Nic Cartwright - The Inter-Atlantic CEO

Coping with disappointment

noreply@blogger.com (Nic Cartwright) — Fri, 11 May 2012 07:15:00 +0000

The thing with sports is – there is always a loser. That’s part of the reason that I love it so…. Sure, there is a winner aswell – and life is better with a win – but losing is part of what makes sport great. The knowledge that if you don’t win – then you lose…… The thought of wanting NOT to lose spurring you on just as much as wanting to win… I even know folk who would rather their opponent lost that they win…. Losing – and the fear of it is a powerful driver…

It’s so complete – YOU LOST!! It does not happen so much in other walks of life…. IN business – everyone can win, no one has to lose (although there are plenty of losers across the business spectrum for sure), in arts – it’s more about opinion – someone’s winner is someone’s else loser – there is no certainty that YOU LOST!!!

And given that there are always more losers than winners in sports – dealing with the disappointment of losing is one of the key lessons to learn in sports management.

I have just returned to Oman (and its 24/7 forty degree heat) after a 10 day whirlwind trip round UK/Italy meeting some great sports set ups – and furthering my own education. Squeezed into the trip were two games of sport that were really important to me…. Oman vs Senegal in final Olympic qualifier for London 2012, and Edinburgh Rugby taking on Ulster in their first ever Heineken Cup semi final.

Given the title of this blog – I am pretty sure you can guess the result of both these games – yep – we lost – but the pain was not a tough one to deal with – because I could see the positives in the defeat (“drifting into post match interview mode now Gary”), because I could see the achievement in reaching this stage was beyond expectation for both teams this term, and because the future appeared to be a lot brighter for both teams ‘despite’ the loss.

I think winning in sport is over-rated. Certainly winning “right now”. Failure is often seen as the inability to win – yet, given that only win team can ever truly win (in each field / competition) – what are the rest of us taking part for. Winning for me is the long term, the building, the growth, the delivering value to the team, the future, the community, your staff, your fans, yourself. Losing is failing to deliver on these – NOT scoring less goals that your opponent on the day in question….

For sure – some losses are super tough to take – when the expectation is such that you assume a victory, when the opponent is one that you don’t like (and emotions take hold), when the spoils of victory are so tantalizingly good and close – yes losses hurt (often more than winning is fun). You learn a lot from your losses (I am not certain that you learn more than when you win) – and its is coping with these defeats, learning from them, planning how to improve, and delivering on those lessons that go into producing world class performance on a consistent basis.

So – did I want to lose??? – NO. Was I happy that we lost?? NO.

Are we better teams because of the loss?? YES… (PS – we would have been even better had we won!)

There is a Bounty on your Soul

noreply@blogger.com (Nic Cartwright) — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 05:00:00 +0000

There’s a Fine Line in Love and Sports

The recent ‘outing’ of the New Orleans Saints bounty Programme (if you have not heard about it – basically players were given bonuses to deliberately ‘take out’ opposition players – often named star individuals) is another in the increasing occurrences of the blurring of the line between the win at all costs attitude that is common in professional sports, and the reason why we all started sports in the first place – it is Fun.

"I'm Sorry.......... I got caught"

Many will tell you that the W is all that counts, that you must do whatever it takes to ensure you or your team finishes on top. It is this attitude that makes people do strange things. Now that he has been caught, the Saints coach has apologized, and has spoken about his extreme respect fr the NFL. Yawn – I hate that kind of approach…. If you know are going to apologize – then just don’t do it….. If you are going to do it – then at least have the decency to feign apology and just admit that you had a lack of respect for the sport and that it was more important for you to get the win.

Neil Back’s deliberate foul to win the Heineken Cup, Dean Richards command to instigate Bloodgate, football’s (soccer) insane love of the act of play-acting, Antonio Margarito (or his trainer) adding weight inside his boxing gloves, horses getting juiced, weightlifters taking power enhancing drugs, Ben Johnson, Lance Armstrong (or not), Bill Bellicheck’s secret video taping – it’s a pandemic in world sports (I blame Boris Onichenko) and the growth is pretty much exponential.

When owners and leaders invest so much energy into beating the next (and every other) guy – when Sir Clive Woodward’s aggregation of marginal gains theory is espoused as gospel – of course people are going to push the boundaries of what is respectful. If you can get away with it and you earn that win – then HEH – it must be worth it……

For me – you cannot be more WRONG…..

If you cannot admit to others what you are doing, if you cannot admit to yourself even without feeling the need to apologize if others find out – then you are not acting in the right way. Sports is one of the most popular pastimes in the world – and certainly one of the most powerful for cultural change – as the youth are invariably taking part and influenced by the elite at the top of the structure….

Jolly Good Sport

As such, it should be carried out in the right way – with a smile on your face, with sweat at your brow (a lot!), with determination to compete (and ideally win) pulsing through your blood (not secret powder X), and with respect in your heart. Show the way to others, show the light in the future and be a positive influence on your world.

There is a lot to be said for knowing in your heart that you acted in the right way. A superbowl ring on your finger is a heavy weight – but you will carry an even heavier burden if you know that you obtained it via means fair AND foul.

NO!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Nic Cartwright) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 04:54:00 +0000

Is this the most powerful word in the Sporting language???

Think about it…. How do you react to a negative compared to how you react to a positive….???

Putting aside the fact that what everyone should be striving for is to “not react” ideally – but to pro-act – to be ready / to have planned out all outcomes, to know what you are doing at all times etc etc (if only eh!) – hearing the word “NO” really does drive you more than yes I feel….

No one likes to be told they are wrong, no one likes to hear rejection – and NO – let’s face it – is a negative word.

In cricket – you SCREAM “NO”, but gently amble a Yes….. IN football – when you see a poor ball about to be played – you repeat the word “no, no, no, no, no and on” – it is important to state your negative case…. Whilst in the office, a YES is great – time to celebrate, maybe even relax – but a NO means “Hell NO!” – redouble your efforts and turn that frown upside down…

So – we all agree then – NO is a big word.

Well – off pitch it is often a word that you will hear. But it is a word that you have to work hard to firstly not hear so much, and then secondly learn how to deal with the N, then the O. When you are selling a product – the natural reaction of your target is going to be no….. If they had been interested in your product, they would have called you…..

So how to deal with it…

Firstly- prepare aswell as you can. Understand your target, understand their needs – work out what they want to say YES to…, don’t let them think about No…..

Secondly – react well… you knew it was coming, you WERE prepared, you had Plan B all along.. make sure your target knows that NO is not a realistic option – and he/she was kidding / merely delaying the inevitable YES when they uttered NO….

Tweak what you are selling, tweak what you are saying – find the right balance for the target – don’t let them away……

It is often a good idea to avoid asking a question to which NO could be the answer. If you are just getting to meet someone – don’t ask “DO you want this?” – ask “What do you want?” – let them give the options and YOU make the choice…

Lots to do eh!! – see I told you NO was powerful. You don’t want to hear it. You don’t want to face the negative or deal with rejection – so work long and hard to avoid it.

So – Am I right???? (and we KNOW what not to say there don’t we…..)

Have a grand weekend (if you are Omani based) – if not – enjoy two more days at work!!

What a Day

noreply@blogger.com (Nic Cartwright) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 06:54:00 +0000

Well – almost a week has passed and I can just about find time / the words to describe the events of Oman vs Thailand. For those that don’t know (and you must have been wearing ear plugs – the noise generated would surely have traversed the globe) – Oman moved to the final stages of qualification for the FIFA world Cup in Rio 2014. Given their past results in this process – this was a BIG day for Oman

And hence (in my job) a BIG day for me. And believe me it was an awesome experience.

I have worked in sports for a good number of years now – and have managed an event at Wembley (65k), been an honored guest at a final at Old Trafford (70k), visited some great grounds as a paying (or not primarily) punter (Giants Stadium e.g.).

But I have to say that last Wednesday was the most exciting event I have been to. Stadium was not full (though it was fuller than it has been for a long while – self-congratulatory pat on back to accompany), but it was certainly rocking…..

The punters arrive about 3 hours before the game (no tailgating here – it’s just roasting in the sun) and the noise starts then. From then on it is just relentless – with the only change being the volume increasing as more and more folk arrive.

With so much riding on the game – with the team having come so far since the first three games of qualification (1 point) – with history being made – with Saudi starting so well in Australia (they were to eventually fall 4-2) – with SO much riding on the result – it was an energy sapping day. I am still yawning now just trying to recover from it all.

