How Entrepreneurs Create Business Opportunities With The Super Bowl, NFL
Adriana Lopez Contributor
I write about entrepreneurship -- it's not a job, it's a lifestyle. full bio →
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The Super Bowl is one of the most watched sporting events in the world, but the millions of eyes worldwide won’t just be on the final two NFL teams. Those eyes will be watching the sets of the national broadcasts, graphics on the side of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, and the entire city of New Orleans. In a city that is witnessing an entrepreneurial renaissance, savvy and talented entrepreneurs know better than to miss leveraging a major opportunity like this one.
Prove that you can do it
In the eleven years since hosting its last Super Bowl, New Orleans has completely transformed itself, establishing new industries, fostering entrepreneurship, and creating an economic impact through the city’s creative energy. As a result, new businesses have emerged in the recent years, further establishing New Orleans as a world-class city.
Those projects quickly sent them into a trajectory that led them to opportunities with the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans Arena, Final Four, BCS Championship, and eventually the Super Bowl.
During the rebranding and multi million-dollar renovation of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, The Solomon group was hired to design and install a comprehensive multi-media system for the superdome’s outdoor entertainment venue called Champion Square, as well as the LED lighting system that illuminates the perimeter of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Their award-winning work led them to other sports-related endeavors that included the installation of two-51 feet high, high-definition LED screen on the exterior of the New Orleans Arena and a 28-story projection during last year’s BCS game.
Later in 2012, The Solomon Group was given the opportunity to do their “live audition,” as they affectionately called it, for their next big client during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship. As the Final Four prevailed into New Orleans, the group was contracted by one of the largest sports marketing companies in the world, SportsMark, to work on producing and creating broadcast sets and hospitality suites for CBS Sports during the week’s festivities.
With their experience and expertise, The Solomon Group was able to compete against some of the world’s leading design firms to
The Solomon Group’s team working day and night shifts in the weeks leading up to Super Bowl XLVII
Even with the opportunity and the national exposure The Solomon Group will be receiving, the team still admits that their company’s size, entrepreneurial spirit, and location have been beneficial to their success.
“We have the ability to scale up or down when necessary,” said Gary Solomon. “We are not large enough where we are trying to re-invent the wheel, but we are small enough so that we can manage it and prove ourselves on a national scale.”
With the nature of his work being very tedious, Solomon added that he has the flexibility to cater to the needs of numerous clients and the hundreds of stakeholders involved with this one project.
As for his experience, Solomon admitted, “After working on this project, nothing daunts us anymore, but we are incredibly humbled to have been given this opportunity. When it’s a New Orleans Super Bowl, it’s really exciting to be able to represent New Orleans well.”
Build relationships through referrals
Arizona’s bluemedia has been designing and fabricating graphics for the NFL since Super Bowl XLII in Phoenix five years ago, after the referral was made during a walkthrough for Pepsi Smash at Phoenix’s Jobbing.com Arena. The media group has kept the relationship with the NFL and other partners throughout the years of working with the major event, garnering new clients such as Visa, Adobe, SportsMark, and CBS along the way.
After traveling to New Orleans throughout the year to scout the event locations and environments, bluemedia is now spending the week preparing for the NFL’s Honors Ceremony, NFL House, and several events for Super Bowl partners such as CBS, Adobe, and Visa. Bluemedia’s R.J. Orr explained that he’s been able to keep these strengthened relationships through his ability to make things right with his clients in a timely matter, even through the trials and tribulations that arise.
“We are not just glorified order-takers,” said Orr on what has helped his company continue a relationship with the NFL and the Super Bowl. Emphasizing on his need for quality control and attention to detail, Orr recognizes how much he values each account, adding, “We help provide solutions that cater to each of our clients.”
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Adriana Lopez Contributor
I write about entrepreneurship -- it's not a job, it's a lifestyle. full bio →
Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.
