Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Guerilla Marketing Red Bull Style
New York Red Bulls: Projections from Red Bulls Reader on Vimeo.
This is what I would guess is called Guerilla marketing. I guess this is their way of combating the current economic climate and still manage to produce something cool and low budget.
What do you guyd think? What images would you like to see and where? Continue Entry»
V International Seminar in Queens
Just to give a heads up of what is going around locally. On the 24th, 25th, and the 26th of April; Reinaldo Rueda (National Team Coach of Honduras), Richard Paez (former National Team coach of Venezuela), and Juan Carlos Osorio (Red Bulls Coach) will be conducting coaching clinics for coaches that are flying in from the americas and also for the local ones.
The seminar will take place at Flushing Meadows Corona Park. On the 24th Osorio will be opening up the seminar with "The evolution of coaching techniques." On Saturday Rueda and Paez will join in on the fun and will take the field doing demonstrations.
It's all about teaching how to JOGA.
For more info you can contact (718) 565-7482 Continue Entry»
The seminar will take place at Flushing Meadows Corona Park. On the 24th Osorio will be opening up the seminar with "The evolution of coaching techniques." On Saturday Rueda and Paez will join in on the fun and will take the field doing demonstrations.
It's all about teaching how to JOGA.
For more info you can contact (718) 565-7482 Continue Entry»
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Occurences
On May 22nd, 1974 England and Argentina played a friendly at the old Wembley Stadium, which was part of a tour for the "Albiceleste" prior to the World Cup in Germany later that year. In a moment of the game Vladislao Cap, who was coach of the Argentine side, has the intention of bringing in Houseman; but he glanced at the bench and noticed that he was not present. He asked one of his assistants "Where is Rene?" The team Masseuse, told him to be calm while he went and got Houseman. He went to the locker room and found him, a minute later he was on the field and did his JOGA. He later explained that he had gone to the locker room to smoke, because he understood that smoking on the pitch was not allowed. Continue Entry»
Standouts
So this is a new segment to the blog. I will be posting videos of standouts across the world. I will warn you that most of them will be of S. Americans since I am from there and know that market really well. There are many gems there that have still to be discovered. Many of them who might actually make it MLS someday. So here you go. First one up is Carlos Darwin Quintero. He is Colombian, and many consider him the best Colombian player today. He currently plies his trade in Mexico with Santos Laguna. Montreal fans might remember him for orchestrating the comeback against them in Concacaf Champions League. This video is very recent, I will be posting more of him in the coming days. The boy can JOGA. Hope you enjoy.
Continue Entry»
Continue Entry»
US vs El Salvador Highlights
Highlights from last nights US WCQ. It was a very tough atmosphere to play in, although we should have won the game going into it, we have to give props to our boys for coming back. Continue Entry»
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Adriano Does It Again
So basically, who you see to the right here is Brazilian model "Patricia Araujo." In quotes because she is a HE. He claims that Adriano threw a party at his own home and invited many Transgendered people on Sunday night, a day before Brazil started practicing for their World Cup qualifier against Ecuador. He also claims to be a "girlfriend" of a Brazilian Nat team player? Can't be Ronaldo, so who is it? Continue Entry»
12th Man
This is what I am talking about when it comes down to a 12th man. We should get some of these ball boys!! That's natural instinct, since it is a Colombian clip, it reminds me of Valderrama. Plus there's a sighting of the king of goals.
Nice JOGA kid! Continue Entry»
NYRB starting lineup
Starting lineup for tonight vs New England Revolution has been confirmed by very reliable sources, check it out:
------------Angel-------Kandji-------------
Smith--------------------------------------------Richards
------------Sinisa--------Sassano--------
Borman-----Goldy----Mendes--Hall
What do you think? Glad to see pietra out? Continue Entry»
------------Angel-------Kandji-------------
Smith--------------------------------------------Richards
------------Sinisa--------Sassano--------
Borman-----Goldy----Mendes--Hall
What do you think? Glad to see pietra out? Continue Entry»
Friday, March 27, 2009
The Prez Speaks
So, I got this info over from RedBullsReader.com. Really cool stuff. It has not been usual in the past for the Red Bull front office to really make a reach out into the community and its fan base, but within the last six months I think that they have finally got it, they need to talk to us! Erik Stover answered some of our questions and gave his insight on what are his beliefs into a succesful MLS bid. I think I am liking this guy.
