“I’d rather be the observer not the observed.” There it was again, the value of knowing your role and doing it well. This time it was Sunday night on “60 Minutes” and the speaker was Little Steven Van Zandt, he of “The Sopranos” but more impactful even, of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. It was the second time in a month that CBS had touched on the role of those who work in shadows, albeit very bright ones, and how they find joy and fulfillment with where they are and what they do. The other one was on CBS Sunday Morning and author Tim Brown, whose book, The Tao of The Backup Catcher, touches the same subject. The piece however talked about the roles of those who see “sparkles” in what they do, from Billy Joel’s saxophonist to a secondary role actress on Broadway. You can watch that piece here, and listen to Tim, a very accomplished storyteller, here, as he joined us for our podcast.
Inflection Pointed. Is it me or is the term “inflection point” the new buzzword. From politics to women’s sports to Web 3.0, everyone thinks we are inflecting now…or are we? A friend reminded me that there are certain things that always seem to be labeled as permanent emergent…renewable energy, esports, Major League Soccer, even in some ways women’s sports…topics that are always “on the rise,” but never get there. And why are we inflicting inflection? By definition an inflection is “a point where the function changes from being concave (concave downward) to convex (concave upward), or vice versa,” so to say women’s sports is at an “Inflection point” is in no way accurate. The reality is that the inflection, going up, has been steadily going on for years but still needs vast amounts of dollars and partnerships and media to keep growing. If this were inflection time it would be now or down, and that’s not the case. The build is steady and will continue to grow…from volleyball to basketball to soccer and beyond…the case for sports by women is expanding its reach upward, not back.
Creative Bowling: We love how Bowl games keep trying to reinvigorate the name game. From the piece we wrote on Scooters Coffee, to this week, Famous Toastery, a Charlotte based chain looking to grow, and Go Bowling taking the title of the Military Bowl. Again, why slap your name on a second tier bowl game in a crowded schedule? Activation and exposure beyond just the signage. Duke’s Mayo found their way to cut through the clutter, and if you are pushing a chain battling the bigger names, or trying to find ways to invigorate a sport as family entertainment (Bowling Centers), taking the assets and the platform of ESPN, along with the activation you can do in the marketplace and with the team markets, you can make some noise if done right. It has to be about leaning in and creativity though, so let’s see what fruit, or breakfast sandwiches, will bear.
Tangible Memories: 46 yrs. ago this past week (Nov. 13) my grandfather & dad took me to my 1st ever NFL game; Seahawks 17 Jets 0 at Shea Stadium. They were our uncle/cousin Joe Mauro’s season tickets which he let us have for the game, and I will never forget. Not the result we wanted but I remember everything about that day, and although the program was lost to time, I still have the yearbook, Leroy Neiman cover & all. It reminded me within seconds of the other “first” games I went to, Mets-Phillies Fan Appreciation Day in 1972, Rangers-Minnesota North Stars 5-5 tie at Madison Square Garden in 1974, Knicks-KC Omaha Kings 101-100 OT loss in 1975, Giants-Colts preseason game in 1983, New York Nets-Indiana Pacers game at Nassau Coliseum in 1974, and on and on (even a WHA game between the Cleveland Crusaders and New York Raiders, Cosmos at Giants Stadium and the first college game I saw in person, Fordham and St. John’s as part of a doubleheader at MSG). The reason I raise this is because of the tangible things that led to memories…programs, ticket stubs, notes and the like. Those pieces of paper of various sizes and color may not have value all the time, but for certain instances they provide the hard link to the past. We have seen so many events go paperless, and there is a time and a place for the digital moment saved in a cloud and captured on a device, but as we have seen from a number of teams, leagues and events, the on-demand business of the hard collectable that is extremely personable and can be yes…priceless.
Lots to be thankful for. Enjoy the week.
