When most people think of Gillette Stadium they might think of a home to a world champion football team, a soccer club, or New England's largest concert venue. But Monday that all changed, as Gillette become more than just an entertainment venue, it provided an opportunity to save lives and vaccinate area residents of the COVID-19 vaccine. </p><p>The stadium became Massachusetts' first mass vaccination site, turning out to be more than adequate with its large parking lots and spacious indoor facilities. The Putnum Club, which normally hosts fans with club seating and suite ticket holders, was turned into an indoor vaccination site. The large indoor area and atrium turned out to be extremely safe for people to get vaccinated inside, making it an ideal location in the stadium to hold a vaccination. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFO-xwFstXuXnOOCeXRHNaLcOUEhwwhLR-gFRxmr5ju2wC5nOsoRsuvs0RVYELr0XhK9C1rjTmbYGjYBn2TzAdfiYvhg3r6XNl7YgPFt8BnHatnn9SV59tm0_pVEyaUJuZfkcG488wX_Iz/s1024/SAM_2958-1024x683.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFO-xwFstXuXnOOCeXRHNaLcOUEhwwhLR-gFRxmr5ju2wC5nOsoRsuvs0RVYELr0XhK9C1rjTmbYGjYBn2TzAdfiYvhg3r6XNl7YgPFt8BnHatnn9SV59tm0_pVEyaUJuZfkcG488wX_Iz/s320/SAM_2958-1024x683.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Not only is the parking vast, but Gillette's access to two major highways, Interstates 95 and 495 also make the stadium a highly suitable site. While clearly not the only large venue in the Greater Boston area, when all requirements for a safe and seamless vaccination are added up, Gillette Stadium proved to be a successful choice on Monday. </p><p>The significance of this in the sports and entertainment world is simple: it proves the importance sports franchises can play in the community, and the role they can assume in helping the region. In this case, the Patriots' role was literally life and death, and Monday's accomplishment of the staff of the Patriots and Gillette Stadium goes well beyond the typical role of a standard sports franchise. What everyone at the Kraft Group, owners of the Patriots and Gillette Stadium, accomplished proves just how important and valuable a franchise can be for its citizens in the community. </p><p>The COVID-19 coronavirus has forced us all to look at life differently, and now we can do so in sport as well. It shows us that while a stadium might normally be a venue to simply watch a game, sometimes it can be much more. In this case, Gillette Stadium became a community gathering place, serving the highest purpose a sports team can serve - the health and safety of its fans and its community.</p>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: Boston Globe, Boston Herald, WPRI-TV</span><br />
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<i>Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/zbaru">@zbaru</a> and reached at <a href="mailto:zachbaru@gmail.com">zachbaru@gmail.com</a>.</i><br /><br />
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</script></div>Zachary Baruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100788536329267795noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405242429044007883.post-72824336873861885332021-01-01T20:53:00.020-08:002021-01-19T19:57:18.809-08:00The Arena Football League may be gone, but the Pirates are bringing the next best thing to New England<p>By Zachary Baru</p><p>Arena football fans in New England have long anticipated the return of the sport to the region. And although the Massachusetts Pirates have brought indoor football to Worcester since 2018, this spring marks the first time a coast-to-coast indoor football league will play in New England since 2000.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1JbNpGJX10-t4gHc-dVzbc-jRGz5qZbQ7ejWK7Ry-MFFWIBG5GLQmWqwsqC_B24nL9P2Udi0cxm9VrPV8y9V2GlLOpoqoSrOS1FreS0ueZm0vvAiHyU5qXJUhw-85QEvVtVIniENzgncz/s800/1532113185_pirates.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="800" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1JbNpGJX10-t4gHc-dVzbc-jRGz5qZbQ7ejWK7Ry-MFFWIBG5GLQmWqwsqC_B24nL9P2Udi0cxm9VrPV8y9V2GlLOpoqoSrOS1FreS0ueZm0vvAiHyU5qXJUhw-85QEvVtVIniENzgncz/w320-h212/1532113185_pirates.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The Pirates announced in August they would be joining the Indoor Football League for the 2021 season. The franchise will continue to play at the DCU Center in Worcester. Unlike the Pirates’ former league, the National Arena League, the IFL has teams on both the east and west coasts, making it in terms of geography the largest indoor football league. <p></p><p>Fans should be careful to use the phrase “arena football” as the former AFL once held patents on parts of the sport that are still not incorporated into other indoor football leagues. The most noticeable are the nets behind the end zones. And yes, this invention alone helped the AFL classify their brand of indoor football as their own sport, called “arena football”. But before we go down that rabbit hole, let’s save that for another story on another day.</p><p>The Arena Football League certainly has interesting rules, but also a well known brand name in the sports world. The Pirates’ new league is has built up a following, but has some growth to do before it can get onto ESPN like the AFL for many seasons, as recently as last year. </p><p>The IFL, by all accounts, is a strong, large league, with a good online and social media presence. It’s YouTube Channel not only is well run, but streams the leagues’ games live each week of the season. And with both an east and west coast presence, the Pirates have found a good home in a league that continues to grow each season.</p><p>For fans of the indoor game, the future of indoor football in New England looks like a positive one. A new league, a good venue, and a bright future all surround the Pirates as they go into their new season this spring.</p><p><i>Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/zbaru">@zbaru</a> and reached at <a href="mailto:zachbaru@gmail.com">zachbaru@gmail.com</a>.</i></p>
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</script></div>Zachary Baruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100788536329267795noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405242429044007883.post-7146797956804028512020-12-28T04:28:00.030-08:002021-01-19T19:57:33.625-08:00What to do with the empty space on the floor at TD Garden and around the NBA<div class="separator"></div><div class="separator"></div><p data-originalcomputedfontsize="16" data-originalfontsize="medium" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 1rem; text-size-adjust: auto; word-spacing: 1px;"><span style="font-family: times;">By Zachary Baru</span></p><p data-originalcomputedfontsize="16" data-originalfontsize="medium" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 1rem; text-size-adjust: auto; word-spacing: 1px;"><span style="font-family: times;">It's a problem only the year 2020 could give the Celtics and teams around the league - what to do with all of that empty floor space without fans at the games? Typically at TD Garden or any other National Basketball Association arena, the court is surrounded by about three rows of seats on each side of the court, while the ends usually have ten or more rows set as "risers" extending into the lower level. But in a pandemic, with the Celtics and most teams playing in empty arenas, that is just not the case anymore. </span></p><div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1000" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitYeF2FQBo150Fj7AsfzdJE7_6s8_fMpeMrx6HQ2SDyUsdWTFPeQbcZ6PtxnghU-3K4CGL3yuBT2LcWMT5Z-06GtezCFqa9UBbrTv81YigL-4DzDfy3tEtakivIzdhAumvmUd949qxYj4b/w320-h201/Gilbane-TD-Garden-cover.webp" width="320" /></span></div><p></p><p data-originalcomputedfontsize="16" data-originalfontsize="medium" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 1rem; text-size-adjust: auto; word-spacing: 1px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: 1rem;">Or should it still be? No, not seats with fans, but just the seats themselves. Watching the game on television, the sight of a court with no seats is not always so visually appealing. And let's face it, sports have basically become "made for TV" in 2020.</span></p><p data-originalcomputedfontsize="16" data-originalfontsize="medium" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 1rem; text-size-adjust: auto; word-spacing: 1px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: 1rem;"><span style="font-size: medium; word-spacing: 0px;">If you've ever gone to a minor league basketball game in a large arena, this not-so-great visual of empty floor space is nothing new. Many G-League and other minor league teams have battled this problem for decades. Even scenes of the old American Basketball Association show that teams struggled with figuring out what to fill in floor space with.</span></span></p><p></p><p data-originalcomputedfontsize="16" data-originalfontsize="medium" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 1rem; text-size-adjust: auto; word-spacing: 1px;"><span style="font-family: times;">It's an issue that does not get a lot of press, but during this 2020-21 season, you can't watch a game without noticing it. Some teams have done a great job, as seen in Sunday night's Celtics game against the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers have filled in empty floor space with not only an additional press table, but also a new car on display. This has been done in other leagues, and even on concourses inside NBA arenas in the past, but to see a car right next to the court of an NBA game is an interesting use of space. </span></p><p data-originalcomputedfontsize="16" data-originalfontsize="medium" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 1rem; text-size-adjust: auto; word-spacing: 1px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: 1rem;">For the Celtics, watching a game at TD Garden without seats on the floor has an issue: TD Garden, unlike Indiana's arena, is built for hockey dimensions. Most NBA arenas have this design, where the floor's corners are curved, rather than arenas such as the Barclays Center that are angled inward. The Barclays Center was built with the ability to have hockey, which it has had, but was ultimately designed for basketball. </span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: 1rem;">Since the TD Garden does have a hockey design, an empty floor would be just that - very empty. </span></p><p data-originalcomputedfontsize="16" data-originalfontsize="medium" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 1rem; text-size-adjust: auto; word-spacing: 1px;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: 1rem;">It might be more visually appealing to add seats even if they are unused, and would also add an interesting perspective of seeing a completely empty floor, and a completely empty arena. It’s a rare sight for sports fans, and once it’s all over, hopefully we won’t have to see it again for a very long time.</span></p>
