Monday, August 23, 2010
Arkansas Sports The de-Stalinization of RazorRock
Posted by Max Brantley on Mon, Aug 23, 2010 at 10:56 AM
- LAST YEAR'S RAZORROCK
Here's a little intrigue for you from the world of big business, which is to say intercollegiate athletics.
Last week, a variety of business and community leaders announced RazorRock festivities, a week of events leading up to a River Market pep rally and concert Friday night, Sept. 10 to create excitement before the Razorbacks' War Memorial Stadium football game against Louisiana-Monroe on Sept. 11.
Something funny has happened to advance publicity on the event.
As you can see from this Democrat-Gazette news article that day, it was announced that Verizon Wireless was sponsoring the event. A Verizon executive was on hand for the announcement, along with UA Athletic Director Jeff Long. From the D-G:
Terms of the Verizon sponsorship were not immediately known. Long said he did not know the value of the deal.Speaking during the news conference, Verizon South Central Region President Steve Smith called the partnership a "great opportunity" for the company to become more ingrained in the local community.
"Verizon Wireless is very excited to be a part of developing a tradition here in central Arkansas," he said.
But wait .... On the UA website, you will find an official news release that makes no mention of Verizon or regional president Steve Smith. The UA release says the event was held at the "AT&T auditorium" of the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce. It also lists AT&T as a sponsor of the event. The website created for RazorRock, which once listed Verizon, no longer does.
I gather from a lack of return phone calls from all relevant parties that nobody wants to talk much about this (or are getting their stories straight). I do hope to be getting a response to FOI requests to UA, however, for e-mails related to the little controversy. It's simple. Some civic-minded folks wanted to whip up Hogthusiasm on the opening football week in Little Rock. They put together these events. Verizon agreed to kick in a reported $25,000 to pay for the concert and other expenses. Ed Drilling, who heads AT&T in Arkansas, went bonkers when he saw his competitor linked with the Hogs. AT&T had just forked over big bucks for naming rights at War Memorial Stadium. That entitled them to nothing related to RazorRock, but one player familiar with the saga says AT&T does have a deal with ISP, the private marketing firm that's selling Razorback advertising and branding rights, as exclusive wireless sponsor. I haven't confirmed that yet, but it would explain AT&T's unhappiness (even if local boosters had made an effort to be sure a Verizon tie-in with the Hogs was OK.) Also unresolved is whether AT&T's late-breaking sponsorship includes the $25,000 Verizon had promised. All events are to go on as planned, I'm assured.
UPDATE: Kevin Trainor, who heads public relations for the UA Athletic Department, got back with me and confirmed the general outlines of what I've written.
Trainor confirmed that AT&T, through the Hogs' private sports promotions contractor, has a contractual relationship as the Hogs' sole telecommunications sponsor. Razorrock is not an official Razorback event. As a result, UA had not objected when the local committee producing the event had outlined the sponsors, including Verizon. The UA wants the event to be successful, of course, Trainor said.
So events moved forward. After it was announced, AT&T raised the issue of its official Hog sponsorship. The UA, though not necessarily agreeing it as a legal point, recognized the "potential for conflict," Trainor said. "With a potential conflict, it was decided that it was best that we just don’t go with a presenting sponsor in this case." Trainor said the event would go on as announced. But he said he couldn't speak to whether AT&T would be filling Verizon's role as financial sponsor or if others would make up for whatever was lost from the change of the arrangement.
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Comments (18)
Showing 1-18 of 18
Ha!
That is the whole problem with dating multiple women at one time in a small town, they will all find out!
Oops, Nike shoes deal and Hushpuppies sponsors the pregame cookout. No one is talking about the shoe deal but everyone is in line at the Hushpuppie tent!
Sort of like the old story where a company normally footed a big $10,000 bil at a charity golf tournament but hard times ruled that out. What they did was sponsor a $1,000,000 "Hole in One" gimick with Lords of London for $350.
They were the talk of the town, Every application form touted the million buck chance and it's sponsor. TV station came out to do a piece on it. People all stayed around and watched at that hole and cheered and booed and all said AHHH! anytime someone was close. Big banners touting the million Bucks got on TV showing the sponsor.
Before, a banner at the sign in table with company logo and a company logo on the bottom of the score card along with the printer that gave free signs of hole sponsors was all they got for $10,000, but $350 bucks get TV and newspaper pictures.
Sort of how old AT&T must feel about now.
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I wish that Ed Drilling was less concerned about the football stadium, and more concerned about the AT&T's overall failure as a broadband service provider in Arkansas.
