Special Olympics Florida’s Post

Love this from the Fairfield University women's hoops crew. Reminiscent of the ad posting Topgolf put out into the world after Tiger Woods' official split from Nike in terms of its simplicity and "old school" feel. It's a good reminder. PR doesn't have to be expensive. Creating buzz doesn't always mean an event. High production costs aren't necessarily a pre-requisite. Sometimes, you just need to be a little clever in delivering the message. Well done, Stags. Go get that ranking. #brandmarketing #communications #pr

Are Ivy league schools the perfect breeding ground for Division one athletes to get paid as employees due to the fact that they typically don't give out athletic scholarships? If it is, should the sports community be considering it? I would love to know what you all think. If you want to hear more of me and Zachery Creekmore discussing the Dartmouth Men's Basketball case, check out Episode 22 of Sports Business Take

The recent signing of 13-year-old Da'vian Kimbrough to a professional soccer contract with the Sacramento Republic FC in the United Soccer League (USL) has undoubtedly made history, but it also illuminates the dark side of such decisions within our soccer culture. One of the most concerning aspects is how these young talents are often treated as commodities rather than individuals in need of nurturing and development. Da'vian's signing appears to be driven more by the fear of losing a standout player rather than a well-considered plan for his growth. The mental and emotional toll on a 13-year-old thrust into the professional sports world cannot be underestimated. Without proper support and guidance, his well-being may be at risk, potentially hindering his immense potential. While Da'vian's parents may be supportive, there's a concerning disconnect between their pride in his achievement and the harsh realities he'll face as the youngest professional athlete ever. Are they fully aware of the challenges and pressures that lie ahead for their child? Moreover, there's a potential shift in focus from exposure to winning once the initial PR benefits fade away. Da'vian's true value may be as a PR asset rather than as a player, raising questions about the club's long-term commitment to his development. Young players who sign professional contracts are placing their trust in organizations to prioritize their growth, but history has shown that many clubs fail to fulfill this commitment. This leaves young talents with the most to lose and their potential unfulfilled. The lack of critical discourse around signing 13-year-olds to pro contracts perpetuates a false narrative that needs to be questioned. Without challenging these practices, players will continue to suffer, and the status quo will persist. Da'vian Kimbrough's signing may be a headline-grabbing moment for the USL and its franchised club, but it also sheds light on deep-rooted issues within American soccer culture. It's imperative that we rethink our approach to developing young talents, placing their well-being and long-term success above short-term gains. This story should serve as a reminder that children are better off enjoying the game and safeguarded with friends rather than being thrust into the adult sports industry.

I wrote about Happy Valley United's new Men's Basketball chapter called More To Give. Read my Basic Blues Nation article below 🏀 ⬇ https://lnkd.in/ggNbKcXu

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So, its March Madness. Admittedly, I am not a fan of Basketball, but follow along during March Madness because I love competition, and love to see stories of small programs breaking through to take down the big guys. With the NIL now becoming a major part of recruiting, how do small schools, without the income generated by big time football, compete? How do schools like St. Peter's or Gonzaga attract talent without access to those deep pockets? Look at the top NIL Collectives, then look at the $ generated by Football attendance versus Basketball attendance. Have we seen the impending end of the Cinderella story?

In our sixth blog on sixes, we discuss the future of the discipline and the interdisciplinary cooperation needed to take sixes lacrosse to new heights at the grassroots and high performance level. One thing is for certain, players, coaches, referees and administrators seem to be getting a lot more serious about sixes lacrosse since the October 16 Olympic Inclusion announcement and according to Jim Scherr “Olympic sports (should expect) a 15-25% surge in participation.” As of right now there are 6 men’s and women’s teams slated to compete in the Olympics, with World Lacrosse pushing to have that number raised to at least 8. It is the ultimate carrot for any 19 to 25 year old lacrosse player from one of the top 12 ranked countries in the world at sixes (men's and women's). Sixes is more than just an Olympic version, it holds the key to more and more sustained growth of the game by lowering barriers to participation at the international, regional and local level. Sixes is the tool that’s needed to grow the sport at the grassroots level. However, despite provisional Olympic acceptance, getting sixes lacrosse into grassroots programming has been no easy task thus far. Full blog at: https://lnkd.in/d355u8ud

Is This the Best College Basketball Team of All Time? Join the debate on whether this basketball team is truly the greatest collegiate team in history. Dive into the record-breaking point differential and explore the claims surrounding their success. Let's separate fact from fiction! #CollegeBasketballDebate #GreatestTeamOfAllTime #RecordBreakingDifferential #MarchMadness #BasketballLegends #SportsDebate #CollegeSports #BasketballRecords #BasketballSuccess #TeamAchievements

It only took 36 hours to prove 22 million people wrong! It is March Madness! The greatest time for college basketball fans and those who love to see the unexpected happen. We are waiting to see who this year’s Cinderella will be, there is always one team that the “experts” say does not belong that makes it to the second weekend and beyond. ESPN had 22,114,647 million brackets filled out this year. After day one, only 1,800 of those brackets were perfect. Less than 1% picked all the winners. By the end of day two, there were zero perfect brackets left. This is the best sporting event around. Everyone gets a chance to prove it on the court. The small schools get to compete with the large schools. It is a win-or-go-home format. Have a bad game, you are done. One player gets hot and cannot miss a shot, their team advances. Legends are made over the course of this three-week tournament. My bracket was busted on day one. After the first game, it was no longer perfect. I am excited about the games happening the rest of the weekend and seeing the stories that we will be talking about all week. BTW, the women’s tournament has also started and it is going to be as good if not better than the men’s tournament. Did you fill out a bracket? If so, how is it looking? #collegebasketball #marchmadness #expecttheunexpected #sports #socialsaturday #BruceTalk