<span style="font-family: times;"><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/zbaru">@zbaru</a> and reached at <a href="mailto:zachbaru@gmail.com">zachbaru@gmail.com</a>.</i> <br />
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</script></div>Zachary Baruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100788536329267795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405242429044007883.post-34202646625953733892020-08-10T10:32:00.003-07:002021-01-19T19:58:16.405-08:00Revolution will host regular season matches once again at Gillette Stadium as 2020 season restartsBy Zachary Baru<br />
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The New England Revolution may have lost in the Round of 16 in the MLS Is Back Tournament last month, but fortunately for fans, the Revs will have another life in the 2020 season. <br />
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Major League Soccer is set to restart the season this month, with home games played at teams' venues, including the Revolution's Gillette Stadium. The Revs will return to regular season action in Foxborough on August 21, but unfortunately for fans, the stands will remain empty.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJz7uN5Y88DjWPPOHTpI58BbJD__Z2dZagdHhdi8tUzxgPAimqSz3FUNyAflwlwTBmQE2yXlo4h3gIt49BgO5_L8FDBBwpqVRg_mNhckOC4_0xYDCpkZRVU3UlQ5I9qh4wzyVeA0bPt-91/s1600/SAM_2958-1024x683.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJz7uN5Y88DjWPPOHTpI58BbJD__Z2dZagdHhdi8tUzxgPAimqSz3FUNyAflwlwTBmQE2yXlo4h3gIt49BgO5_L8FDBBwpqVRg_mNhckOC4_0xYDCpkZRVU3UlQ5I9qh4wzyVeA0bPt-91/s400/SAM_2958-1024x683.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
The Revs are scheduled to play six additional games in a phased-approach just announced by MLS, three of which will be at Gillette Stadium. All three home games will remain closed to fans, who will be able to watch all games live on regional and national television.<br />
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Five of the six games, including the first on August 21, will be broadcast regionally of NBC Sports Boston, with one game on August 29 against Red Bull New York televised live nationally on FS1. <br />
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While the news is mixed for fans and the businesses at Patriot Place that rely on games to drive foot traffic and sales, it ultimately is a first step towards bringing soccer back to local markets during the league's fight to keep players, fans and staff safe during a pandemic.<br />
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On a typical Revolution game day between March and November, shops, restaurants and hotels at Patriot Place see a large increase in walk-in traffic and revenue. This is an enormous help during the summer months, since Patriots home games only affect August through January. And with questions over the upcoming National Football League season, these businesses could potentially be hit with even more months of lost revenue. Whether or not the Revolution will be able to host fans for the second phase of scheduling remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure, plenty of businesses at Patriot Place can only keep their fingers crossed, as the pandemic continues to threaten both sports and the local economies where the games are played.<br /><br /><i>Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/zbaru">@zbaru</a> and reached at <a href="mailto:zachbaru@gmail.com">zachbaru@gmail.com</a>.</i><div><i><br /></i>
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According to the Pirates, an announcement will be made to announce which league the Pirates will be joining for the 2021 season. The Pirates’ venue plans for the 2021 season will also be announced at the press conference, which will be held outside the DCU Center in Worcester.</div>
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Since 2018, the Pirates have called the DCU Center home, and have given no signs that they will make any venue changes for the upcoming season.</div>
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One potential league the Pirates could join would be the Indoor Football League. The IFL was founded in 2008, comprising of 13 teams throughout the country, mostly in the western region of the United States. But after the IFL announced last month that an expansion franchise was awarded to Columbus, Ohio, the possibility of an east coast team in the IFL is more realistic.</div>
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Details for this story are still unfolding, as more information will be released by the Pirates on August 19 during their press conference. Stay tuned to Twitter @zbaru for continuing coverage and live tweets of the press conference.<br />
<br />
<i style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/zbaru" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;">@zbaru</a> and reached at <a href="mailto:zachbaru@gmail.com" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;">zachbaru@gmail.com.</a></i></div><br /></div>
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</script></div>Zachary Baruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100788536329267795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405242429044007883.post-55787058646756961062020-03-08T18:12:00.003-07:002021-01-19T19:58:56.561-08:00Benefits and drawbacks of streaming TV for Boston sports fansBy Zachary Baru<br />
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If you’re a Boston sports fan considering streaming television in 2020, there’s plenty of factors to consider before making the decision that is now culturally referred to as “cutting the cord”.<br />
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Sports fans, and especially New England sports fans, have very unique factors to consider, especially since the regional sports market is not dominated by one particular network. Since the four regionally televised sports teams, the Bruins, Celtics, Red Sox and Revolution are on both NBC Sports Boston and NESN, the obvious question for any fan would be, “does my streaming service have both of these networks?” <br />
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Unfortunately for one big option, the answer is no. Hulu does not offer NESN on its live TV service, which even has an entire website dedicated to the issue. It is unfortunate since Hulu’s platform is excellent for sports fans, and would be a perfect option, if not for the lack of NESN. <br />
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Hulu, like YouTube TV, makes watching live and on demand sports easy, telling you exactly what is live and allowing you to watch it right away. Hulu also gives fans the chance to see what games they missed from their chosen favorite teams along with an option to instantly watch it again. This is very similar to YouTube TV, but Hulu does it in such a modern and easy way that any sports fan would definitely enjoy. <br />
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YouTube TV, however also has their version of showing fans what is available for sports and makes it very easy to watch, along with having NESN, a big, big plus for any Boston sports fan. Xfinity from Comcast, however, has their own way of showing you what is live for sports, along with a scoreboard and the ability to simply click on the game and watch right away. You can even use their Sports App right from a button on the remote, making it very easy for fans, while offering what is a perfect picture quality for all games. Not to mention, Xfinity carries both NESN and NBC Sports Boston, as Comcast is the owner of latter.<br />
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Boston sports fans will definitely have a lot of options when deciding how to watch their teams in 2020, as the live TV landscape becomes more crowed and extremely competitive. In the end, customers and fans will win, giving fans the opportunity to watch sports when, how and where they want to watch.<br /><br /><i>Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/zbaru">@zbaru</a> and reached at <a href="mailto:zachbaru@gmail.com">zachbaru@gmail.com</a>.</i><div><i><br /></i>
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</div>Zachary Baruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100788536329267795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405242429044007883.post-18347771809391362342019-05-16T07:47:00.003-07:002021-01-19T19:59:23.391-08:00New USL structure, strength of minor league soccer benefiting Revolution<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
By Zachary Baru</div>
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With the 2019 soccer season upon us for multiple leagues, the strength of minor league soccer is tremendously benefiting clubs across the country, including our own Major League Soccer franchise in Foxborough.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #073763;">The "American Soccer Pyramid"</span></b></div>