Red Bulls Fans:
Well, the season has started and it was certainly a great atmosphere in Seattle. Similar to the impact that Toronto FC has had on the North American sports landscape, I think the Sounders will help change the overall impression of MLS. They’ve had a great start and they are showing everyone in North America that soccer is here to stay.
Unfortunately, we had a very poor start and there’s not much positive to say about our performance on the field. However, it is a long year and one bad game will not dampen our optimism for the season. We were missing several starters due to injuries, suspensions and visa issues and I truly believe that we are one of the top tier clubs in this League.
My last post generated a few questions, so let’s start there.
From PenaltySpot: What is the real purpose of having the “Red Bull Girls” or whatever they are called. Now don’t get me wrong, eye candy is nice. But 99% of the time they are falling all over the players in the pub, and they’re not much visible elsewhere. I would rather have the money spent in other forms of marketing…are we selling sex or soccer?
The Red Bull Brand Reps are an important part of our Street Team. They help manage events throughout New York and New Jersey. Their role is simply to be friendly and sociable while promoting Red Bull New York. During games they work customer service locations and interact with fans on the concourse.
For example, the Street Team recently appeared on the Today Show and they have been a major part of our “Bulls on Parade” and “Yellow Card, Red Card” grassroots promotional campaigns. They will also be participating in our “Play More Soccer” events throughout the Metro area.
I also think it is an unfair characterization to suggest that we are “selling sex.” We have both men and women on the Street Team and they are dressed tastefully in RBNY gear. I will, however, check in with our staff to make sure that everyone is acting professionally while in the Pub.
From PenaltySpot: Will there be a “pub” in Red Bull Arena for the season ticket holders to mingle with the players after the game? If so will be it more regularly attended by the players? Has the club looked into a family friendly alternative to the pub so, when my 5-year-old wants an autograph from a player, she doesn’t get beer spilled on her?
Red Bull Arena will also have the Bulls Corner Pub. We have not decided on how we will manage access to the Pub. Our goal is to keep it open to all season ticket holders, but the maximum capacity of the Pub will be limited to 400 people and we expect to have at least 10,000 season ticket holders next year. Obviously, the demand for access will exceed the available space. We hope to have a fair solution shortly.
Regarding a family friendly opportunity to get autographs, we will have the Meet the Team event again this year. We do this every year and it is always a great opportunity for people to meet whatever players they want and to get autographs.
We are also planning open practices to help with our community outreach efforts. These open practices will be another way for people to interact with the players and coaches.
From kubrick74 and kofix5 (both want Jeff Parke back): Jeff Parke wants to come back to MLS and doesn’t want to be in Seattle. Please, Please, Please get him back. Would be a damn shame to see him in a DC kit.
We really like Jeff Parke and he was one of our most consistent players the last few years. Unfortunately, the expansion draft forces every team to expose players that they want to keep. If Jeff had a longer term contract, we probably would have protected him. We knew, however, that he was very serious about trying to make it in Europe and we didn’t want to lose Jeff and another player from our roster to Seattle in the expansion draft.
LET’S TALK ABOUT EXPANSION
MLS announced that Vancouver and Portland will become the 17th and 18th Clubs in MLS.
Going into this round of expansion I would have put money on the two expansion clubs being Vancouver and Miami. I was a little surprised to see Miami fade away but the reasons behind that decision have been well documented. Commissioner Garber said in a conference call with media on Tuesday, March 24 that next month they will begin to examine the possibility of adding as many as two more teams by 2012, bringing the number to 20.
