Clutter and Driving the CPM to Zero

(via marco.org)

MLB To Stream Live Games To The iPhone

Just in time for the release of the iPhone 3GS, MLB has started streaming live games via it's At Bat application for the iPhone. The streaming works with both WiFi ad 3G connections and it comes at no additional charge...the At Bat application is $9.99 per season. Looks like I will need to upgrade my At Bat lite free version to the real McCoy.

Here is the entire article via the NY Times.

Orbitz Anyone

George Simpson via his Over the Line column today wrote about the San Francisco Giants experimenting with yield management software for their individual ticket sales efforts. The software will take into consideration a number of variables including advance sales, pitching matchups, weather forecasts, etc., to determine pricing leading up to the first pitch.

I have long wondered why no team had tried this until now, and it is no surprise that the Giants are the first to do so with the Silicon Valley influence. A sports ticket is no different than an airline seat or hotel room...it is perishable inventory and if the seat isn't sold by game time the reveue potential is gone, and no chance to generate incremental revenue via sales of hot dogs, sushi, soda, beer, t-shirts, etc.

How will this affect season ticket holders who pay a fixed price for the entire season? Will people put off buying tickets well in advance waiting for the price to come down as the game draws near? These issues will play out over time, but the other thing that will be more interesting is how fast other teams jump on this bandwagon as everyone copies interesting and successful new business practices in professional sports.

Three Ring Circus

You have to hand it to Jim Balsille who last night announced that he has made a 212.5M offer to buy the Phoenix Coyotes, who entered bankruptcy yesterday, on the condition that he can move them to Southern Ontario, Hamilton I presume although he didn't mention the town. You have to love the chutzpah of Basille to buck the old guard NHL and commissioner Bettman and do things his way...anybody think he is Canada's version of Mark Cuban? They have set up a simple little website to collect email and regular addresses so they can update people as negotiations continue.

There are numerous rumors flying around, including that Basille has offered Wayne Gretzky 10-15% of the team and that he will build a new arena and name it after Wayne's father Walter. There is no question that Ontario could support a second franchise as long as there was a building capable of generating the revenue streams needed to be competitive.

The only thing for sure at this point is that the attorney's for the three sides will make out like bandits.

My Old Kentucky Home

Thursday afternoon I will join a group of eight or nine friends as we make our annual pilgrimage to Louisville for the 135th running of the Kentucky Oaks on Friday and Kentucky Derby on Saturday. Our seats are always amazing...good to have friends in high places...and the laughs are many and often.

This year I will document the weekend via Twitter and Twitpic with my phone. If you don't follow me on Twitter (@sofro) do so if you want to get an inside look into the Derby weekend. You can also follow @derbyoaks to get the latest news from the track. There should be some interesting photo's from the races as we typically bump into a number of celebrities and media types.

After a full day of racing we typically frequent a dive bar a couple of blocks away from the main entrance to Churchill Downs...not sure of the name but we just call it Deuce's. I will get some pics with Deuce and his buddies who run the barbecue behind the bar.

Cheers and best of luck if you are betting the Derby. I personally like the favorite I Want Revenge but that may change come 5 PM on Saturday.