Saturday, September 17, 2011
Friday, September 16, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
Why you should avoid Alitalia at all costs!
Every airline overbooks, but most have customer service departments that actually care about making it right for their customers. Instead, Alitalia is unique in its care-free attitude that plunges their customers into the depths of limbo, despair and agony. They will make you wait in line for HOURS.
Their employees are one or more of the following:
a. lazy
b. incompetent
c. competent and hard working, but disaffected from having to deal with coworkers who are a. and/or b. and/or d.
d. Undermotivated by a labor system that virtually guarantees employment and pension benefits, which soon turns into a 'I dare you to try to fire me, because then I'll just sit at home and collect money and benefits until the case is dismissed 6 years later, and I'll be paid just the same' attitude that, well, let's just say, does not exist in most 2nd world nations.
They will not honor lines, or people who have waited in lines the longest. They abide by the Italian mantra, whoever arrives at the front first must deserve to be there, whether they cheat, use some fabricated excuse or just barge their way past elderly, disabled, or children. Remember, this is a country that has re-elected Berlusconi several times.
Fiumicino airport is a nightmare, and I have spent hours upon hours waiting for Alitalia and other assorted airport employees to check my bag, return my bag, figure out alternative arrangements for their overbooked flights. I have flown to Rome several times. If I return to Rome, I will fly a European, British, or American airline. I will not fly Alitalia. And by the way, they code share with Delta Airlines, so, you could end up in the Alitalia nightmare if you book with Delta.
Good luck.
If you do find yourself with Alitalia tickets, know that they will NOT check you bags more than 3 hours before the flight. Bring something to read/listen to in line, because you WILL wait in line. Try to check in online.
If you doubt my credibility, just do a google search for "alitalia sucks" or "never fly alitalia" to read others.
Their employees are one or more of the following:
a. lazy
b. incompetent
c. competent and hard working, but disaffected from having to deal with coworkers who are a. and/or b. and/or d.
d. Undermotivated by a labor system that virtually guarantees employment and pension benefits, which soon turns into a 'I dare you to try to fire me, because then I'll just sit at home and collect money and benefits until the case is dismissed 6 years later, and I'll be paid just the same' attitude that, well, let's just say, does not exist in most 2nd world nations.
They will not honor lines, or people who have waited in lines the longest. They abide by the Italian mantra, whoever arrives at the front first must deserve to be there, whether they cheat, use some fabricated excuse or just barge their way past elderly, disabled, or children. Remember, this is a country that has re-elected Berlusconi several times.
Fiumicino airport is a nightmare, and I have spent hours upon hours waiting for Alitalia and other assorted airport employees to check my bag, return my bag, figure out alternative arrangements for their overbooked flights. I have flown to Rome several times. If I return to Rome, I will fly a European, British, or American airline. I will not fly Alitalia. And by the way, they code share with Delta Airlines, so, you could end up in the Alitalia nightmare if you book with Delta.
Good luck.
If you do find yourself with Alitalia tickets, know that they will NOT check you bags more than 3 hours before the flight. Bring something to read/listen to in line, because you WILL wait in line. Try to check in online.
If you doubt my credibility, just do a google search for "alitalia sucks" or "never fly alitalia" to read others.
Matt's Abbreviated Guide to Rome
Matt’s Rome list
Things to know:
1. If you have not booked a flight yet, click here.
Before you go: Packing
1. Bring TWO pair of comfortable walking shoes. Even if you plan to take taxis everywhere, you will walk a lot. Transportation is a major problem for reasons both majestic (narrow, historic streets) and pathetic (inadequate subway, buses and rail). (note on transport - On buses and trains, you are supposed to punch a ticket, but rarely does anyone check. Many Romans have monthly passes and therefore will not stamp their tickets. At rail stations, you are also supposed to put your ticket in the yellow box before boarding. You will be fined if you are caught without punching your ticket.)
2. Guide books: There are many good ones, but for a no-nonsense run down of the history of places, consider the Blue Guide. It has useful maps and more history than you will need.
3. From the airport (Fiumicino aka FCO aka Da Vinci) the express train the Da Vinci, is not particularly express, and lets you off over ½ mile from the actual Termini rail station. They do this, presumably, so that you are forced to take a cab, and you are shielded from hectic Roman street life. Unfortunately, there are no convenient alternatives, but if you are traveling with a companion or two, a cab is reasonable (about 45Euros downtown from Fiumicino).
