When I stepped up to the window at DJ’s Cast Iron Burgers in Gainesville, FL wondering what I was going to order, I overheard a conversation behind me about the craze surrounding the DJ Lagway Burger. I was told it was more than just a burger, but a mouthwatering experience of sweetness with a touch of spice.
It was so much better than anticipated, and one of the best burgers I have ever had. It was immediately clear as to why this was a fan favorite. When asking people for feedback on the burger, there was only one thing that came to mind. Cardona said it was “explosive”. UF’s NIL Director, Ben Chase (also known for famously attending 77 College Football games in 2023) stated, “I need to have another one soon!”
When speaking with the co-owner, Miguel Cardona, about the burger and the relationship with DJ, he stated, “The Lagway relationship started out as most of their customers do, he tried our burgers and kept coming back.” This small interaction led to them eventually working on a formal partnership. When asked about what it’s like to work with Lagway, Cardona said, “He’s humble, locked in. Despite everything going on he takes time to support our partnership and that says a lot about who he is”. When speaking with Lagway about what it means to work with a local company he said, “It means a lot because Gainesville is home now, and being able to connect with the community like this is something I take pride in.”
Lagway had a lot of praise for the team at DJ’s Cast Iron Burgers for how the burger was created. From helping pick the ingredients, the naming of the burger, and even some of the marketing behind it, he was proud of what they created together. Lagway said that DJ’s helped “make sure it felt true to me”. He expressed that they have a great team and that he’s happy to be building a relationship with them.
This isn’t the last planned collaboration for DJ’s Cast Iron Burgers and the Gainesville community, “It lets us celebrate the community in a real way. The athletes are putting in the work, just like we are, and when we team up, it creates something bigger than just food and sports.” The burger is available now at DJ’s Cast Iron Burgers located on 5310 NW 8th Ave, Gainesville, FL
In the arena of sports marketing, sponsorships and giveaways play a vital role in enhancing brand visibility and engagement. My capstone project focuses on sports sponsorships and giveaways through Gators Sports Properties, a leading entity in collegiate sports marketing.
Gators Sports Properties is the official multimedia rights holder for the University of Florida Athletic Association (UAA). They specialize in creating tailored marketing solutions to connect brands/partners with the Florida Gators fan base. I have had the privilege to work with Gator Sports Properties in a marketing photographer role which led me to have a piqued interest in how exactly the partnerships come to fruition behind the scenes.
When talking with Gators Sports Properties Partnerships Coordinator, Taylor Rowe, she said, “No two days are alike. There’s meetings with the University Athletic Association, there’s putting together recap presentations for sponsors at the end of athletic seasons, showing the partner what their sponsorship looks like…whether that’s a ribbon, replay wipe, tent at fan fest, etc.” To develop a better relationship between partners and coordinators/managers, each employee in the office focuses on two sports. Such as baseball and volleyball or football and gymnastics. A few examples of some companies that Gators Sports Properties partners with are Alumni Hall, Wells Fargo, Florida Victorious, American Campus Communities, and more.
These sports sponsorships involve strategic partnerships between brands and sports entities to reach a common goal that benefits both parties. Gators Sports Properties facilitates sponsorships by offering many attractive opportunities such as:
• Digital signage and advertising
• Radio and in-game advertisements
• Hospitality experiences for corporate partners.
• Social media platform integration
As mentioned above, there are many opportunities that draw clients to partner with Gator Sports Properties. There are several factors as well that influence how effective these partnerships can be. First of all, certain brands and companies will be drawn to specific sports marketing entities depending on the demographics, etc. of the fan base because they want to advertise their services to a receptive audience.
According to Haley Hogan, coordinator of partnership services, “The sport in which we align our sponsors with is based on demographic and budget. For softball, you will use sponsors that are reaching an older community. If you are wanting to reach students, that will be a more basketball or volleyball approach.” Gators Sports Properties targets their sponsorships towards the most receptive audience while coming up with creative ways to do so.
The reputation and current performance record of the sports team is also important as they’d like to market themselves through a successful organization. This partnership could be viewed as match making. The partnership needs to be a match on all fronts, the client aligning with the sports team’s values, fan base, and marketing engagement success.
One of the most frequently used fan engagement strategies is sports giveaways. These giveaways are integral components of gaining the attention of fans and patrons while also advertising GSP partners. Gators Sports Properties orchestrates giveaways to drive attendance, foster brand loyalty, and generate excitement among fans. Examples of giveaways look like branded merchandise, social media contests, in-game fan interactions, and VIP experiences.
