Brooks Busch

Creating a lifelong fan isn't easy. With a plethora of options for people to enjoy on any given night, consumer entertainment dollars are at a premium. Unlike food and shelter, things like concerts, sporting events, and movies aren’t a necessity - and since most consumers are unwilling to go without food in order to attend an event, entertainment brands are competing for every dollar. With so many things outside of their control (quality of the team, appeal of the venue, average income of local consumers), marketers in the world of entertainment must make the most of what they can control. 

The...

When it comes to professional athletes today, everyone has a voice. Gone are the days where glory and fame are only given to the brightest stars of the sports world. In the age of social media, even a punter can have a voice, and a large one at that.

For many athletes, the spotlight that shines from performing in front of millions of fans is already bright enough. The privacy that many of us take for granted is a simple pleasure that is not often afforded athletes of today. However, for Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee, social media is not a way to brighten the spotlight, it is a way to dim...

As a fan of Indiana University, the very thought of writing this piece made me a little bit nauseous. Not only did it require me to watch the Louisville vs. Kentucky game on December 29 with a keen interest, but it also forced me to ultimately applaud one school. Kentucky basketball is not something that we like to discuss here in Indiana, but the accomplishments of Kentucky head coach John Calipari in all aspects of his job are astounding. On the court, I might never root against someone harder, but off the court I am in complete awe.

When Calipari took over as head coach at the University...

In Part 1 of my interview with Squawka co-founder and CEO Sanjit Atwal, we explored the company's efforts to provide a web application that gives soccer fans access to “Stats worth Sharing.” Today, we dive into how second-screen applications can turn popularity and relevancy into a profit.  

Organizations and brands looking to capitalize on advertising revenue are forced to straddle the fine line of marketing effectiveness versus annoyance during sporting events. Whether it be live and in person, at home on television, or through second screen applications, sports fans don’t always have the...

Soccer. The mere mention of the word creates division amongst sports fans in the United States, but its global popularity is unparalleled. Regardless of your feeling on the sport itself, soccer may have helped inspire an evolution of social media.

In an effort to provide a web application that gives soccer fans access to “Stats worth Sharing,” Squawka.com created a second-screen channel that provides fans with real-time data, coupled with social chat capabilities. Through a combination of unmatched data analysis and the appeal of social media, the London-based company has taken the consumption...

When listing the crown jewels of college football, the University of Michigan’s “Big House” must be included in any discussion. Known throughout the country for its colossal seating capacity of 100,000-plus, it is truly one of the historic monuments in the world of football. However, “The Big House” pales in comparison to the magnitude that is the Michigan Football Facebook page.

In the arms race created by Facebook's popularity, sports teams - both professional and amateur - have taken to social media as a way to engage fans. However, on December 5, 2012, history was made when Michigan...

The NFL is struggling to entice the consumer. Hard to believe, right? More like impossible to believe. In fact, the NFL is actually more profitable and popular now than ever before.

According to USA Today and The Boston Globe, the NFL was responsible for 23 of the 25 most-watched telecasts in the fall of the 2011-12 season. Want more? How about the record-setting nine-year television deal with Fox, CBS, and NBC worth $3.1 billion annually that Roger Goodell and company signed last December.

Clearly the NFL is paying the bills.

However, consumption of the NFL has changed, and with this change...