Built For The Game with Rob Cressy
741 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 days ago - ★★★★★ - 56 ratingsWelcome to Built For The Game, where we help entrepreneurs win in business & life for the long haul. Rob Cressy guides you on a journey of personal growth & creative excellence by helping you develop powerful habits, routines, and mindsets that serve you. That way you can be your best, do what you love, and show up powerfully in all areas of your life.
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Episodes
EP-40 Are College Football Tailgate Houses Underpriced?
September 12, 2016 17:40 - 5 minutes - 4.58 MBWe loved the concept of college football tailgate houses, which we talked about in episode 37. As a follow up to that and as part of our partnership with Kevin Cattani's sports marketing class at the University of Dubuque, we were asked: Are the tailgate houses currently underpriced? Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about the value of the tailgate houses and why setting a super high price coming right out of the gate may not be the best idea. As a call to action, we’re looking for anyon...
EP-39 Will Under Armour Ever Be Able To Overtake Nike?
September 09, 2016 15:03 - 7 minutes - 6.83 MBNike is at the top of the sports apparel and footwear mountain, having been a leader in the industry for a while now. Under Armour hasn't been around nearly as long, but with Steph Curry and Cam Newton protecting their house they've got some serious buzz around the UA brand. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about whether or not Under Armour could ever overtake Nike. If so how long would it take? What does it really take to dethrone a giant? This is a question that was asked by a student i...
EP-38 Our New Partnership With a Sports Marketing Class at University of Dubuque
September 08, 2016 21:37 - 14 minutes - 13.4 MBWe are excited to announce the launch of a new partnership between The Sports Marketing Huddle and a sports marketing class at the University of Dubuque taught by Kevin Cattani. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy shed some light on how this partnership formed, what sort of value we'll be able to provide the students in the sports marketing class, what we are expecting out of them, and what we’re all hoping to get out of it. We are both incredibly excited to start the next part of this podcast...
EP-37 Tailgate Houses For Kentucky Football
September 07, 2016 12:49 - 11 minutes - 875 MBFew things go together better than tailgating and football. Down at the University of Kentucky they are debuting tailgate houses and it sounds awesome. For $5k per game or $30k for the season, which is 7 games, you get a tailgate house that fits 30 people, the food and drink are included, there's air conditioning, a bathroom, 4 TV’s, and a full fridge. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about the marketing potential of these tailgate houses. This seems like a no-brainer opportunity for bot...
EP-36 The Las Vegas Raiders Marketing Potential
September 06, 2016 12:47 - 12 minutes - 11.1 MBThe Oakland Raiders just filed an application for the trademark to the Las Vegas Raiders. That got us wondering about the world that would exist if the Raiders became the first major professional sports team to make their home Sin City. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about the marketing potential of the Las Vegas Raiders. Can you imagine the amazing experience they could deliver by playing half of their games in Las Vegas? What are some marketing ideas we would come up with? Would it b...
EP-35 New Era Buying The Buffalo Bills Stadium Naming Rights
September 02, 2016 12:59 - 9 minutes - 9.15 MBGoodbye Ralph Wilson Stadium, hello New Era Stadium. New Era just purchased the naming rights to the Buffalo Bills stadium as part of a $40 million deal over 7 years. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about whether or not this stadium sponsorship makes sense for New Era (who are based out of Buffalo). Do sports fans care about what hat brand they buy, or is this the reason why there's an opportunity for New Era to further cement itself as the leader in the industry? Who is New Era really ...
EP-34 Tom Brady's Expensive Nuts
September 01, 2016 13:16 - 9 minutes - 8.52 MBTom Brady is selling expensive nuts, and despite the crazy price of $50/bag, they sold out in a matter of hours. 12 bags of raw, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free nuts cost $50… how? On top of that, Brady previously had a $200 cookbook that sold out. What can't this guy do?! Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about the marketing behind Tom Brady selling out his nuts. Why does this opportunity fit with Tom Brady's brand? Why exactly is Tom Brady's brand? Did Brady use scarcity to his advantage ...