When you are there:
1. Many Roman stores observe the afternoon siesta – shops close from 1-4pm. Many churches are closed from 12-3, 4 or 5.
2. Attire: Many churches forbid shorts and tank tops. This is strictly enforced at St. Peter’s, even in August swelter, so make sure that shoulders and knees are covered.
Things to see:
There are many, many famous ‘must see’ things to see, so these are just some thoughts.
1. Pantheon – Must see during the day and during the night. After the Pantheon, go past it to the right - turn on Via Palombella - there is the Miscellanea bar/restaurant right there. If you go at lunch, get a turkey sandwich and request the salsa rosa. Also, try a glass of fragolino (strawberry champagne). This spot is a favorite of college study abroad students. You may spot the proprietor, Mickey, wearing some sort of American t-shirt (Yankees, Bears, Celtics...) that one of his many friends have brought him. After lunch or dinner there, continue down Via Palombella, notice the church with the head of a buck on top. This is the Sant' Eustachio church. Next, get a gran' caffe at Caffe Sant'Eustachio. This is a coffee lovers paradise. If you make your way to the back of the caffe, on the corridor on the way to the bathroom you might see the bags of Brazilian beans sitting in the backroom on the left. Breathe in deep through your nose if you like the smell of coffee. p.s. The Parthenon sits on the Acropolis in Athens.
2. Piazza Navona and Campo de Fiori (day and night)
3. Paintings of Caravaggio (Pza Del Popolo, Capitoline Museum, San Luigi dei Francesi (between Pza. Navona and Pantheon), Villa Borghese Gallery)
4. Bridge to Castel Sant’ Angelo. (the interior of the Castle is okay and there is a nice view from the roof, but certainly not unmissable.)
5. Aventine Hill – nice church, nice park, nice view. Good place to relax a bit.
6. St. Peter’s & Vatican Museum (Sistine Chapel)
7. Villa Borghese Gallery for the Bernini sculptures. ()
8. Trastevere – ‘Across the Tiber’ is a good place to stroll at night with a gelato or duck into a bar for a glass of wine.
9. Coliseum
10. Roman and Imperial Forum – The center of the Roman empire.
11. Circus Maximus – imagine chariot races.
12. Via del Corso – the main shopping thoroughfare – window shopping and strolling.
13. Spanish Steps – a good place to sit and watch people, consume gelato.
14. Trevi Fountain – Of ‘Three Coins in a Fountain’ fame. Also featured in La Dolce Vita - .
15. Via Veneto – Expensive restaurants and hotels, American Embassy and the Hard Rock Café - so, if you want to make sure to have a completely non-Roman experience, hang out here, and bring your credit card.
16. Quirinale – The official home of the Italian President (not the Prime Minister) Great view of Rome particularly at sunset. Changing of the guard ()
17. The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa in the Santa Maria della Vittoria church.
Artists:
Michelangelo – Painter/sculptor of some repute.
Raphael – Rafael rooms in Vatican Museum (en route to Sistine Chapel)
Bernini – Sculptor -well known works in Galleria Borghese, Ecstasy of Saint Teresa).
Borromini – Architect -well known works include Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, Sant' Ivo alla Sapienza
Caravaggio – Painter - see above list of works.
Food:
You can't really go wrong, but a few Roman dishes worth trying: Bucatini all'Amatriciana - Large spaghetti with a tomato/bacon* sauce. (the 'bacon' is actually guanciale, from the pigs' jaw). Cacio Pepe (Pasta with cheese and pepper - it's all ya need).
Best Places for:
1. Gelato - The nearest one available 15-20 minutes after dinner and lunch. – or if you insist, near the Vatican museum, Old Bridge has very good, and Very large servings, Giolitti and San Crispino are also quite famous.
2. Coffee: Sant’Eustachio –always competes with Tazza D'oro for best coffee (espresso/cappuccino) honors. Located either side of the pantheon, decide for yourself.