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The New England Revolution are the highest level of soccer in New England as part of the so-called American soccer pyramid, but fortunately for soccer in the region, there are plenty more teams that help create a true minor league system for development for the Revs and all MLS clubs throughout the country.<br />
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The improved structure and stability of minor league soccer in the United States starts and ends with the United Soccer League. The USL is an organization that operates several soccer leagues throughout the United States. As of 2019, it is the only organization in the U.S. that runs professional minor<i> </i>league soccer, after the North American Soccer League cancelled its 2018 season and has since been on hiatus.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #073763;">A Changing Soccer Landscape</span></b></div>
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After the 2017 season, the United States Soccer Federation, more commonly referred to as U.S. Soccer, lowered the NASL's status from the only Division II league to the only Division III league. The NASL did not return for a 2018 season, and is currently on hiatus.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxVvLn9PxGxPHSTqLr-s0vMUV4Ma-a2uFDcvffAmUlCsK0LeXJxzCCpiB0qQ3fPUpPlsj4Q-Wx2W0ONdDdNV9KdHI9Xk_0lYuakV1MKp6QzIXv05iIMgwd43TT1N9k9EyUEx_2FJTXadZ/s1600/Capture.PNG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="539" data-original-width="958" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxVvLn9PxGxPHSTqLr-s0vMUV4Ma-a2uFDcvffAmUlCsK0LeXJxzCCpiB0qQ3fPUpPlsj4Q-Wx2W0ONdDdNV9KdHI9Xk_0lYuakV1MKp6QzIXv05iIMgwd43TT1N9k9EyUEx_2FJTXadZ/s400/Capture.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
The changing landscape may not have been good for the NASL, but for several clubs in New England, the changes have helped shape the soccer structure both in the region and nationally.<br />
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In New England, the USL has seven franchises in two different leagues - USL Championship and USL League Two. Six of the seven New England teams are in USL-2, with the one regional USL Championship team in Hartford. USL-2 teams in New England include the Boston Bolts, Western Mass. Pioneers, Black Rock FC of Great Barrington, Mass., Seacoast United Phantoms of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, AC Connecticut of Danbury, and GPS Portland Phoenix. <br />
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<b><span style="color: #073763;">New League, New Opportunity for Minor League Soccer</span></b></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9QkY4yczhwrpxjGflHN0fTE1LCwNDKsy8D_uSWa5A3Ty16bBjoU40KtBZVvqbb879MbgHxWsEPIyDvAWXIvThtdAmTl7iePevd6OTvk5s3cT2bsp20n5UMfXpgpp52Ncrp9DdZVJPb3Dw/s1600/D5wq8IsWwAITDFW.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9QkY4yczhwrpxjGflHN0fTE1LCwNDKsy8D_uSWa5A3Ty16bBjoU40KtBZVvqbb879MbgHxWsEPIyDvAWXIvThtdAmTl7iePevd6OTvk5s3cT2bsp20n5UMfXpgpp52Ncrp9DdZVJPb3Dw/s400/D5wq8IsWwAITDFW.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Over 11,000 fans attended the inaugural Hartford Athletic <br />
game in April 2019 at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The new organizational structure is what is really helping these New England teams in terms of long-term potential. With all of the changes happening in minor league soccer in 2018, the USL responded with a new league format for 2019. For starters, it's name. The organization dropped the "s" from its name, changing its name from the United Soccer Leagues to the United Soccer League. This changed its top leagues' name from the United Soccer League to USL Championship, differentiating the name of the organization from the name of the highest league.<br />
<br />
The 2019 season brings both a new name for the league, and an expansion team for USL Championship to Hartford, allowing New England to have a U.S. Soccer-sanctioned Division II league franchise for the first time since the Connecticut Wolves in 2001, which left the then-named A-League that year. The USL has changed many of their leagues multiple times, changing the A-League to the USL First Division in 2005, then to USL Pro in 2011, to USL in 2017 and now USL Championship in 2019.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><b>The Growth of Soccer in New England</b></span></div>
<br />
With seven franchises throughout the various USL leagues, New England is one of the higher-represented regions, which really speaks to the state of soccer throughout New England. With so many minor league teams in the region, fans are able to see live, professional and semi-pro soccer up close and in their local communities, greatly benefiting the Revolution. While some areas in New England may be far from Foxborough, not allowing fans to go to as many Revs games as they would like, having USL teams throughout the region truly allows soccer fans to engage with the sport. The more engagement fans have, the better chance they will stay a fan, and become an even stronger supporter of the sport.<br />
<br />
With the current state of both MLS and the USL very strong, the Revolution are in a great position to use this rich soccer environment in New England to grow their fan base, and rise up in the rankings of the crowded and competitive New England sports scene.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: United Soccer League, Hartford Courant</span><br /><br /><i>Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/zbaru">@zbaru</a> and reached at <a href="mailto:zachbaru@gmail.com">zachbaru@gmail.com</a>.</i><div><i><br /></i>
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<br />
Officially it was not "Whalers Night", but throughout the TD Garden Tuesday night, it was 1997 all over again. That was the last season the Whalers played in Hartford before moving to North Carolina. But a decision this season by the Carolina Hurricanes to hold a "Whalers Night" in Raleigh featuring vintage Hartford Whalers jerseys followed by a game in Boston to again wear the famous Whalers green allowed fans to unofficially declare Tuesday Night in Boston their own "Whalers Night".<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsE9e2zwc_b3_Z4S_J5XWM5z9jYhyphenhyphencdtPUl43u8Y-QIP4FLSkK9-GJL01D0DaTlb4EDEFcw9IsgAB30SGLQrIonYZj1DTA-Cwm51ftG0gpTh0LknZtAyIUr3ujM3ZjucFJ1fNct2izrdjU/s1600/EB6AD679_5FC0_4B07_95C9_B99786D5D78B.1545612402.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsE9e2zwc_b3_Z4S_J5XWM5z9jYhyphenhyphencdtPUl43u8Y-QIP4FLSkK9-GJL01D0DaTlb4EDEFcw9IsgAB30SGLQrIonYZj1DTA-Cwm51ftG0gpTh0LknZtAyIUr3ujM3ZjucFJ1fNct2izrdjU/s400/EB6AD679_5FC0_4B07_95C9_B99786D5D78B.1545612402.jpeg" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a>For New England hockey fans, it was something special. Hearing chants of "lets go Whalers", a following of faithful fans making the trip from Connecticut wearing Whalers green, and a very rare opportunity to see the Bruins once again wearing their white jerseys at home made for a unique atmosphere at TD Garden.<br />
<br />
Since the 2003-04 season, National Hockey League teams typically have worn white jerseys only on the road, with the exception of certain situations. Tuesday night was not only reminiscent of seeing the Bruins in their traditional white home jerseys, but also gave fans an image they have not seen in 21 years - Whalers green on Boston's home ice.<br />
<br />
Tuesday night was an occasion seldom seen in sports - a "promotion" during an away game. The Hurricanes franchise deserves credit for paying homage to a historic New England rivalry, and even doing so while not on home ice.<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0kpFoSB4XeA" width="360"></iframe><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
After a 4-3 overtime win for the Bruins, Tuesday night brought out the best in hockey. A game that had the feeling of 1997, paying tribute to 18 years of an intense regional rivalry, but also showcasing the exciting brand of modern hockey we see today. Had this game been played the last time the Whalers existed, the game would have been played with 5 skaters during overtime instead of the 3 skaters per team now used, a rule that has been enacted to increase goals during overtime.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Anyway you want to put it, Tuesday night was an exciting night for hockey fans. A night only made possible by a Carolina franchise bringing back the sight of a classic, special New England rivalry.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/zbaru">@zbaru</a> and reached at <a href="mailto:zachbaru@gmail.com">zachbaru@gmail.com.</a></i></div>
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Zachary Baruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100788536329267795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405242429044007883.post-12930737993049024492018-12-30T06:33:00.000-08:002019-01-07T07:05:35.696-08:00New Bruins "in-ice" ads already feeling like the normBy Zachary Baru<br />
<br />
When the start of the 2018-19 National Hockey League season came around, I was very skeptical. I was worried that watching Bruins games with four extra "in-ice advertisements" would begin to resemble a lower-level minor league game, but I quickly realized how wrong I was.<br />
<br />
The NHL, unsurprisingly, did an excellent job working these ads into the ice (I'm still not sure why they're not called "on-ice ads", but that's another story. The four additional ads have been worked in well to the TD Garden ice, and to all ice surfaces throughout the league.<br />
<br />