EP-33 Fresno Tacos & Minor League Baseball Promotions
August 31, 2016 12:26 - 12 minutes - 11.4 MBMinor league baseball promotions are the best. They are creative, engaging, headline grabbing, and best of all have their fans coming back wanting more. A great example of this is the Fresno Grizzlies, who changed their name to the Fresno Tacos as a way to promote their Taco Truck Throwdown event. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about minor league baseball promotions: Which teams are doing a great job creatively delivering experiences for their fans? What are some of the marketing funda...
EP-32 Old Spice, Von Miller & the Official Deodorant of the NFL
August 30, 2016 13:20 - 11 minutes - 10.7 MBOld Spice is keeping their awesome marketing train rolling, as they are the official deodorant of the NFL, and have Denver Broncos Von Miller as their spokesman. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about Old Spice's marketing, and why this sponsorship with the NFL makes complete sense. Is Von Miller a good spokesman for the brand? Why don't other brands take a page from Old Spice and revitalize their image? At the end Brian and Rob give actionable advice on what you can implement into you...
EP-31 Ryan Lochte's Marketability
August 29, 2016 13:01 - 12 minutes - 11.1 MBRyan Lochte is one of the most decorated American Olympians ever, yet his marketability took a major hit after the lying scandal in Rio. Or did it? Four of his sponsors bailed on him, costing Lochte about $1 million. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about Ryan Lochte's current marketability. Will he get another sponsorship deal and if so, what brands would make sense? (Note: less than 8 hours after taping this podcast Lochte landed a sponsorship with a cough drop company.) Is Lochte's ab...
EP-30 The NFL Playing International Games
August 26, 2016 12:28 - 13 minutes - 12.5 MBThe NFL has dabbled in international expansion for years, playing games in London, Toronto, and Mexico City. There are reports that the NFL may play a game in China in 2017. From a growth standpoint this makes sense but what do the die-hard fans think about it? Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about the NFL playing international games. What is the NFL hoping to accomplish from this? Is this actually a negative for teams who lose a home game and have to travel so far? How does live stream...
EP-29 Usain Bolt's Marketability
August 25, 2016 16:39 - 12 minutes - 11.4 MBUsain Bolt just blazed through the Olympics in Rio, yet again showing that he is the fastest man on earth. Despite his amazing success on the track, it feels like his popularity and endorsements in the United States aren't what they should be (which is weird considering his International success). Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about Usain Bolt's marketability. How could he take his brand in the US to a whole new level? What sort of marketing sponsorships would make sense? What if he be...
EP-28 Hard Rock Purchasing The Dolphins Stadium Naming Rights
August 24, 2016 12:54 - 14 minutes - 13.7 MBHard Rock Stadium has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? The people at Hard Rock certainly thought so as they shelled out $250 million over 18 years to be the sponsor for the Miami Dolphins stadium. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about whether or not spending $250 million for naming rights on a stadium makes sense for Hard Rock. How in the world do they expect to get a positive ROI on this sponsorship? What can Hard Rock do to get the most value out of this? How much does the Super Bowl be...
EP-27 Instagram Stories: How Can Sport Marketers Use It?
August 23, 2016 14:06 - 14 minutes - 13 MBInstagram Stories is not trying to hide the fact that it is a copy of Snapchat. Just because it wasn't the original of its kind doesn't mean there's not a ton of value here for marketers, especially if all of the attention is there. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about how sports marketers can use Instagram Stories. What can brands do to differentiate their Instagram Stories from their Snapchat stories? Does it make sense for all brands to use the new feature? What has our experience be...
EP-26 Alex Rodriguez Post-Career Marketability
August 22, 2016 13:11 - 11 minutes - 10.2 MBAlex Rodriguez just played his last game in Yankees pinstripes, much to the delight of management and many Yankee faithful. Despite having Hall of Fame numbers, winning MVP's and a World Series, Alex Rodriguez likability is near the bottom for MLB players and athletes in general (which is a weird dynamic.) Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about Alex Rodriguez’s post-career marketability. How can an athlete who is hated by so many flip the script and become a brand that others want to eng...