3. Pizza – The pizza places I know best are off of the beaten path, but others swear by Baffetto
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Hiking Links
Tecumseh Trail in Morgan/Monroe State Park
http://www.hoosierhikerscouncil.org/Trail_Work/tecumseh.shtml
Morgan Monroe State Park
http://www.stateparks.com/morgan_monroe.html
http://www.hoosierhikerscouncil.org/Trail_Work/tecumseh.shtml
Morgan Monroe State Park
http://www.stateparks.com/morgan_monroe.html
Monday, April 11, 2011
2011 Master's
Golf can be boring to watch. Sometimes its nice to take a nap to on a Sunday afternoon, but not yesterday - final round of the Master's, about a dozen players in contention. The excitement peaked, until Schwartzel, the winner, took the air out of the bag by making 4 birdies in a row and winning by two. Good for him, but not good for TV drama. I don't watch golf to see some little known South African cruise away with the prize. I wanted drama. I wanted to see him at least have to make a 3-footer for all the marbles. Instead, he sinks a 20 footer for birdie, erasing all drama for the last shot of the tournament. As it was, Rory McIlroy hit the last shot of the tournament, finishing a round he will surely not be happy with. McIlroy went into Sunday with the lead, stumbled a bit early, and unraveled on the back nine. In the days before, the script had been written - McIlroy will replace Tiger Woods as the new phenom, and Tiger will have to do battle with this generation as he fades into his late 30s and 40s. The script was written, but it never really seemed like it would happen. I was rooting against McIlroy running away with it - why? personal jealousy of a 21yr old who will have made a career before 22? Maybe. It's not that I didn't want him to win, but I did want to see him suffer. Had he just cruised to victory unfazed, it wouldn't have seemed right - it would have belittled all of the players who have felt the pressure and not produced their best golf in a major. Sure, Tiger Woods did it - and that's why he is Tiger Woods. He was born and raised to produce those shots under pressure, but for some smiling kid from N. Ireland to do the same? Didn't feel right. I also don't like it when the headlines are written before the tournament is over. Most sportswriters had to think that McIlroy would probably fail, yet the headlines are that the young kid will make history as 2nd youngest winner - perhaps its unavoidable that the 8 second blurb would be to build up a possible McIlroy victory, even though the odds were probably against it. Did we want to see another superhero? Someone unfazed by the pressure? I didn't. I could cheer for him to win, but he would have had to suffer - to overcome some adversity. To show some nerves, and somehow recover. As it happened, he started confidently, but then lost all grip on a triple bogey. I wanted to see McIlroy face what I faced as a far far less distinguished athlete - inconsistency. I never did quite figure it out, and so the most I do now is write about competitive athletics, but I love to see the struggle to try to find perfection. When these pro golfers are on, they make the game seem effortless, and I can only imagine it feels effortless when they play well. I wanted to see human drama - the struggle with imperfection on Sunday - to bring McIlroy to my level? Is that part of the reason I was rooting for Tiger Woods? The man of an entirely hidden character? Why should I like the guy who took a fall in such an unsavory manner, and who I'm sure I'll never know beyond a few choice press releases and TV-ad smiles? I suppose because of what I mentioned - as a golfer, seeing him struggle to figure it out - how to unleash that pure golf stroke when it most matters. To be calm under adversity. To be sheltered in the shitstorm (and even one of his own making). To strive to perform your best when it matters the most. That's what I like about golf. About Sunday afternoon at the Masters. It's 'humanizing' which I fear is a euphemism for a tendency to want to bring the others down to a level where you can at least relate to them. I suppose now I can root for McIlroy knowing that he hasn't always had it easy. On that note, when is Sergio Garcia gonna show up on Sunday?
Friday, February 11, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Football Fan Initiatives
Barcelona –
I found about 5 academic articles (which I have not read) on Barca as a brand. Here is some general information:
Their motto is ‘som mes que un club.’ (more than a club). “The growth of Barca as a sporting success projected the region’s cultural and political revival to the outside world, as the club developed into the most revered symbols of Catalan nationalism as well as an expression of human rights. Repressed during the dictatorship of General Primo de Rivera in the 1920s and during the Franco years, it became a vehicle for a powerful collective identity, both defiant of dictatorship, and proud of a sporting language and expression that reached out, beyond the isolating frontiers of Spain, to Europe and beyond.” (Burns, Barca: A People’s Passion, Foreword)
“This was not the opium of the masses, but pure adrenalin, passion deeply held and defiant – the kind that makes one happy to be alive.” (ibid)
The fans own and operate Barcelona (incidentally, as do the fans of the Green Bay Packers –see Jan. 31, 2011 New Yorker article).
According to Wikipedia: Along with Real Madrid, Athletic Bilbao, and Osasuna, Barcelona is organised as a registered association. Unlike a limited company, it is not possible to purchase shares in the club, but only membership.[82] The members of Barcelona, called socis, form an assembly of delegates which is the highest governing body of the club.[83] As of 2010 the club has 170,000 socis.[59]
Unicef deal (2006):
NEW YORK, 7 September 2006 – Futbol Club Barcelona and UNICEF today kicked off a global partnership to benefit children in the developing world.