In April 2018, the NHL announced that starting with the current 2018-19 season, all teams will be allowed to have four new positions for in-ice advertising. These positions have been located in the corners of the rink. Up to last season, all teams could and did sell up to four in-ice ads near neutral zone face-off dots.<br />
<br />
The original four ads were allowed to up to 81 square feet per advertisement, while four new ads are allowed to be up to 44 square feet each.<br />
<br />
Watching the Bruins games all season long, the new ads have blended in, and are starting to feel normal. They don't jump out at the viewer, and being in the corners, its easier to forget they are even there. Had the ads been placed in the offensive zones, like seen in some lower-level leagues, this would be a different story. Fortunately for hockey fans, the new advertisements don't ruin the visual aspect of the game, and are allowing the league and all 31 franchises to make additional revenue.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: SportsBusiness Journal/SportsBusiness Daily</span><br />
<br />
<i>Zach Baru can be followed on Twiter <a href="http://twitter.com/zbaru">@zbaru</a> and reached at <a href="mailto:zachbaru@gmail.com">zachbaru@gmail.com</a>.</i><br />
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Zachary Baruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100788536329267795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405242429044007883.post-9685415047531328332018-06-20T11:02:00.003-07:002018-06-20T11:10:18.348-07:00Boston/Foxborough in good position for World Cup in 2026By Zachary Baru<br />
<br />
It's official - the World Cup will come to North American in 2026. Fortunately for Boston and Foxborough, the area looks to be well-positioned to host yet another World Cup.<br />
<br />
Back in 1994, Foxboro Stadium hosted World Cup matches, but a lot has changed in Boston and in Foxborough since then. The Big Dig, Gillette Stadium, more hotels, an improved transit system and an MBTA rail line that connects the stadium with Downtown Boston and Providence.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjluQYQ5f8gBVS9xHX9q8DcNWmu-EaOApRglPIGV5GhL9VDJnnQ5xgfRYUkmNDNuSAIBN6q45AobE0Q8AonY2d4wLTMxq3JDmdvEsppQiwDXSrCLrScxBPwa7ajeGxuoAMWgD_5m3qy2dRK/s1600/Boston-Skyline-1024x602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="1024" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjluQYQ5f8gBVS9xHX9q8DcNWmu-EaOApRglPIGV5GhL9VDJnnQ5xgfRYUkmNDNuSAIBN6q45AobE0Q8AonY2d4wLTMxq3JDmdvEsppQiwDXSrCLrScxBPwa7ajeGxuoAMWgD_5m3qy2dRK/s400/Boston-Skyline-1024x602.jpg" width="400" /></a> When it comes to infrastructure, Boston can both be looked at as a great host city, or a poor candidate. While public transit is more sophisticated than many other potential host cities, and the commuter rail has improved, the constant back-up on Boston-area highways is hard to overlook. And anyone who has driven to Patriots games or a major concert in Foxbourgh knows, Route 1 has constant stand-still traffic. Yet the advances Boston has made in commuter rail, including a CSX-owned MBTA line right to Gillette Stadium, certainly helps Boston's chances. A 10-car train could easily transport 1,000 people, as single-level MBTA rail cars can hold 86-127 people per car, while bi-level cars can hold 175-185 people.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLlvfq_8Pa-UHZSC4DQpqI3Wy3LvnOWRNFCMdy40p1BYVF7OOnw_FHcdyBgx1M0FsIwYEDnjeBbF9euzm4OFxiRyizKhTNs41rmgDDzexpJ4JtRrkO239S0whcVO5E7PjaowjwdgH4Vrkz/s1600/PatriotsTrain.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="800" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLlvfq_8Pa-UHZSC4DQpqI3Wy3LvnOWRNFCMdy40p1BYVF7OOnw_FHcdyBgx1M0FsIwYEDnjeBbF9euzm4OFxiRyizKhTNs41rmgDDzexpJ4JtRrkO239S0whcVO5E7PjaowjwdgH4Vrkz/s320/PatriotsTrain.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MBTA bi-level rail cars can fit 175-185 passengers per car.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Many of the other potential host cities do not have elaborate commuter rail systems, and by no means do they have comparable transit systems including subway and bus. Combine this to an international airport close to downtown and easily accessible via highway and public transit, Boston is in very good position when it comes to infrastructure.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZjs_RTS7SWyu0qgVy9VfpsN1q0trUTcXhwF8bssoB2k_ESr8g4pyYoRhjEi8DukJlGUDbhsKZfVSPr322I18x2VTwP1Ba3ICAkw5iswwb8OkFZrdxzUKqVp8CZ_d4RI0hhv7DIOj4KqnA/s1600/101710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-size: 12.8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZjs_RTS7SWyu0qgVy9VfpsN1q0trUTcXhwF8bssoB2k_ESr8g4pyYoRhjEi8DukJlGUDbhsKZfVSPr322I18x2VTwP1Ba3ICAkw5iswwb8OkFZrdxzUKqVp8CZ_d4RI0hhv7DIOj4KqnA/s320/101710.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Another category Boston has in its favor is the amount of hotel rooms available in the area, which is much higher than many of the other potential host cities. The stadium itself has two major hotels right at Patriot Place - the new Hilton Garden Inn and Renaisssance Boston - which would be perfect for officials, teams and media.<br />
<br />
Which brings us to the venue itself, Gillette Stadium. The stadium has seen several renovations since its 2002 opening, keeping it very modern with all of the amenities National Football League fans, players, officials and media expect. Not to mention it sits on the grounds of Patriot Place, a destination for fans with shopping, restaurants, a movie theater, walking trail and of course the two hotels.<br />
<br />
All of this puts Boston/Foxborough at the top of the list for potential host cities. In fact, Boston appeared third on a list last week by the Washington Post of potential host cities. Boston has a lot to offer, and hopefully in 2026, Boston will show this off to the entire world.<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: #0b5394;">Cities Under Consideration for 2026 World Cup Games:</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Boston</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>New York</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Montreal </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Toronto</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Philidelphia</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Washington</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Cincinnatti</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Nashville</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Atlanta</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Orlando </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Miami</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Kansas City</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Dallas</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Houston</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Monterrey</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Guadalajara</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Mexico City</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Denver</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Edmonton</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Seattle</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>San Jose</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Los Angeles</b></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: Washington Post, Kawasaki</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><i style="background-color: #fafdfe; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/zbaru">@zbaru</a> and reached at <a href="mailto:zachbaru@gmail.com">zachbaru@gmail.com</a>.</i>
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Zachary Baruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100788536329267795noreply@blogger.com74tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405242429044007883.post-29607488006102141932018-03-31T17:00:00.002-07:002018-06-20T11:09:09.935-07:00Why the NCAA Tournament had much more of a "Boston" feel at TD GardenBy Zachary Baru<br />
<br />
The 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball East Regional at TD Garden may not have had any local teams, but last weekend the venue included a lot more of the city than the previous time the tournament stopped in Boston.<br />
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Actually, you could multiply the Boston influence by 23 times to be exact. That's because in 2012, the last time TD Garden was chosen to host the tournament, every professional championship banner had to be removed.<br />
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NCAA regulations forced TD Garden to remove the banners of professional teams. This was a little bit of a problem for a venue that is home to 6 Stanley Cup championships for the Bruins, and 17 World Championships for the Boston Celtics.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQtZfxG4AV8nI4CvbG0KYU6m8FsFJRjP1bN2l3h-sxOdSTAe3EfxC4UEDW7JCVtzJKPpeKAASc99ON6bsteUZVYgU0Q3Smo34DZLzBYKhq5GyBgRHNXwIT1psyhYGdv67-C6Ja-wEJkOG/s1600/preview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="512" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQtZfxG4AV8nI4CvbG0KYU6m8FsFJRjP1bN2l3h-sxOdSTAe3EfxC4UEDW7JCVtzJKPpeKAASc99ON6bsteUZVYgU0Q3Smo34DZLzBYKhq5GyBgRHNXwIT1psyhYGdv67-C6Ja-wEJkOG/s320/preview.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Fortunately for Boston fans, in 2018 the NCAA allowed TD Garden to keep all championship banners for the Celtics and Bruins. Not only did this help out TD Garden staff enormously, who already had enough on their plate to ensure the venue was ready, but this also gave Boston fans and the estimated 8,000-10,000 visitors from out of town a chance to embrace in everything that is the tradition of Boston sports.<br />
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Although the famed parquet floor was not allowed, or any other local floor throughout the tournament, at least the banners gave the tournament's stop in Boston a little bit of a local feel. Not to mention a small Boston College logo on the corner of the court, given to the school for being the host of the East Regional.<br />
