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The World Cup’s big winner? Merchandise

By WTOP Staff

ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Wondering how to drive it like Dempsey, move it like Messi or rip it like Ronaldo?

There’s an app for that.

As Argentina and Germany prepare for Sunday’s World Cup final, companies that produce soccer-related merchandise are already winning.

The once-every-four-years consumer frenzy, dubbed by some as the “World Cup Effect,” drives the sale of everything from the traditional jerseys and cleats to unusual items such as team-endorsed windshield wiper fluid to Versace T-shirts and, yes, mobile phone apps.

The stakes are highest for sports shoe and apparel giants Nike and adidas, who are wrestling for dominance of the soccer market.

Nike reported late last month that global soccer-related revenue rose 21 percent to an all-time high of $2.3 billion for the 2014 fiscal year leading up to the World Cup.

Beaverton, Oregon-based Nike outfitted the surprising U.S. national team and sponsors such stars as Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and Neymar of Brazil. The company already released innovative sock-like cleats for the World Cup, and hopes to take advantage of the global focus on the Beautiful Game with the release of the Nike Soccer App.

The application, launched this week, seeks to bring young soccer enthusiasts together at the grassroots social-media level, facilitating pick-up games and pointing wannabe stars toward training tools and even Nike Academy trials. And, of course, the app easily links to merchandise.

“It’s really hyper-focused on the 17- to 19-year-old who lives and breathes the sport. We wanted to really create a service that could help connect them closer to the things they love most about football — and that starts with the game,” said Jesse Stollak, Nike’s vice president of global digital brand.

Adidas has traditionally led the soccer sector, and expects to emerge from the World Cup with global sales topping a record $2.7 billion when the final numbers are tallied.

The German company enjoys the spotlight as an official sponsor of the World Cup. It designed the “Brazuca” ball that players are using in Brazil. And it has an advantage in that both teams in the final — Germany and Argentina — are adidas-outfitted. Argentina star Lionel Messi is part of the adidas fold.

Like Nike, adidas has also pushed beyond shoes and jerseys to capitalize on World Cup mania with its miCoach Smart Ball.

The soccer ball, which meets FIFA specifications, has embedded sensors that show players velocity, angle, spin and a host of other information — including what part of the foot is striking the ball — via, you guessed it, an app. The application, which even emits cheers for good shots, also provides feedback.

“What we wanted to do was look at soccer, which is the heritage of our brand, and look for that perfect intersection of electronics and sport that not just measures metrics of what someone did, but actually provided coaching feedback to help anyone who wants to improve at the game,” said Christian DiBenedetto, senior innovation director for adidas.

Here are some other products getting a “bounce” from the World Cup Effect:

GAME CRAZY: Even though it was released last November, Electronic Arts’ FIFA 2014 is still on Amazon’s best-seller lists, as is EA’s 2014 World Cup Brazil game. The FIFA series produces an estimated $1 billion in revenue globally for the Redwood City, California-based game maker, and FIFA 2015 is coming in September.

EA Sports also deserves kudos for creative advertising: A commercial for the World Cup game featured Landon Donovan — left off the U.S. national team– at home in a robe and playing the game as himself.

HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE: Gatorade developed a “sports fuel system” for the Brazilian national team during the World Cup. The special bottles, created in partnership with Smart Design, contain beverages designed for each player and monitor how much players have consumed via (what else?) an app monitored by coaches. While the system isn’t available at the local sporting goods store, don’t be surprised if some American football teams start using the technology.

GOING UPSCALE: World Cup merchandise can be couture, too. Donatella Versace created the “Versace Loves Brazil” T-shirt, featuring a multicolored baroque print that includes images of soccer balls and silhouetted players, along with gold chains, flowers and leopard print. If that wasn’t enough, it features the designer’s trademark Medusa head. For just $690.

AND FINALLY: There are quite a few companies trying to capitalize on Luis Suarez, and more specifically, his jaws. If you haven’t gotten enough of apps, there’s the Luis Suarez Soccer Bite App game. Players control an animated Suarez, who goes from player to player and — probably no further explanation is necessary. There’s also a Luis Suarez bottle opener. Further explanation probably isn’t needed for that one, either.

___

The Nike Soccer App on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjBsE8yprcg

The adidas miCoach Smart Ball on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJwR4C9QjKM

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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