Laura Gentile

Recently,?while sharing my thoughts regarding how the majority of news headlines seem to be?negative, with my friend Gavin Price, I shared an idea on using sports and physical activity (PA) as a way to bring people together though a "sister cities in fitness" initiative. Gavin,?one of the world's leading #sportsdiplomacy experts, listened to my idea, provided a number of great ideas &?introduced me to something similar to "sister cities in fitness" called, "Sports City Twinning" (SCT). SCT involves two cities with a shared passion for PA and sports coming together to: * Share best practices related to PA, sports development, event organization, athlete training, etc. * Collaborate on PA programs & athlete exchange initiatives * Attract sports tourism, invest in sports infrastructure & create job opportunities * Promote understanding & friendship between the two cities through sports events & cultural programs According to the World Health Organization (WHO), physical inactivity causes 3.2 million deaths annually. SCT initiatives can help create healthier, happier cities. A fantastic example of SCT is between my friends in San Antonio, Texas, and Clark, New Jersey. Despite the difference in population size—San Antonio with 1.5+ million residents (7th largest US city!) & Clark with just under 16,000—have found common ground in their commitment to providing #opportunities & #resources for their communities to be healthier. With the establishment of this relationship & the support of many, my goal is to start a coalition of SCTs or "sister cities in fitness" to share best practices, #collaborate on youth #sports programs & learn from each other's successes & challenges. Going forward, I'm excited to partner with Gavin, the National Fitness Foundation & other interested cities to advance this idea. Special thanks to friends James (Jim) Ulrich (Clark, NJ), Andrea Bottiglieri (San Antonio, TX) & their #colleagues for taking the time to come together, share ideas & #commit to working together to improve the overall #wellness of those they serve. Finally, the SCT/sister cities in fitness initiative will be unique & tailored to each city, but the main goals include: * Improving the physical, mental & social health of citizens? * Breaking down barriers of division * Increase social connection As we fine-tune the initiative, no need to wait...keep moving, #playing & having #fun! Mayor's Fitness Council of San Antonio: https://lnkd.in/eswf24UV Mayor's Wellness Campaign, Clark, NJ: https://lnkd.in/erNjhj5e Bryan Bayles, PhD, Gabrielle Herrera #communication #ideas #partnership #teamwork #mentalhealth #networking #inspiration #impact #health #exercise #media #leadership #news #friendship #branding #marketing #socialmedia #business #motivation Maribel Campos Rivera Veronica Johnson #innovation #military #worklifebalance Beth Frates, MD FACLM DipABLM Scott Galloway Andrew Bustamante, MBA JD Mata David Warren Brian Dalton Thomas Byrne

32

3 条评论

An annual jersey rollout is always exciting when you work in sports. It also comes with its fair share of risks. Every year, teams face a familiar set of challenges when launching a new jersey. PR pros are at the center of assessing how it will impact the targeted outcomes. A few natural risks, year after year, include: - Retailers accidentally leaking the design early. - Fans criticizing the jersey for being too far from tradition or too radical. - Previous/discarded/outdated versions of the mock-ups surfacing on social media. - Distribution issues delaying pre-orders or shipments. - Media outlets framing the launch as overly commercial or missing the mark. I've found that a 5x5 risk assessment matrix helps identify and prioritize these risks by likelihood and severity. PR pros are usually already thinking about worst-case scenarios so this approach shown in my clip helps ensure departments are aligned and prepared to handle challenges effectively. Hopefully it makes for a smoother rollout or, at the very least, provides clarity on what will take place when the inevitable happens.

