DakTronics

First discovered as a word on the  NBA shot clock, curiosity struck while I was attending a Miami Heat game. Above the numbers of the shot clock appeared one word: "Daktronics". Never heard of that company before. What  exactly is Daktronics?

History

Born in 1968  at South Dakota State University, two professors by the name of Drs. Aelred Kurtenbach and Duane Sander founded the company. By 1971, the company created their first sports board. By 1994, they entered the stock market.  At the top of the sports technology industry, Daktronics is a company that is responsible for making LED signs.  From theme parks to local high schools , Daktronics products can be seen. Let's take a closer look at how their products impact the sports world as we know it.

Being an electronic based company in this day and age, companies such as these can and will always find business. Daktronics have sold products in each of the following sports:  Aquatics , baseball, basketball, cricket, football, hockey, lacrosse, motorsports, pari-mutuel, rodeo, rugby, soccer, squash, tennis, track & field, volleyball, and wrestling. In other words, almost every sport you can imagine.

NBA

Their biggest sports customers are the NBA. Teams such as the Heat, Hawks , Warriors, Bulls , Thunder and Mavericks use Daktronic's services.

"Daktronics NBA Installations

11 of 29 NBA facilities have Daktronics integrated super systems.
19 of 29 NBA facilities have Daktronics scoring and/or display equipment." (via darktronics.com)

According to Daktronics here's the number of teams that use their products: As we can see, Daktronics has most products in most NBA teams. While Daktronics dominate in scoring/display equipment, companies like ANC Sports have managed to create competition for Daktronics in this field. With that being said, per systems do not hinder their success in the bigger picture at all.
From high schools to professional teams, Daktronics has made a name for themselves. In the fiscal year of 2015, Daktronics made a total of $616 million dollars in revenue. Not too bad for just a name atop of the shot clock.

NHL

"Daktronics  NHL Installations

18 of 30 NHL facilities have Daktronics integrated super systems.
23 of 30 NHL facilities have Daktronics scoring and/or display equipment."(via darktronics.com)

IF you think their presence is large in the NBA, take a look at the stats for the NHL. Over 76% of NHL teams use Daktronics scoring equipment. It would be more difficult to make a list of teams that DON'T use Daktronics equipment.  

Windy City's Real $$$ Team

Fresh off of the wave of the NBA Finals in which ABC had it's highest ratings of viewers about 50 years. While the madness of the NBA finals occurred, another finals was taking place: the NHL finals. For the Chicago Blackhawks , this was their third finals appearance in the last five seasons. What is the first team that most fans think of when you say the city Chicago? The Bulls? Cubs? Bears? Those are some amazing organizations, but the major team in this millennium is none other than the Chicago Blackhawks.

Tail End of the Wind.

Even though the Blackhawks are tied for 2nd in the city for most championships, they are second to last on the net worth chart. Granted, the value of a team tends to be determined in more ways than simply winning. Popularity, age, and contribution to their respected sports all play a part. However, it's hard for one to imagine that championship doesn't necessarily equate  to being the top of your city.

List of Chicago Teams:

Chicago Blackhawks Championships (2010, 2013,2015)

Chicago Bulls   Championships(1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998)

Chicago White Sox Championships( 1906, 1917, 2005)

Chicago Bears Championships(1985)

Chicago Cubs Championships(1907, 1908)

History

While the Blackhaws aren't the most money making in the city, there are a few reasons as to why this is the case. For one, hockey is not as popular sport. According ESPN, hockey lies behind baseball, football, and basketball. Chicago has tradition in all three.

Baseball
Both the Chicago Cubs and the Whitesox have been around forever. The White Sox were founded in 1901, and the Cubs followed suit in 1903.  These two clubs have provided baseball for many generations of familes throughout the Chi. The most recent superstar to date for either team was slugger Sammy Sosa. In addition to the team, Chicago's very famous Wrigly field is one of the oldest ball parks in Major League Baseball.

Football

The Bears are and always will be a topic of discussion when pertaining to football. One of the oldest teams in the NFL, the Bears have made themselves a staple in the NFL as one of the most traditional teams. The Bears have allowed names such as Walter Payton , Gale Sayers, and Mike Ditka thrive and flourish in football. The 1985 Bears are considered by some as the greatest NFL team ever.

Basketball

This section shall be short and straight to the point. Michael Jordan. Greatest player ever. Chicago Bulls. Six championships in the same decade.

Climbing Up Willis Tower 

Although the Blackhawks are not the most popular team in the city, they are surely on the rise. According to statisa.com, the Blackhawks' value has risen from $168 million to $825 million in a short span of eigth years. Look for this value to increase , as they are the 2015  Stanley Cup Champions. As long as the Blackhawks stay competitive , they will stay relevant within the city. Both the WhiteSox and Cubs are fighting to make their ways back to the playoffs, the Bears are on the verge of blowing up the team, and the Bulls are still just short of true contention. If this pattern continues, by 2025 the city of Chicago will claim the Blackhawks as the real money team.

Role of a NBA General Manager

Jobs in the sports industry are few and far in between to come by, especially in a professional league. Although most people are unaware of the many different positions,  many fans know about three management positions: the coach , the general manager, and the owner. Whenever our favorite team is not performing up to our standards, we tend to call for the heads of one those people. The position we will be highlighting is the General Manager.

What does a general manager do??
Being a general manager in the NBA contains one major requirement: be well-rounded. Depending on a team's situation, the general manager is the account, the play personnel , the counselor , the scout, and the negotiator.

Accounting
For most NBA managers, this is their main focus. The general manager must make sure that the team is financially in good shape. In doing so , the balance between spending money now on current players and saving money for future potential players is something that a general manager must constantly be thinking about.   Based on the money, the general manager is forced to make contract decisions for both staff and the players.

Sign, Release,  & Trade
Everyone wants the best players on their team, and everyone are almost willing to do whatever it takes in order for them to get those players. Example: A team that may be nowhere near a position to content for a championship in the near future may for a strategy to get rid of the higher paid older players and trade them for draft picks. If this is not possible, another strategy is able to simply try to get better each year and build through the NBA Draft. In recent time, teams such as the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Golden State Warriors used this strategy to become as successful as they currently are. Then there are cases such as the Boston Celtics in 2007 and what the Miami Heat did in 2010. These teams performed trades that got three great players to join together in order to contend immediately.

Psychology
This category has to be one of the most underrated in sports. It's one thing to get a group of good players together , and it's another to get a group of players that WORK TOGETHER WELL. Earlier this year, the Dallas Mavericks traded for Rajon Rondo. On paper, this is a really good fit for the Mavericks. Rondo brings solid defense and a great ability to make plays for people, and with scorers such as Monte Ellis and Dirk, one would thing that he can take the Mavs to another level. However, this season did not go as planned for the Mavs. Rondo and the Mavs management were bumping heads, in which Rondo was just not happy playing in Dallas. The unhappiness was clear, and his performance on the court was proof of that. This is one example displaying that chemistry is something that GM's must think about before adding/removing a player from a team. How will they fit with the other guys in the locker room? Do they represent what the organization stands for?

As we can see, general managers have to deal with a number of things. Would you be able to handle the pressure?