The team played well – fully deserved the win – but football is such a sport that had Thailand hit the net rather than the post – then surely all that match dominance would have ended in heroic failure (with the 2^nd goal scored at the death probably not happening).

Over-crowding in the VIP section, screaming in the VVIP section (my wife and family – including mum over for a trip – sat next to some very passionate well heeled dignitaries), kids (from invited schools) arriving at different locations and police with a point to prove (see earlier games) – in many ways it was carnage.

But what glorious carnage….. A few staff at the heart of it all – holding it all together…… And with the knowledge that despite some little niggles, what we had worked so hard for – a big and passionate crowd was going to see, nah – was going to help, the team achieve their historic victory.

My black suit was a bad wardrobe choice, my lack of sun screen a further poor decision – but what a day!!!

All I can say now is that (thanks to the glorious on pitch performance) we have 4 more days like that ahead of us.

Roll on Rio!!!

My Favorite Word

noreply@blogger.com (Nic Cartwright) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

When working in sports, your brain is alive all day long. When you earn a living doing something that you may do for free were life like that – there is a constant ‘brain-use’ – with ideas popping up, with thoughts growing, with plans afoot – it’s like Picadilly Circus / Times Square / Muscat City Centre Mall at 9pm (delete based on your “busy location” location) in the old grey matter.

Generally – sports does not have the history of business practice common in other fields, does not have the same level of investment (or belief) in systems that are sacred to the normal “suited and booted”, and does not place the same value in working to common business ideals. “It’s Sport”. With a professional approach only really in existence for the past 30 years (and often far less) – it is no wonder that things often do not work as they should.

So – with too much going on, and with no real systems yet in place – what is the one thing that I keep coming back to. What is the one piece of advice I could give to anyone looking to be a success in the sports world? What is the one word (we had to get to the title eventually) that I would say is the most important one…..

Well – what is it??

Organization!!

Dull eh…… Sadly, it cannot be all excitement and match day hospitality. Be organized, get organized, work organized – and you will get ahead. There is so much that is not organized, there is so much that is likely doomed to fail because everyone has too much to do, because there are no systems in place, because everyone is too DIS-ORGANIZED!!

The masters who can cope with the over work, the “too many” ideas, the lack of control, the lack of systems. These are the ones who will deliver the best results. It is not sexy to get yourself “sorted” – but it sure as hell pays off.

Do the best that you can do in all that you do (I am not one who subscribes to the “do one thing well rather than lots not well” – I am more in the “do as much as you can and do it ALL well” school) – but make sure it is organized.

Your brain will thank you!

GAME ON

noreply@blogger.com (Nic Cartwright) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 04:39:00 +0000

It’s GAME DAY

So my plans to increase my blog output failed to happen. My bad. To be honest - my double bad. I would apologies and say things are going to improve but you have heard it all before – and as they say action is louder than words (expect perhaps if you a Lumberjack) – so watch this space.

Today – the Oman National team take on Wigan Athletic in one of the most unlikely match ups in my career to date. London Broncos Rugby League taking part in the Dubai Union 7’s (little did I know 10 or so years ago that I would be back in the region full time. The Broncos were my life back then – many lessons learnt since then!).

It is the first in a series of 4 big games in the next 2 weeks that could quite possibly shape my career out here. No pressure then. Thankfully – the real issues are pitch side – though we (at the mighty OFA) have implemented some changes to try to beef up the interest levels / the commitment levels (and of course) the income levels earned on an Omani match day.

Change is always a tough beast to master – and where change is taking place in the glare of 10k people, with no real opportunity for testing – that change ramps up the pressure. We all have ideas about how our sports club should be running, about what we should do to improve the returns to our business. And tbh there is very little to guide each of us in what is the right path to take. In sports – where you deal with different cultures (as I am finding out here), different history and different geography even in the the same 10 mile radius – there are often many right routes to market.

So when it comes time to making those changes – especially on match day – where every punter who turns up has made a commitment to you of sorts (they made the effort to come did they not) – there are some key rules to follow to ensure change does not let you down.

· Don’t bite off more than you can chew – look at where you are coming from, look at the resources you have, and act accordingly. Read the situation well and know what you are doing.
· Get organized. Last minute rarely means first place. Budgets / staffing / communication / planning / the list (organized of course) goes on.
· Make it fun – at the end of the day – if people are smiling – even mistakes can be overcome. But if you get it all right and it is fun – then what’s not to like. Remember – there is no correct oath to take – but if you follow Laughter Lane or Cheery Close – then your path won’t be the wrong one.
· Don’t make promises you cannot keep. Be open, be honest, be communicative with people. If you are struggling – then do not hide it (where there is risk of failure leading to bigger problems). Work with people, let them see your effort.

ON reflection – Organizing changes to your match day is much like doing the same with a blog.

· My resources (here I go – about to blame them) – have been meager these 3 months (Internet at home just complete!!!). With my resources improved however – I still do not go overboard with the planned changes (to my blogging schedule) – as I know the history. Let’s just see shall we….
· Get organized – I have been meaning to prepare a plan for when and what about I should blog for ages. No plan – no blogging (despite the resource issue). See – it works - this advice thing!!
· Make it fun. The only reason (or main reason) I have continued with my blog is because I enjoy writing. It’s FUN – with a capital F U N.
· No promises. End of. I have learnt thanks.

So – if you are in the area – pop on over to Seeb Stadium (Muscat for those that don’t know. Oman – for those that really don’t know. The Middle East dummy – for those that must have flunked out of high school when the Geography teacher rocked up)). Entry is free – and there are loads of exciting changes to check out!!!

Step up to the Plate

noreply@blogger.com (Nic Cartwright) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 03:38:00 +0000

First off - an apology / an excuse / an omission of guilt.... So - yes the new country, the flat hunting, the lack of wifi (yet), the new job, the exploration of a new culture, and my overall lack of blog-ammittment have meant I have been rather lax/tardy/shocking with keeping my blog up to date - so from the bottom of Omani sunrise (as I wait here to head into work) - I am sorry. Hopefully (not a term you should be using in sports really - masters of our own destiny that we are you know) - hopefully I will make sure I update more regularly. So- onward compadres.......

As someone (possibly fictional) once said - “With great power, comes great responsibility” and this can never be more true than in the business of leading sports. Now for sure every business leader should accept a personal responsibility - should have an inner drive that means he (other sex leaders are available) is motivated to be “the leader” of his organization and that organizations’s failure should be seen as a reflection on him/her as a leader.

And sadly in today’s day and age - the motivators of personal gratification, personal reward, personal ambition seem to hold more sway - the recent Global Financial issues have certainly highlighted plenty of leaders who have been in it (knee deep) ‘for themselves”. Yes - it is nice to be well rewarded for what you do for a living - but it can never just be about YOU....

So - moving onto sports - and where business cross culture more than in the world of bullet-makers, pumpkin farmers and cheese-graters (a personal favorite). No disrespect to these other careers it’s just that sports has the power to grab hold of people, to impact on a culture and to really make a difference...

And it is here that leaders need to really step up to the plate. If you cannot say to yourself that it is YOUR responsibility to leave any organization you work for in a better place than when you joined - then you are not worthy of holding that office. I am not saying that people will join companies looking to do a bad job or purely for personal gain (though there are many whose sole aim is the ladder of greed) - but there are far too many examples to mention of sports franchises whose leaders have jumped ship when another opportunity appears - leaving clubs in the mire, leaving plans unfinished, leaving clubs far worse off than when they started.....

Football clubs all over the land are prime examples of where unscrupulous folk have made a personal killing at the expense of land sale, TV rights banked, star payers sold, wages escalated in the pursuit of a quick thrill, and leaders walk away (often to their next pay-packet) with no shame, no legacy and no honor. NOTE - footballs is far from the only black sheep in the family - Sport seems to have a habit of attracting some of the dodgiest “geezers” (yes - proof that I remain English) the planet has to offer.

And it is wrong - sport has so much power for good - there needs to be a pact - a commitment - that if you work as a leader in sports - if the s**t hits the fan at your place - you stay to sort it out. If you are the reason behind the stinky mess - then it is your job to make personal sacrifices to clean it up. If you want to just make as much money as you can, if you want to leave the earth having accumulated a huge amount of wealth that is no use to you - then find an alternative career. If you want to work hard and work long for the improvement of the world around you then (outside of possible ‘000’s of better humanitarian cause related jobs) - sport is the career for you!!

