Even at big events on the grandest of stages, little things matter. They matter also on small stages thrust into the spotlight as well.
Such was the case in four fun stops last week in and around the Big Apple.
First was a night at The Paley Center for what was essentially a coming out event for one of the grandest brands in all the world, the Argentinian Football Association. Now AFA has arguably the strongest, most prolific brand of any national football federation in the world. Heck, they are defending World Cup champions, have that Messi guy on their roster still, and have forged relationships with global brands from the Academy level to the highest levels of professional soccer across the world, not as a club, but as a Federation. On Tuesday they became the first Federation to officially put down stakes in the region where the World Cup Final will be held next summer, so that they can start strategizing and maximizing the building exposure for AFA from a business standpoint. Some may say it’s a bit presumptuous to assume that AFA will make it to Met Life Stadium, but it’s a pretty safe bet. It’s also a safe bet that by being first movers in establishing the Federation presence in New York they will be able to expand relationships for when the biggest moments come. They will be a part of the fabric of New York in sport…they have taken the replica World Cup trophy in and around the city and have made sure sporting icons have already engaged with the brand…for the duration (which includes this summer’s Club World Cup) of the growing global soccer universe’s arrival in New York. IT is a first mover mentality for a champion who shows how important it is to lead forward not back and be ready for when the moment arrives…again.
Then there was one of the best days on the sports calendar, the quarterfinals of The Big East Men’s basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden on Thursday. Under Val Ackerman and her staff, the league has gone from the brink of extinction to the top of the college basketball world pyramid in many ways, doing so having just one school (UConn) who has embraced the Holy Grail of high-level football. The tournament may be riding St. John’s resurgence on the back pages of the New York tabloids, but even when Rick Pitino’s squad wasn’t on the court there is a palpable vibe that makes the event bigger than basketball. Part of that is the attention to detail away from the play that makes the event so special. From the welcoming back of alumni to the acknowledging of First Responders during breaks, Ackerman and her team have made The Big East inclusive and special to everyone…every fan, every brand, every school. There is no detail that she isn’t involved with, no presentation that is too small, no hand too insignificant to shake. A big part of that is the company you keep, and Val has surrounded herself with veteran staff who understand the nuance and have the institutional knowledge to make everyone feel welcome and special. That inclusive attitude is embodied by John Paquette, the league’s head of communications, who is stepping down at the conclusion of this year. We joked on Thursday that all the nice things people were saying about John gave him a seat at his own funeral while still alive, but the reality is the comments were justified and then some. The servicing and relationship building with the media has evolved and continues to evolve, and Paquette hasn’t just rolled with the changes, he and his staff find solutions for everything from technology to credentialing, rarely making sure that those who have an understanding and bring value to the event are made to feel welcome. It is rare to find many of the same faces, some of whom at platforms less than what they used to, still in and around The MSG Expo Center. There is room to make sure people are taken care of and are treated with respect and dignity. New bloggers and spoken word staffers have as much a place as weekly newspapers and regional publications. The Big East finds a way to make things work and continue to grow and enhance media relationships on every level. Little things matter. It starts with the Comish and goes throughout every aspect of the league. A league that is as Major as it is Big.
Then there are the Violets. Friday, I made a pilgrimage to see an NCAA Sweet 16 matchup, actually two matchups, as the Violets of NYU hosted with the team left standing advancing to the Final Four. While the buzz around NYU’s men’s and women’s teams…the women are defending champs and undefeated, the men number one and one loss…might not be at the level of what St. John’s has done to embrace the city but the fun attention to detail and the way the team plays…with enthusiasm and joy… was a throwback reminder of why we get involved in this. It is a beautiful facility and was a worthwhile trip to the Village.
One more from the road. If you can call the Marriott Marquis, the road. Spent this Thursday at the SportsPro OTT Conference, and while there were lots of learnings and conversations in and out of the various nonstop discussion rooms, there were two things that jumped out at me. The first was from Sixth Street Partners Russell Wolff on the preponderance of new leagues starting up.
“We look at lots of opportunities, and have found that some of the greatest chances are not from new sports leagues but from leagues that are taking a different tact on sports that already have a base”
He mentioned soccer (NWSL, futsal and USL), cricket and basketball (Unrivaled) but made me think about TGL and golf, flag football, the UFL, even The Savannah Bananas. People may KNOW volleyball or cornhole or pickleball or table tennis, but the education process in taking a casual game to the intricacies of a professional sport without knowing the audience engagement, the media value and the brand partnerships can be very, very daunting. It’s not to say that new “sports” on the professional side can’t work, but the ones with a built in base that has seen success have the best chance in a challenged business investment space. Starting with knowledge and a track record base is one thing, starting from scratch is even more difficult. That’s the founder’s challenge; does the idea hold water as a full blown professional business.
The second framing opportunity came from Kings League, and if you don’t know what Kings League has done as a European startup, click here. What was most interesting was how the business was framed by way Djamel Agaoua, CEO and former NBA Europe Managing Director
“We designed a game to make sure something happens every 2-3 minutes.”
It wasn’t we launched a league…it was we designed a game. It changes the perception of the traditional and makes you THINK about the property differently. The audience primarily are young people who play games…on devices. They understand design, they understand how that design evolves with different iterations. Leadership speaks to the growth of the property in the language of the consumer.
Very smart and one to watch. Little shifts in thought and action matter.
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