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Paid Athletic Events Begin
First know athletic event that required paid admission from the fans. A baseball game (admission just .50 cents) with attendance records varying from 1500 to 10000 -
1st Endorsement Deal
Gene Sarazen Biography Golfer Gene Sarazen signed an endorsement deal with Wilson Sporting Goods that becomes the longest running endorsement deal in the history of sports. The original deal was for $6,000 per year plus an equal amount for travel expenses. Renewal took place every two years until his death in May 1999. -
Goodyear Pilgrim
Goodyear Blimp History Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company builds the Pilgrim, the first blimp to fly over athletic events. -
Olympic Advertising
1928 Summer Olympic Archives Coke partners with the Olympics and remains a sponsor to this day. -
The Game's On!!
History of the Game First televised collegiate football game featuring Fordham against Waynesburg (PA) College. -
NFL is on the air!!
NFL Archives The first televised NFL game happened on this date. It was broadcast to 1,000 homes. The Philadelphia Eagles fell to the Brooklyn Dodgers 23-14. (Yes, there was a football team named the Brooklyn Dodgers). -
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William "Bill" Veeck
Bill Veeck Biographical Videos Veeck Introduced ballpark giveaways, exploding scoreboards, player names on jerseys, Wrigley Field's ivy-covered walls and, the idget Eddie Geadel. -
The Other Babe...
Babe Didrikson Zaharias Biography First major endorsement by a female. Babe Didrikson Zaharias signs with Wilson Sporting Goods for $100,000 a year. -
It's Live!
1951 in Television On this day, NBC broadcast the first live coast-to-coast sporting event. The football game featured Duke University taking on the University of Pittsburgh. -
SI Hits the Stands
Sports Illustrated History On this day in 1954 the first issue of Sports Illustrated hits the news stands... -
Blue Ribbon Sports Founded
A Little Nike History On this day in 1964 Phil Knight founded Blue Ribbon Sports...which, in 1972 became Nike... -
Get Your Marketing Degree Here!
Ohio University Marketing Department In 1966, Ohio University begins offering the first Sports Marketing Degree program in the nation. -
Thrilla in Manilla
Ali v Frazier Article The first pay-per-view athletic event is the "Thrilla in Manilla" with Ali taking on Frazier. It is broadcast to 276 closed circuit locations. Ali won in the 14th when Frazier's trainer threw in the towel. -
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First Time for Everything
1984 Olympics Recap For the first time the Olympics is privately financed...and...shows a profit. Something to be said for a little capitalism... -
Sports Marketing in High School
Fairfax County Schools High school sports marketing programs started showing up around 1990, first appearing the the FairFax County schools. Since then, Sports Marketing has become one of the fastest growing marketing-related course offerings in the country. Sports marketing is such a new discipline that much of the "history" of sports marketing is still being written. The good news is that you have a chance to help write some of that history.