The future for AT&T looks bleak in Arkansas. They are letting their copper wireline network rot away with no plans to modernize it. Their wireless network is improving at a glacial pace. Next year, Verizon will start selling 700 MHz wireless broadband service - at least around Little Rock - and AT&T won't have a similiar service available. When Verizon starts selling iPhones, there will be a mass exodus of AT&T customers. And Ed Drilling is fiddling with football stadiums while Rome burns.
A contract is a contract. Ed Drilling and AT&T have supported numerous ventures in our state. I've had service with both providers and AT&T has provided me with great service. Ed Drilling is a class act and I highly doubt he went "bonkers".
My source used the word "batshit." Whatever the reaction, it was effective, given the stripping of any trace of the Verizon name from official Chamber of Commerce, UA and other releases in such a short time and the utter fear of anyone associated with the deal to talk about it. Class acts also return phone calls.
I second RC on that.
Star City is still on 2G service via AT&T, much of rural Jefferson Co has no access to broadband DSL due to AT&T's dithering.
Max, I'm sure there was frustration on all sides. With all due respect, AT&T has a contract. Most people in the business community have great respect for Mr. Drilling. Not returning your call does not mean he isn't a class act.
Somehow this reminds me of the B-I-G controversy at UALR over who was going to sell the patrons their sugar water.
After the Hawgs hand Louisiana-Monroe a big whooping then all will be well in Hawgland and this big-bidness fubar will blow over and HawgFans will be happy once again until about late Oct. We've heard so much about HawgImprovements but nothing about other SEC-West improvements.
Little Girl,
AT&T doesn't have a contract covering non-sanctioned events. But they asserted that non-sanctioned events that used the Hog logo amounted to an invasion of their contract. This is interesting and the UA gave advice during the course of preparations that signed off on the Verizon sponsorship. If AT&T's reading is true, it means Razorbackers all over best be careful where they display corporate logos next to snorting Hogs. Somebody may come after them. And I still say class acts return phone calls. This list isn't restricted to Drilling.
Max, I'm a huge hog fan and love for sponsors to get behind our program, but why would they pull the sponsor listing if there wasn't some legitimacy to the contract? I'm assuming someone (U of A) has reviewed their contract. I know you'll keep us informed. Since neither of us witnessed or heard the conversation, we can't attest to the tone but "bonkers" and "batshit" is tacky. Just my opinion.
when the Hogs start losing, and they will, and that Petrino guy starts having hissy fits AND conniption fits, and he will, I hope everyone who goes to the games wears a Florida Gators cap.
It's just football. And it's not the only thing that unifies all Arkies, the one thing that everybody supports, because not all of us care. It's big business, it's not for fun any more, if it ever was. More like modern-day gladiators, plus all that money.
Sorry, Little Girl. Max is right. Perhaps you've never dealt with real class acts, but I have. HUGE names on both coasts. Company Presidents. The bigger they are, the better about returning phone calls. THE SAME DAY.
Granted, they don't waste time on that southern schtick inquiring after your Aunt Verlene's antique shop and your children's soccer injuries.
It's a business call. They're on and off the phone in one to two minutes. But they're polite, responsive and answer the business questions you originally called about.
If Drilling can't do that it's because he doesn't know how nor, at this age, apparently care to learn.
Not only no class, Little Girl: unprofessional.
Or arrogant.
Your call.
NOTHING shows more class nor makes a more favorable impression than CEOs personally returning your business call.
How unfortunate to learn you are unfamiliar with the pleasure.
"More like modern-day gladiators, plus all that money." So true, Tina.
Why does every single fall have to be absolutely ruined by football? Can't we schedule football games only every four or even five years so most falls can be enjoyed without all the overwrought, nonsensical pigskin pondering? And don't the bible people say touching a pig's skin is a death penalty offense?
How typically Norma. To be absolutely right and yet say it in the absolutely wrong way. Another thing a class act does is not condescend to those with whom they disagree.
Norma - I generally agree with your post but think you're off track on this one. Think about it, if you were in Drilling's shoes would you respond to a blog report relying on an unnamed source that uses heated rhetoric to describe actions? Would you respond to a blog post if it were to report a conversation overheard in the bathroom that indicated you were having an affair with Mike Huckabee? Sometimes it may be better off keeping the lips zipped.
This report was completely confirmed by a named source, Kevin Trainor, except as to the one-word characterization of Drilling's reaction. Was he happy? I gather not by the swift and strong reaction the UA took to wipe the record of Verizon's name and the extreme sensitivity evinced by everyone involved in this event. But it's beyond dispute that he objected, asserted a contract right (which the UA is not prepared to agree he may claim) and pushed a competitor out of the picture. I'm guessing he wasn't smiling, whispering and aw-shucking as he did it. what do you think?
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