The Miami Dolphins finished out the NFL season with a disappointing 7-9 record, but that hasn’t stopped fans of the team from getting very excited about one aspect of the team: its logo.

The rumor mill is buzzing that the Dolphins are busy redesigning the logo that has been around in one form or another since the team joined the NFL in 1966. Since then, the team has donned helmets that feature a dolphin wearing a helmet with an M on the side jumping in front of a fiery sun. 

It isn’t clear what is coming next but Dolphins CEO Mike Dee is happy to have his team getting some attention. On Dec. 24, he tweeted, “I hear all the logo buzz out there...I'll provide an update soon! Happy holidays to all. Be safe!” But Dee’s definition of “soon” probably doesn’t equate to a lot of the team’s fans. Two days later, he tweeted, “Lots of buzz re logos. Love the passion! We continue to explore a # of design alternatives...final decision by Draft. Happy holidays!” NFL execs won’t be walking the stage at Radio City Music Hall and naming their draft choices till April 25. 

So hurry up and wait, Dolphin fans. Until then, snap up whatever old Dolphin merchandise you can and speculate all you want.Continue reading...

Film: Brave
Brands Spotted: 0 (if you don't count Scotland)
Standout Placement: N/A
Most Memorable Placement (positive): N/A
Most Memorable Placement (negative): N/A
Overall Product Placement Integration Grade (1-10): N/A
Comments: Some critics have called Brave, Disney/Pixar's new film, formulaic. It's an easy conclusion to reach. The idea behind Brave appears to be taking the popularity of young women archers (cue The Hunger Games, and already a Brave-themed attraction at Disney Parks), pinching some themes from other recent popular franchises (How to Train Your Dragon, Shrek), updating the Disney Princess juggernaut, and wrapping the whole thing in the aura of an earlier epic Scottish tale of bravery (Braveheart*). But Brave's guts aren't the only formulaic element of the film.Continue reading...

While much pro sports revenue comes from long-suffering fans, teams (and the star players whose salaries they pay) benefit even more from licensing and merchandising. Certain major sports brands have long had a lock on the market: Nike manages to place its logo on the uniforms of more players in more sports (both professional and amateur) than any other company.

Players' equipment is also prone to preferential treatment. In Major League Baseball, certain brands always get the nod. For years, names like Wilson and Rawlings have been brands of choice for players' gloves --  which is why the story of a no-name brand like Vinci is a sweet victory for the underdog.Continue reading...

Yankee fans are no doubt excited to find themselves back in the World Series after a six-year drought. Most fans would be thrilled to have nine post-season appearances and a World Series title over the past decade, but fans of the Bronx Bombers are a spoiled bunch.

The Yankees are not just a national, but a global brand, far exceeding any other US baseball team. However, New York regional World Series matchups are not big attractions. In fact, when the Mets and Yankees squared off in 2000, it was then the lowest rated championship contest in the history of baseball.

Ratings for last year's Philly-Tampa Bay World Series were the worst since that Subway Series. The highest-rated game drew only 15 million viewers, down from 20 million the year before, when the Red Sox and Rockies squared off. Ratings tend to be better when the teams are from different regions. (Retirees and vacationers bind Tampa closely to the Northeast.)Continue reading...