EP-25 Tim Tebow Wants To Play Baseball
August 19, 2016 14:39 - 13 minutes - 11.9 MBTim Tebow wants to play baseball and everyone is up in arms. Love him or hate him, Tim Tebow is one of the most polarizing athletes we've ever seen. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about the different facets of Tim Tebow wanting to play in the Major Leagues. Is this just a publicity stunt? What does this do for the marketability of the Tim Tebow brand? Would it make sense for a minor league team to sign him? Are we rooting for Tim Tebow to succeed? At the end Brian and Rob give actiona...
EP-24 Rule 40 at the Olympics
August 18, 2016 14:24 - 14 minutes - 13 MBRule 40 is an archaic by-law in the Olympic charter that does not allow Olympic athletes likeness to be used in advertising unless the brand is an Olympic sponsor. Stupid, we know. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about how ludicrous Rule 40 is plus what brands and athletes can do to get around it. This rule was clearly written before social media existed, but it is a reality that brands and athletes have to deal with in the Rio 2016 Olympics. How can they turn this negative into a positi...
EP-23 Fantasy Football: An Opportunity For Sports Marketers?
August 17, 2016 15:02 - 11 minutes - 10.2 MBFantasy Football is a juggernaut. $26+ billion is spent on fantasy football thanks to 57 million people playing it in North America. Whether traditional fantasy football, DFS, or survivor pools, it's everywhere and it's growing. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about the opportunities that fantasy football provides for sports marketers — from the shared experience and thrill of winning, to having a reason to engage with your audience every week. The possibilities for sports marketers to b...
EP-22 Bud Light's NFL Team Cans
August 16, 2016 13:33 - 12 minutes - 11.8 MBBud Light has decided to bring back their popular NFL team cans for the 2016-17 season, much to the delight of football fans everywhere. The cans have the team logo and colors for 27 of the 32 teams, and as Alexander Lambrecht, VP of Bud Lambrecht said, "The can feels like a team jersey you can drink out of." Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about how these NFL teams can help us channel our inner sports fan, and whether or not this tactic would get us to drink more Bud Lights. Does this ...
EP-21 The Olympics
August 15, 2016 13:17 - 11 minutes - 10.4 MBThe Olympics may be the pinnacle of athletic achievement, but the lead up to it has been nothing short of a disaster. From the Zika virus to corruption to big time athletes passing on the opportunity to go, the 2016 Summer Games are off to a very rocky start. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about their interest level for The Olympics, the opportunity for marketers, and whether or not brands should be worried about the potential downside of something bad happening. Has the cache worn off ...
EP-20 UFC Sells For $4 Billion
August 12, 2016 21:09 - 12 minutes - 11.3 MBLove it or hate it, the UFC is a major player in the sports landscape. Recently sold for $4 Billion (with a B), the UFC was the most expensive transaction for an organization in sports history. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about all things UFC. What are the opportunities for marketers? What about the issue of violence? Will that drive brands away or is that an opportunity to connect with the passionate and niche fan base? At the end Brian and Rob give actionable advice on what you c...
EP-19 360 Virtual Reality & Sports
August 10, 2016 16:30 - 11 minutes - 10.4 MB360° video and virtual reality have been talked about for a while, but it looks like the time has finally come to take off its training wheels. 360° videos are starting to pop up everywhere, including in the world of sports. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about the emergence of 360° videos and how sports brands can leverage the new technology to better engage their fans. The Golden State Warriors just used VR to help land Kevin Durant as part of their pitch to sign him, so this may just...
EP-18 Kevin Durant To The Warriors
August 09, 2016 20:22 - 15 minutes - 13.9 MBKevin Durant stunned the sports world by leaving Oklahoma City to go play with Steph Curry and the 73-win Golden State Warriors. Who could blame him for wanting a better chance to win an NBA Championship and fulfilling his life long goal? Actually, a large majority are hating on him for this decision. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about Kevin Durant's move to Golden State. Do they support the decision? From a marketing perspective, does this help KD grow his brand? At the end Brian a...
EP-17 Jordan Brand
August 08, 2016 21:07 - 12 minutes - 11 MBMichael Jordan is the greatest basketball player ever and amazingly he has translated that into having one of the most transcendent and iconic sports brands on the planet. Just like his Gatorade commercial sang, "Sometimes I dream. That he is me. You've got to see that's how I dream to be," other brands dream of being the Jordan Brand. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about how other sports brands can take a page from Jordan Brand and be more like Mike. What are the characteristics that m...