Agreed??

Then let’s shake on it....

Shakes hand.... checks fingers for loss of rings etc.....

#it’salongbattle

NOTE - if you want a good track to get you started (certainly whilst typing) in the morning - head to Tom Petty - Running down the Dream. NOTE - if you want a track to put you back in the mood for another couple of hours sleep - head to Tom Petty - Freefallin’... NOTE - probably best not to mix the two!!

A journey of Adventure

noreply@blogger.com (Nic Cartwright) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 07:59:00 +0000

After landing in the Middle East - in the beautiful country of Oman - some might think that my stories of adventure should be over. You know - but the mundane aspects of life sorted, find a house, get settled into the daily grind of 30 degree heat, beach, sun, sand - you know the tough stuff...

However - this week sees an exciting event in my life - with my first “guest blog”. For someone who spent the last year blogging about our world travels, and then the past few months just writing about my interest in the sports world - this was not an aim as I set out - but over the time I have been learning about the USA - I have met some fun and interesting people online.

In honor of the fact that my blog will be appearing on someone’s else’s website - I thought I would introduce you to a few of the folk I have come across - and tell you how I managed to end up with a moment of Internet infamy!!!

So - having landed in USA after our world tour was over (sniff sniff) - I found out that my sister-in-law was a big Twitter user (she is a future ‘big cheese’ in Hollywood with some great movies out and in the pipeline - follow her here). In discussion on the topic - she explained how beneficial it was to learn about stuff of interest to her. My prior knowledge (despite having signed up early - I follow everything that is ‘in’ of course) - was pretty poor - so after this introduction - I decided to do some digging of my own. (I also decided to try and chase her to 100 followers - her stated aim at that time.... sadly I was about a week after her - so 1-0 to Amanda).

Whilst my core interest was (and is) sports - what I soon found was that there is a sub-culture (probably not so ‘sub’ to be honest) of folk who use the social media options in a very prolific and effective fashion. SM experts, Marketing experts, PR experts, Spin experts - there is mileage to be made online - and I felt it was another area for my to learn about.

So - you follow the information chain - and after popping in on some bloggers my first big step was to make a few comments on other people's work. Margie Clayman was kind enough to reply to one of my posts - ending in the writing of a Blog piece (on my own site - about Social Media and Snow White - look it up!) - so I start following Margie (who writes from really charming stuff) - and watching who she was following / commenting on.

My own personal ‘7 degrees of separation’ (it’s actually a lot less online - you can now be connected to everyone in 1 go - just ask Lady Gaga or Justin Beiber) - then took me to Gini Dietrich - who was the first person to open my eyes to flat out niceness (she introduced herself with the words “you are becoming one of my favorite commenters” - I did not know what I had done - but I was chuffed that someone with such online gravitas was noticing).

And then a few short weeks later - after I again posted some glib comment on one her Spin Sucks blog pieces - Gini challenged me to write a blog for her - BOOM! - I had not expected it (you never expect the unexpected someone once said).

So there was have it - from Amanda to Margie to Gini to online superstardom (minor category). My new job, the timezone, and the less than perfect wifi connections are going to keep my blogging levels down (though I plan to continue) and my tweeting days will be dramatically reduced - but I enjoyed the journey and I hope that I will continue to build relationships online - especially now that I am a long way from past homes where the internet allows them to continue.

Why not jump in yourself - it is sure to be an adventure!!!

Thanks to anyone and everyone who has contributed (you don’t know who you are!) - if you want to read my moment of Blogging immortality - then head over to Spin Sucks website - It goes live on Tuesday.

No pics on this blog - download / upload speed is going to be a problem methinks...

It's not just the team

noreply@blogger.com (Nic Cartwright) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 04:59:00 +0000

In my new guise as Commercial Director of the Oman Football Association, we view is undoubtedly going to be Middle Eastern, Asian primarily moving forward. However, we focus remains world sport and with a growing interest in USA to complement my Ozzie and Brit experience - stay tuned.

Since I arrived a week ago - Oman has picked up 4 points from 2 tough FIFA world cup qualification games - and what seemed a lost cause a short time ago is now a very real prospect of progression - which would be outstanding.

The fact tat only 5,000 came out to watch Oman take on Australia (the best team in the group) at home was due to the drop off of interest after recent poor performances, and the perceived lack of quality / chance to progress. The win there and a draw in front of 60k+ Saudis has given the team (and the sport) the shot in the arm in needed.

Now - there is an expectation (no pressure then Nic) that we will have 30,000 cheering us on at the end of February - when we face Thailand.

So it’s simple then isn’t it - team plays well - good crowd, teams plays badly = poor crowd. Well - yes to a degree in that a good performing team is obviously one of the most important factors to drive your business. But if you think that is it - and we should al pack up and go home - think again.

The job of a sports marketeer is to reduce the impact of the team’s performance to a minimum. When every team is doing its utmost to beat you - you cannot rely on your team to win all the time (maybe unless you are the All Blacks - 85% win record Graham was it??).

Our job is to do everything else well - interact and energize your fan base, cultivate, nurture, and grow your corporate support; build a growing and meaningful database; dominate the relevant media you require; present your organization in the right image; build for the long term.

If the team wins along the way - then Heh!! - use that to your advantage.

But please - no moaning about poor performance off the pitch when the team loses. The growth of the franchise, or the association is down to you - so get to work!!

New Start, New Country

noreply@blogger.com (Nic Cartwright) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:51:00 +0000

So - for those of you alert enough over the past few weeks, months (almost years) - you should have twigged that I am/was looking for work. A departure from Scotland, a long way round to USA and then a concerted attempt (once the VISA issues were progressing) towards landing a job in American sport.

Be that New York, Hawaii, Alaska or Arkansas - the plan was a Yankee one (though I have learnt that means something different in the State vs UK - so I might well stop using the term). So - how come we are moving to Oman!!

Oh man - I hear you squawk - that’s a turn up for the proverbials.

Well, in life opportunities come your way, life does not always go according to plan, sometimes life can turn a funny corner. And we have certainly proven we are happy to take on new challenges, new cultures, and new timezones!!

So here we are (or at least I am - Steph will head on out after a New York christmas) - and we are both truly excited about the next 2 plus years. Oman had an awesome reputation for being a truly magical country full of stunningly friendly people - whilst I will be working for the Oman Football Association - in football/soccer - the game that the Brits “gave” to the world (other ‘origin’ stories may exist) - which is really exciting for me.

Who knows where the future will take us - the region is accelerating through cultural growth at a rate of knots - so tough to say what life will be like next year let alone beyond that. But we plan to use our Middle Eastern time to continue to build relationships with folk in the States, we plan to work hard at what we do, and we plan to continue to enjoy life.

For anyone ready to come and visit us - our door is always open (note - burglars need not apply) - we look forward to giving you a truly Arabian welcome.

My thanks to everyone who has been helpful in my job hunt these past few weeks, thanks to all our family and friends (all around the world) for your support (financial and other) as we have meandered to this point, thanks to new American friends, and most of all thanks to Jeff and Grace (and Dutch) for giving up your living abode!!!

Contact details to follow.

This blog will continue - with its sports focus punctuated from time to time with a Middle Eastern episode - so stay tuned.

Sport’s MIssed Opportunities

noreply@blogger.com (Nic Cartwright) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 14:34:00 +0000

You may have heard/read me say this before - but I am a big fan of Sports’ ability to deliver positive impact. Not just the exhilaration of the win or the genius - but increasingly the cultural impact our sports stars have on the populace and their cultural mindset.

People in sport have an opportunity - nah a duty - to do the right thing. They are influencing so many people around them with their actions - that as a collective (and often individually if you are really good) - we can shape the future.

In today’s celebrity driven society - there are many signs that the direction the world is being led is the wrong one - with respect, trust, care being attributes less highly sought after than greed, desire, self-gratification.

The news that Steve Williams has apologized seems to have ended his latest Tiger Woods episode - with players and administrators drawing ranks around the private event where a racial slur was laughed out.

Rather than putting to an end the episode though it highlights the seemingly inbred nature of the poor attitudes many seem to have. Because the slur was ‘in private’ - it should not count. “We did not mean it to be heard in public” - allows the comment to be brushed away. It’s as though the squeaky clean image coveted by many in golf is the one for the public - to make sure we deliver the right message for the sponsors, to ensure we get our sponsorship income.