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The tournament also helped the city economically, and in impressive fashion. The two-night, three-game event last weekend was projected to bring in $25 million in economic impact, filling hotels, restaurants, shops and other establishments throughout the city.<br />
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The NCAA Tournament provided a big economic boost for the city, a reminder to all sports fans worldwide that Boston can be a great host city, and an amazing weekend for basketball fans throughout the region. And yes, a reminder to all sports fans watching about the 23 titles that will forever live in The Garden.<br />
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<i>Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/zbaru">@zbaru</a> and reached at <a href="mailto:zachbaru@gmail.com">zachbaru@gmail.com</a>.</i><br />
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</script></div>Zachary Baruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100788536329267795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405242429044007883.post-72627167344257892822017-11-17T14:21:00.000-08:002017-11-17T14:25:28.070-08:00Cold weather may have lead to low attendance for UMass' Fenway visitBy Zachary Baru<br />
<br />
When the University of Massachusetts' football team faced the University of Maine on Saturday at Fenway Park in Boston, the temperature was 36 degrees with 12 mph winds, possibly leading to the low attendance of 12,794.<br />
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The game was part of the Fenway Gridiron Series, a five-game football series at Fenway including 3 college football games and two high school games between November 10 and November 22. The series is promoted by Fenway Sports Management, and is yet another attempt to make Fenway Park more than just a baseball stadium for 82 regular season Red Sox games.<br />
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Year after year, Fenway has seen an increase in concerts and sporting events, as the Fenway Gridiron Series is an excellent way to make the venue a year-round destination for fans, just as Gillette Stadium and TD Garden is each year.<br />
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The big question is, was the less-than anticipated attendance of 12,000-plus strictly because of the weather, or was it something else? UMass for years has been trying to increase their presence throughout the eastern part of the state, playing games at Gillette Stadium and marketing themselves as a team for the entire state. Clearly the end result has been sub-par, as a game against a regional rival in a venue as special as Fenway Park should have had a much bigger crowd.<br />
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There has been talk about possibly having more UMass games at Fenway, and even a UMass lacrosse game at the ballpark as well. But with such a low attendance, the chances of more UMass games at Fenway seems questionable.<br />
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If the windy, cold weather truly contributed to the lack of fans at Fenway, then possibly UMass Football could make a return visit. For UMass, the goal has long been to market more across the eastern part of the state, where more of the population and larger sponsors are located. Hopefully in the near future UMass sports can find a way to attract larger crowds in the Boston-area, which would only help promote and grow the UMass sports brand.<br />
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<i>Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/zbaru">@zbaru</a> and reached at <a href="mailto:zachbaru@gmail.com">zachbaru@gmail.com</a>.</i><br />
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Zachary Baruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100788536329267795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405242429044007883.post-80124015293003808752017-07-31T17:45:00.000-07:002017-08-03T18:33:43.724-07:00Clubhouse questions could effect bottom line for Red SoxBy Zachary Baru<br />
<br />
July 2017 has been full of the wrong type of attention for the Red Sox when it comes to off-the-field news. Unfortunately for Boston's long-loved baseball club, one major trait has come into question in recent weeks - the character inside the clubhouse.<br />
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Is this really a serious issue? When it comes to the bottom line, it certainly is. While in the long run this whole controversy could simply be just a <i>slight</i> drop in the popularity of the team, and potentially team revenues, the real issue at hand here is that any potential drop in popularity or revenues warrants concern.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyltj_YTvzuFEB3lkWdK8V6QQx4EhKe-dIl8I-muqea6WYjSQDT0ESiSbW9bbH14dy8vPlNGB7dSK0JBxEsX85Z9WalVR6prCatxaTFE02oXjDX-uE5tZHJuUZMWevaolPyF5zZYgU455X/s1600/boston-skyline-fenway-park-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="720" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyltj_YTvzuFEB3lkWdK8V6QQx4EhKe-dIl8I-muqea6WYjSQDT0ESiSbW9bbH14dy8vPlNGB7dSK0JBxEsX85Z9WalVR6prCatxaTFE02oXjDX-uE5tZHJuUZMWevaolPyF5zZYgU455X/s400/boston-skyline-fenway-park-17.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
But how could public concerns over the "character"of members of the organization translate to a potential drop in revenue? The short-term answer is simple: ratings. The more the public has a negative opinion of the internal makeup of the organization, the more likely it will be that fans will elect not to watch the games, or at least until the issue is dealt with internally, thus pleasing the fans. <br />
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Will all of this blow over? More than likely. But for now, this is a concern for fans, and should be a concern for the front office as well. Ratings are incredibly important in sports, and nothing in sports can be a better barometer for a teams' popularity. Which leads to the long-term affect of all of this mess - ticket sales.<br />
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Unlike ratings, ticket sales is not always an exact barometer of a teams' popularity. Fans can obviously buy tickets far in advance and feel they need to use them, or simply be given tickets as a gift from friends or from businesses looking to entertain clients, potential clients or staff. Long-term, this wave of concern from fans could result in lower attendances, meaning potentially less concession, merchandise, parking and other revenues. In other words, make sure fans are happy, because professional sports is an industry full of domino effects. <br />
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Fortunately for the Red Sox, they are part of a market where fan scrutiny is the very essence that makes the market so successful for sports teams. It is this passion that brings Boston teams off-the-field success year after year. So while Red Sox fans may be upset over the character within the clubhouse, it is this criticism that continuously makes for a unique, and successful market.<br />
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<i>Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/zbaru">@zbaru</a> and reached at <a href="mailto:zachbaru@gmail.com">zachbaru@gmail.com</a>.</i>
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</script></div>Zachary Baruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100788536329267795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405242429044007883.post-66582482128827885212017-03-31T21:30:00.001-07:002017-08-03T18:34:02.761-07:00Three marketing challenges for the Red Sox in 2017By Zachary Baru<br />
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It comes quicker and quicker each year. The 2017 Major League Baseball season is upon us, and with it comes a whole new list of challenges for the marketing department of the Boston Red Sox. While this is anything but a full list, here are a sliver of the issues the team will face in 2017 from a marketing standpoint.<br />
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Issues from the recent success of other Boston teams, to a worldwide sports issue in the the ever-changing ways of society and the attention spans of young fans, to the criticism that has already begun from the media and fans about the teams' recent performance.<br />
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For the Red Sox, marketing and public relations has historically been handled well, and is one of the franchise's best off-the-field assets. Every year brings something new to focus on, and shown from the attendance numbers and broadcast ratings, the team gets the job done. Sometimes we take for granted how hard it is to manage teams in the seventh largest media market, and arguably the top market in terms of on-field success in the last twenty years.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #073763;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">1. The competitive Boston sports landscape.</span></span></b></span></span></div>
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The 2017 Red Sox season begins with the Patriots coming off a fifth Super Bowl win, in a market has long set the bar high for professional sports. Playoff appearances, division titles, or even league-leading records are practically meaningless to the high-standard Boston sports fan. And for good reason: in Boston, success is expected. Period.<br />