18

1 条评论

Here are a few standout highlights from Day 1 of Informa and BizBash’s Sports Innovation Forum in Washington, DC: ?? Amanda (Sullivan) Tischler revealed the thoughtful updates to the Washington Capitals logo for their 50th anniversary and detailed the supporting activations they’ve been rolling out this year. A recurring theme of the day was crystal clear: meet fans where they are, engage them in ways that excite, and make them feel like part of something bigger. Fans, after all, are any brand’s ultimate advocates, helping to amplify reach and sustain momentum—regardless of the industry. ? Jonathan Yaffe and Patrick Lowe took the stage to share how LALIGA is driving brand success through superfans. Jonathan broke down how data segmentation creates meaningful fan tiers based on engagement and affordability levels, while Patrick gave us a glimpse into LALIGA’s U.S. watch parties and creative strategies to surprise and delight fans with memorable experiences. ?? Mary Cline served up behind-the-scenes insight into how Wolfgang Puck Catering handles the high-pressure demands of multi-day events tied to major sporting occasions like Formula 1 and the Super Bowl. From building satellite kitchens in parking lots to applying Kaizen principles to refine processes, Mary emphasized the balance of culinary excellence and nurturing top-tier talent. Yes, chef! ?? Simon Miller stole the show (in my humble opinion) with jaw-dropping visuals of experiential work created for mega-clients like Nike and Fanatics. One highlight? Fanatics’ hockey jersey gift boxes designed for influencers like Travis Scott and Justin Bieber—complete with custom specialty hangers. Talk about elevating the unboxing experience! ?? Jenny Howard-Maxwell and Ashlee Caroscio wrapped up the day with their session on maximizing sponsorship opportunities. Their key takeaway? Intentionality is everything. Avoid sponsoring “just to sponsor.” Strategic alignment is vital—something our team at Clandestine Events and Experiences deeply understands and prioritizes. The evening ended on a high note with a reception at Vue Rooftop, offering a picture-perfect view of our nation’s capital—an inspiring close to an incredible first day. #sportsmarketing #sportsmarketingactivations #brandactivations

36

11 条评论

I enjoyed this Bloomberg report summarizing ESPN's Stephen A. Smith's take on picking sports as if they were stocks, an interesting analogy. I fully agree with his views of women's basketball as a smart investment in a stock analogy, evidenced by the 2024 WNBA season setting records for viewership and attendance, a testament to the growing popularity women’s basketball (and women’s sports by and large). However, the perspective of shorting boxing as a hypothetical stock sounds overly pessimistic.?While boxing faces challenges,?such as fragmented governance, promoters, and broadcast rights,?it remains an exciting sport that is regaining momentum, spurred by? unification fights, collaboration between networks that are licensed broadcasting rights (e.g. DAZN / Showtime, and ESPN / Fox),?and the rising popularity of women's boxing. #sports #sportsbusiness #wnba #womensports #boxing #sportsmedia

5

If you're at all working in the sports and sports betting space, you need to carve time out of your day or commute to listen to Michael Lewis' "Against the Rules" podcast. It's an incredibly engaging look at the sociology of American sports, fandom, and how gambling has, and is, playing a part in it. Well produced and exceptional storytelling. #publicrelations #sportsmedia #sportsbetting #sportsmarketing #fanengagement

8

1 条评论

?? Welcome Back to Another Exciting Episode of Be. More. ER.! ?? In this episode, I’m thrilled to welcome the insightful Shawanna Kennedy, CPCC from Kennedy Media as we dive deep into the media lessons drawn from the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight. This matchup took the world by surprise, blending classic boxing prowess with modern influencer clout, resulting in a truly unique and buzz-worthy event. ?? What You’ll Learn: Media Lessons & Strategy: Discover how this unlikely pairing created a perfect storm of attention and engagement. Branding & Audience Engagement: Understand how both Mike Tyson and Jake Paul leveraged their distinct personal brands to capture massive global interest. Content Creation & Influencer Marketing: Learn how social media platforms, short-form video content, and strategic partnerships played a key role in amplifying the event’s reach. Digital Marketing Insights: Gain valuable tips on how to use storytelling, hype-building, and cross-promotion to attract audiences to your own projects. Sports & Entertainment Fusion: Explore how traditional boxing events can evolve into multimedia spectacles that transcend the ring. ?? Key Takeaways: How the fusion of sports entertainment and influencer marketing can create viral moments. The importance of unexpected matchups in sparking public curiosity and driving engagement. Strategies to replicate this success in your own media content, from social media marketing to brand collaborations. ?? Join the Conversation: What did you think of the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight? Have you implemented any of these strategies in your own content creation journey? Let us know in the comments below! ?? Subscribe & Connect: Don’t miss future episodes of Be. More. ER. where we break down the latest trends in media, tech, pop culture, and digital storytelling. Hit the subscribe button, ring the notification bell, and be the first to get insider tips on building a powerful media presence. #BeMoreER #MikeTyson #JakePaul #MediaLessons #Branding #AudienceEngagement #Video #InfluencerMarketing #ContentCreation #SportsEntertainment #DigitalMarketing #KennedyMedia #UnexpectedMatchups #Boxing #SocialMediaStrategy #PopCulture #MediaTrends #YouTubeTips #MarketingTips #HypeMoments

3

From ending these tired narratives surrounding #CaitlinClark to #AngelReese to "new" media actually doing real research on the #WNBA (honestly, it's only 13 teams - not that difficult) to the continued evolution of W players into cultural icons And...of course...more #BigEllie Five things we want to see in women's sports in 2025 https://lnkd.in/eAkDPYS4