But behind closed doors - “you must” allows us to show the real us - “it’s OK to joke around using antiquated terms” as we are all in this together and we all know it is a laugh.

It’s a trend that is seemingly being used over and over. Sports stars know that when they are in the public eye - they need to behave, they need to present themselves ‘right’. But they miss the point - if you are a decent person, then you don’t need a public and private switch. If you know how to act right - then act right - don’t keep your real feelings hidden away until a private party when you are unleash all the misguided humor/hatred/barbs.

The fashion seems to be growing that we have poor role models learning how to present themselves in the right way to maximize their returns - in the misguided belief that the paying public won’t notice who they really are.

What the world needs is real role models - people who are themselves first and foremost - and who act in an honorable and worthy fashion - all the time, not only when people are watching. This does not mean I don’t want everyone whiter than white - I want people to make mistakes (but deal with them in the right fashion).

What I want is for sport to take up the mantle to be a positive impact and to run with it. Let’s score a goal for humanity!!!

Why a Re-brand is rarely the answer

noreply@blogger.com (Nic Cartwright) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 12:54:00 +0000

Today sees the likely return of the London Broncos to the sporting landscape. For those in the dark - they are the latest rebirth of the London rugby league professional team - a team that has struggled for years to gain a foothold in the London sporting landscape. Originally set up in 1990’s (from prior name) - they morphed into Harlequins RL in early 2000s. (NOTE - my resume contains work for both the Broncos, and the Harlequins - so I have more interest than most).

Without dwelling on the detail of this example - what this does highlight for me is “over” focus placed on a Re-brand. I have seen quotes saying that the support want “London” in the title, that there is a connection to the Broncos brand, that the Harlequins brand could not connect with Rugby LEague folk.

A brand is far more than a name or a logo. A company’s brand should be everything that the franchise is about. A brand is who you are - your logo is your name badge. (For more passionate detail on this - see an earlier blog).

And without knowing more about the detail about today’s news for the Quins/Broncos - it seems that far too much stock is being placed in changing the club’s name.

What is needed for a franchise to make a significant impact on a tough market is more, much more than a name -

Stability - let people get used to what you are doing. Show people you are committed. Show people that though you don’t have much of a past, you are committed to the future. (i.e. don’t change when things get tough)
Financial stability - the root of all stable businesses - the business model has to work. Throwing money after a dream (based round a new name or any other minor business strand - headline player / tough talking coach etc) is not going to work. You need a prudent plan for growth (supported by some fantasy thinking/spending if you want).
Promotional Stability - know what you are selling, know who you are selling to. Grow the numbers (tough to do if you keep changing the message) and work harder than the next person to deliver your goals. There are a few simple rules to follow (CRM being one) - but after that - it’s just about busting your b***s. Get yourself organized - and keep working hard. Invigorate the local community with consistent messages, excite the Press with your plan, don’t confuse the marketplace by changing your ideas/actions too often.

Changing the brand rarely works - much as changing a manager rarely delivers long term success - unless it is part of a wider plan to get the franchise on the right track.

The three core factors for sporting franchise success are Plan (come up with a good - and relevant - one), People (make sure you have good ones doing the right thing) and PUSH (push, push, push - harder and harder, further and further - you will achieve success).

The sad part about the failure of the Harlequins Rugby LEague venture was that the first two strands above - Stability and Financial Stability were in place (or certainly more so than at any time in the franchise’s history). From the outside looking in (I have zero contact or knowledge of activity at the club in recent years) - it appears that no real progress was made in promoting the Quins. And now with another ground move rumored - it seems that the London Rugby League team really will be starting again.

I wish them luck.

In it for the long haul...

noreply@blogger.com (Nic Cartwright) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 21:46:00 +0000

I have a few mates who are Chelsea fans - so they won’t like me using their unfortunate result over the weekend as the seed of this blog. And I am not picking on Chelsea because they have loads of money and a CHairman who is addicted to immediate success (well at least he was - let’s see how AVP goes before we make rash judgements on Roman now).

No - the reason I wanted to highlight that result was because it merely highlights Arsenal’s resurgence - a win at Stamford Bridge is a rare win indeed.

And for me it highlights what is a core part of delivering success to a SPorts franchise.

You always got to plan for the long term. Longevity rules.

For sure there are other factors that help teams become winning - and Man City’s cash-splash has certainly short circuited the process - though all the work they are doing certainly smacks of building a legacy / growing a team / planning for the long haul.

When Arsenal started the season so poorly - many were saying that Arsene’s time was over - that his reign has run its course. What these punters were missing was that in all likelihood (and based on evidence of the past 10+ years) - the poor start was a blip. And Arsenal’s win at Chelsea at the weekend would seem to indicate that the blip is over.

Arsenal’s business model is one that screams stability, all the messages they put out - from the top down - are that they are focused on long term development. Arsene has been there for eons, Ivan talks candidly about building for the future, their young players are committed to the long haul (or so their Twitter feeds indicate) - and Arsenal want to be a powerhouse for years to come.

So do many others - but some of these feel that the best way to achieve this success is using the “Get Rich Quick” methodology that is hit or miss at best.

Arsenal are competing against Clubs with better resources - though they do very well commercially - and it is going to be hard to finish in front of United, City, Chelsea. Spurs, Liverpool seem to have started to work towards a long term plan - so they are likely to be more competitive than in years gone by - but Arsenal have had a long term vision for some time now - so they should be able to stay in front of their competitors (for now).

As you plan for success - look long into the future - and make sure you plan accordingly.

Listen up Rugby - here’s some ideas....

noreply@blogger.com (Nic Cartwright) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 02:25:00 +0000

As a follow up to my Blog on the Rugby World Cup and Rugby’s future - I was asked by Bill Lothian (from Edinburgh’s Evening News) for some suggestions. No doubt it is only fair to ask for some answers to the questions that I posed - so here we go....

Some of these may seem out of reach, or unlikely to happen - but if you look at sports over a longer time frame than the immediate (as most tend NOT to do) - then just about anything is possible.... Who foresaw UFC’s growth vs Boxing in the past 10 years, who would have predicted that Man City would be the likely pre-eminent club in Manchester into the next decade - you get the picture. Life’s what you make it - someone once said - after all....

First things first - Rugby does a lot right - some of the most enjoyable days out are round Rugby - the 6 Nations, the Heineken Cup final (and earlier at many locations) - and as a sport it has a culture and a history that are the envy of the world. It imbues some of man’s (and woman’s) finest attributes and there are millions of folk round the world who will swear by it.

But it has a lot wrong. The safety first society that we increasingly live in means a worried parental eye on the sport and it’s safety issues. Those in the front line/row wear the contest as a badge of honor - but the contest is a dangerous place to be. The game itself has real issues with holding a un-motivated audience. Those in the know can feel the excitement, but trying to create a new audience is hard when the game can be slow moving. And despite its global growth (in TV revenues), the number of major nations playing the game is pretty limited - when compared to Soccer of course, but increasingly to other sports on the rise.

How to improve....

Cultural change is how the world moves. We all follow fashion, we all follow our peers, sports become en vogue, grow and fall in popularity. All activity that sports clubs undertake ultimately are designed to impact on the culture of the community around them. So - Rugby needs to take steps to plan for the culture of the future....