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While the Celtics are not at the Patriots level of success, they are still on the upward swing, climbing towards the level of success that Boston sports fans expect. They are young, explosive, and exciting to watch. And most of all, they weren't expected to be where they are right now. Boston sports fans are hard working individuals that appreciate a team that works equally as hard as they do. The Celtics are just that, and enjoying an exciting 2016-17 season that is winding down shortly.<br />
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For the Red Sox, the bar is just as high as it has ever been. Boston fans expect more than just a playoff appearance in 2017. This is the great part about being in a successful sports region. It makes the fans demand more, and forces the franchises themselves to strive for more. The question is, how will the Red Sox market themselves to promote that they are on the path to a successful season? The message needs to be sent out early to capture the interest of fans, especially during a potential Celtics playoff run in the coming months. The consequences could be a backseat in the Boston sports landscape. And with the MLB loosing their market share to other leagues within recent years, this is a risk the Red Sox cannot afford to take.<br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>2. The decreasing attention-span of viewers.</b></span></div>
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Ask any parent, teacher, or anyone who is frequently in contact with our youth, and they will tell you what is happening to society. It is a decreasing attention-span, and it is spreading to more than just the millennials. The ever-increasing option of instant gratification has been growing for years, and for baseball, is causing a huge problem for retaining viewers and fans. The Red Sox, like all other baseball teams, need to tackle this issue quickly. </div>
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Football is full of ten second "highlight reel" plays, that capture the excitement of movie clips for sports fans. Collin Cowherd brought this up years ago, and it is something that is a major issue for all baseball teams. As popular as the Red Sox are, they are no different - they still have to win back the battle of their fans' attention, especially the young fans.</div>
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Basketball and hockey have similar "highlight reel" flows to the game, and while baseball will always have home runs and diving catches, it is still a three-hour game in a world that now demands information in 140 characters or less. The question is simple: how can the Red Sox win back these fans? The answer, however, is not so simple. It will take extensive marketing, strategically crafted for young fans and fans who baseball is most at-risk for losing. </div>
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Social media will be a key way of reaching these fans, but should not be the only focus. The fans that are turning away from baseball still watch plenty of television and listen to sports radio on a daily basis. The marketing campaigns need to reach these fans that are leaving the game, and prove to them that baseball is changing and is still worth watching. The longer baseball waits to tackle this issue, the further it will get from winning the battle.</div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>3. Criticism from the media and fans.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: black;">Criticism from the media and fans in Boston will be nothing new to the Red Sox. The bar for success is hard to debate - it is high in Boston. And no one will be feeling that more than John Farrell, who has already felt pressure from the media and fans. David Price continues to get criticism from both the fans and media alike, and Pablo Sandoval's contract has also generated some discussion, as he is in year 3 of his $95 million contract. But the criticism does not end there, leading to the question of how the Red Sox will send a message to the fans ensuring that they are heading in the right direction. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: black;">Positivity will be key, and should be a focus for marketing this season. Fans need to be aware that this team is on the path to success. With good, positive marketing, the Red Sox can steer the conversation away from all of this criticism during the off-season. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: black;">Unfortunately for the Red Sox, with the two aforementioned issues, criticism about the team really should not handled with belief that "any publicity is good publicity". The Red Sox, and all of Major League Baseball, has enough battles to face right now. On-going criticism about the team should not be looked at as a non-issue.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Where we are now...</b></span></span></div>
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The Red Sox front office may have a lot on its plate when it comes to marketing the team in 2017, but one thing is for sure, history tells us that they know how to handle it. They have one of the best marketing teams in not just present-day sport, but sports history. This is the same franchise that marketed "Paint the Town Red" back in 2003, and sold us on a group of guys that were counted out in 2013, and went on to become world champions.<br />
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This is a franchise that knows how to market its product. And 2017 should not be any different. While Boston is home to some of the best on-field successes in the last 20 years, this region is also home to some of the best front offices the sports world has ever seen.<br />
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<i>Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/zbaru">@zbaru</a> and reached at <a href="mailto:zachbaru@gmail.com">zachbaru@gmail.com</a>.</i> </div>
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</script></div>Zachary Baruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100788536329267795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405242429044007883.post-75240972003626415952016-10-31T22:49:00.000-07:002017-08-03T18:34:53.579-07:00Nearly 40,000 attend Revolution season finaleBy Zachary Baru<br />
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Generally speaking, if it's a Sunday afternoon in late October, and tens of thousands of cars are pulling up, you are typically speaking about a Patriots game.<br />
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But in 2016, football is not the only option for this sort of crowd. Sunday, October 22 was all about soccer at Gillette Stadium. From the thousands who poured in early at Patriot Place, to the thousands of others tailgating in the parking lot, it was a celebration of soccer at Gillette, with 39,587 of the beautiful game's fans their to watch the Revolution close out the 2016 season with a 3-0 win over the Montreal Impact.<br />
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This was a dramatic difference from the season-ending match in 2005, when the Revolution played the Chicago Fire before 11,182 fans. But the Revs have come a long way since then, becoming a major part of the sports landscape throughout New England.<br />
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Not a believer? Kids, teens, young professionals and adults can be seen year-round throughout New England wearing Revs gear. And no, it is not just the soccer fields anymore, although those are even more filled with Revolution merchandise.<br />
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The popularity of MLS is very much on the rise, steady with the growth of soccer in the U.S. As the MLS and its teams focus on marketing the <i>game </i>more than cheesy promotions, the fans have bought in, and many are jumping on board.<br />
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Some of the biggest growth can be seen with young professionals in urban areas. They love soccer, love partying with the supporter's clubs, and naturally love MLS. And you wonder why a soccer-specific stadium within the city limits of Boston is so important?<br />
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The popularity of the Revolution and all of MLS is heading in the right direction. So where will this take us? Higher television and radio ratings? Higher ticket sales? A new stadium? 2017 looks to be an interesting year for soccer in New England. Soccer fans, you've waited long enough for this. Just sit back and enjoy.<br />
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<i>Zach Baru can be followed <a href="http://twitter.com/zbaru">@zbaru</a> and reached at <a href="mailto:zachbaru@gmail.com">zachbaru@gmail.com</a>.</i>
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This year will be one to remember at Fenway Park for more than just baseball. The concert lineup for 2016 is, to say the least, impressive.<br />
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This summer, Fenway Park will welcome seven different acts with eleven dates total. It all begins with Dead & Company playing two nights in Boston on July 15 and 16. Price levels for Dead & Company will be $55, $80 and $104.<br />
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Just one day later, Paul McCartney will make it three consecutive days of concerts at Fenway with a performance on July 17. From a marketing standpoint, this is a tremendous way for Live Nation and the Boston Red Sox to kick off the concert season.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYsDqiM0dRPRUC-vWi5eUY7LlcFfpr9_uXtKG2DppTvsAhubXcdqIaR9IDim7jg-QI3izpWRfxwrK_MYoqgjEVAL-g2jSscSDePfJAYljUZnJ9tMi2oNCAeBE1NE4nPGrFhZWYgWcWaKbZ/s1600/fenway-park-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYsDqiM0dRPRUC-vWi5eUY7LlcFfpr9_uXtKG2DppTvsAhubXcdqIaR9IDim7jg-QI3izpWRfxwrK_MYoqgjEVAL-g2jSscSDePfJAYljUZnJ9tMi2oNCAeBE1NE4nPGrFhZWYgWcWaKbZ/s400/fenway-park-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