Entrepreneurs 4,826 views
How Entrepreneurs Create Business Opportunities With The Super Bowl, NFL
Continued from page 1
Connect people in your network
Traci Claussen from the Super Bowl Host Environmental Committee was able to bring together several small businesses and entrepreneurs from her network to make sure that the hundreds of thousands of people descending upon New Orleans leave behind a minimal carbon footprint. Claussen, who owns her own company called REpurposingNOLA, also had a goal to bring light and new business to this small group of emerging entrepreneurs.
Last spring, the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation reached out to Claussen with the challenge of creating practical items using over 15,000 linear feet of banners from Super Bowl XLIV in Miami. The goal was to repurpose the fabric used during New Orleans’ Super Bowl win in 2010 into products in order to help GNOSF raise money for several environmental initiatives, making Super Bowl XLVII the most environmentally-friendly sporting event. Over 3,000 pieces such as travel bags, shower curtains, tailgating aprons, and dog beds were created out of the material, with 70% of those proceeds from the sales going towards the Super Bowl’s environmental initiatives.
Through her commitment to the committee’s environmental projects, Claussen also brought on several other environmentally conscious small businesses to contribute to the cause. New Orleans-based companies Strike It Green and the Green Project will be recycling props, base materials, and carpeting from the Super Bowl sets and events in an effort to bring life to materials that are otherwise thrown out and wasted.
“The collaborations between these like-minded business owners has been so wonderful,” said Claussen. “Everyone involved had been so supportive to each other.”
However, while much of the collaboration in the committee has happened locally, Claussen adds her excitement in welcoming to New Orleans the teams and fans from two American, environmentally forward cities.
Guerilla marketing initiatives
While not all small businesses have the opportunity to work alongside the Host Committee or the NFL, others are eager to take advantage by using more interactive strategies by reaching out to the thousands of fans and visitors.
After wooing the host committee and event organizers with a demonstration of their product, New Orleans-based company, Cool Fruit Sensations, has been given the opportunity to distribute their fresh fruit cocktails to the masses at The NFL Experience theme park, the NFL Tailgate Party, and the NFL and Super Bowl Host Committee’s Media Party. Don Harding, who usually serves up his concoctions at local festivals and private events, understands that being involved with this large event could help him grow his company beyond his local fan-base.
Earlier this month, he graciously told the Times-Picayune, “This is a stage. This is an opportunity for you to get exposure to individuals who can move you forward. You want to have a polished product, because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Traci Claussen from the Super Bowl Host Environmental Committee was able to bring together several small businesses and entrepreneurs from her network to make sure that the hundreds of thousands of people descending upon New Orleans leave behind a minimal carbon footprint. Claussen, who owns her own company called REpurposingNOLA, also had a goal to bring light and new business to this small group of emerging entrepreneurs.
REpurposingNOLA created travel bags and other products using over 15,000 feet of fabric from Super Bowl.
Through her commitment to the committee’s environmental projects, Claussen also brought on several other environmentally conscious small businesses to contribute to the cause. New Orleans-based companies Strike It Green and the Green Project will be recycling props, base materials, and carpeting from the Super Bowl sets and events in an effort to bring life to materials that are otherwise thrown out and wasted.
“The collaborations between these like-minded business owners has been so wonderful,” said Claussen. “Everyone involved had been so supportive to each other.”
However, while much of the collaboration in the committee has happened locally, Claussen adds her excitement in welcoming to New Orleans the teams and fans from two American, environmentally forward cities.
Guerilla marketing initiatives
While not all small businesses have the opportunity to work alongside the Host Committee or the NFL, others are eager to take advantage by using more interactive strategies by reaching out to the thousands of fans and visitors.
After wooing the host committee and event organizers with a demonstration of their product, New Orleans-based company, Cool Fruit Sensations, has been given the opportunity to distribute their fresh fruit cocktails to the masses at The NFL Experience theme park, the NFL Tailgate Party, and the NFL and Super Bowl Host Committee’s Media Party. Don Harding, who usually serves up his concoctions at local festivals and private events, understands that being involved with this large event could help him grow his company beyond his local fan-base.
Earlier this month, he graciously told the Times-Picayune, “This is a stage. This is an opportunity for you to get exposure to individuals who can move you forward. You want to have a polished product, because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