Short term - sporting changes to the contest would improve the visual spectacle. Purists will hate to change the way the game is played - but it is the fast moving action that attracts the newbie. The collisions, the skills on show. It is not the never ending scrums, the laws that no one understands, the moments of hidden ball (mauls) - these are great for the converted but dull as dishwater for everyone else.
Innovation - global sporting contests tend to follow a similar format - lots of games of big un’s against small un’s. Rugby’s problem is that the small ones have no chance. The ability to score points is more pronounced in Rugby than in Soccer for example. Stuart Barnes came up with a new way of playing the RWC that offered more competitive games, whilst still promoting growth. ANything that shows innovation, delivers excitement and uncertainty should be considered. If Rugby positions itself as the innovative sport, the one that leads on new ideas - this will offer an advantage against larger sports. As soccer fails to embrace Technology - Rugby can steal some ground.
Use Rugby 7’s better - this is a sport that is easier to understand, offers more passing, more running and more immediate excitement per minute than the longer form. The IRB 7’s series has grown for sure - but it is not growing quickly enough. Other sports are eyeing up the global market place - NFL in London, NBA in China, EPL in friendlies across the globe - will all generate more $$$ than the 7’s series. Cricket’s Twenty 20 competition has given Cricket a huge advantage over Rugby - in opening up one of the world’s larger Sports revenue marketplaces. Rugby has an asset - use it.
Target the Bigger markets. The USA has 14.5M active baseball players. The Chinese are addicted to Basketball (though this interest may wane with Yao Ming’s retirement). The Indians are mad fer’ cricket of course. Rugby has its own Super power - Japan have stated their desire to win the RWC in 2019 - let’s try to make this happen. There is a growing interest in Rugby in the US - they like the collision - let’s make this happen.
Financing some of these ideas IS possible. Rugby is still a relatively less well paid sport. There is a chance to set Rugby up as the sport that looks after the sport and its community rather than lining the pockets of those lucky enough to participate. As culture grows more upset with today’s society - Rugby is well positioned to keep the players wages down, and hence invest in the future of the game. Whilst the major sports are the best paid at this time - there is no Rule that says this has to stay the same. NBA are arguing over a 50% salary cap, EPL are at 70%, whilst the NRL in Australia are at 35% - let’s find a way to commit the significant % of all Rugby generated income to growing the sport. This all requires a loss of self interest and a collective agreement - so tough to achieve in today’s culture...... but if we want to change culture - then tough steps are required.
Simple stuff - get organized - Sports governing bodies have a habit of making poor decisions, or appearing to. Rugby certainly has its own examples. It’s leadership is still in many ways stuck in the amateur past - with committees everywhere, “blazers” making uneducated decisions, self interest to the max. Radical change in the sports government - with the goal to take the sport beyond the horizon is needed. Something brave, something new, something to make the cultural changes.

Outside of cultural change (and I have not mentioned any number of Marketing initiatives possible above - do the job better than Soccer, than Darts, than the cinema etc) - there are other areas for possible improvement.

Technology is super important in today’s society. Technology is growing exponentially - the I-pod is only 10 years old - can you believe that. Technology plays a huge impact on our lives - and is a hugely awesome option in sports. Some sports embrace the new, embrace the future - and those that embrace Technology will soon lead. The ‘inner sanctum’ of the Dressing room is still just about off limits to Rugby viewers - whilst other sports embrace it. Rugby needs to put aside its stuffy image and become THE sport that delivers for fans, for TV. ‘Mike up’ the captain during the game, become the first sport that allows on pitch commentators (maybe ex players who know where to go and where not to go) - crazy ideas for sure - but only because they are not accepted. The lesson is to be the first, to be the new, to be the Remarkable (stolen from Seth Godin).

Sport is about to enter a golden age - (see earlier blog) - Society is set up to really value the emotional attachment that Sport offers. If Rugby wants to keep it part of the pie - it’s time to shape up.

Does money really make the ball go round....

noreply@blogger.com (Nic Cartwright) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 01:50:00 +0000

Manchester was rocked by a sports result of unheralded proportions today - as United (arguably the world’s largest sporting brand) was swept aside by City (unarguably the world’s wealthiest club). City dominating United 6 goals to 1.

Whilst it would be foolish to read too much into one result - and no doubt Sir Alex Ferguson will have plugged the hair-dryer in to get the best reaction from his players - for me this result was indicative of the way that the Premier League has been run since its inception and was a result that highlights some of the problems that sports has to deal with.

So - the result. No one saw it coming but the #1 reason for City’s win is Cash - and lots of it. Roberto Mancini appears to be a fine fellow, City have bought some great players, and the club seem to organizing themselves really well. But without the cash - they would be nowhere.

Manchester United have been the biggest club since the start of the Premier League - and whilst many will tell you that Sir Alex is the best manager, or their team is a better run one that all their competitors - the reason they have won the bulk of the Premier League titles - is exactly that - they are the biggest club. Their income can be 10 (or more) times larger thad some of their opponents and is at least 25% bigger than their nearest rivals.

We all want sport to be about the battle of the human spirit - a collection of talented and motivated individuals forged into the best team with a combination of training, tactics and passion. And it is possible to outperform against your competitors if you do your job better than them. However - some advantages can be really tough to overcome - and in an industry where everyone is looking for 1% gains - a 25% bigger budget should really lead to victory every time!!

What Man City’s win does for me was simply prove that money can and will buy success. They are now everyone’s favorite to win the title. They have done this because they have more money - and they are using it correctly. The simple extrapolation is hence that Man Utd have been winning because they are the biggest - not because Sir Alex is a guru.

Not a great place to be really. As sports should be decided on the pitch by supreme athletes battling on a level playing field. Not by who has the biggest wallet.

UEFA’s financial fair play rules will go some way to address this - whilst Liverpool’s recent call for a ‘fairer’ distribution of overseas TV revenue will not. But for a truly fair competition - clubs need to look West and bite the bullet. The American sports franchise models are against the culture of British sports - with salary caps, revenue sharing and player drafts all leading to a hugely competitive and variable winners. Would the Premier League ever really go down that route.

Past statements have always said a resounding “NO” - but the City 6-1 win will leave a lasting impression. And if Man United see that they can no longer guarantee their forward march - maybe they might even join the call for a greater good.

Swim, Bike and Run your way through Social Media

noreply@blogger.com (Nic Cartwright) — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 19:48:00 +0000

It is often said (“who by NIc?”) that navigating the world of Social Media is a lot like the world of professional sports. Whilst I would have serious issues with whoever these people are who are saying this (e.g. - I don’t get changed into a uniform before I write this blog), I guess for the purposes of this piece - “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em”....

So here - in a hastily put together analogy using one of the world’s fastest growing professional sports (and one that I actually really enjoy myself - though far from the professional arena) - is my call as to “Why getting started in Social Media is like doing a triathlon”......

Prep work - getting ready. You have no real idea of what you are letting yourself in for. You have all the basics covered (swimming, riding a bike, running, knowledge of Facebook/Twitter/etc) - but it also looks like it will be really painful to master.....

Event 1 - the swim. You dive in - head first if you are brave enough, but you could ease your way in and just get used to the water before starting off on your own journey if you so wish. Once you have started - you better keep on moving forward - but you have no real visibility ahead of you and you can’t look back - whilst all around you are many many others making a huge splash. You can’t really see where you are headed - though you know the direction you are headed in. It’s probably best to keep your head down, come up for air every now and again - and follow the crowd. SO - lot’s of following then.....

Event 2 - the bike. More following - often on the coat tails of the pace setters (slip streaming / drafting / copying some might call it). By now - you should have found a pack that you feel comfortable in - smaller than the genpop but still a large group - if it’s a good one - they will all be looking out for each other. The better you are in this event - the more likely that you will find other people following you, and you may even warrant a ‘pack’ of your own.

Event 3 - the Run. Time to set off on your own path. You don’t need any support to move forward. You know what you need to do to get to the end of the race - and you know the route/pace/direction you will travel in. If you really succeed - then every single person will be following you home - though for the mid-level triathlete - you will find solace in doing your own race in the midst of the race population. You will have your own goals, and hopefully you will achieve them. And if you don’t - well there is always another race next week / after work.

NOTE - For the purposes of this Triathlon/Social Media/Crammed analogy - the transition stages were omitted. Happy to take suggestions for how getting out of a wetsuit and into a pair of slinky running briefs equates to the Internet.... Hang on - on 2nd thoughts - let’s just leave it there...

Another NOTE - Nic is a recent (ish) arrival to the USA - having had a stellar career in Sports Club management in the UK. He is available, VISA’d up, and chomping at the bit to help your organization. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find him (it should be pretty easy - just use the contact details listed on this site), maybe you can hire..... Nic. If you want to learn more about Nic - check out his awesome Video Resume site (his words not mine...... ) shown here......

Rugby World Cup's Future

noreply@blogger.com (Nic Cartwright) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 16:25:00 +0000

Rugby Union ‘sells’ its World Cup on the headline that it is the 3rd biggest sporting event on the calendar. The Olympics, the Soccer World Cup, and then the Rugby World Cup - so the story goes....

I am still not sold on this myself - even though my allegiances lie with the Rugby field - it just does not seem to do the game justice, nor drive the game forward. Now I know that the game has hurtled forward at a rate of knots since professionalism - so it appears as though I am talking from the bottom of a huge maul (unsighted and struggling to see teh bigger picture) - but it is not an event that I can get excited about.