EP-16 Soccer In America
August 05, 2016 14:49 - 14 minutes - 13 MBSoccer in America feels like it should have arrived by now. Most of us are familiar with the sport from a young age, but for a variety of reasons soccer hasn't grown into being one of the major American sports like many hoped it would become. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about whether or not they care about soccer and if there are opportunities for brands with the sport. With a lack of winning and star power from the USA Men's National team, what do casual fans have to grasp on to? Is...
EP-15 Most Marketable Athletes: Who Would We Want Representing Our Brand?
August 04, 2016 14:58 - 12 minutes - 11.4 MBWith social media, a 24-7 news cycle, and an insatiable desire to glamorize everything awesome that our favorite athletes accomplish, the marketability of our favorite athletes continues to skyrocket and brands aren't far behind with their dollars. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about which athletes they would want representing their brand and why. Spoiler: it's not who you expect. Sure you can pay Kobe Bryant a bazillion dollars to endorse your brand, but that doesn't necessarily make ...
EP-14 Sports Authenticity
August 03, 2016 14:00 - 15 minutes - 14.6 MBWith social media, brands have an endless opportunity to connect with their target demographic in a fun, engaging, and authentic manner. What happens, though, when a brand wants to be part of the sports conversation but does it in an inauthentic manner? Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about two brand experiences that Rob had with companies that were looking to engage with him, the sports fan. One Chicago restaurant failed miserably during the NBA Finals while Budweiser, at a Cubs game in...
EP-13 Does Controversy in Sports Help Brands?
August 02, 2016 13:38 - 12 minutes - 11.7 MBThe world of sports is always rife with controversy: Lance Armstrong, Johnny Manziel, Maria Sharapova. Every day you turn on the TV there is a new scandal. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about if controversy helps or hurts sports brands. Is any press good press, even if it's bad press? Does bad press actually have a negative impact on sports brands or is it just headline fodder? It's not like Nike is all of a sudden going to come crumbling down because one athlete does something stupid,...
EP-12 How Can The PGA Grow Its Shrinking Audience?
August 01, 2016 20:12 - 12 minutes - 11.4 MBIn two years airing on Fox, the US Open has delivered two of its four lowest ratings on the final round. The PGA audience is shrinking and golf has become more synonymous with napping than delivering sports drama that fans actually care about. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about what The PGA can do to grow its shrinking audience. How can they take a brand that is old and stale and turn it into something that is can't-miss television? How can they better relate to our viral video hungr...
EP-11 Personalized Sports Marketing
July 29, 2016 13:49 - 12 minutes - 11.1 MBIn the current digital landscape there are countless opportunities for sports marketers to get personal with their audience. A great example is the Sacramento Kings who have created branded videos for their season ticket holders. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about how and why sports marketers should get more personalized. What are the benefits of personalization and how does it benefit all parties involved? At the end Brian and Rob give actionable advice on how you can add personal...
EP-10 Athletes Post-Career Marketability
July 28, 2016 18:16 - 10 minutes - 9.22 MBProfessional athletes makes tens of millions of dollars during their careers yet 78% of NFL players are bankrupt within 2 years of being done, and 60% of NBA players within 5 years. Antonio Walker made $108 million in his NBA career and filed for bankruptcy, which is just crazy to think about. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about what they would do to avoid becoming a professional athlete statistic. How can athletes be forward-thinking to maximize their post-career marketability? What b...
EP-09 Snapchat and professional sports teams
July 27, 2016 17:58 - 11 minutes - 10.2 MBSnapchat is becoming a social media and engagement monster and the professional sports teams and brands that jump on board now are going to set themselves up for success down the road. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about why professional sports teams should be using Snapchat and how they can use it to better engage their fanatical audience in a fun and creative way. At the end Brian and Rob give actionable advice on how you can implement a Snapchat strategy in your business. - ...
EP-08 Why don't Americans like professional cycling?
