Yes they are the defending World Champions and as so have a responsibilty to give back to their fans year-round. And from expansive foundations run by Mariano rivera, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Joe Girardi and many others, the New York Yankees do find ways to give back all year round, just like many teams on every level in every market. However what sets Hope Week apart for the Yankees is the expansive connections each and every member of the organization makes with so many different organizations during the busiest part of the season. The plan, which ranges from visits to having various groups and organizations come to Yankee Stadium, takes every part of the organization and exposes the brand to a wide variety of stories that will have a cumulatiive ripple effect way beyond the initial meetings. It is Community Relations and outreach to the max, and as a result garnered exposure not just locally but nationally, with a full-length feature on the Today Show on Friday.
Does this mean the Yankees cram all their good will into one wee. no. What Hope Week does is serve as a great example of what the value of sport and celebrity can do for so many charities and causes, and draws attention to all in one concerted effort. There is lots of followup, and lots of special events, the team and the players do prior and will continue to do after. However by focusing so many efforts in one week, it serves as a great reminder to all what the team can stand for in the community. This was not the first year of Hope Week, created by Yankees PR head Jason Zillo, but it was the most expansive, and should serve as a “Must Do” not just for baseball teams but for every elite team that wins a world title. Spain should do a hope week for soccer in World Cup…the Lakers in LA…the Saints (who probably do the most in the community) should emulate the wide concentrated variety in New orleans etc etc. It should also not end with the pro teams. The most elite of college programs should do the same, andthe USOC could handle as well. No the Yanks are not alone in bringing hope. What they have done first is really use the wide-ranging week, in midseason, to expand the brand and once again convey their leadership, this time off the field. Well done.
