This article was originally published on June 14th, 2019.
Here is this week's dose of “5-Point Friday”. A weekly round-up of the sports news and stories that I find most interesting and enjoyable.
Baseball marketing I am enjoying -
I recently seen a fan activation marketing initiative set up by the San Francisco Giants. Fans at the game can get "bobbled" into their very own digital 3D SF Giants bobblehead. Each bobblehead created gets sent back to the fan and lives on a virtual display self at the experience.
Rugby news that I am following -
New Zealand rugby team Canterbury Crusaders announced that they will be changing their name. This comes following a review into the club's branding after the Christchurch mosque attacks in March, in which 51 people were killed. Concerns were raised after the attacks about the association of the Crusaders' name with the medieval religious wars between Christians and Muslims. The team will keep their name for at least next year's Super Rugby season but all medieval theming will be removed.
Soccer news I'm interested in -
Future MLS expansion franchise Austin FC released a series of updated renderings for their new stadium. The stadium is scheduled to open when the new franchise enters MLS at the start of the 2021 season. The stadium is intended to reflect the Texas capital city’s unique culture and vibe. The 20,500 seater stadium is being designed by Gensler, the same firm that designed LAFC's Banc of California Stadium and Minnesota United's Allianz Field.
Sponsorship news I have been keeping an eye on -
Diageo has announced that it has canceled its sponsorship deal with Premiership Rugby club London Irish. “We have met with the club to express our concerns. Their recent decision is not consistent with our values and so we have ended our sponsorship,” a spokeswoman for the drinks company said. The decision was made after London Irish signed Irish fly-half Paddy Jackson from French Pro14 side Perpignan. Jackson recently was was accused, then acquitted, of rape, however, messages shared between Jackson and a teammate were revealed during the trial referred to women in derogatory terms, which ultimately lead to Diageo making the decision to cancel the deal with London Irish.
Quote I'm pondering -
"My motto was always to keep swinging. Whether I was in a slump or feeling badly or having trouble off the field, the only thing to do was keep swinging." - Hank Aaron
Have a wonderful weekend, all!
Jonathan
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