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_35642.html
"For the first time in our more than 107 years of history, our main soccer team will wear an emblem on the front of its shirt," said Laporta at a Unicef executive committee meeting. "It will not be the brand name of a corporation. It will not be a commercial to promote some kind of business. It will be the logo of 'Unicef'. Through Unicef, we, the people of FC Barcelona, the people of 'Barça', are very proud to donate our shirt to the children of the world who are our present, but especially are our future." Barça take the moral high road
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2006/sep/13/barcelona
Unicef deal (2010):
Qatar Foundation to join Unicef on jerseys: “Barcelona reached a five-year, €150 million ($200 million) deal with the Qatar Foundation for it to join UNICEF as the Spanish champion’s jersey sponsor, the Associated Press reported.”
http://www.spainreview.net/index.php/2010/12/10/qatar-foundation-to-join-unicef-as-new-barcas-jersey-sponsor/
Barcas debts force the deal with Qatari non profit:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/dec/10/barcelona-25m-shirt-sponsorship-qatar-foundation
Critical blog post:
http://barcelona.theoffside.com/team-news/fc-barcelona-has-a-new-sponsor-the-qatar-foundation.html
Israel tells Barca that QF funds Hamas?
http://www.bnet.com/blog/advertising-business/barcelona-sponsor-linked-to-hamas-has-qatar-bitten-off-more-than-it-can-chew/7028
Leo Messi becomes a UNICEF goodwill ambassador:
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/spain_52997.html
Partnership to help children with HIV
“The partnership, benefiting children across the developing world, will focus on those affected by HIV/AIDS in Swaziland during its first year.”
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/spain_35644.html
As for England, I’ve exchanged messages and will likely speak to my cousin, who is still employed at the Football Foundation :
He said ‘I can get you some stuff that football's done on that front. We did a little project with Nike called Stand Up Speak Up a few years ago, and have funded Kick It Out projects.’
The Football Foundation is the UK’s largest sports’ charity. Funded by the Premier League, The Football Association and the Government, the Foundation directs £40m every year into grass roots sport…..to deliver a programme of new and improved community sports facilities in towns and cities across the country. The Foundation also funds projects that increase participation in football and other sports and address some of society’s key challenges, such as social inclusion, health, education and equalities.
http://www.footballfoundation.org.uk/
He led me to a few Nike-inspired intitiatives:
Stand Up Speak Up – Thierry Henry inspired anti-racism campaign.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand_Up_Speak_Up
http://inside.nike.com/blogs/gamechangers-en_US/2009/10/30/stand-up-speak-up
Children’s BBC article on the Stand Up Speak Up campaign:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_3750000/newsid_3757300/3757386.stm
Criticism of Nike’s anti-racism campaign:
“Controversy sparked when Gary Neville claimed Nike were only involved for commercial gain and not their anti-racism stance. This carried over into a match against Arsenal as Neville and Manchester United team mate Paul Scholes refused to wear the different anti racism tracksuit top that players from both sides wore.”
http://www.sportinglife.com/football/premiership/news/story_get.dor?STORY_NAME=soccer/05/02/10/SOCCER_England_Neville.html&TEAMHD=premiership
Football Unites Racism Divides: Football Unites, Racism Divides (FURD) is a community project and charity (charity number 1075678) based in Sheffield, England, which works locally, nationally and internationally to combat racism and increase understanding between different communities.
The project was started in 1995 by a group of Sheffield United fans
http://www.furd.org/default.asp?intPageID=275
Football Against Racism in Europe (available in French, Italian, English, German) :
The FARE network dedicated itself to fight racism and xenophobia in football across Europe, through co-ordinated action and common efforts, at local and national level, to bring together all those interested in combating discrimination in football
http://www.farenet.org/
Kick it Out – (associated with FARE)
The brand name of the campaign - Let's Kick Racism Out of Football - was established in 1993 and Kick It Out established as a body in 1997.
Kick It Out works throughout the football, educational and community sectors to challenge discrimination, encourage inclusive practices and work for positive change.
The campaign is supported and funded by the game's governing bodies, including founding body the Professional Footballers Association (PFA), the Premier League and The Football Association.
