Lionel Messi is regarded in most circles as the greatest soccer player in the world and, arguably, among the Top Five men ever to play the game.

Perhaps no sport offers a more immersive experience for fans than motor sports. It overwhelms the five senses; from the sound and rumble of the engines to the smell of burnt rubber and high-octane racing fuel, the fan experience is wholly consuming.

In the age of DVRs and On-Demand viewing, sports are quickly becoming the last live drama on television. Great games are something that must be watched in real-time. What would the drama of a March Madness buzzer-beater mean on tape-delay?

For those of us involved in marketing football, the growing focus on player safety and the impact of concussions is ubiquitous. The NFL should be applauded for not hiding from the issue and putting its money behind the GE initiative. But as "news items" two and three above, suggest, research that my firm just recently conducted with over 1,400 football fans raises an interesting hypocrisy. Yes, we understand the dangers present in competing in sports at its highest levels. But, simultaneously, a sizable number of us would be willing to pay a significant price for a significant return.

A more connected marketplace has made consumers and sports fans smarter and more sophisticated than ever before. This means there is a need to focus on building local relationships, regardless the size of your brand. Brands are now looking to their local affiliates to capture successes with a local audience. Yet, what can brands do to avoid losing sight of the big picture and risk appearing too fragmented?