The season at Fenway continues on August 3 with James Taylor, coming off his stop at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion at Meadowbrook on August 1, and of course his traditional appearance at Tanglewood on July 3 and 4 at the famous Koussevitzky Music Shed.<br />
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Just two days later, Pearl Jam will invade Fenway with two nights on August 5 and 7.<br />
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As if that wasn't enough, Billy Joel comes to the ballpark on August 18, followed by the Zac Brown Band on August 20 and 21.<br />
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The concert season comes to an end with Jason Aldean and Kid Rock on September 9 and 10. <br />
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Fenway Park has certainly come a long way building up a reputation as one of the premier concert locations in all of New England. While the Boston Red Sox, Live Nation and all of the artists will be the parties to profit from this, the local economy in the city will reap the benefits as well. These eleven dates are eleven additional opportunities for all businesses in the area - hospitality, retail, etc, - to benefit from the influx of people in and around Fenway.<br />
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With the current lineup, 2016 certainly looks to be a concert season at Fenway that will be remembered for many years to come.<br />
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<i>Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/zbaru">@zbaru</a> and reached at <a href="mailto:zachbaru@gmail.com">zachbaru@gmail.com</a>. </i>
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</script></div>Zachary Baruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100788536329267795noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405242429044007883.post-5705576684682478442016-03-31T22:20:00.002-07:002016-05-31T17:28:20.783-07:00Just how big is the World Figure Skating Championships for Boston?By Zachary Baru<br />
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This week, all eyes are on Boston in the world of figure skating, as TD Garden hosts a valuable, international event not just for the venue, but for the city as a whole. The 2016 World Figure Skating Championships came to TD Garden Wednesday, and will continue through Sunday as Boston finds itself on the world's stage for this prestigious event. <br />
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The true value lies far beyond the traditional economic benefit from the influx of fans, as this week will be a commercial for the city to an international audience. Additionally, after renovations completed within the last two years, the TD Garden will have a chance to show its capability of hosting large events, yet another reason to open the discussion of possible events in the venue's future.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglQ67H2qJM6IF_RRowLi-UL2fboPRZs7FdjCwM_Czs9AVxq_xAg81G1jM_dImvzv6q_zww-3_vosbAdtdHDcBrjFMBuRXk_sywStM5flPUBLEYDppVW5sfRmQY4Xy7pv-JZ7ULpKrR_dVO/s1600/Boston-Skyline-1024x602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglQ67H2qJM6IF_RRowLi-UL2fboPRZs7FdjCwM_Czs9AVxq_xAg81G1jM_dImvzv6q_zww-3_vosbAdtdHDcBrjFMBuRXk_sywStM5flPUBLEYDppVW5sfRmQY4Xy7pv-JZ7ULpKrR_dVO/s400/Boston-Skyline-1024x602.jpg" width="400" /></a>One such event that is both due for an appearance in Boston, as well as a perfect match for the city, would be the NBA All-Star Game. <a href="http://www.sportsbusinessboston.com/2013/04/if-new-yorknew-jersey-can-host-super.html">Back i</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.sportsbusinessboston.com/2013/04/if-new-yorknew-jersey-can-host-super.html">n 2013</a>, the Boston Globe reported that Boston Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck told the paper the Celtics were considering filing an application to host a future All-Star Game. Hosting the event, of course, never became reality, yet the opportunity and potential is still there. An event with the international appeal and magnitude of the World Figure Skating Championships is a perfect chance to showcase the venue's potential to host on the international stage.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As the World Figure Skating Championships bring worldwide attention to Boston, one of the most notable <span style="font-family: inherit;">e</span>ffects is economic impact within the city. Between the estimated 90,000 spectators in Boston from all parts of the globe, to the international media presence, the economic impact of the event will benefit hotels, restaurants and retail shops throughout the city. According to the Boston Globe, the estimated economic impact in Boston will be between $38 million and $41 million.</span><br />
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Boston's selection as host to the championships will be the first time the city is hosting the event, and it marks the first time the championships have been held in the United States since 2009, when the Staples Center in Los Angeles served as the host venue. Boston, however, is no stranger to competitive skating, as the city hosted the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in 2014. <br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So for anyone thinking that this week's World Figure Skating Championships <span style="font-family: inherit;">is</span> just another event for the city of Boston, think again. The TD Garden finds itself front and center to the world's figure skating audience, in a truly special event for the entire city.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Source: The Boston Globe</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/zbaru">@zbaru</a> and reached at <a href="mailto:zachbaru@gmail.com">zachbaru@gmail.com</a>.</i></span>
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</script></div>Zachary Baruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100788536329267795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405242429044007883.post-37251062155569930262015-12-31T16:42:00.001-08:002016-05-31T17:28:27.938-07:00Three things Boston sports business found out in 2015By Zachary Baru<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue;">1. The Olympics will not be in Boston in 2024.</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibKfRFrSPBuGecwJYOjj5IsA3C65FlLrk28ySlElLxsyZZURdtaFf65kydR6_rj2i7a7U3rncB54fUGeK55CFE0Jwts5HMrYjUZmZRvEdR-clKUeW2GVh9oJff1-JbLhhXbbmTMOTrgS7g/s1600/150229552_8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibKfRFrSPBuGecwJYOjj5IsA3C65FlLrk28ySlElLxsyZZURdtaFf65kydR6_rj2i7a7U3rncB54fUGeK55CFE0Jwts5HMrYjUZmZRvEdR-clKUeW2GVh9oJff1-JbLhhXbbmTMOTrgS7g/s400/150229552_8.jpg" width="400" /></a>After a long campaign to bring the Olympics to Boston in 2024, ultimately it was decided that the city will not be hosting the games less than nine years from now. The Olympics in Boston could have been a massive economic boost for the city, and all of the shops, restaurants, bars, and hotels throughout the region. The Olympics would have been an effective advertisement for the entire world to view, showcasing everything Boston and parts of Massachusetts has to offer. This, however, many feared would have come with an expense that the Commonwealth does need, and what many felt, does not want. The argument over the pros and cons of hosting an Olympics will most likely go on for many, many years. But one thing is for sure, much of the sports and entertainment industry in the region would have loved to be part it. Both Gillette Stadium and TD Garden were part of a long list of possible venues that could have hosted events. In addition to cities in the eastern portion of the state, the list of venues extended to Western Massachusetts as well. Apparently some people in Boston still believe that Massachusetts extends past Framingham.<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue;">2. TD Garden's mixed-use development plans look stunning, and ambitious.</span></b><br />
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The future for TD Garden may one day consist of much more than an 18,000-seat arena and a major transportation hub. Delaware North Cos., parent company of TD Garden and the Boston Bruins, have plans for a mixed-use development adjacent to TD Garden and North Station that will transform the arena and station into a center for commercial and residential use, as well as transportation and entertainment. This project will be one to look out for in 2016.<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue;">3. Gillette Stadium makes a great venue for outdoor hockey.</span></b><br />
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After years of wondering what Gillette Stadium would be like to host an outdoor NHL game, this past week has shown the region that Gillette truly is a great host for the Winter Classic. The real question is why did it take so long for outdoor hockey to come to Foxboro. Hosting the game at Patriot Place will allow fans to make an entire day out of the game, with shops, restaurants, bars, entertainment and a hotel. Gillette is proving to be a wise choice for the NHL and Bruins to host this annual event. The only problem is that now we may be running out of New England venues to host the event in the future. Can you say East Hartford in 2020?<br />
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<i>Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/zbaru">@zbaru</a> and reached at <a href="mailto:zachbaru@gmail.com">zachbaru@gmail.com</a>.</i>
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</script></div>Zachary Baruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100788536329267795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405242429044007883.post-27400654092940595112015-09-30T22:04:00.001-07:002016-05-31T17:28:34.880-07:00Gillette shines as host to busy weekend of sports and entertainmentBy Zachary Baru<br />
