Microsoft Re-Designs the Ipod Packaging
Click here and voice your opinion on which company does a better job marketing their products; Apple or Microsoft.

Big League Sports
The values of a culture are reflected in the products people demand and the amounts they are willing to spend to fulfill those demands. This concept explains the money side of professional sports. Professional players, some just graduating from high school, sign multimillion-dollar contrtacts. Many Americans love professional sports and are willing to pay high prices to see the action. How much are you willing to pay for a ticket to the Super Bowl?

A report in Forbes Magazine in 2003 indicated that only ten of 30 National Hockey League teams were profitable, seven teams were for sale, and the overall league value was down 3 percent. On the other hand, one of the newest teams, the Minnesota Wild, in its third year of operations, advanced to the Western Conference finals on the league's lowest payroll.
Question 1:What were the key reasons cited in the article for the financial success of the Minnesota Wild?
Question 2:What might be the consequences of a strike by players in a financially troubled league?
Question 3:Why would television revenue decline for the NHL?

Managing College Athletics
Sports are big business for major universities. Athletic programs are challenged to produce teams and sporting events that will generate large amonts of money while following NCAA guidelines. Success is rewarded with financial benefits like the payouts from college bowl games.
Read the job description for the Athletic Director (AD) position at Clemson University here to answer the following questions.
Question 1:In a sentence, what is the function of the Clemson AD? To whom does the AD report?
Question 2:Describe how the AD at Clemson fulfills the planning and implementing management functions. Be as specific as possible.
Question 3:The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) regulates collegiate athletics. How does the Clemson AD interact with the NCAA?