Think about it...

It's an event that does not tell many stories.... It rumbles on for weeks and weeks - with little to get excited about unless your team is still in it. How many stand out games have there been in the whole competition. My current sport guru tipping % is close to 90% - that’s right 9/10 games are easy to predict - and this with me - as someone who likes to roll the dice a bit on tipping to try to stay ahead of the game (I never do!). Uncertainty is what you want for any sporting event and teh RWC is anything but.

Fair enough when the quarter finals start - the global heavyweights can throw up some ‘less predicted’ results - but as we have seen these are very little to do with outstanding play. England lost because they were awful, South Africa lost because the ref was awful, New Zealand won because they were always going to. OK - so Wales won and picked up plaudits in the process - but they lost 2 of their 3 biggest games in the tournament - so can not really pick them as the saviors of the World cup.

New Zealand - everyone’s favorites - will likely romp away with the trophy this weekend - depriving us of the only real story every 4 years - who will the All Blacks lose to despite having dominated the sport for the 4 years prior to the RWC.

Rugby is a phenomenally passionate sport - one that connects with its supporters almost like no other in the world. It is certainly one that I will sit down in front of any enjoy more than most - but this is because of the cultural attachment I have to the game rather than any real excitement I get form the sport.

As rugby’s fans age, and a new breed comes on board - cultural attachments only last so long (a lifetime in fact) - so Rugby needs to start doing more to safeguard it’s future.

Having been in the States for a few months - I have been watching sports alien to me - Baseball, Football (American version) - and these are games that have had more time to realize that you need to hold attention with more than just the ‘love of the game’. Both sports are ones that are misunderstood outside of the US - but as their aspirations move globally (as all sports are having to do) - have no fear that in years to come there will be more and more events prepared to challenge Rugby as the 3rd largest event on the planet. Not even considering for now that quite possibly the RWC is already challenged by the Major League Baseball playoffs (they last about as long) as world events - I dare say that more $$$ generated by those than the RWC.

in honor of my bro-in-law

Rugby needs to recognize the need to modernize, to excite and take steps to improve as a spectacle. The leaders at the top of the sport needs to sort themselves out (a mess all round the world seems to be the current trend) - and get busy to safe guard the games long term future.

In the meantime - good luck to both teams for the weekend’s game. Stay away from any Kiwis you know if France somehow pull off the win.

How Baseball showed me the way forward in life....

noreply@blogger.com (Nic Cartwright) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:53:00 +0000

You know the drill. On the USA side of the pond, 30 something teams play each other day after day for about 8 years hoping to get into the play offs and then one of them is crowned World Champion. Everywhere else no one has a clue or actually cares.

Baseball is a sport that polarizes more than just about any other - with those who love it, loving it, and just about everyone else hating it - even those who have never seen a game.

Now here I am - splat down in the middle of the Play off series (catchily titled the ALDS, NLDS, ALCS, NLCS - never let it be said that my American neighbors don’t love acronyms) - and I am learning a lot.

Firstly, I am loving Baseball. Yes, it helps that the playoffs suddenly introduce a story line to each game (with a series decided in a week or so vs the long drudgery of 162 game season) - but I have been to 2 regular season games as well - and I think having immersed myself in the sport (go to game, read on line, pick up the paper, ask knowledgeable (ish) questions of aficionados, watch the TV) - I just get it....

I will keep it simple - for those of you not based in USA - but it just works for me. It does not offer rolling action, and it is tough to determine any real athletic genius (the margins for error between great hit and foul are tiny) - but the key is that it delivers so much intrigue, so many stories. For someone like me who loves the thinking in a sport, the planning, the working out how to win - Baseball is like a moving, thinking animal.

It’s similarity to cricket is something that I was really surprised by - and one that both sports probably would prefer to avoid - but the way that ‘outs’ or wickets have to be worked out, have to be earned is compelling.

Anyway - onward - this blog is not about promoting baseball - each to their own and all that. Onto the second (and key) point of this piece.

Baseball has had another impact on my thinking. Picture again the headline news at the top - Baseball is alien, baseball is unknown to anyone outside the USA (all the exceptions to this prove the rule OK!). I knew nothing about it (just about), and my education has been one that I can actually ‘feel’ myself going through.

Then, an awakening. I have moved to a new country, a new continent - with new cultures, new rules, new methods. Nervousness was there with the move, excitement of course - but I had not clocked that I would be learning, that I would be improving as a person.

Looking back - I guess it is obvious - and maybe it is a flaw that I should have been working on. But baseball has shown me the light.

You will never achieve everything that is possible in life. With every step that you take, another awaits. At every decision you make, more opportunities will open up - and the horizon that you are forever chasing towards, will keep getting wider and wider (though it may indeed get closer at the same time - if that does not make sense - go speak to a scientist/psychologist cross).

There is so much that we are either unaware of or lacking in knowledge in life - and even though we may think that we are doing well with our own lot - there is something like Baseball (huge in it’s own way) just waiting for you to go explore.

The lesson this has given to me is that I need to keep pushing, need to keep improving, need to learn of different cultures, need to challenge myself as often as I can (fair-play mind - I am more than happy to book in a few non-challenging days - maybe catch a bit of baseball).

I knew nothing of baseball before (the new cultures/events dotted around the world), but now my eyes have been opened up to its wonder (you will grow by taking in these new things), and I know that I will be a better person for getting to experience the game (life gets better the more you soak up).

I cannot see myself ever loving it to spend 162 days a year watching my team perform, but I will always remember Baseball as the sport that showed me what I should be doing for the rest of my life.

OK - off to plan my next 'home run'

The Golden Age Approaches

noreply@blogger.com (Nic Cartwright) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 13:56:00 +0000

Tough times right across the world. The past two years have been a shock to the global system and there seems to be no end in sight. Damn those bankers eh!! I have no doubt that there is a huge amount of financial pain and suffering (and subsequent impact) going on.

However - I believe that despite this - the sports industry has every right to feel bullish about the next few years. You think I am mad - read on......

Commercial Reality - this is the KEY. A combination of factors has meant that industry continues to support sports. Look at this example - sports sponsorship has risen year on year throughout the downturn. With increasing ability to more accurately gauge the results of sponsorship - (social media to the fore) - sports are about to clean up - based on the passion that our customers have for the product. Marketing and advertising budgets are becoming tighter and more closely guarded. Surely industries that can show real return, show passion from their customers, and deliver proven results - will be the ones who will retain/increase their hold on the budgets. In the past sports have not really had to show the results - and have instead relied on the passion. Now with the ability to team this passion up with real results (your team’s supporters invested XX in our product as a direct result of Y) - it’s full steam ahead. (provided your club is doing all that it needs to be - things won’t be so rosy for those still reliant on pure passion)

Financial reality - this is best GUESS - lockouts abound - the whole world seems to be fighting over salary caps. NFL (just come though it), NBA (about to enter the abyss), La Liga and Serie A (muddled through it), AFL (hinting at it), NRL (might be considering it). Bizarrely though this is the perfect time for these discussions to be happening. The deals that will be done will have to more club friendly than if they were in a hugely profitable time. So clubs can plan with less salary impact than maybe might have been the case. It will still hurt now - but in years to come - these negotiations will be looked on favorably.

Sport Saves

Personal Reality - and this is the DREAM - the fantasy world of the past few years has seen salary explosion, unprecedented growth for the individuals who play our top rated sports. But they are all human and the scale of the suffering for the rest of us must surely be impacting on the players - and (I have a dream) that players will slowly realize that enough is enough and look at other ways of earning - personal development / community giving. PLayer (and agent and owner) greed will slowly dissipate - and sports will be seen as the way that the world can fight back against the tough times we will be living in for the next few years......... OK - maybe I am wrong - maybe I am MAD!!

Show me a little respect (me = the sport)

noreply@blogger.com (Nic Cartwright) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:58:00 +0000

So - let’s get this straight...... A player refuses to come on as a substitute when his team is in trouble - and the world is up in arms about how he must be sacked / this now gives his club the ability to sack him and potentially avoid losing the 40m that it invested in him / how much of a disgrace this is because he has let his team mates down.

It is a lack of respect on the players behalf to his coach, to his team mates, to his club and to the supporters of that club.

OK - I can see that - but for me - that horse bolted a long time ago - and the fact that there is now so much uproar - for disrespect to the team - merely further highlights where sport has gone wrong so much in recent times.

