Obama Making Pitch For Sports Fan Demographic

[babylonsister]

Obama out to score big with prized demographic: sports fans
By Sasha Issenberg
Globe Staff / October 26, 2008


PHILADELPHIA - Sarah Palin remained silent when she walked out onto the Philadelphia Flyers ice to drop the puck before the team's season opener earlier this month, enveloped by a murky mix of boos and cheers from the almost entirely white, largely male crowd she had hoped to win over with the symbolic gesture.

A clearer political message, however, came through seconds later to those watching the Flyers broadcast at home or in bars. The last ad before the game broadcast on Comcast Sports Net was a 60-second testimonial to Barack Obama's patriotism - primarily a folksy tribute to his mother's family, which is white.

As the best-financed presidential candidate in history, Obama's words and imagery have reached into nearly every nook of American media culture, nestled even within video games and on his own satellite-television channel.

But Obama, who will delay the start of Wednesday's possible World Series Game Six for a 30-minute infomercial, might be making his most aggressive pitch through sports media, which he has used to audition as an all-American everyman before one of the few demographic groups that continue to elude him.

"Obama is targeting so much sports programming because it trends very much to younger white males, which has been a reliable Republican bloc but is also very much an independent voting bloc, so they're going after McCain's strength," said Evan Tracey of the Campaign Media Analysis Group, which tracks political advertising.

more...

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/articles/2008/10/26/obama_out_to_score_big_with_prized_demographic_sports_fans/?page=full

[NYC_SKP]

1. He just picked up that NASCAR racer and has the Steelers...

Real sports fans love Obama, the thinking ones at least...

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/04/steelers_owner.html

:patriot:

[timber84]

2. Steeler Nation

Yes I would like them to be on my side. very loyal group we are.

[NYC_SKP]

3. Works for me...

I can have more than one favorite team, right?

[timber84]

4. You sure can!

hi you! God those guys are huge!

[NYC_SKP]

6. I'm 5-10, they towered over me, Eric and Tony....

Eric had his family, very cute group.

[VolcanoJen]

8. Not just any NASCAR guy... NASCAR legend Junior Johnson!!

Legendary moonshiner, driver, team owner and all-around good ol' boy. Wrote a rather eloquent endorsement of Obama; how it's about your children. And he also adds that John McCain has no integrity.

[ddeclue]

5. He's already got the REAL sports fans.

Did you see him sink the half court shot first try in Iraq with the GI's?

Mark Price and Larry Byrd would have been proud of that long distance shooting.

[FrenchieCat]

7. To think that Old ass 72 year Old McCain could win that Demographics

against a virile strong handsome sports minded dynamic Democratic candidate.....is an absurd notion, IMO.