Check out a few of the photos I shot this weekend for Station Casinos.
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I haven’t ever won a royal flush, a lotto or a big jackpot – but if I did, it might compare to the day I had on Saturday, November 6, 2010 with my family.
We went to Tony Hawk’s Stand Up For Skateparks fundraiser at Wynn Las Vegas. I knew it would be a great time, but I had no idea I’d A) meet and take a photo with Tony himself, B) see an insanely great skate demo with the best skateboarders on the planet, and C) share the whole thing with my wife and 7-month old boy.
I have been a fan of Tony since the early 80′s, but my favorite skater was Christian Hosoi, who literally flew out of ramps – higher than anyone until some dude named Shawn White about 20 years later. I traded concrete for snow in the mid 90′s while living in Colorado, and I still ride every chance I get – 15 years later. (in 2004, I named my business after the best ski runs – Black Diamond Digital Imaging, closed in 2009). Since then, I’m more a fan of Tony Hawk than just about anyone. Now I know the dedication and passion it takes to be an entrepreneur, and to do things your way. Very few are successful, and even fewer build an empire – their way – and have a good time doing it, while giving back in the classiest manner.
Today (Sunday, Nov. 7) there’s a construction crew breaking ground on a new skatepark at Rotary Park here in Las Vegas, near Hyde Park School, where many of my family and friends went to school. It’s one of nearly 500 the Tony Hawk Foundation has built in the US.
I sent out a tweet yesterday with a challenge to my 800-ish followers on twitter. It said “I just met @TonyHawk. Go ahead and try to find a cooler person on the planet. I dare ya.” I’m not holding my breath.
Here’s some photos from the event, shot with my Canon 5D Mark II and a 50mm f/1.8 (the “nifty fifty”). I hope you enjoy them as much as I did taking them, but again – I’m not betting on that, either. 
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Every time there’s an exhibition game in Las Vegas involving pro sports teams, there’s an influx of news reports that “Las Vegas gets hopes up for Pro Team” Here’s one.
I’m a baseball, football and hockey fan, and I would love it. But it’s a long ways off until a few things change. No, I’m not talking about the economy.
Take last weekend’s Frozen Fury – the annual pre-season hockey game at MGM Grand between LA and Colorado pro hockey teams. This game is soooo far from a regular season game…. and I think the attendees know it. It’s a Fan-Appreciation Party for Kings season ticket holders. For Las Vegas – and MGM Grand in particular, it’s specifically designed for LA-to-LV traffic directly into the MGM Grand casino floor. The game itself is secondary, I believe, and this is the tunnel vision that’s keeping the city from having a pro team. Corporate involvement of Sports Marketing in Vegas always seems to involve a competitive slant, fear of losing slot revenue or high rollers while they’re enjoying themselves someplace else. Newsflash: today’s consumer knows what’s on the other side of the street.
So, really… Why can’t it work? Here’s what I think:
- Most locals who wish for a pro team don’t currently show up at the sporting events they do have. It’s apples and oranges, I know. But it’s all we have to benchmark so far.
- Corporate team owners don’t know how to market to locals.
From my experience, the marketing strategy of the Wranglers is to cold call ex-ticket buyers and sometimes offer them free shit on “special” games. The 51′s strategy is a carbon copy. A few phone calls to invite you to the “special” games and a billboard. Bobblehead dolls can only go so far. (Note: I can’t speak for Arena Football, because I have yet to attend one. I hear great things – and it appears that they have an improved strategy over their counterpart sports: I know when the games are without a google search).
I think it’s important to note that this isn’t a testament to the on-field (or on -ice) product. Every single game I have attended was well worth the price and an entirely enjoyable time. No exceptions. I say all the time that these are the two most valuable experiences one can have for under $20 in Vegas, and I stand by that.