So, what goes into a successful expansion bid? Full disclosure here, I did not see any of the bids for expansion so I’m not sharing any “insider” information. This is simply what I believe should be closely considered as MLS continues to grow.
In my opinion the two most important elements to consider are; 1) ownership strength and 2) community support for the sport. Vancouver and Portland are perfect examples of cities that deliver both.
Vancouver is a cosmopolitan city that truly embraces the world’s most popular sport. They have a dynamic ownership group that is strongly connected to the City with the resources to start up and maintain a professional franchise. Additionally, the star power (see Steve Nash) will raise awareness of the Club and the League throughout Canada and the United States.
Vancouver’s formula for success is very similar to Seattle’s and most people around the League expect to see similar results. This should set up natural rivalries in the Pacific Northwest and a national rivalry with Toronto FC. And, I believe that sports are at their best when the rivalries are real and intense.
The expansion continues in the Pacific Northwest with Portland, another city that exudes community pride. With Merritt Paulson at the head of the Portland franchise, MLS gets an owner with a diverse background and a wealth of experience in sports marketing. The Timbers should easily grab the hearts and minds of the people.
Additionally, the City of Portland has shown the necessary support to renovate the Timbers’ current home, PGE Park, to ensure that it meets MLS standards. PGE Park is a historic venue that also serves as home to their minor league baseball team. It will take a lot of work to improve the standards there, but political and community support is always the first hurdle.
Of course, expanding with two teams from the West in the same year creates some challenges. Not the least of which are conference assignments, realignment and scheduling balance. These are all issues that MLS and the Board of Governors will need to work out over the next 12-18 months. There will be short-term and long-term solutions discussed, but we should all see the growth in this league as a positive.
What’s up with marketing? We have gotten some criticism recently for our “Bulls on Parade” guerilla marketing campaign and Red Bull’s commitment to the team in general.
First, let me address the “Bulls on Parade” marketing campaign. It was never intended to be something that everyone liked or appreciated. It was supposed to be unique and unusual and weird. And, it was not intended to lead directly to ticket sales. It was simply intended to generate discussion, which is exactly what it did. We have gotten a lot of e-mails and blog comments from people that were extremely positive and the real time reaction from those on the streets was impactful. In fact, we have actually sold season tickets based on the interaction that our Street Team had with people out in the community.
We have also gotten feedback from people that hate it…some really hate it. That’s fine and again we never expected that everyone would appreciate it. But please don’t assume that this is the one and only idea that we have to market this team. Without giving away our secrets here’s a quick summary of upcoming advertising, marketing and outreach programs:
Traditional ad buys with the Daily News, WADO, ESPN Radio, local newspapers, bus shelters, soccer specific web banners, etc. Player appearances at the ESPN Zone, Mulligans, TV morning shows, etc. Community outreach programs in Harrison, Newark and surrounding communities, which will include open practices for the first team Play More Soccer street campaign Video Projections throughout New York and New Jersey Private events for key opinion leaders throughout the Metro area Leveraging stadium construction milestones and hard hat tours to create news reports in the local media Camps and clinics that reach over 35,000 kids annually Social networking on Facebook and Red Bull Reader I hope this shows that we have a detailed plan and that criticizing one element is a bit short-sighted. However, we do appreciate your passionate feedback in trying to improve our club and outreach.
Regarding those that challenge Red Bull’s commitment to this club, I would suggest that the stadium development alone squashes that argument. For a stadium, the amount that will be spent by Red Bull is far and away the highest investment by an owner in MLS history. This is all Red Bull money and we have not held our hands out for public subsidy from State or Local government. If there is another team in professional sports that has taken on 100% of the cost of stadium construction, I don’t know who it is.
To illustrate this point, just look around this market to see the traditional approach by other team owners. The New York Metropolitan Area is in the middle of a stadium and arena construction boom. Nearly $5 billion has been spent on construction and that figure does not include the cost of infrastructure. Taxpayer money makes up significant percentage of funding for these projects. We have not asked for a penny. We should be applauded for this approach, not criticized for a lack of commitment.
