This book is a resource that examines significant brands and the points of interest associated with the success (and sometimes failures) of the profiled brands. Brands in this work span sport, recreation, and beyond, and each chapter sheds light on actions which have utilized sport business to cultivate brand equity. The concept of branding is important and has generated great interest in academic and professional circles. Brands range from a collection of images that represent products to a variety symbols associated with products and their producers and consumers build associations and affinities through to these brands. By serving as the embodiment of the accumulation all the information connected to companies, people, places, goods, and services, brands profiled in this work will address successful (and sometimes not so successful) practices and provide points for discussion and further examination. The information provided in this work can serve as a stand alone read or as a supplemental text in a variety of academic settings. To further enhance the information provided in this work, each chapter is developed to include (1) an Opening Line-up section which overview the company and the cases being addressed, (2) a basic Timeline identifying relevant historical events and providing points of reference regarding significant points of history for the brands, (3) a The Final Score component at the conclusion of the profile which critically examine industry perspectives and implication regarding the profiled brands, (4) the identification of key concepts in the Post-Game Comments section, and the opportunity for further theoretical explorations can occur through answering issues addressed provide Discussion Questions section (this section would be useful for facilitating class discussions). Furthermore, web based resources, tables, side boxes, and figures are provided to offer further background information for the brands being profiled.