2004 marked ten years of campaigning.
http://www.kickitout.org/1.php
Kick it Out on homophobia:
http://www.kickitout.org/1048.php
Manchester United Grassroot stuff
Fan Organization against the US ownership of Manchester United:
http://www.worldsoccer.com/features/manchester_united_fans_could_yet_unseat_the_glazers_writes_david_conn_features_297029.html
Man U. Independent Fan Trust
http://action.joinmust.org/index.php/content/splash
Fan Boycott
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/apr/28/imusa-manchester-united-season-tickets
FC United of Manchester – a fan founded club:
The club was formed in 2005 by Manchester United supporters following Malcolm Glazer's controversial takeover which led to hundreds of supporters defecting from the club. They are affectionately referred to as "The Red Rebels".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F.C._United_of_Manchester
AFC Wimbledon – fan controlled team:
http://www.afcwimbledon.co.uk/aboutthetrust.php?Psub_nav_id=1&Psection_id=10&Psub_section_id=63
Dons Trust is a not-for-profit organisation that owns AFC Wimbledon and is guardian of all principles and aims by which it operates. It is committed to strengthening the voice of supporters in the decision making processes at the football club,
Blog – why he loves Manchester City (branding)
http://jeremywaite.wordpress.com/2010/08/17/19-reasons-why-i-love-manchester-city/
In Italy:
Before every game there is announcement against using racial, territorial or other discriminatory language.
Progetto Ultra – associated with the FARE network described above and Football Supporters International (FSI – link below):
http://www.progettoultra.it/cms/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=99
• difesa della cultura popolare del tifo (defend the popular culture of fandom)
• limitazione della violenza e dell'intolleranza attraverso un lavoro di tipo sociale rivolto ai tifosi e portato avanti insieme a loro (limit the violence and intolerance through social work aimed at and in association with fans)
FSI has been an independent union of various fan-related organisations that have taken up football supporters interests and provided and developed “fans’ embassy” services for football supporters travelling abroad for more than 15 years. http://www.footballsupporters.info/
FSF Football Supporters Federation: (an advocacy group?) The Federation regularly takes up specific complaints and cases which are raised with it by individual members or affiliated organizations.
http://www.fsf.org.uk/about-the-fsf.php
Then there are the fans I discuss in my Fans Romans Countrymen…
They sponsor financial adoptions of babies in Malawi, have had fund raisers for individual children, coordinated efforts to aid eartquake struck Aquila in Abruzzo in April 2009.
dal 1997 con lo scopo di promuovere il tifo sportivo per l’AS Roma calcio e sviluppare lo studio e la divulgazione delle tradizioni della città. (from 1997 with the scope to promote sport fandom for AS Roma soccer and the development and distribution of the city’s traditions) http://www.corederoma.it/online/?page_id=52
In Abruzzo - photogallery
http://www.corederoma.it/online/?p=18865
Anti racism in league structures:
Europe
http://www.uefa.com/uefa/socialresponsibility/antiracism/index.html
Fifa
http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/worldwideprograms/footballforhope/news/newsid=518183.html
Other notes of possible interest.
On Oviedo - A spanish club
They are, however, a club who would have long since gone under had it not been for the reaction of their supporters, the backing of a community that thought they deserved better.
http://www.worldsoccer.com/features/rebirth_of_oviedo_features_67151.html
the quandary of the soccer fan:
There is an old philosophical question that runs along the lines of:
My grandfather has an axe. He hands it down to his son. Over the years, the handle breaks so he replaces it. He then hands it down to me. In time, the head becomes too worn so I replace it. When I come to handing said axe down to my son, is it really still the same axe, consisting as it would of none of the parts my grandfather ever touched?
What relevance hath this? Well, I was just reading about the prospect of Coventry being bought by a US consortium, as is de rigeur these days, and the concept of us being able to buy some decent players...taking this one step further, what if they replaced the entire team? And say the backroom staff? And everyone else until all that was really left was the name and the stadium? Look at chelsea now compared to chelsea 5 years ago. They are not the same club...yet they are still chelsea. Football clubs retain their identity as usually, change happens over time. No-one ever replaces an entire team (to my knowledge), but if that happened, what exactly of the old team would still exist? The name, the history (and of course the fans, but they are primarily external to the club as an entity), the ground. So, if in the case of MK Dons, the name, the stadium, the location even, were all changed in one go, what exactly remained of Wimbledon FC? Many consider AFC Wimbledon to be its 'spiritual' continuation. In this case, even a club's history becomes undefined as 2 clubs could claim it to be theirs, so it would seem even history cannot define a club. If a club is viewed in snapshots, season by season, squad / manager changes occurring in the same season as a ground move could result in a club's identity becoming blurred as the change in between those 2 snapshots are vast. It would therefore appear that a 'club' is merely a concept, an intangible idea only made real by tangible, yet changeable properties.