Also, don’t forget the future development of our training facility or our annual investment in our youth academies, which does not charge players fees or expenses for participating. The purpose of these two projects is to improve the team and elevate the quality of play in this country. Our investment in the academy and youth development systems far exceeds every other club in MLS. You should also be aware that Red Bull has started academies in Ghana and Brazil with the intent of developing players for the first teams in Salzburg and New York.
I’m passionate about what we are doing and I believe that we are headed down the right path. With that in mind, I will take the time to explain things and answer questions whenever they come up. So, please send in your questions and comments by entering in the comment section below or by sending to nyrb@newyorkredbulls.com and I will do my best to respond in a timely manner.
Thank you for your support of the Red Bulls!
Erik
What do you guys think of the way Red Bull is doing things nowadays? How else can they improve?
Continue Entry»Red Bulls Fans:
Well, the season has started and it was certainly a great atmosphere in Seattle. Similar to the impact that Toronto FC has had on the North American sports landscape, I think the Sounders will help change the overall impression of MLS. They’ve had a great start and they are showing everyone in North America that soccer is here to stay.
Unfortunately, we had a very poor start and there’s not much positive to say about our performance on the field. However, it is a long year and one bad game will not dampen our optimism for the season. We were missing several starters due to injuries, suspensions and visa issues and I truly believe that we are one of the top tier clubs in this League.
My last post generated a few questions, so let’s start there.
From PenaltySpot: What is the real purpose of having the “Red Bull Girls” or whatever they are called. Now don’t get me wrong, eye candy is nice. But 99% of the time they are falling all over the players in the pub, and they’re not much visible elsewhere. I would rather have the money spent in other forms of marketing…are we selling sex or soccer?
The Red Bull Brand Reps are an important part of our Street Team. They help manage events throughout New York and New Jersey. Their role is simply to be friendly and sociable while promoting Red Bull New York. During games they work customer service locations and interact with fans on the concourse.
For example, the Street Team recently appeared on the Today Show and they have been a major part of our “Bulls on Parade” and “Yellow Card, Red Card” grassroots promotional campaigns. They will also be participating in our “Play More Soccer” events throughout the Metro area.
I also think it is an unfair characterization to suggest that we are “selling sex.” We have both men and women on the Street Team and they are dressed tastefully in RBNY gear. I will, however, check in with our staff to make sure that everyone is acting professionally while in the Pub.
From PenaltySpot: Will there be a “pub” in Red Bull Arena for the season ticket holders to mingle with the players after the game? If so will be it more regularly attended by the players? Has the club looked into a family friendly alternative to the pub so, when my 5-year-old wants an autograph from a player, she doesn’t get beer spilled on her?
Red Bull Arena will also have the Bulls Corner Pub. We have not decided on how we will manage access to the Pub. Our goal is to keep it open to all season ticket holders, but the maximum capacity of the Pub will be limited to 400 people and we expect to have at least 10,000 season ticket holders next year. Obviously, the demand for access will exceed the available space. We hope to have a fair solution shortly.
Regarding a family friendly opportunity to get autographs, we will have the Meet the Team event again this year. We do this every year and it is always a great opportunity for people to meet whatever players they want and to get autographs.
We are also planning open practices to help with our community outreach efforts. These open practices will be another way for people to interact with the players and coaches.
From kubrick74 and kofix5 (both want Jeff Parke back): Jeff Parke wants to come back to MLS and doesn’t want to be in Seattle. Please, Please, Please get him back. Would be a damn shame to see him in a DC kit.
We really like Jeff Parke and he was one of our most consistent players the last few years. Unfortunately, the expansion draft forces every team to expose players that they want to keep. If Jeff had a longer term contract, we probably would have protected him. We knew, however, that he was very serious about trying to make it in Europe and we didn’t want to lose Jeff and another player from our roster to Seattle in the expansion draft.