July 26, 2016 12:50 - 12 minutes - 11.4 MBCan you name a professional cyclist other than Lance Armstrong? Chances are the answer is no. Why is that? In Europe professional cycling is much bigger, yet somehow that hasn't translated across the pond. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about why Americans don't like professional cycling and what can be done to change that. Brian is a Cat3 competitive cyclist so this topic is near and dear to his heart. What are the incentives for Americans to watch professional cycling? How much have a...
EP-07 Going to the Game vs Watching at Home
July 25, 2016 19:51 - 11 minutes - 10.6 MBNothing beats going to a live sporting event, right? Not so fast my friend. That used to be the case back in the day but with the increase in size and clarity of TV's, the behind the scenes access and in depth analysis, and the lack of paying $100+ for a ticket and $27 for a beer and a hot dog (among other things), watching a sporting event at home is becoming the preferred way of enjoying sports. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about the shift in sports fan-viewing behavior. Is it wor...
EP-06 Are E-Sports really a sport?
July 22, 2016 14:52 - 11 minutes - 10.4 MBeSports are taking the world by storm whether we like it or not. Millions of fans are watching others play video games and with the attention comes dollars. Lots of them. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about all things eSports. Is this a space that marketers should be in and what can we learn from the young yet forward-thinking industry? Even if you don't play or watch video games it's wise to understand the importance of the space. It's growing at such a crazy rate and has a ravenous...
EP-05 Why are sports retailers closing their doors?
July 21, 2016 17:47 - 13 minutes - 12.7 MBMajor sports retailers like Sports Authority and Sports Chalet have closed their doors and it speaks to the problem of brands that are stuck in the past and not willing to adapt to the way marketing and relationships have evolved. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about why each of these sports retailers failed, what they could have done to avoid it, and how being a forward-thinking sports brand that delivers an experience for your customer both online and offline is the recipe for success...
EP-04 Why should sports brands be on Instagram?
July 20, 2016 15:45 - 10 minutes - 9.89 MBIn this social media world of delivering content to your target demographic wherever they are, whenever they want it, should sports brands follow the attention and be on Instagram? Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about why Instagram is a great platform for sports marketing brands, what some of the pitfalls of the platform are, plus give some great examples of who is using Instagram well to engage their audience. At the end Brian and Rob give actionable advice for how your brand can lev...
EP-03 Sponsored logos on NBA Jerseys
July 19, 2016 22:16 - 13 minutes - 12.2 MBSponsored logos on NBA jerseys will be showing up during the 2017-18 seasons. Many NBA fans and jersey enthusiasts aren't pleased about this for obvious reasons. Why mess with something that is part of sports culture and fashion and muck it up with lame sponsor logos? From a marketing and dollars perspective, however, this shouldn't come as a shock as major soccer teams in Europe have been doing this for years. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about how putting sponsored logos on NBA jers...
EP-02 Should pro athletes outsource their social media?
July 18, 2016 22:22 - 15 minutes - 14.4 MBProfessional athletes are at the top of the attention graph for obvious reasons. They are elite at what they do and have adoring fans that hang on their every word. In a perfect world these athletes could be who they really are on social media, but because of their influence and being under such a critical microscope that is often not the case. They have to be meticulous about their image and what they say because one false tweet or action can cause a storm of negative PR that could bring the...
EP-01 How can pro sports teams leverage Facebook Live?
July 18, 2016 21:48 - 16 minutes - 15.2 MBStreaming on Facebook Live has become one of the hottest trends for brands and digital marketers. It creates a level of authenticity that lets the brand shine in a fun and engaging way. Brian Cristiano and Rob Cressy dish about how professional sports teams can leverage Facebook live to better engage and grow their audience while staying at the top of the attention graph. Which professional sports teams are already doing a great job using Facebook Live? What are the different ways teams coul...
EP-00 Welcome To The Sports Marketing Huddle
July 17, 2016 13:36 - 3 minutes - 3.2 MBWelcome to episode 0 of The Sports Marketing Huddle, a podcast that takes a look at all things marketing in the world of sports. In this intro episode Brian Cristiano, CEO of BOLD Worldwide, and Rob Cressy, Founder of Cress Media and Bacon Sports, dish about who they are and what you can expect from this sports marketing podcast. In each episode Brian and Rob give a forward-thinking perspective about some of the hottest topics in the world of sports marketing and then give actionable advice...