Everyone has made it ‘all about the team’ - to such an extent that -

Carlos Tevez will be picked up by another team (if Man City successfully move him on) - and lauded as a great asset to his new “team”. He will kiss the badge, he will be shown to be a symbol of management’s ambition and everyone will be happy (at the new team) - for a few minutes/days.
Players can be sacked for inappropriate behavior by one club and then picked up by another team and the slate is effectively clean. His actions impacted on the past team - not on ours.

Showing disrespect to your team is merely the last thing you can show disrespect to (probably because your team mates are the closest to you and the last to allow you to act badly). By the time you have shown disrespect to your team - you have probably done similar to your club (the wider body that the team is supposed to play for), to your supporters - the passion that flows through the club, or to your local community - from where your supporters will generally come.

The lack of respect in sport is out of control - with soccer as the global game, most visible - and for me it’s almost disrespectful that there is now such a furore about Carlos’ actions - because it is against the “team”..... What about the rest of us who have had to put up with it. A recent online expose lays bare what we already suspected in soccer’s murky waters, whilst the college football system in USA is going through a turbulent time as college administrators fight tooth and nail to be the most “murky” in their dealings.

Sportsman the world over haggle over % of income (NFL, NBA, AFL, La Liga, Serie A) that they deserve to be paid - whilst the rest of the world cling on to their savings, their jobs, their families. Administrators act as though they are above the law, and - worse still - above acting in a decent manner - with rumors of bungs, bribes, and pay-offs for the biggest sporting events of all.

Yes there is a lot of money in sport, yes it may be naive to think that we should all remember the joy and the “teamship” that come from enjoying sport before we get consumed by the huge salaries and endorsements available. And yes, there are plenty of great individuals, and some sports that still act in a hugely respectful fashion - with plenty doing lots for their club, for their team, for their community.

But there needs to be more. Sport should be about delivering a positive message to the world, about showing how teamship can be positive, about how working hard can bring joy, about working for others (your team, your community) should be more important that working for yourself. In the 21st Century - we face lots of problems ahead - and without respect for each other those problems are going to get bigger and bigger.

Every person involved in sport has a duty to respect the sport (and all the components parts highlighted). The last 20 years has seen ‘respect’ slowly slip away from the sporting arena - so unless lots of us decide to stand up and bring it back - as Carlos shows, that horse will have bolted.

Want to learn more about Nic - head to my Online Video Resume...... It's great!!

It’s not always the win that counts

noreply@blogger.com (Nic Cartwright) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 00:05:00 +0000

Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing - so said Vince Lombardi (* - see below on completion of this page) - a phrase that sums up the accepted approach to professional sports across the world. Certainly with coaches who will demand the best, stress the need to invest/over-invest in the team and its assts. If you don’t put everything into winning - well..... you are a bunch of losers.

Well for me - I disagree. Yes I know - it’s sacrilegious... for someone who has led sports teams - but for me, there is more to it that just setting yourself to win. Here’s why....

This weekend saw two teams lose who going into games would have been desperate to win, who would have prepared supremely for the win, and who were favorites for the win (certainly with most).

Scotland Rugby team lost to Argentina in the Rugby World Cup - a game that means they are now favorites to not make the quarter finals (for the first time in their history). It was a huge game - one that the team has known about for years - and one they will have been preparing for - for a long long time. Look up “must-win” in the famous (yet never found) sports dictionary - and this game is listed. And the Scotland coach is certainly one who demands absolute perfection - “If you control your own actions - then the win will be yours” (another maxim well mouthed globally).

Meanwhile - the other side of the Tasman - the Melbourne Storm (the league leading team heading into the playoffs) were turned over by the NZ Warriors. Craig Bellamy - the coach of the Storm is (well) regarded as one of the best (and best prepared) teams in the world (his sport or any other).

The problem with putting everything on winning is two fold - with each of the above as examples of each -

You have an opponent. That opponent may have just the same attitude as you to winning. That opponent may prepare just as well as you, may have just as many assets as you, may even do things a little bit better than you (shock / horror). Only one team can win. (The Warriors are coached by a star of the future the rumors suggest).
You may not have the resources available to you that teams around you have. Scotland probably have more available resources than Argentina (it’s debatable but that’s why I say probably) - but they have a lot less resources than many of their competitors - and - being realistic - are not going to win the World Cup - an opinion that kinda flies in the face of the opinion that if you control your actions, you win the game.

As a leader of a sports team - If and when you focus everything on making sure the team wins - the rest of the organization “may” suffer.

You over stretch resources to provide everything that the team needs.
You take resources from other equally worthy causes - meaning that their progress is constrained, damaged, broken.
You portray the wrong image to the rest of the organization - who may have jobs that they view as important - but ‘it seems like you don’t’.
Seeing above - failure may well be right around the corner.
And most importantly - a dedication to ‘winning’ (thanks Charlie Sheen) at all costs - means you cannot focus your club/team/organization on what really matters -

Progress - success for the organization means year on year improvement, it means getting better. If you don’t win (when you have to) - progress can be severely impacted.
Delivering an Impact - this is on your staff, on your community, on your supporters, on culture. No matter the results (even if you lose every game) - you have the ability in sports to make a positive impact on the world - and as a leader this should be part of your brief.

Of course winning is important, and have no doubt I love to win, and I recognize that a win will be better for your organization (as a whole) than a loss (though there are some studies that indicate a close/exciting loss delivers more benefits than a huge/boring win - but that’s for another day) - so don’t doubt the desire to win.

But - for me at least - there is more to sport than the win, and when you set out to lead your club - remember that.

And PS - it wasn’t Vince Lombardi who penned the quote at the top of the page - it was a Bruins football coach almost 10 years earlier.

Does having the right make it right???

noreply@blogger.com (Nic Cartwright) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 21:53:00 +0000

Another weekend of phenomenal sporting events down (RWC, some truly outstanding NRL playoffs, lots more premiership goals, and the NFL season moves into 2nd gear) - and the one that most are talking about is Money Mayweather’s latest (of albeit irregular) appearance.

Controversy follows this great boxer everywhere - from his trash talking, to his court cases, his brilliant fighting and his extravagant spending.

So no surprise that the Saturday night bout vs Victor Ortiz brought us not one but two more talking points....

For sure - the rules of boxing state that you must protect yourself at all times (surely a future internet acronym of use - PYAAT), so Ortiz' attempts to delay, apologize, catch a breath were always going to be doomed to failure when confronted by a man hellbent on victory. The majority of boxing aficionados see it as within Floyd’s right to take the shot. He had the right, and he took it. And with it came victory, and a knowledge that the $70m (amount Floyd can bank on a good night) can continue rolling.

.....And Floyd was within his rights (though without full disclosure, we cannot be too sure how far within) to castigate screen interviewing legend Larry Merchant for pushing him on his performance, and for talking away from the brilliance of the performance (in Floyd’s mind) and onto matters less in keeping with what Floyd wanted to talk about. So, Floyd had the right to insult Larry’s boxing knowledge (though you have to assume that his 30 years in the ring - as an interviewer - may qualify him as an expert), and he had the right to terminate the interview with the channel helping him make his millions.....

On both occasions - he had the right.

But in today’s fast paced world - is having the right to something enough anymore. With sportsmen so more visible - and with so much more cultural power - is “it’s within my rights” justification for acting as you see fit.

Sports-stars have the ability to influence culture, to lead their followers, to drive human actions. And if sports stars send the wrong message to their fans, then a negative cultural shift (surely what we are currently part of) away from goodwill, honor, and respect will continue.

The right thing to do would have been to see that Ortiz was not defending himself, and (whilst ensuring his own defenses were up!) encourage Victor (and the ref) to ready themselves. Floyd’s unshakeable self-belief, his undoubted huge talent, and the fact that he was winning anyway - would surely have seen a victory but we would have also seen a “win” for doing things the right way - a better lesson for our fans.

The right thing to do - when faced with unfriendly questioning was yes, to challenge Larry’s motives and methods - but to do it in a way that smacked of grace and understanding of both the situation (millions of impressionable folk watching) and of the impact his actions might take.

Floyd is a hugely powerful athlete - some say he is one of the two pillars holding the sport of boxing up (millions of fans in Europe, South America and Asia might disagree - but that’s for another day). But he has huge power and huge sway over many whose opinions and actions he can affect.