In the case of Coventry, even the short period of a decade has seen both the metaphorical handle and head of the axe replaced, so what makes them still CCFC? http://www.worldsoccer.com/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/4360/an//page/0/vc/1
Another thread:
Perhaps if the likes of Liverpool & Chelsea reserves were willing to follow the examples of the likes of FC United of Manchester & AFC Wimbledon - starting at the very bottom (or as near the bottom as anyone else has to) of the pyramid.
http://www.worldsoccer.com/forums/printthread.php/Cat/0/Board/BigIssue/main/3174/type/thread
Online branding strategies of UK fashion retailers.Detail Only Available By: Rowley, Jennifer. Internet Research, 2009, Vol. 19 Issue 3, p348-369, 22p, 5 Charts; DOI: 10.1108/10662240910965397
Subjects: INTERNET marketing; BRANDING (Marketing); FASHION merchandising; CLOTHING & dress; ONLINE information services; BRAND equity; GREAT Britain; Family Clothing Stores
Uniform title:
International journal of sports marketing & sponsorship (Online)
Title:
International journal of sports marketing & sponsorship [electronic resource].
URL:
[BLOOMINGTON] http://KG6EK7CQ2B.search.serialssolutions.com/?V=1.0&L=KG6EK7CQ2B&S=JCs&C=INTEJOUROFSPMA&T=marc
I found about 5 academic articles (which I have not read) on Barca as a brand. Here is some general information:
Their motto is ‘som mes que un club.’ (more than a club). “The growth of Barca as a sporting success projected the region’s cultural and political revival to the outside world, as the club developed into the most revered symbols of Catalan nationalism as well as an expression of human rights. Repressed during the dictatorship of General Primo de Rivera in the 1920s and during the Franco years, it became a vehicle for a powerful collective identity, both defiant of dictatorship, and proud of a sporting language and expression that reached out, beyond the isolating frontiers of Spain, to Europe and beyond.” (Burns, Barca: A People’s Passion, Foreword)
“This was not the opium of the masses, but pure adrenalin, passion deeply held and defiant – the kind that makes one happy to be alive.” (ibid)
The fans own and operate Barcelona (incidentally, as do the fans of the Green Bay Packers –see Jan. 31, 2011 New Yorker article).
According to Wikipedia: Along with Real Madrid, Athletic Bilbao, and Osasuna, Barcelona is organised as a registered association. Unlike a limited company, it is not possible to purchase shares in the club, but only membership.[82] The members of Barcelona, called socis, form an assembly of delegates which is the highest governing body of the club.[83] As of 2010 the club has 170,000 socis.[59]
Unicef deal (2006):
NEW YORK, 7 September 2006 – Futbol Club Barcelona and UNICEF today kicked off a global partnership to benefit children in the developing world.
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_35642.html
"For the first time in our more than 107 years of history, our main soccer team will wear an emblem on the front of its shirt," said Laporta at a Unicef executive committee meeting. "It will not be the brand name of a corporation. It will not be a commercial to promote some kind of business. It will be the logo of 'Unicef'. Through Unicef, we, the people of FC Barcelona, the people of 'Barça', are very proud to donate our shirt to the children of the world who are our present, but especially are our future." Barça take the moral high road
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2006/sep/13/barcelona
Unicef deal (2010):
Qatar Foundation to join Unicef on jerseys: “Barcelona reached a five-year, €150 million ($200 million) deal with the Qatar Foundation for it to join UNICEF as the Spanish champion’s jersey sponsor, the Associated Press reported.”
http://www.spainreview.net/index.php/2010/12/10/qatar-foundation-to-join-unicef-as-new-barcas-jersey-sponsor/
Barcas debts force the deal with Qatari non profit:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/dec/10/barcelona-25m-shirt-sponsorship-qatar-foundation
Critical blog post:
http://barcelona.theoffside.com/team-news/fc-barcelona-has-a-new-sponsor-the-qatar-foundation.html
Israel tells Barca that QF funds Hamas?
http://www.bnet.com/blog/advertising-business/barcelona-sponsor-linked-to-hamas-has-qatar-bitten-off-more-than-it-can-chew/7028
Leo Messi becomes a UNICEF goodwill ambassador:
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/spain_52997.html
Partnership to help children with HIV
“The partnership, benefiting children across the developing world, will focus on those affected by HIV/AIDS in Swaziland during its first year.”
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/spain_35644.html
As for England, I’ve exchanged messages and will likely speak to my cousin, who is still employed at the Football Foundation :
He said ‘I can get you some stuff that football's done on that front. We did a little project with Nike called Stand Up Speak Up a few years ago, and have funded Kick It Out projects.’
