Sports teams and leagues such as the NBA and the Miami Dolphins have invested time and resources in building their social media presence, and most now have hundreds of thousands or even millions of online fans and followers. Many are now creating innovative opportunities for marketers to reach their huge, engaged (and often local) social audience ... at a scale that can eclipse TV, local newspaper ads or any other advertising vehicle.

With all the focus on March Madness, the start of the MLB and MLS seasons, the NFL lockout and the upcoming NBA and NHL playoffs, an event about 500 days away is already undergoing significant marketing and sponsorship activity around the world.

Consider that for the first time in three years, more than half of the over 1,000 fans that we surveyed, strongly agree with the statement, "This year will be a better year for me than last year." Couple this sentiment with three-year highs in sports fan perceptions of being more self indulgent, less price sensitive and abundant optimism about one's retirement prospects, and clearly the clouds may be lifting.

As the autos continue to rebound in 2011, I look forward to more associations and collaborations, not just through sports or influencer marketing, but also through event marketing.