Government Laws: Keep Yousif in Britain or He Will Die

Imagine living in a country of political turmoil in which all you can plan for is to see another day. This was the situation for 400 meter runner Rabah Yousif from Darfur, Sudan. To escape this persecution, he moved to England at the age of 18 where he was granted an asylum. Since he has left, 200,000 people in Darfur have died. While in Britain, he started a stable life competing for Britain and starting his own family. Without the fear of worrying about death, Yousif’s accomplishments include two championships and the only British athletes to have run quicker over one lap this year are Tim Benjamin, Martyn Rooney and Andrew Steele. With the 2008 Olympics (to the right) quickly approaching in Beijing, Yousif is a top contender for the gold medal for Britain. However, Yousif faces the biggest roadblock in his life. In recent news, it has been reported that Yousif will be deported back to his birth country, Sudan, after losing his appeal to extend his asylum. I believe this will be a major mistake not only for England and Sudan but also the sports industry. If Yousif goes back to Sudan, his life will be in danger. There is a major chance he might not live to compete ever in his life. As for England, the country loses one of their best competitors. Lastly, the sports industry loses world history. Therefore, from a sports marketing perspective, Yousif needs to stay in England and compete in the 2008 Olympics for England.

At the age of 15, Yousif’s life was in complete danger in Darfur, Sudan. Living in a war-torn country, people would be dying constantly. Looking to escape the persecution to make a difference with his life, Yousif moved to Britain where he was granted asylum. However, with government laws, the asylum has a specific duration before it expires. Now Yousif’s time is up and he must go back to Sudan. Yousif has pleaded in court to let him stay, but there is little hope because Yousif is not British. The British government knows that Yousif is not a major harm to the society because he is helping make history as a representative, but some laws cannot be broken or excused for certain people and not the rest. Therefore it is a difficult situation to judge.

With all this legal issues surrounding Yousif, he is unable to compete to his maximal level. While track requires physical ability and speed, there are also mental issues to balance. Yousif cannot help to be distracted with the facts that he has to leave his wife and son (pictured above) as well as returning to Sudan where his life is on the line. As a result, his career may be lost in a legal battle,” says Katie Legg, Yousif’s sister in law. In order for athletes to focus on the elite level, they have to focus on winning only- nothing else can come in the way because that uses up more energy. This is what marketing companies look for- they want athletes that can compete at a consistent level in which they improve every single time. Yousif has the talent to be one of the best runners for the 400 meter race but it is very difficult to perform well when his future is unknown. Therefore the government cannot get in the way of destroying his dream.

I believe that Yousif (to the right) needs to stay in Britain. The government of Sudan cannot force him to go back home because his life will come to an end because he will have to leave his wife and child and he will not know if he will be alive. It is important to note that Yousif has the capability to compete in high-caliber races which gives him the positioning for marketing his talent. In doing so, he has the ability to make history and this is what the sports industry needs. From a marketing perspective, Yousif stands out because he has a unique past history with sheer talent and therefore he stands out. These are the characteristics companies look to market because it reveals qualities that fans can aspire to and use to motivate them to do the same. If an athlete has the ability to make a difference in the sports industry, then he should have the right to compete regardless.

Sports Branding: Reebok India is the New Way of Life

Go big or go home. This is the theme that Reebok India has weaved throughout the twelve years that it has existed. Currently, there are 525 Reebok stores in different parts of the country, but the goal is for 1000 by the end of 2009. Not only is Reebok creating its corporate image through retail stores, it sponsors over forty elite players in addition to providing athletic programs (to the left) to the buyers. But that is not all. In recent news, Reebok has announced that it wants to sponsor players from the grass root level and make the merchandise available to individuals living in suburban or rural neighborhoods. By doing so, Reebok is expanding its target cohort. This will modify the entertainment image of sports and create a new way of life. Based on the evidence, I believe that Reebok’s strategic marketing plan will create a unique brand for the company that will result in major profits not only in the short run but also the long run.

Reebok in the beginning started off as a small company in India, but has slowly evolved into one of the dominant market entities in India. With a corporate image of sports merchandise, it positioned itself toward the target audience of athletic males, but as time went on, the media expanded this demographic. According to Rediff.com columnist Meenakshi Radhakrishnan-Swami, Reebok’s thought was to "Ask not what percentage of an existing market your brand can achieve. Ask how large a market your brand can create by putting resources behind creating a category." One of the most important skills for valuable marketing is powerful branding. By making a unique name for the company, people will remember it. Once Reebok noticed that women and children were interested in sports, it began to change its positioning by opening a new women’s and children’s collection line to appeal to that audience. With this expansion, Reebok is showing all its competitors that its investments are based on making athletic apparel the new fashion line for everyone.