Yes he had the right to act the way he did - but I hope he realizes soon that merely having the right doesn’t make it right.,

Where Sports Marketing has worked

noreply@blogger.com (Nic Cartwright) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 16:07:00 +0000

This weekend sees Boxing’s Cash cow Floyd Mayweather step back into the ring for the first time in a while - to take on former future Golden Boy - Victor Ortiz. A loss stalled Ortiz’ rise, but Mayweather’s appeal will undoubtedly drove audience numbers - though the result is likely to be similar to the rest of the bouts on his record.

Everyone is waiting of course for the fight of the Millennium (certainly from a cash point of view) - will Floyd ever take on Manny Pacquaio.

This weekend sadly though is a bump in the current shift away from boxing.

UFC - as the lead brand in MMA - has really done a great job in building itself as the #1 ‘fight’ brand now. Big numbers for PPV, Tv deals, audience - are all making MMA more relevant that boxing in today’s society.

Where did it all go wrong for Boxing?? [NOTE - as I say above, big receipts likely this weekend, and Mayweather vs Pacquaio could break records across all sports - so it’s not totally “wrong”).

Boxing promotion for the past 10 (maybe more) years has just not been up to the mark. The bright new technologies, the new communication channels, the way we lead our lives - have by and large - left Boxing stuck in first gear.

Life in the 21st Century can change pretty quickly - and boxing promoters just have not delivered. A disjointed “ownership” structure - with too many different governing bodies, poor clarity in the marketplace over who actually is the best, and the lack of major stars are also of course dragging the sport sideways at best.

Meanwhile, the UFC have a plan, have a detailed strategy, have ownership and management who know what they want and how they are going to deliver - and actually have serious marketing efforts to deliver on these goals.

Boxing’s cultural advantages (bigger sport, longer history, bigger starting audience) have been eroded away - such that recovery is going to be really tough to deliver.

However - UFC’s success shows that sports marketing does work - and Boxing just needs to follow suit....

Get Organized and get a meaningful plan - to compete - to build growth. Governing bodies need to come together / be disbanded / be replaced - we need to give certainty to the customer - what is the product they are buying - who are the champions that they want to see - who are the up and comers
Put plan not action - more big fights more often - planned out to fit into customer’s social lives and calendars. Fitting into host site plans - an annual event calendar would be good to know. The recent Super 6 was a start - why can’t this be annual, in each weight category, sponsored, with huge TV ratings.... If this means we need to change the way people think about boxers records - so that the number f Super 6 championships (of whatever catchy name we come up with) is more important than historical Win vs Losses...
More heroes - build up fighters to inspire the public. The heavyweight division is struggling - so focus elsewhere. Pacqauio and Mayweather are two of the biggest stars of the sport of all time - let’s get more out of them. let’s build up their competitors / their replacements.
Drag the sport into the 21st Century. To start with learn quickly from those that are doing a good job - UFC, NHL social media, MLS attendance growth, NFL corporate maximization. Once we are back at the table - then start to innovate, start to lead. Boxing has some USP’s - the one off events that no other sport can deliver - use these and become a leader in sports.

Unless there is quick and effective action - the sport of boxing may already have lost the hearts and minds of future fans to UFC - the #1 sport at the moment that understands what is required to grow in today’s society.

Come on Boxing - time to throw some punches of your own.

Snow White and the 8 characters

noreply@blogger.com (Nic Cartwright) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 21:28:00 +0000

Show White and the Seven Steps to a new Job

This item is inspired by the ‘Joke of the Fringe Festival’ (thanks to Marty M for on the ground reporting in Edinburgh)

....."I was on the internet the other day and one site asked me for a password made up of 8 characters, so i typed in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs!"......

Now having used the fantastical Snow W in an earlier blog - I thought it was about time we wheeled her out again.

Those of you who have been following - will be aware that I am in the market for a job. You will be less aware that I have taken on a crack team of seven (would you believe) recruitment experts to assist with the job hunt. I have great pleasure in introducing them / their odd ‘one-word’ names / and their particular expertises below...

Doc - this chap has years of training in the field, and is one of my key advisers. It is his role to ensure that every action I take is pre-meditated, planned out, and follows the systems. He is keeping my applications healthy (no tie-poes / no speeling meestakes etc)

Sleepy - this guy sleeps so that I don’t need to. It is a 24/7 effort to ensure I do all that I can to best present myself. America is a big place with lots of organsiations to speak to - no rest for the sleepers!!

Sneezy - with Doc around, this guy does not get much of a look in. Poor little bearded fella....

Dopey - no stupid mistakes is this guy’s mantra. He drums it into me daily. Stand back, take a long hard look at what you are doing - and cut out the errors... I think he is related to Doc.

Bashful - this dude is a real mix of a character. Sometimes he tells me “Do what I say, not what I do” - I think he wants me to try to stand out / shout about myself / be super confident. But then he often just has a little look that says - don’t be too cocky... The ying and yang of confidence men

Grumpy sits on one of my shoulders - ever ready to lead the way if I feel like I am not making progress. Whilst his twin brother ...

Happy sits gaily on the other shoulder - keeping my chin up, my pecker up (thanks to Jeff H for that saying), and generally making sure the glass is always half full.

With a team like this on my side - I am destined for greatness.

Now who wants me on their team.....

Nic is looking for work - you can watch him on his video online resume here - you can tweet with him here - or you can get in touch and offer him a great job here / here or here

Starting new in USA

noreply@blogger.com (Nic Cartwright) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 22:38:00 +0000

Well, a big Howdy Doody welcome to y'all

Welcome to one of the first of my new “Coming to America” blog....... As I sit here counting down the days till receipt
(hopefully / fingers crossed / please nice Mr Visa guy/gal) of my ‘right to work’ documentation - I am at a pretty exciting
stage in life..... The whole of America (though it is faced with a few problems currently) to go at, the motivated (and
motivating) American population to interact with - it’s the land of opportunity, of milk and of honey (and plenty more
packaged products).... I can’t wait to get started....

This blog is going to be about my education into American society, about my thoughts as to what life is like in the big ‘ole
US of A, and about how my family and I get settled over our first few months.

Dependent on how it all goes with the Green Card - and you hope that after 5 years of relationship, 4 years of marriage,
trekking around 5 different continents together (SA and Ant to go) - that it should all go pretty smoothy - I would hope to
keep the blog going on and on and on......

We have left a lot of good friends and family behind in the UK - and a blog is a great way to stay in touch (as part
of a multi faceted communications strategy of course) - we enjoyed writing our travel blog for sure (missed out -
check in here). Life was good back in England/Scotland (delete based on year) - with an enjoyable job, a nice
standard of living, plenty of folk to keep the engine running.....

Some UK (and further afield) friends

But as 'The The' once said - “Life’s what you make it” (eagle eyed viewers will
note the 2nd use of this song in my blogging career.... not sure what it means
but well done) - so we have committed to the Western side of the Atlantic. Over
here we have our American family and a quickly growing group of mates - with
plenty more to come for sure.....

Steph has started work, whilst Nic is embarking on his own job hunt armada....
Which (if I am being really, really honest - and for those that know me, I do favor
the honest route), is probably the main reason for this blog...

The last 12 (or so) years in UK, I have worked for companies that have given me
real pleasure. I love working in sports, more importantly I love having the opportunity to influence, to lead, to inspire, and
to deliver impact in the business of sports. I want to be able to do the same over here - in an alien (ish), new (definitely)
and different culture/market place.

To do this - I need to set myself out as a champ among men, I need to show that I am a little bit special. I need to bring
myself to the attention of the existing decision makers in the United States - so that they see me, they want me (to come
work for them), and they give me a call!!!!!

To that end - my job hunt is going to include all manner of media, a veritable vegetable patch of interesting (most of the
time) strategies.... I am planning of using my friends to help me - if only be suggesting new ways I can use to promote
myself.

The #comingtoamerica line is sitting right across my efforts - and I want to hear about what you want to hear about.... You can sit right next to me in my ‘drive’ around a new life in USA - and this time - back seat drivers are welcome.....

In the meantime - enjoy your day, wherever you may be...

Forewarning notes -

from here on in - the spelling of all words will be Americanized - I got to
start somewhere. My accent still needs a bit of work, but I am planning a

2 week intensive course in Arkansas some time.

apologies in advance for any 'stereotyping' faux pas's.... What with the

whole Englishness, and then the Americanness - there might be a slip

from time to time.