The Football Foundation is the UK’s largest sports’ charity. Funded by the Premier League, The Football Association and the Government, the Foundation directs £40m every year into grass roots sport…..to deliver a programme of new and improved community sports facilities in towns and cities across the country. The Foundation also funds projects that increase participation in football and other sports and address some of society’s key challenges, such as social inclusion, health, education and equalities.
http://www.footballfoundation.org.uk/
He led me to a few Nike-inspired intitiatives:
Stand Up Speak Up – Thierry Henry inspired anti-racism campaign.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand_Up_Speak_Up
http://inside.nike.com/blogs/gamechangers-en_US/2009/10/30/stand-up-speak-up
Children’s BBC article on the Stand Up Speak Up campaign:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_3750000/newsid_3757300/3757386.stm
Criticism of Nike’s anti-racism campaign:
“Controversy sparked when Gary Neville claimed Nike were only involved for commercial gain and not their anti-racism stance. This carried over into a match against Arsenal as Neville and Manchester United team mate Paul Scholes refused to wear the different anti racism tracksuit top that players from both sides wore.”
http://www.sportinglife.com/football/premiership/news/story_get.dor?STORY_NAME=soccer/05/02/10/SOCCER_England_Neville.html&TEAMHD=premiership
Football Unites Racism Divides: Football Unites, Racism Divides (FURD) is a community project and charity (charity number 1075678) based in Sheffield, England, which works locally, nationally and internationally to combat racism and increase understanding between different communities.
The project was started in 1995 by a group of Sheffield United fans
http://www.furd.org/default.asp?intPageID=275
Football Against Racism in Europe (available in French, Italian, English, German) :
The FARE network dedicated itself to fight racism and xenophobia in football across Europe, through co-ordinated action and common efforts, at local and national level, to bring together all those interested in combating discrimination in football
http://www.farenet.org/
Kick it Out – (associated with FARE)
The brand name of the campaign - Let's Kick Racism Out of Football - was established in 1993 and Kick It Out established as a body in 1997.
Kick It Out works throughout the football, educational and community sectors to challenge discrimination, encourage inclusive practices and work for positive change.
The campaign is supported and funded by the game's governing bodies, including founding body the Professional Footballers Association (PFA), the Premier League and The Football Association.
2004 marked ten years of campaigning.
http://www.kickitout.org/1.php
Kick it Out on homophobia:
http://www.kickitout.org/1048.php
Manchester United Grassroot stuff
Fan Organization against the US ownership of Manchester United:
http://www.worldsoccer.com/features/manchester_united_fans_could_yet_unseat_the_glazers_writes_david_conn_features_297029.html
Man U. Independent Fan Trust
http://action.joinmust.org/index.php/content/splash
Fan Boycott
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/apr/28/imusa-manchester-united-season-tickets
FC United of Manchester – a fan founded club:
The club was formed in 2005 by Manchester United supporters following Malcolm Glazer's controversial takeover which led to hundreds of supporters defecting from the club. They are affectionately referred to as "The Red Rebels".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F.C._United_of_Manchester
AFC Wimbledon – fan controlled team:
http://www.afcwimbledon.co.uk/aboutthetrust.php?Psub_nav_id=1&Psection_id=10&Psub_section_id=63
Dons Trust is a not-for-profit organisation that owns AFC Wimbledon and is guardian of all principles and aims by which it operates. It is committed to strengthening the voice of supporters in the decision making processes at the football club,
Blog – why he loves Manchester City (branding)
http://jeremywaite.wordpress.com/2010/08/17/19-reasons-why-i-love-manchester-city/
In Italy:
Before every game there is announcement against using racial, territorial or other discriminatory language.
Progetto Ultra – associated with the FARE network described above and Football Supporters International (FSI – link below):
http://www.progettoultra.it/cms/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=99
• difesa della cultura popolare del tifo (defend the popular culture of fandom)
• limitazione della violenza e dell'intolleranza attraverso un lavoro di tipo sociale rivolto ai tifosi e portato avanti insieme a loro (limit the violence and intolerance through social work aimed at and in association with fans)
FSI has been an independent union of various fan-related organisations that have taken up football supporters interests and provided and developed “fans’ embassy” services for football supporters travelling abroad for more than 15 years. http://www.footballsupporters.info/
FSF Football Supporters Federation: (an advocacy group?) The Federation regularly takes up specific complaints and cases which are raised with it by individual members or affiliated organizations.