Given a larger consumer base, Reebok took it another step further to enhance the corporate image of the company. Managing director Subhinder Singh Prem (to the right) explained that the focus for Reebok “is to develop a new genre of sports and fitness enthusiasts making immense sense for a brand that is synonymous to sports and fitness gear.” This is an important point because in order to make a brand stand out it has to be incorporated into a person’s daily routine. Reebok India has done so by training individuals to become fitness instructors. In doing so, individuals are educated about exercise and understand its impact with all the associated health benefits. As a result, Reebok has created a new fitness trend in India.

With the consistent expansion and improvement for Reebok, it announced in recent news that it was looking to sponsor cricket athletes from the grass root level. Prem said that “this program will not be limited to Ranji trophy players but also target cricketing talents in tier III cities who may not grow for lack of resources.” By doing so, Reebok India is exposing itself to an even wider population. The company is awarding those players who have unique talent and deserve attention but may not be able to afford to participate in distinguished sports programs. Therefore, Reebok India is establishing its brand as a inclusive and well rounded company that cares about all athletes. In doing so, the world of sports becomes increasingly exciting and more individuals become interested and find ways to become a part of it whether it is through attending games or buying memorabilia. This leads to higher sales and more exposure for Reebok and the companies it supports.

By having an extensive marketing strategy, I have concluded that Reebok India is an excellent example of branding in the business of sports. The company specifically focuses on consumers by spending $100 million dollars annually on research and development. Even though that money could be spent on sponsoring another athlete or investing in another store, this is a smart move because Reebok knows exactly what consumers think of the products and what they will buy. As well, by including athletes from the grass root level, it shows no bias, but rather is presenting itself as a company that values the talent and effort that is put into sports. With companies creating a variety of different products, Reebok reminds us that the key to differentiation is branding.

Marathon Rivalry: Why Apologize?

Growing up on farm in Ethiopia, Haile Gebrselassie ran ten kilometers to and from school every morning. Now at 34, he runs with a crooked left arm because he was always holding books under it. Recently, Gebrselassie apologized for breaking the Berlin Marathon world record by completing it in 2:04.26 (pictured to the right) which is 29 seconds faster than the previous world record holder and close friend, Kenyan Paul Terget. After completing the race, Gebrselassie could only tell reporters "Don't ask me how I am. It's very special, spectacular." Obviously, Gebrselassie’s accomplishment is admirable because his time in simple terms translates into 4 minutes 45 seconds every mile in comparison to an average person who runs approximately 8 minute miles. But there is more to this story than sheer talent. This sport has unveiled a rivalry between neighboring East African countries, Ethiopia and Kenya, which together hold many running records. Each nation has a completely different training program, but they both share the common goal of performing at the elite level. So with much competition, why would Gebrselassie publicly apologize for beating Terget’s time? I believe that he could be trying to send the message that although each runner has their own personalized way of preparing for races, marathon running is indirectly a team sport because they must work together to complete all 26.2 miles.

To put this issue into perspective, it should be noted that living in a developing country could seem devastating, but some of the world’s greatest come from those locales. Athletics are taken very seriously because when players perform at the top level, then the media is able to focus on something that the people are proud of, even if it is temporarily. Kenya and Ethiopia have two distinct forms of accomplishing this task. Kenya has a free central system in which each player performs for himself. According to Kipchoge Keino, winner of Kenya’s Olympic golds in 1968 and 1972, "Kenyans go where the money is and they're allowed to go where the money is.” When marathoners win races, they earn large monetary prizes such as $500,000, which makes a huge difference in the life of a Kenyan. However, running 26.2 miles takes a great amount of energy, and thus it is difficult to compete constantly without allowing the body to completely recover. Racing is more about quality than quantity, and if the Kenyan team wants to continue performing at the elite level in the future, then they must be particular in which races they choose to compete.

In contrast to the Kenyan’s free approach, the Ethiopian system is structured under the control of Woldemeskel Kostre (pictured to the left), who ran track and studied sports pedagogy in communist Hungary. He understands the commitment and discipline required to achieve victory, and thus he runs his program with low tolerance. For example, before the Olympics in Sydney, Gebrselassie asked if he could treat a nagging injury, meaning he would arrive late and Kostre replied, "If you don't come with us, then I can't put you in the team. So he decided to come with us and he won.” Under Kostre’s training program, this sport calls for complete discipline, trust, and communication. If these three are in harmony, athletes have the ability to accomplish the impossible. I believe that Kostre’s philosophy seems harsh and difficult to sustain, but that is only in the short run. This ideaolgy will have a bigger impact in the long run because he focuses on quality training, performance, and most importantly faith that these athletes have the capabilities to make world history. As a result, this is a strong positioning strategy because these elite athletes compete only in certain races and set records so they are branded as one of the world’s toughest competition.