1

Thank you to Sports Business Journal for publishing my thoughts and Digital Sport By Hot Paper Lantern's data regarding our perception of the most glaring need in the NIL market: strategic communications to help streamline and amplify fundraising. The economics and business of collegiate sports are in major flux. A sound communications strategy will help ensure that fundraising remains consistent and sustainable, regardless of any external market or regulatory headwinds. #NIL #sports #sportsbusiness #fundraising #mediarelations #strategiccomms #collegesports

27

I hear from many founders and executives about their insecurities about speaking at events and talking to the media so I wrote a Forbes article to help! https://lnkd.in/dxJJb9Hi #PR #thoughtleadership #executivecomms

10

For TicketManager this week, I wrote about the 2025 NBA All-Star Game's mini-tournament format and how sponsors can capitalize on it: https://bit.ly/3ZWPWMd #NBAAllStar

8

The Royals continue their winning ways in the shadow of the 2014 AL Championship Team's Anniversary Celebration. How do these two teams compare? Rany Jazayerli (Co-Founder Baseball Prospectus/@Jazayerli) and Soren Petro (Sports Radio 810-WHB, 810whb.com/@SorenPetro) discuss where this team is better and worse than the '14 bunch as well as... - The latest Playoff Optimism Meter. - What teams are threats to the Royals? - Time to give up on having a quality OF? - Kris Bubic timeline. - Where the '24 Rotation ranks? - Remembering the 2014 team.

2

1 条评论

With athletes dedicating so much of their time to training and traveling for competitions, they often have to put their athletic ambitions ahead of education and career development. At the point when an athlete transitions from their elite athletic career, it’s common that they find themselves out of pace with their non-athlete peers professionally — and needing to come up to speed to compete on a whole new playing field. Guild’s partnership delivers a more seamless transition from competition to long-term education and career planning and Guild's tailored approach ensures Team USA athletes are set up for long-term success. #la28 #olympics #paralympics #athletes

12

Amplifying these sports, media & entertainment professionals & brands who are leading LA wildfire convos around resources for those impacted and want to support & updates: Parul Khosla, CEO of Arena (Sports, Media & Entertainment Careers), shares resources to support impacted LA communities: https://lnkd.in/e_3gHizg Michael Epstein, Director of Digital Marketing & Music Strategy writer, shares relief resources for Music Professionals & those impacted by the fire: https://lnkd.in/ezi3Qupf Adam Burke?, President & CEO at Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, shares “LA HOTELS OFFERING DISCOUNTED ACCOMMODATIONS FOR EVACUEES”: https://lnkd.in/eEuUrJMD Monique Reaves, Chief Revenue Officer at Rose Bowl Stadium shares “Rose Bowl Stadium, a venue that is currently serving as the central command for emergency response teams” & how you can donate to support: https://lnkd.in/e95a3Hxr Tiffany Williams, Chief Operating Officer at Stephen Curry’s SC30, shares “The recent Los Angeles wildfires have devastated many communities, with the Black community in Pasadena/Altadena being particularly hard-hit. In response, the ‘Win With Black Women’ initiative has partnered with local organizations to support those affected. You can contribute to their efforts through the GoFundMe campaign below.” https://lnkd.in/e_9bVvSb Niena Drake, Emmy Award-Winning Executive Producer, "started the REBUILD + RESTORE LA Community Group on LinkedIn" & service provider directory here: https://lnkd.in/diC_WCcd Adam Lewis, Sports & Entertainment Partnerships Executive at Google shares “Our LA teams can & will, play a pivotal role in providing support to the community as we really towards recovery. Here are a few ideas that I think we should do to make a difference”: https://lnkd.in/eejNYHh5 Matt Kerbel, Global Head of Brand Strategy at Turo shares "ways we can help (via TIME & NewsNation)": https://lnkd.in/evMhb5jK Alex Sheinman, Co-Founder of Snapback Agency, shares "For every like on this post, Snapback Agency will donate $1 to SOCAL Strong. If you are looking to help, feel free to repost this with the same challenge in mind. 1 like = $1 donated."?: https://lnkd.in/eHBNb8Rr Deep Blue Sports + Entertainment shares they are teaming up with Always Alpha in partnership with the women’s sports community to launch a nationwide essentials drive to provide critical items—such as toiletries, cosmetics, and feminine hygiene products—to shelters and organizations supporting those in need." : https://lnkd.in/dRHfZHQf If you know of other sharing resources for those impacted or how others can support the LA and sports, media & entertainment community, please add the links below along with a few details on what it’s about. Praying for and here to support everyone in my Los Angeles community! <3 #LA #LosAngeles