http://www.fsf.org.uk/about-the-fsf.php
Then there are the fans I discuss in my Fans Romans Countrymen…
They sponsor financial adoptions of babies in Malawi, have had fund raisers for individual children, coordinated efforts to aid eartquake struck Aquila in Abruzzo in April 2009.
dal 1997 con lo scopo di promuovere il tifo sportivo per l’AS Roma calcio e sviluppare lo studio e la divulgazione delle tradizioni della città. (from 1997 with the scope to promote sport fandom for AS Roma soccer and the development and distribution of the city’s traditions) http://www.corederoma.it/online/?page_id=52
In Abruzzo - photogallery
http://www.corederoma.it/online/?p=18865
Anti racism in league structures:
Europe
http://www.uefa.com/uefa/socialresponsibility/antiracism/index.html
Fifa
http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/worldwideprograms/footballforhope/news/newsid=518183.html
Other notes of possible interest.
On Oviedo - A spanish club
They are, however, a club who would have long since gone under had it not been for the reaction of their supporters, the backing of a community that thought they deserved better.
http://www.worldsoccer.com/features/rebirth_of_oviedo_features_67151.html
the quandary of the soccer fan:
There is an old philosophical question that runs along the lines of:
My grandfather has an axe. He hands it down to his son. Over the years, the handle breaks so he replaces it. He then hands it down to me. In time, the head becomes too worn so I replace it. When I come to handing said axe down to my son, is it really still the same axe, consisting as it would of none of the parts my grandfather ever touched?
What relevance hath this? Well, I was just reading about the prospect of Coventry being bought by a US consortium, as is de rigeur these days, and the concept of us being able to buy some decent players...taking this one step further, what if they replaced the entire team? And say the backroom staff? And everyone else until all that was really left was the name and the stadium? Look at chelsea now compared to chelsea 5 years ago. They are not the same club...yet they are still chelsea. Football clubs retain their identity as usually, change happens over time. No-one ever replaces an entire team (to my knowledge), but if that happened, what exactly of the old team would still exist? The name, the history (and of course the fans, but they are primarily external to the club as an entity), the ground. So, if in the case of MK Dons, the name, the stadium, the location even, were all changed in one go, what exactly remained of Wimbledon FC? Many consider AFC Wimbledon to be its 'spiritual' continuation. In this case, even a club's history becomes undefined as 2 clubs could claim it to be theirs, so it would seem even history cannot define a club. If a club is viewed in snapshots, season by season, squad / manager changes occurring in the same season as a ground move could result in a club's identity becoming blurred as the change in between those 2 snapshots are vast. It would therefore appear that a 'club' is merely a concept, an intangible idea only made real by tangible, yet changeable properties.
In the case of Coventry, even the short period of a decade has seen both the metaphorical handle and head of the axe replaced, so what makes them still CCFC? http://www.worldsoccer.com/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/4360/an//page/0/vc/1
Another thread:
Perhaps if the likes of Liverpool & Chelsea reserves were willing to follow the examples of the likes of FC United of Manchester & AFC Wimbledon - starting at the very bottom (or as near the bottom as anyone else has to) of the pyramid.
http://www.worldsoccer.com/forums/printthread.php/Cat/0/Board/BigIssue/main/3174/type/thread
Online branding strategies of UK fashion retailers.Detail Only Available By: Rowley, Jennifer. Internet Research, 2009, Vol. 19 Issue 3, p348-369, 22p, 5 Charts; DOI: 10.1108/10662240910965397
Subjects: INTERNET marketing; BRANDING (Marketing); FASHION merchandising; CLOTHING & dress; ONLINE information services; BRAND equity; GREAT Britain; Family Clothing Stores
Uniform title:
International journal of sports marketing & sponsorship (Online)
Title:
International journal of sports marketing & sponsorship [electronic resource].
URL:
[BLOOMINGTON] http://KG6EK7CQ2B.search.serialssolutions.com/?V=1.0&L=KG6EK7CQ2B&S=JCs&C=INTEJOUROFSPMA&T=marc
Monday, January 10, 2011
Classic TV Links
Top TV shows from the 1950s.
Another List of top shows from the 1950s.
TV Timeline.
BBC Timeline.
NBC History. Wikipedia.
NBC Logos through the years.
Another TV timeline.
Early UK commercials.
Duke Library of TV Commercials.
Another List of top shows from the 1950s.
TV Timeline.
BBC Timeline.
NBC History. Wikipedia.
NBC Logos through the years.
Another TV timeline.
Early UK commercials.
Duke Library of TV Commercials.
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