LET’S TALK ABOUT EXPANSION
MLS announced that Vancouver and Portland will become the 17th and 18th Clubs in MLS.
Going into this round of expansion I would have put money on the two expansion clubs being Vancouver and Miami. I was a little surprised to see Miami fade away but the reasons behind that decision have been well documented. Commissioner Garber said in a conference call with media on Tuesday, March 24 that next month they will begin to examine the possibility of adding as many as two more teams by 2012, bringing the number to 20.
So, what goes into a successful expansion bid? Full disclosure here, I did not see any of the bids for expansion so I’m not sharing any “insider” information. This is simply what I believe should be closely considered as MLS continues to grow.
In my opinion the two most important elements to consider are; 1) ownership strength and 2) community support for the sport. Vancouver and Portland are perfect examples of cities that deliver both.
Vancouver is a cosmopolitan city that truly embraces the world’s most popular sport. They have a dynamic ownership group that is strongly connected to the City with the resources to start up and maintain a professional franchise. Additionally, the star power (see Steve Nash) will raise awareness of the Club and the League throughout Canada and the United States.
Vancouver’s formula for success is very similar to Seattle’s and most people around the League expect to see similar results. This should set up natural rivalries in the Pacific Northwest and a national rivalry with Toronto FC. And, I believe that sports are at their best when the rivalries are real and intense.
The expansion continues in the Pacific Northwest with Portland, another city that exudes community pride. With Merritt Paulson at the head of the Portland franchise, MLS gets an owner with a diverse background and a wealth of experience in sports marketing. The Timbers should easily grab the hearts and minds of the people.
Additionally, the City of Portland has shown the necessary support to renovate the Timbers’ current home, PGE Park, to ensure that it meets MLS standards. PGE Park is a historic venue that also serves as home to their minor league baseball team. It will take a lot of work to improve the standards there, but political and community support is always the first hurdle.
Of course, expanding with two teams from the West in the same year creates some challenges. Not the least of which are conference assignments, realignment and scheduling balance. These are all issues that MLS and the Board of Governors will need to work out over the next 12-18 months. There will be short-term and long-term solutions discussed, but we should all see the growth in this league as a positive.
What’s up with marketing? We have gotten some criticism recently for our “Bulls on Parade” guerilla marketing campaign and Red Bull’s commitment to the team in general.
First, let me address the “Bulls on Parade” marketing campaign. It was never intended to be something that everyone liked or appreciated. It was supposed to be unique and unusual and weird. And, it was not intended to lead directly to ticket sales. It was simply intended to generate discussion, which is exactly what it did. We have gotten a lot of e-mails and blog comments from people that were extremely positive and the real time reaction from those on the streets was impactful. In fact, we have actually sold season tickets based on the interaction that our Street Team had with people out in the community.
We have also gotten feedback from people that hate it…some really hate it. That’s fine and again we never expected that everyone would appreciate it. But please don’t assume that this is the one and only idea that we have to market this team. Without giving away our secrets here’s a quick summary of upcoming advertising, marketing and outreach programs:
Traditional ad buys with the Daily News, WADO, ESPN Radio, local newspapers, bus shelters, soccer specific web banners, etc. Player appearances at the ESPN Zone, Mulligans, TV morning shows, etc. Community outreach programs in Harrison, Newark and surrounding communities, which will include open practices for the first team Play More Soccer street campaign Video Projections throughout New York and New Jersey Private events for key opinion leaders throughout the Metro area Leveraging stadium construction milestones and hard hat tours to create news reports in the local media Camps and clinics that reach over 35,000 kids annually Social networking on Facebook and Red Bull Reader I hope this shows that we have a detailed plan and that criticizing one element is a bit short-sighted. However, we do appreciate your passionate feedback in trying to improve our club and outreach.