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From music, to soccer, to football, Gillette Stadium covered it all this past weekend, entertaining more than 146,000 fans to three separate events in three busy nights.<br />
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The weekend began with an Ed Sheeran concert that packed Gillette with a crowd of more than 52,000 fans. The show was Sheeran's largest U.S. concert to date, two years after opening for Taylor Swift in the same venue.<br />
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Following the game, the specially designed stage and floor seating had to be broken down for a Revolution game the next night against the Philadelphia Union. The crew worked overnight to ensure the stadium was set for soccer, which would be only the first of two sporting events in two nights.<br />
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The Revolution game drew 25,885 fans, another big crowd for the Revs, which also drew 18,854 on Saturday, September 5 against Orlando City. As the Revs continue to play good soccer, the New England fans continue to respond at the gate. <br />
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After the Revolution game on Saturday evening, the Gillette Stadium crew continued to work overnight in preparation for Sunday's Patriots game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Sunday's Patriots game, like all Patriots games since the Kraft family purchased the franchise in 1994, was sold out with a crowd of 68,756 fans. <br />
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This brought the total number of fans attending events at Gillete Stadium over the weekend to over 146,000. With a hotel, various upscale and casual dinning restaurants and bars, The Hall at Patriot Place, an upscale movie theater, concert venue, retail shops, and of course a first-class stadium, Patriot Place is one of the few lifestyle and entertainment centers across the country that can successfully and appropriately accommodate three large events in three nights. Still, that must have been lot of spring rolls to serve at Davio's over the weekend.<br />
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<i>Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter @zbaru and reached at </i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_2059707502"><i>zachbaru@gmail.com.</i></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: The Boston Globe, Major League Soccer</span>
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</script></div>Zachary Baruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100788536329267795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405242429044007883.post-1441812221785009892015-06-30T23:54:00.001-07:002016-05-31T17:28:42.644-07:00Western Mass. could help Boston 2024's venue problemBy Zachary Baru<br />
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As venues become more and more of an issue for Boston 2024's Olympic bid, a sometimes forgotten resource may need to become a bigger part of the plan: Western Massachusetts.<br />
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Yes, remember Western Mass.? That part of the state that exists far beyond the I-495 belt. During a time when land for stadiums is becoming an issue, why not explore an area that has nothing but land? Western Mass. has a tremendous amount of resources that extends far beyond that current plans of one lone venue, the Deerfield River.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5LPQjjRTUcpEmEnfXZmnImxIs9df7f9OEAYe-FGS4nMFwtLqBVRhENCaC6VbXRUVJkc4BZo1TNJrn03Ya46XGenWuG33Zo8VCguMaY4BpQu8Xt7NqZION9ATqYOra-FKZLxtTUBiwQmH/s1600/photo+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5LPQjjRTUcpEmEnfXZmnImxIs9df7f9OEAYe-FGS4nMFwtLqBVRhENCaC6VbXRUVJkc4BZo1TNJrn03Ya46XGenWuG33Zo8VCguMaY4BpQu8Xt7NqZION9ATqYOra-FKZLxtTUBiwQmH/s320/photo+%25281%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The MassMutual Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.</td></tr>
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Western Mass., with cities such as Springfield, Pittsfield and Holyoke - all of which have rich sports histories, and two of which have halls of fame - provide outstanding opportunities to host the Olympic games, in an area where traffic is currently not a problem. Western Mass. may have an abundance of land for venues, but its biggest asset is the venues it currently has.<br />
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The MassMutual Center in Springfield is an 8,000-seat arena (6,663 seats with fixed seating) that was renovated in 2005 with the construction of an adjacent convention center. Together, the arena and convention center offer a spectacular opportunity to host any type of event that should find its way to Springfield. As for accessibility, the MassMutual Center is located off of Interstates 91 and 291 and minutes from Interstate 90.<br />
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The venue is also within walking distance of Union Station, which is currently under construction to become the Union Station Regional Intermodal Transportation Center in 2017. This rail and bus terminal will be home to Amtrak, Peter Pan and Greyhound. A combined 12 daily trains connect to cities such as New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Another daily train makes the trip to and from Boston. As for buses, Springfield offers several trips to Boston, New York and Albany.<br />
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Still not sold on Western Mass.? Another venue just up Interstate 91 in Amherst is the 10,500-seat Mullins Center (9,493seats for basketball), on the campus of the University of Massachusetts. The Mullins Center was built in 1993 and has hosted a number of large concerts and NBA exhibition games, as well as UMass basketball and hockey games. It should also be noted that the venue includes an adjacent ice rink that could be covered for practices and other use. As for public transportation, Peter Pan offers several buses each day with connections to Boston and New York. Amtrak provides service to Northampton, just one town away.<br />
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If venues are the issue, look no further than Western Mass. to help bring some additional options to the Boston 2024 Olympic bid. The Deerfield River currently serves as the sole Western Mass. venue, which will be called upon to host canoe slalom events. But with Springfield being the birthplace of basketball, and Holyoke being the birthplace of volleyball, it is only fitting that Western Mass. be called upon the Olympic stage, should the games ever become a reality. <br />
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<i>Zach Baru can be followed on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/zbaru">@zbaru</a> and reached at <a href="mailto:zachbaru@gmail.com">zachbaru@gmail.com</a>.</i>
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</script></div>Zachary Baruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10100788536329267795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405242429044007883.post-75818403858025427752015-04-29T12:52:00.002-07:002016-05-31T17:28:49.412-07:00Kraft Sports Group announces new academic partnership with Dean CollegeBy Zachary Baru<br />
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College-bound students looking to enter the world of sports business just received a new opportunity to jump-start their careers, thanks to a <a href="http://www.dean.edu/dean_college_and_the_Kraft_Sports_Group_Announce_Partnership.aspx">new academic partnership</a> between the Kraft Sports Group and Dean College. <br />
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The Kraft Sports Group announced plans last week to partner with Dean College to create The Center for Business, Entertainment and Sport Management, along with a new scholarship program and the introduction of an internship program giving students a hands-on experience within the Kraft Sports Group.<br />
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The Kraft Sports Group's holdings include the New England Patriots, New England Revolution, Patriot Place, Gillette Stadium and The Hall at Patriot Place. The Kraft Sports Group is under the umbrella of The Kraft Group, a holding company with assets in paper and packaging, sports and entertainment, real estate, and private equity, in addition to philanthropic initiatives including the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation.<br />
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This new academic partnership will bring students looking to enter a career in business a chance to work with Patriots and Revolution executives and the ability to use Gillette Stadium as a laboratory for learning. Additionally, student-athletes at Dean College will be given access to training facilities through the Patriots and Revolution organizations. <br />
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Regionally, sports organizations will benefit from the program by increasing the number of home-grown talent in the Boston area. As the sport management major continues to grow in colleges nationwide, it is becoming more important for regional colleges to keep local talent here in New England.<br />
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This is an exciting time for all business students at Dean College, who will be given the opportunity to receive a true hands-on education from leaders in the sports business industry. <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Sources: Dean College, The Kraft Group, Forbes</span><br />
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<i>Zach Baru can be followed <a href="http://twitter.com/zbaru">@zbaru</a> and reached at <a href="mailto:zachbaru@gmail.com">zachbaru@gmail.com</a>.</i>
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