Needless to say, this company handles a lot of moving parts and needs dedicated and passionate individuals to cater to each partner and align their interests with the company’s interests. It also involves finding new and creative ways to implement partnerships. Taylor Rowe expressed, “For soccer, I implemented a game ball presentation. This is when a team representative would have the opportunity to present the game ball to the sponsor on the field. So that was something I implemented this year to just make it a little bit more exciting while also getting them involved in game days.”
One question I had when beginning to interview and research about these partnerships was how Gator Sports Properties “gets their money’s worth”, simply saying. I learned that they use metrics to measure the impact and media exposure these partnerships bring. This is important for the company to know so that they are aware of which partnerships are most beneficial and impactful. Some of the ways they measure this is through calculating direct revenue, fan/sponsor surveys, and increased sale percentages among consumers. Gauging increased social media is also taken into account through measuring engagement such as likes, comments, and shares.
These partnerships are often very monetarily beneficial for both parties involved, GSP (Gator Sports Properties) and those they partner with. Interested partners contact GSP to begin conversations and discussions about what sponsorships will look like through University of Florida Athletics. A lot of both Taylor Rowe and Haley Hogan’s job is to be a part of these conversations and begin the process of implementing their advertisements into the athletics signage, merch, etc. GSP benefits from this partnership by gaining monetary capital from each partner to begin the sponsorship. The partners pay to advertise their brand or services and they gain monetary value through exposure and key marketing by GSP to the correct audience, which then turns them into potential consumers of the advertised company.
Sales is also a key entity inside GSP as their main job is to connect fans with partners. They do this through research to find brands that align with the University of Florida culture and the value of the Gator brand. They market merchandise that incorporates the sport, the partner company, and appealing trends. An example of this would be marketing selling a similar version of a very popular black belt bag that is currently very trendy with college students. They could create a Gator version of this belt bag along with a partner’s branding to market an attractive sales item, while also advertising the partner’s company.
Another aspect of the company is photography. Each partner that chooses to advertise with GSP receives what is called “proof of performance” photos. These photos are taken by a Property Assistant in order to show proof of the partner’s advertisements that were planned to be initiated in a specific game or area of campus. My current role at GSP is as a football game day photographer/property assistant. Essentially, I am tasked with covering the pregame Fan Fest to capture images and videos for our sponsors throughout the game. This involves getting content of on field signage, advertisements displayed on the scoreboard, and branding that may even be on a coach’s shirt or headset. As a sports fan, I never knew how much goes into sports marketing. Just in football alone, I have had the opportunity to work with assets valued at $7.829 million and over $17 million throughout the fourteen University of Florida sports involved with GSP.
Concluding this research opportunity, sports sponsorships orchestrated by Gators Sports Properties offer valuable opportunities for brands to connect with the Florida Gators’ fan base. Throughout this process of research, I have increased my knowledge of how these partnerships work and how they can best be handled by a sports marketing company. By understanding the dynamics of sports marketing, leveraging strategic partnerships, and measuring ROI effectively, Gators Sports Properties continues to elevate the fan experience while delivering tangible results for their partners.
On Monday, the Denver Nuggets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 113-111 in game four of the Western Conference Finals. With the win, the Nuggets advance to the NBA Finals which start on June 1.
First Half
The first half of the game saw the Lakers explode out of the gate, taking an 11-4 lead. The Nuggets kept fighting, tying the game numerous times, but never taking the lead.
31 points, 11-13 from the field, & 4-4 from three.
It was a first half that saw LeBron James pull magic out of his hat, dropping 31 points on Denver. The Lakers were up 73-58 going into the half, with the Lakers in control.
Second Half
In the second half of the game, the Nuggets came out swinging, outscoring the Lakers 36-16 in the third quarter. It was a back-and-fourth final quarter with the Nuggets looking to secure the sweep and the Lakers looking to force a game five.
In the end, the Lakers missed two game-tying shots leaving the game in the hands of the Nuggets. LA started the season 2-10 and weren’t expected to make the playoffs this year.
The Nuggets made history getting their first sweep in team history. Denver advanced to their first NBA Finals in the teams’ 47 seasons. The Nuggets handed LeBron only his third sweep in his career and the only one to occur prior the NBA Finals.
It was a big series for the Jokic-Murray duo with Jokic scoring 30-14-13 and Murray adding 25 points. Jokic was able to secure the Western Conference Finals MVP. When asked about how he felt, he said, “They put me in this situation…I’m just first among the equals.”