Regarding those that challenge Red Bull’s commitment to this club, I would suggest that the stadium development alone squashes that argument. For a stadium, the amount that will be spent by Red Bull is far and away the highest investment by an owner in MLS history. This is all Red Bull money and we have not held our hands out for public subsidy from State or Local government. If there is another team in professional sports that has taken on 100% of the cost of stadium construction, I don’t know who it is.
To illustrate this point, just look around this market to see the traditional approach by other team owners. The New York Metropolitan Area is in the middle of a stadium and arena construction boom. Nearly $5 billion has been spent on construction and that figure does not include the cost of infrastructure. Taxpayer money makes up significant percentage of funding for these projects. We have not asked for a penny. We should be applauded for this approach, not criticized for a lack of commitment.
Also, don’t forget the future development of our training facility or our annual investment in our youth academies, which does not charge players fees or expenses for participating. The purpose of these two projects is to improve the team and elevate the quality of play in this country. Our investment in the academy and youth development systems far exceeds every other club in MLS. You should also be aware that Red Bull has started academies in Ghana and Brazil with the intent of developing players for the first teams in Salzburg and New York.
I’m passionate about what we are doing and I believe that we are headed down the right path. With that in mind, I will take the time to explain things and answer questions whenever they come up. So, please send in your questions and comments by entering in the comment section below or by sending to nyrb@newyorkredbulls.com and I will do my best to respond in a timely manner.
Thank you for your support of the Red Bulls!
Erik
What do you guys think of the way Red Bull is doing things nowadays? How else can they improve?
Nery's Highlights
I think these are the first highlights that I see of Nery Castillo since the last Copa America. Nery hasn't given anybody too much to talk about, until today at least. I think he had nightmares last night, maybe picturing our boys in another 2-0 victory but this time at Azteca. All we know, is that he was not in the best of moods when he gave this press conference.
He criticized the Mexican media heavily, and told them among many other things that none of them know as much about soccer as the players because they never played it. He went on to say that Brazilian media and Argentine media know what they are talking about but the Mexican media had not a clue. As his tone raised so did the reporters, clearly there was a huge disagreement in the media room. The most harsh comment that Nery made was probably this; "Do you know what the difference is between you and I? I am in Europe and you are in Mexico and will not leave Mexico." Ouch.
Sven - its gonna take some time before your guys learn to Joga again. Continue Entry»
FREDDIE FREDDIE FREDDIE
This is just a friendly advice to all Seattleites... Don't piss off Mr. Calvin Klein, at least don't kick your ball into his friend's (Pires) car... It would be funny to actually see though.
Now to more relevant news... Mr. Calvin Klein is ready to step in to take the field tomorrow against Real Salt Lake. I wouldn't want to be Jason Kreis right about now thinking who it is in his lineup that wil be battling Ljunberg on the field. We all know that that Freddie can seriously play, but it is scary to think what this guy and Montero, A.K.A Colombian Henry, can actually do when they are on the field together. Continue Entry»
Red Bull Arena Joga Style
I'd take this baby just the way it is. I can see some serious street soccer being played at this place, maybe a good idea for nike to shoot one of their sick commercials here. I see the Bullies against a pick up team from around the stadium area, playing with metal goals and some serious tackling.
What thoughts come to you as you see this American soccer mecca taking shape? Are you planning to be at Red Bull Arena next year? Continue Entry»
Welcome to American Joga
American Joga is the blog for the American and international futbol fanatico. Our goal is to bring you the funny, the sad, the irony, the dirt, the beautiful, the ugly and the fashion of our most beloved game.
The American philosophy of soccer has slowly but surely changed since the beginning of MLS. Nowadays we believe that this game is growing at an incredible rate that feeds our soccer thinking brains and soccer loving hearts. We are a product of the new dimension the sport has taken.
We Joga, so were here to show it to the world. Continue Entry»
The American philosophy of soccer has slowly but surely changed since the beginning of MLS. Nowadays we believe that this game is growing at an incredible rate that feeds our soccer thinking brains and soccer loving hearts. We are a product of the new dimension the sport has taken.
We Joga, so were here to show it to the world. Continue Entry»
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