Similar to accomplishing the impossible, I understand that running marathons is not that simple. Having previous experience in running the Los Angeles Marathon, I am aware of the physical and mental endurance needed to complete the race. Gebrselassie, therefore, has positioned himself apart from the elite runners because especially today, athletes are consistently breaking records, but to break a world marathon record is not very common. As well, when he said after ten minutes of finishing the race that he "really wanted to do this record but […] was a little bit worried about it, worried about attacking my friend's record," I believe he was being sincere because running may seem to be an individual sport, but there is more to it than just running. Marathons require more mental toughness than physical ability because of the longevity. The training requires much commitment so creating friendships with other runners is ideal because they understand the joy and pain.

Despite the depth and appeal of these genuine friendships, the media chooses to exaggerate the rivalry between the two countries. In reality, there is no rivalry during the race. The race is too long to take an extensive lead the entire way so runners must work together for most of the duration-this is a team sport (as pictured to the right). Thus, the media should try to focus less on making running an individualistic rivalry between two countries, but rather, two winning countries competing together to make world history. Watching athletes who come from impoverished nations set world history are emblems that every individual could aspire to and use as a source of motivation. Thus, the skill and dignity of these athletes make them not only exemplars of their sport but also of humankind, which surely is a marketing and public relations blessing.

International Football: How to Reach Superstar Status

Imagine playing for a football team whose rivals date back to the 19th century. With over eighty thousand fans in attendance (as seen in the picture below) and the media covering every minute move, the pressure is unbearable but highly motivating. This is a brief description of the number one sport in the world, football, which is called soccer in the United States. As the most popular and watched sport, competition is very evident. This has led to verbal and physical encounters not only between players, but within the crowd. The players, coaching staff, and fans treat football not only as a sporting event, but as a part of their life. The country’s reputation is on the line. With this intense pressure, players must perform consistently at such high standards to maintain the support from the franchise, fans, and media. Therefore, players must decide how far they want to push themselves.

In recent news, the New England Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, who is pictured below, has been under deep scrutiny for comments concerning trading prospects. The team from a statistical view is currently in first place in the Premiere League winning the last seven games. From a financial status, the Arsenal has enough money to invest into an all star player. Wenger, however, has commented, “I don't see this player at the moment anywhere." This is such a strong statement because he is blatantly stating that the football players are not playing to their potential and do not deserve large paychecks. However, this remark could be used as a reverse psychology tactic. Players now feel they must practice and play harder to earn the recognition they deserve. In doing so, this attention will lead to more media headlines which will give players the opportunity of possible endorsement contracts and higher salaries. The problem with this tactic is it can lead to trouble. Some athletes feel they must find other methods to improve in a short amount of time. This leads to steroid abuse, and when this news is revealed and made public, the reputation of the player as well as the franchise is tarnished. Therefore, players must decide what is more important, the money or the quality of the game.

All star football player, Ronaldinho de Assís Moreira , (as pictured below) is a specific example of a player under a large amount of pressure. He is, at the moment, the epitome of football players. Ronaldinho earns the respect not only from his fans, but also his rivals as seen when he scored two goals against the real Madrid and “the Real Madrid and the Madrid fans saluted Ronaldinho with a standing ovation despite Real Madrid suffering a 3-0 defeat.” However, his injury is hurting his world renowned reputation. With the Arsenal having a large salary capacity to offer Ronaldinho, Wenger has refused to make any offers. He unashamedly said, "Maybe one year ago he was the best player in the world. Is he today? No. It's as simple as that." This statement is very controversial because Ronaldinho’s reputation is highly valued in the game right now. According to consultancy firm BBDO Germany, “Beckham still has the best-known face, but Ronaldinho's age and recent feats make him a better marketing prospect.” Many sports fans come out specifically to watch him play, and as a result of this high attendance, the franchise earns a large amount of money through endorsement deals, ticket sales, and player paraphernalia. Why would the Arsenal not want to bring Ronaldinho to the team? His statistics clearly show that he has the capabilities of making football history not only for himself but for the Arsenal franchise. It would be a win- win situation.

But Wenger makes an important point. All star player status should be given to players who perform at top notch levels on a consistent basis. If the player cannot do this, then a team should not spend a large portion of the budget on them. It is important for teams to invest in quality players that improve their performance every game. By doing so, this leads to a domino effect (as pictured to the right). As a result of the consistent improvement, players increase their confidence which allows the coaching staff to have the flexibility to create various plays. With so much variety every game, more fans come for the unexpected excitement, and then more sponsors become involved because of the positive marketing opportunities. At the end, the reputation of the sport becomes renowned globally. Players, therefore, need to be willing to take on risks to set themselves apart, although the probability of serious injuries rises. However, stepping out of the usual is what creates the excitement of the game and makes the world’s greatest players.