LeBron
A visibly frustrated LeBron hinted at possible retirement when asked about his future in the NBA. It has been known that he wants to start alongside his son, Bronny James, who recently committed to USC and is one of the top prospects in the 2024 NBA Draft.
"I haven't even thought about next year. I don't know." -LeBron James on his future pic.twitter.com/uCDmK6QR86
It was a season where the Lakers truly didn’t have any all-stars and lacked chemistry. It was a one-man performance last night for LeBron, who dropped 40-10-9 after securing the highest scoring half in his postseason history.
Future
The NBA world will keep an eye on whether or not LeBron returns next season. The Nuggets await the winner of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat (3-0) and the Boston Celtics with Game four tipping off tonight at 8:30.
— Kent State Football (@KentStFootball) May 31, 2023
Knights
Both junior running back Johnny Richardson and senior quarterback John Rhys Plumlee are expected to have breakout seasons for the Knights. Under the direction of head coach Gus Malzahn, UCF is entering its third season and has already achieved two consecutive nine-win seasons and a conference title appearance.
In Malzahn’s two seasons, the Knights are 17-2 when they rush for 160 yards or more and 1-7 when they don’t reach 160, so they’ll try to get the running game going early.
The UCF Knights are the youngest program to ever join the ranks of a Power five league, thus fans are eager for the upcoming season, which will be the first for the Knights in the Big 12 conference.
I have never been more excited to be a UCF fan than I am right now, UCF Sophomore Ryan Hays had to respond when asked how he feels about the move to the Big 12.
Kent State
Coach Kenni Burns, who is in her first season in charge, will lead the Golden Flashes onto the field. After Kent State concluded the 2022 season 5-7 overall and 4-4 in conference play, he is attempting to revive the program. The past few seasons, Burns has coached the running backs at Minnesota and Western Michigan.
Since 1987, the program has only had four winning seasons. Fans shouldn’t expect success right now, according to College Football News, noting the new offensive coordinator, the loss of important offensive line players, and the new coaching staff’s increased emphasis on the defense.
Kent State must establish their running game rhythm early if they want to be successful. The Golden Flashes were 5-1 last season when they averaged 4.5 carries per rush and 0-7 when they averaged less.
Future
The two teams will compete on FS1 from the bounce house on August 31 at 7 p.m.
Ten…Five…Touchdown as time runs out, Mark-Antony Richards scores a touchdown for the UCF Knights. Richards, a senior running back for the Knights, has experienced both highs and lows in collegiate football.
Richards had a strong year in 2021, rushing for 309 yards and 5 touchdowns on 48 attempts in 12 games. The highlight of his season was the crowd yelling as he ran into the end zone with 23 seconds left to defeat Eastern Carolina 20–16 for UCF.
“Scoring that touchdown was huge for me,” he said in the post-game interview, “you know I was blessed to have my mom and family in the stands for that first touchdown, but I love this place.”
According to Richards, “the first touchdown felt like weight off my shoulders. That childhood dream finally came true. I let tears run and thanked my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for guiding me in that moment.”
Adversity
With the highs come the lows, which have regrettably caused the red-shirt senior to endure some injury-riddled seasons and moments when he had to dig deep to figure out who he was.
He says when discussing difficulty and tenacity, “just perseverance, you know. I was going through a leg injury like that, which was life-changing and difficult. But just staying on a positive course is what got me through it.”
He added that “the rehab was very tough but it made the comeback even sweeter” after a leg surgery kept him out of action for more than a year.
Transfer Portal
Being far from home and not in an environment where he could see himself succeeding in the long run presented some difficulties when he initially signed with the Auburn Tigers in 2019.
Richards entered his name to the NCAA transfer portal on December 16, 2020. He declared on February 23, 2021, that he would rejoin his former head coach Gus Malzahn at UCF in Orlando. His success has been aided by his move closer to home and joining his former head coach Gus Malzahn.
In UCF’s inaugural season in the Big 12, a Power Five conference in college football, he aspires to make a splash. As UCF transitions to the Big 12, they get ready for some challenging competition in the first year against Oklahoma, Baylor, and Cincinnati.
When asked about UCF entering the Big 12, Richards said, “playing the first conference game will be a surreal for us all. We are officially recognized as a Power Five school and treated accordingly.”
The fans have been waiting for this moment ever since the Fiesta Bowl winning team, according to Richards when asked about the significance. UCF was placed on the map at that time.
On August 31, UCF plays Kent State in the season opener.
Preston Hays 