Ever the constructive critic, I’ll offer a few ideas for sports marketing in Las Vegas. First – build culture. Teams should lobby for and support more pre-game, post-game events and locations. The Wranglers are present at McMullans Irish Pub across the street after every game – this is an example of how to make your players more visible to fans and non-fans to build familiarity and conversion. Free, or low-cost shuttles to and from games would encourage attendance and responsibility on their respective $1 Beer nights (highest attended games). Pep-rally mentality does exist, but it’s not nearly visible enough to sound like fun to someone who’s not already in the know.
The single largest thing holding back Las Vegas from having a sports franchise: Giving back to Las Vegas. The city’s largest businesses must be involved with ticket blocks. I don’t know or care what the bulk rate is to have a NV Energy, Cox, Zappos, Harrah’s or MGM section at each Vegas sports arena, but it needs to happen. Casino VIP players will love it, employees and their families will love it, and the Las Vegas valley will benefit for years to come.
Agree? Disagree? Let me know….
Psst…Do you follow me on twitter?
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I’m extending a special invitation to the Las Vegas Creative Community about this event because I think its very important that Vegas steps it up a notch. In order to step up our game, we need to see what’s going on in creative communities globally. The days of picking up a publication and expecting design inspiration are soooo 1990s. 
This is the official event information. I hope you’ll attend.
Order tickets via Eventbrite:
http://chineseexchangelv-efbevent.eventbrite.com/Ni hao!
…An exhibition and idea exchange
with 30 design ambassadorsSpend an amazing transglobal
evening socializing, exchanging ideas and crossing cultures. Thirty Chinese
graphic design professionals exhibit their latest work in advertising,
packaging, book design, posters, photography and contemporary Chinese
calligraphy.It’s a true cultural
exchange where we’ll share the flavor of Fabulous Las Vegas with our visitors,
while getting a glimpse into the design sensibilities of their vast and
fast-developing market.Las Vegas is distinguished to be one of only four U.S.
cities on the 11-day tour that also includes Washington, D.C., San Francisco
and San Diego.Hosted by the Center for CrossCultural Design, which fosters greater communication between designers across cultures, and a better understanding of the interwoven experience of design and culture.
EVENT PRESENTERS
City of Las Vegas
Center for
CrossCultural DesignColors of Lupus Nevada
Las Vegas Chinese Association
Las Vegas-Clark
County Library FoundationEVENT PARTNERS
AIGA Las Vegas
International Association of Business Communicators
Las Vegas Cultural Corridor Coalition
The Neon Museum Las Vegas
Studio J Photography
EVENT SUPPORTERS
American Advertising Federation
Association of Students in Communication, UNLV
Student Association of Graphic Arts, UNLV
Produced by eurie creative
Watch for new Event Partner and Event Support listings as additional sponsors come on board
For information about being
an event partner, contact Victor at victor@euriecreative.com,
or call him at 702-383-9805.
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What year is it again?
Like Peter Griffin once said so eloquently on Family Guy: “You Know What Really Grinds My Gears?”
Phone books.
Does anyone else think it’s monumentally hypocritical that this giant yellow PLASTIC bag with recycling logos all over it contains a heavy block of paper that will never see the light of day is back on your doorstep?
Dear Yellowbook:
Wanna save some money? Make your product-of-yesteryear OPT-IN, instead of OPT-OUT. I have opted out of every one of these darn things for the last few years, and I keep getting them from Sprint, Embarq, CenturyLink, Yellowbook, etc. Seemingly every month or two! Do you really think that guy you’re paying more minimum than minimum wage gives a crap if I opted out of this travesty? Doubt it. He just wants his beer money and to get on with the weekend, I’d guess. He probably doesn’t care about the karma of slaughtering acres and acres of woodland for ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
Apparently, neither do you.
Thanks,
The people of 2010
P.S. Whatever smoke you’re blowing up your advertisers butts about impressions… Yeah, probably also not so good in the karma dept.
Click here to OPT yourself OUT of Yellowbook, like I just did.
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