47

8 条评论

On the eve of one of the most pivotal elections in recent memory, I’m thrilled to share a special edition of SportsWrap—now available exclusively on our new Substack! Only part of this conversation aired on TV, but you can watch the full 60-minute discussion with NBC News Chief Political Analyst Chuck Todd on our Substack. In this unique episode, we dive deep into both sports and politics: Sports Topics: Bob Costas’ retirement and the challenges faced by both him and Chuck in the public eye Deion Sanders’ impact at Colorado—is he a game-changer for college football? What’s needed to address college sports’ NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) issues? Is today’s sports media beginning to look like primetime cable news? Chuck’s take on Pat McAfee might surprise you. The future of Juan Soto—could he return to the Nationals? Political Insights: Comparing the Electoral College map to the NFL’s final week of wild scenarios—is this a good analogy? What role could Mark Robinson play if Trump loses North Carolina? Will we have a clear Presidential Election winner by Friday? My proposal to bring Americans closer together through primetime cable news—hear what Chuck thinks. Could a Trump-Nikki Haley ticket have made this election even tighter? Has the Harris campaign been too conservative in their approach? Catch all this and more in our exclusive Substack conversation with Chuck Todd. Subscribe now—it’s free, and we’re sharing exclusive content you won’t find on TV! ?? https://lnkd.in/g_Fka8af

1

NBCUniversal is preparing to make a major move in the sports media landscape by bidding an average of $2.5 billion per year for a package of National Basketball Association (NBA) games. The league is currently in advanced stages of a new round of media-rights deals, and Warner Bros. Discovery is making last-ditch efforts to keep the rights. This comes after Warner's TNT, one of the NBA's oldest television partners, was unable to reach a new agreement with the league before the exclusive negotiating window expired last week. The proposed deal would also see The Walt Disney Company's payments increase. Article from The Wall Street Journal #NBA #sportsmedia #NBCUniversal #WarnerBrosDiscovery #Disney #mediarights #sportsbiz #sportsbusiness #sponsorships #sportssponsorships #brandedcontent #ai #mensio #hive

1

One of the things I love most about Chief is the connections it fosters. Six years ago, I met Libby Rodney, and our bond over?trends,?thought leadership, and raising kids in Brooklyn has grown into a lasting friendship. Now,?we’re?excited to announce that?we’re?officially teaming up to discuss the shifts?we’re?seeing in business and marketing every month. Our latest conversation?couldn’t?be more timely, focusing on the future of search, particularly in light of?Google’s?recent I/O event. The unveiling of their AI-powered Search Generative Experience (SGE) marks a significant shift in how we engage with Google and approach search engine optimization. This innovation?is set?to transform SEO strategies, how we optimize, and how we measure its effectiveness.?? #AIPowered #SEO #GoogleIO

43

16 条评论

In our world of chaos and uncertainty, we’re obsessed with getting an inside line into the future—preferably ahead of everyone else. Sportscasters weigh in on plays and outcomes before the athletes have suited up. Pundits fill the airwaves with prognostications on everything from how weather conditions will affect voter turnout to how sales of Halloween costumes presage winter holiday spending. Meanwhile, reasoned analysis of events past seems scant. We all get it. Online commentators and media outlets need to fill their time slots, and creating cycles of anticipation and speculation tends to attract eyeballs. And we all know that businesses live or die by their ability to forecast the future—whether regarding quarterly results, supply chain issues, market shifts, or consumer preferences. Having built my career in large part on such insights, I can attest to the value of spotting trends before competitors do. And yet … as a culture, what price do we pay for our preoccupation with the next? As Harvard psychology professor Daniel Gilbert has noted, “We are not only impatient; we are impatient about our impatience.” We’re living in the TL;RL, or, worse, the TL;DR era—a time when perceived delays are anathema. (Does that small business e-tailer really expect me to wait THREE DAYS for a package?) We’re so resentful of what we see as unacceptable intrusions on our time that we fail to recognize how much of our days we deliberately fill with time wasters. (Let me just check my X feed for the fourth time this hour to be sure I’m not missing out on anything.) My too-early-in-the-year resolution for 2025 is to work with my team to ensure we spend at least as much time looking backward as we do gazing into our crystal balls. Life is moving so fast that we too often forget to catch our breaths and distill lessons from our experiences. That’s what allows us to build long-term strategies that fortify us against changes to come—whatever they may be. #Leadership #InstantGratification #Predictions #BusinessStrategy #Future

42