However, the Michigan State Spartans Presented By Rocket Mortgage are on the bubble.

(yes, I know the deal won't take effect until next season. give me some damn artistic license already)

Official press release:

https://msuspartans.com/news/2021/3/11/g...vider.aspx

They need to keep "Michigan" in the name. Otherwise they're basically giving up the state to the University of Michigan.

So does this mean that every athletics department is going to be referred to as [insert school name] sponsored by [insert sponsor]? This is terrible. And I'm sure conferences will follow suit. The MAC sponsored by McDonald's Big Mac.

(03-12-2021 08:00 AM)ChrisLords Wrote:  So does this mean that every athletics department is going to be referred to as [insert school name] sponsored by [insert sponsor]? This is terrible. And I'm sure conferences will follow suit. The MAC sponsored by McDonald's Big Mac.

It's coming.
Athletic departments are suffering huge losses during 2020-21. If they were businesses you would see a lot of athletic department bankruptcies. Carolina is projecting a $30 million loss for the year.
Athletic departments, especially at public institutions, are between a rock and a hard place. Legislatures that need resources, administrative folks that have already been trying to keep academics at arm's length because coaches make 10X more than what tenured professors do, and lawyers trying to get players paid.
The is getting ready to hit the fan

Nicknames are on the way out, corporate sponsorship is in

Lot of big names out of the tournament this year who usually get automatic invites including Kentucky and Duke.

Lets give these schools big thumbs down for selling out to corporations.

Gross. Can I call Sparty a no dignity whore now? They have managed to exceed NASCAR for corporate prostitution. That's not easy.

I imagine Michigan State isn't the only one, they're just the most recent one we've heard of. They definitely won't be the last.

Dueling alumni who are mortgage brokers have a measuring contest since Mat Ishbia (United Wholesale Mortgage) gave them $32M earlier this year.

But if we let the players make $30 doing a promoted tweet for a local carwash this all comes crumbling down.

(03-12-2021 12:18 PM)schmolik Wrote:  I imagine Michigan State isn't the only one, they're just the most recent one we've heard of. They definitely won't be the last.

No doubt. Within 5 years, it will be more of a question of which P5 schools *don’t* have this type of sponsorship revenue than who has it. This “presented by” method is actually a more subtle form of sponsorship compared to some other formats - see “The Rose Bowl Game presented by Capital One”.

So, as much as people probably want to throw stones, don’t knock it because your school is next (and if they’re not next, then that means they’re not making the money that the competition is making, which is a different problem).

(03-12-2021 04:40 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(03-12-2021 12:18 PM)schmolik Wrote:  I imagine Michigan State isn't the only one, they're just the most recent one we've heard of. They definitely won't be the last.

No doubt. Within 5 years, it will be more of a question of which P5 schools *don’t* have this type of sponsorship revenue than who has it. This “presented by” method is actually a more subtle form of sponsorship compared to some other formats - see “The Rose Bowl Game presented by Capital One”.

So, as much as people probably want to throw stones, don’t knock it because your school is next (and if they’re not next, then that means they’re not making the money that the competition is making, which is a different problem).

I would throw stones if I was a rival insurance company.

I think it's ridiculously risky for a corporation to pick sides in an emotionally charged athletic contest.

Rocket Mortgage may have just lost a lot of customers that wear maize and blue. Maybe they'll pick up enough green and white customers to make it worthwhile, but no one really knows. It's uncharted territory.

And of all the possible places to test the waters on this.... Michigan State? With all the rape allegations have come out of that school in the past five years? "Larry Nasser's gymnastics program, brought to you by Rocket Mortgage."

Harvard University presented by Grey Poupon.
University of Kentucky presented by Smile Fixers.
University of Hawaii presented by SPAM*

Can't wait for the feminine hygiene ads on the uniforms.
Change is not always good.